Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
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Loushatoht 


River. 


JTd Fortran  Ferdinando  de  Barancas  Spanish  1794 
pj0_Fort  (Assumption  French  1739. 

□ ° Old  Cllwkasaiv  Towns 

Ft.  Pickering" \ 

^ i 

v_  Rivet' 


HISTORY 


OF 

TENNESSEE 


From  the  Earliest  Time  to  the  Present;  Together  with  an  Historical 
and  a Biographical  Sketch  of  the  County  of  Knox  and  the 
City  of  Knoxville,  Besides  a Valuable  Fund  of 
Notes,  Original  Observations,  Rem- 
iniscences, Etc.,  Etc. 


ILLTJSTIR^TIEID. 


f 


Nashville  ; 

THE  GOODSPEED  PUBLISHING  CO., 
1887. 


The  State  History,  only,  has  been 
Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress  in  the  year  1886,  by 

THE  GOODSPEED  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 


Tu  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington,  11.  C. 


the  flowers  collection 

9 7 6. 2 
HC7  3Q 

PREFACE. 


THIS  volume  has  been  prepared  in  response  to  the  prevailing  and  popular 
demand  for  the  preservation  of  local  history  and  biography.  The  method 
of  preparation  followed  is  the  most  successful  and  the  most  satisfactory  yet  de- 
vised— the  most  successful  in  the  enormous  number  of  volumes  circulated,  and 
the  most  satisfactory  in  the  general  preservation  of  personal  biography  and 
family  record  conjointly  with  local  history.  The  number  of  volumes  now  being 
distributed  appears  fabulous.  Within  the  last  four  years  not  less  than  20,000 
volumes  of  this  class  of  works  have  been  distributed  in  Kentucky,  and  the 
demand  is  not  half  satisfied.  Careful  estimates  place  the  number  circulated 
in  Ohio  at  50,000;  Pennsylvania,  60,000;  New  York,  75,000;  Indiana,  35,- 
000;  Illinois,  40,000;  Iowa,  35,000,  and  every  other  Northern  State  at  the 
same  proportionate  rate.  The  Southern  States,  with  the  exception  of  Ken- 
tucky, Virginia  and  Georgia,  owing  mainly  to  the  disorganization  succeeding 
the  civil  war,  yet  retain,  ready  for  the  publisher,  their  stories  of  history  and 
biography.  Within  the  next  five  years  the  vast  and  valuable  fund  of  perishing 
event  in  all  the  Southern  States  will  be  rescued  from  decay,  and  be  recorded 
and  preserved — to  be  reviewed,  studied  and  compared  by  future  generations. 
The  design  of  the  present  extensive  historical  and  biographical  research  is  more 
to  gather  and  preserve  in  attractive  form  while  fresh  with  the  evidences  of 
truth,  the  enormous  fund  of  perishing  occurrence,  than  to  abstract  from  insuffi- 
cient contemporaneous  data  remote,  doubtful  or  incorrect  conclusions.  The 
true  perspective  of  the  landscape  of  life  can  only  be  seen  from  the  distance  that 
lends  enchantment  to  the  view.  It  is  asserted  that  no  person  is  competent  to 
write  a philosophical  history  of  his  own  time — that,  owing  to  conflicting  cir- 
cumstantial evidence  that  yet  conceals  the  truth,  he  can  not  take  that  luminous, 
correct,  comprehensive,  logical  and  unprejudiced  view  of  passing  events  that 
will  enable  him  to  draw  accurate  and  enduring  conclusions.  The  duty,  then, 
of  a historian  of  his  own  time  is  to  collect,  classify  and  preserve  the  material 
for  the  final  historian  of  the  future.  The  present  historian  deals  in  fact,  the 
future  historian,  in  conclusion;  the  work  of  the  former  is  statistical,  of  the  lat 
ter,  philosophical. 

To  him  who  has  not  attempted  the  collection  of  historical  data,  the  obstacles 
to  be  surmounted  are  unknown.  Doubtful  traditions,  conflicting  state- 
ments, imperfect  records,  inaccurate  private  correspondence,  the  bias  or  un- 
truthfulness of  informers,  and  the  general  obscurity  which  envelops  all  events 
combine  to  bewilder  and  mislead.  On  the  contrary,  the  preparation  of  statis 


301033 


IV 


PREFACE. 


tical  history  by  experienced,  unprejudiced  and  competent  workers  in  special- 
ties; the  accomplishment  by  a union  of  labor  of  a vast  result  that  would  cost 
one  person  the  best  years  of  his  life  and  transfer  the  collection  of  perishing 
event  beyond  the  hope  of  research;  the  judicious  selection  of  important  matter 
from  the  general  rubbish;  and  the  careful  and  intelligent  revision  of  all  final 
manuscript  by  an  editor-in-chief,  yield  a degree  of  celerity,  system,  accuracy, 
comprehensiveness  and  value  unattainable  by  any  other  method.  The  pub- 
lishers of  this  volume,  fully  aware  of  their  inability  to  furnish  a perfect  his- 
tory, an  accomplishment  vouchsafed  only  to  the  dreamer  or  the  theorist,  make 
no  pretension  of  having  prepared  a work  devoid  of  blemish.  They  feel  as- 
sured that  all  thoughtful  people,  at  present  and  in  future,  will  recognize  and 
appreciate  the  importance  of  their  undertaking  and  the  great  public  benefit 
that  has  been  accomplished. 

In  the  preparation  of  this  volume  the  publishers  have  met  with  nothing  but 
courtesy  and  assistance.  They  acknowledge  their  indebtedness  for  valuable 
favors  to  the  Governor,  the  State  Librarian,  the  Secretary  of  the  State  Historical 
Society  and  to  more  than  a hundred  of  other  prominent  citizens  of  Nashville, 
Memphis,  Knoxville,  Chattanooga,  Jackson,  Clarksville  and  the  smaller  cities 
of  the  State.  It  is  the  design  of  the  publishers  to  compile  and  issue,  in  con- 
nection with  the  State  history,  a brief  yet  comprehensive  historical  account  of 
every  county  in  the  State,  copies  of  which  will  be  placed  in  the  State  Library. 
In  the  prosecution  of  this  work  they  hope  to  meet  with  the  same  cordial  as- 
sistance extended  to  them  during  the  compilation  of  this  volume. 

THE  PUBLISHERS. 


Nashville,  July,  1887. 


CONTENTS 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


CHAPTER  I. 


PAGE. 

Geology  of  Tennessee 13 

Area  and  Boundary  of  the  State 13 

Ages,  The  Geologic is 

Canadian  Period,  The 17 

Coals,  The 27 

Carboniferous  Age,  The 22 

Crab  Orchard  Section,  The 31 

Cretaceous  Period,  The 22 

Cross  Mountain  Section,  The 33 

Champlain  Period  The 23 

Coal  of  Raccoon  District 30 

Divisions,  The  Eight  Natural 15 

Eastern  Iron  Region,  The 34 

Elevations,  The  Principal 40 

Fossils,  The  Characteristic 30 

Glacial  Period,  The 23 

Hamilton  Age,  The 21 

Iron  Ore,  The 34 

Lower  Helderberg  Period,  The 21 

Lignitic  Period,  The 22 

Marble  Beds,  The 39 

Metals,  The  Principal 37 

Niagara  Period,  The 20 

Primordial  Period,  The 16 

Recent  Period,  The 23 

Subearboniferous  Period,  The 21 

Soils,  The  Various 23 

Temperat  ure  of  the  State,  The 39 

Trenton  Period.  The 18 

Thirteen  Tennessee  Periods,  The 10 

Western  Iron  Region,  p.'lic 35 

CHAPTER  II. 

The  Mound-Builders 42 

Age  of  the  Mounds 50 

Arguments  of  Judge  Haywood 45 

Classification  of  Earthworks 50 

Contents  of  the  Mounds,  The 53 

Carthage  Cave,  The 54 

Evidences  of  Prehistoric  Occupation 42 

Fortifications,  Etc 51 

Location  of  the  Earthworks 49 

Mounds  of  Tennessee,  The 51  to  57 

Natchez,  The 4S 

Opinion  of  Bancroft,  The.... 42 

Peruvians,  The 45 

“ Stone  Fort,”  The  Old./. 55 

Sun  W orshipers.  The 47 

Tribal  Resemblances 40 

View  of  Hildreth 44 

CHAPTER  III. 

The  Indian  Tribes 57 

Avery  Treaty,  The 77 

Battle  of  Chickasaw  Old  Field 69 

Beloved  Town,  The 69 

Battleof  Long  Island  Flats 73 

Battle  of  Boyd  Creek 80 

Boundary  Established,  ANew 82 

Battle  of  French  Lick 89 

Christian’s  Expediton 76 

Chiekamaugas,  The 79 

Chickasaw  Treaty  of  1786,  The 85 

Coldwater  Expedition  ,The 90 

Cession  Treaties,  Numerous 95  to  los 

Cherokees,  !The 57 

Campaign  of  Williamson 75 

Chickasaws,  Tbe 59 

Destruction  of  Indian  Towns 65  ( 

Expeditions  of  Sevier 86,  S7 

Encounter  of  Untoola  and  Hubbard 83 

Expeditions  of  Rains 91 

English  Supremacy  and  Intrigue 64 

Expedition  of  Col.  Grant 68 

Earliest  Indian  Occupation 57 

French  Trading  Stations 62 


PAGE. 

<!  Great  Grant ” and  “Path  Deed” 70 

Holston  Treaty,  The „ 93 

Incidents  and  Anecdotes 74 

Killing  of  the  Cavetts,  The 94 

Massacre  of  Fort  Loudon 63,  66 

Massacres  upon  the  Cumberland 89 

Nickajack  Expedition,  The 97 

Point  Pleasant,  Battle  of. 70 

“ Pocahontas  ot  the  West,”  The 73 

Rutherford’s  Campaign 75 

Shawanees,  The 58 

Shelby’s  Campaign  against  the  Lower  Towns.  80 

Sevier’s  Destructive  Campaigns 81 

Spanish  Influence 90 

Traditions  of  a Former  Race 58 

Tennessee  Soil,  First  Cession  of 61 

Treaty  of  Hopewell,  The 84 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Settlement  of  Tennessee 10S 

Brown’s  Settlement 124 

Chisca,  The  Indian  Village 110 

Charleville’s  Trading  Station 112 

Carter’s  Valley,  Settlement  of. 124 

Daniel  Boone 116 

Donelson’s  Journal 129  to  134 

Expedition  of  De  Soto 108 

French  and  English  Designs 112 

Fort  Assumption 113 

Findley’s  Excursion 117 

French  Lick,  First  Appearance  of. 123 

Fort  Loudon,  Construction  of 114 

Henderson’s  Treaty 124 

Hunting  Parties,  Sundry 116,  117 

“ Long  Hunters,”  The 121 

La  Salle  and  Marquette Ill 

Results  of  the  Treaty  of  1763 118 

Regulators  and  the  Seovilites,  The 122 

Stations  on  the  Cumberland,  The 127 

Spottswood’s  Expedition 112 

Traders,  The  French 115 

Wood’s  Tour  of  Discovery Ill 

Walker’s  Expedition lie 

Watauga  Settlement,  The 121 

Washington  District,  Watauga  Settlement 125 

Washington  County,  N.  C 126 

CHAPTER  V. 

Settlement  Concluded 135 

Affairs  on  the  Cumberland 141 

Brown’s  Disastrous  Voyage 144,  145 

Contioental  Land  Warrants 139 

Ciinch-Cumberland  Road,  The 142,  143 

Catalogue  of  Land  Grants 151 

Chickasaw  Bluffs,  The 152 

Greene’s  Reservation 139 

Land  Companies,  The 147  to  150 

Military  Reservations,  The 140 

Nashborough 137 

Perils  on  the  Cumberland 136 

Provisions,  How  Obtained,  Etc 143 

Settlers  of  West  Tennessee 154  to  ’63 

Territorial  Government,  The 146 

Transylvania 136 

West  Tennessee,  Settlement  of 151 

Western  Purchase,  The. 153 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Organization....' .-. 164 

Cumberland  Compact,  The 184  to  188 

European  Charters,  The 164  to  167 

Eastern  Boundary,  The 182 

Government  of  the  Notables,  The 183 

Northern  Boundary  Question,  The 168  to  180 

State  of  Franklin,  The 1S9  to  198 

Southern  Boundary  Question,  The 1S1  to  182 

Watauga  Association,  The 183 


301038 


VI 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


PAGE. 

Organization  Concluded 199 

Administration  of  Gov.  Blount 205 

Acts  of  the  Convention  of  1796 213 

Acceptance  of  the  Tennessee  Cession 202 

Census  of  Tennessee,  The  First 21 L 

Constitutional  Provisions 224  to  228 

Constitutional  Convention  of  1834,  The 223 

Cession  Act  of  North  Carolina,  The 199 

Constitutional  Convention  of  1796,  The 212 

Cession  Deed,  The 202 

Constitutional  Convention  of  1870,  The. ...227,  228 

General  Assembly  of  the  State,  The  First 219 

Legislature  of  the  Territory,  The 207  to  210 

Pioneer  Legislation.... 221 

State  Governor,  The  First 220 

State  Constitution,  The  First 214  to  218 

Tennessee  Admitted  to  the  Union 218 

Territorial  Government  Established,  The 203 

Territorial  Officers,  The 203 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Growth  and  Development 229 

Agricultural  Methods,  The  Early 229 

Census  Reports,  The 252 

Corn  Crop,  The 233 

Cotton  Gin,  The  Purchase  of.  240 

Cotton  Culture 239 

Fruit  Crops,  The 233,  251 

Fertilizers,  The  Use  of. 245 

Farmers  of  Middle  Tennessee,  The 232 

Farmers  of  East  Tennessee,  The 230 

Hay  and  the  Grasses 242 

Hemp,  Flax,  Sorghum,  Etc 244 

Live  Stock 24G 

Maple  Sugar 245 

“Money  Crops,”  The 236 

Methods  of  Agriculture  Compared 230 

Poultry,  Butter,  Cheese.  Honey,  Etc 249 

Peanuts,  The  Growth  of. 241 

Potatoes,  Sweet  and  Irish 235 

Rye,  Barley,  Oats,  Buckwheat,  Etc. 235 

Tobacco  Crop,  The 237 

Wheat  Crop,  The 234 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Growth  and  Development  Concluded 253 

Bureau  of  Agriculture,  Etc 279 

Coal  Productions,  The 265  to  267 

Copper  Ore,  The  Mining  of. 270 

Cotton  Seed  Oil 278 

Cotton  Goods,  The  Manufacture  of 273 

Flour-Milling  Industry,  The 271 

Gunpowder 275 

Iron  Industries,  The 260  to  264 

Industrial  Development 272 

Leather,  Boots  and  Shoes,  Etc 276 

Lumber  Productions  and  Traffic,  The 259 

Marble  Quarries,  The 267  to  270 

Paper,  The  Production  of. 275 

Timber  of  the  State,  The 253  to  258 

Whisky  Products,  The  Enormous 277,  278 

Woolen  Goods,  The  Manufacture  of. 274 

CHAPTER  X. 

State  Institutions 280 

Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen 320 

Bureau  of  Agriculture,  Mines,  Etc 308 

East  Tennessee  Insane  Asylum 293 

Grand  Army  of  the  Republic 322 

Institutions  for  the  Blind 289 

Insane  Hospital  at  Nashville,  The 291 

Jackson’s  Equestrian  Statue 284 

Knights  of  Honor,  Grand  Lodge 315 

Knights  of  Pythias,  Grand  Lodge 318 

Knights  and  Ladies  of  Honor 316 

Legion  of  Honor,  Grand  Council 320 

Masonic  Grand  Lodge,  The 309 

Odd  Fellows  Grand  Lodge,  The 314 

Royal  Arcanum,  Grand  Council 321 

State  Capitol  Located,  The 280 

State  Library,  The 286 

State  House,  Construction  of  the 281  to  284 

State  Penitentiary,  The 294 

State  Historical  Society,  The 298 

State  Medical  Society,  The 302 


PAGE. 

State  Board  of  Health,  The 305 

Tennessee  Deaf  and  Dumb  School,  The 287 

Tennessee  Agricultural  and  Horticultural 

Society 307 

West  Tennessee  Insane  Asylum 294 

CHAPTER  XI. 

State  Institutions  Concluded 323 

Counties,  The  Formation  of 361,  362 

Commercial  Highways 335 

Funding  of  the  Debt,  The 328  to  330 

Gubernatorial  Election  Returns 356 

Internal  Improvement  Systems,  The 337 

Presidential  Election  Returns 358,  359 

Population  of  the  State,  Aggregate 360,  361 

Receipts  and  Expenditures,  The  Early 323 

Railroads,  The  Sale  of 339 

Receipts  and  Expenses,  Catalogue  of. 340 

Repudiation,  The  Question  of 329 

Railway  Enterprises 340to  348 

Railway  Commission,  The 348 

State  Indebtedness,  The  First 326 

Steam-boat  Navigation 348 

State  Bonds,  Total  Issue  of 357 

State  Officers,  Catalogue  of 350  to  356 

State  Banks,  The 331  to  335 

State  Debt  Proper,  The 327  to  329 

Treasury  of  the  State,  The 324 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Bench  and  Bar  op  Tennessee 363 

Courts  of  the  Watauga  Settlement 363 

Courts  on  the  Cumberland 367 

Circuit  Courts,  The 376 

Courts  of  the  Constitution  of  1796 368 

Courts  of  the  Constitution  of  1834 375 

Courts  of  the  ConstitutifWof  1870 378 

Impeachment,  Cases  of. - 372 

Professional  Character  of  Distinguished 
Members  of  the  Bench  and  Bar  of  Ten- 
nessee  382  to  412 

Territorial  Courts,  The 368 

United  States  Courts,  The 380 

Washington  and  Sullivan  County  Courts 364 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

Educational  History 413 

Colleges  Chartered 416 

County  Academies,  The 420 

Constitutional  Educational  Provisions 426 

Common  School  Convention,  The 428 

Colored  Education 434 

Common  Schools,  The 435 

Cumberland  College 442 

Endowment  Funds,  The 415 

Educational  Systems  Compared 4;0 

East  Tennessee  College 447 

Educational  Tax,  The  First 422 

Educational  Statistics 441 

Graded  Schools,  The 430 

Gigantic  Problem  of  1865,  The 431 

Provincial  Schools,  The 413 

Public  Schools  Established 426 

Peabody  Fund,  The 43;. 

State  Colleges  Founded 413 

School  Lands,  Disposal  of  the 423 

Superintendents  of  Public  Instruction 428 

School  Officers,  Duties  of. * 438 

State  Normal  School,  The 445 

Special  School  Funds 439 

State  Board  of  Education 447 

School  Funds,  Creation  of  the 424 

Schools  in  Tennessee,  The  First 415 

Tennessee  Industrial  College 451 

AV est  Tennessee  College 453 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

The  Early  Wars 454 

British,  Battles  with  the 456 

Charleston,  The  Capture  of. 460 

Creeks,  The  War  with  the 461 

Entochopco,  Battle  of 464 

Jackson’s  First  Battle 462 

Jackson,  Activity  of. 470 

King’s  Mountain,  Battle  of. 458 

Mexican  AVar,  The 473 


CONTENTS 


vii 


PAGE. 

New  Orleans,  The  Movement  upon 467 

New  Orleans,  Jackson’s  Victory  at 468 

Seminole  War,  The 469 

Tories  of  East  Tennessee,  The 454 

Talladega,  Battle  of 463 

Tohopeka,  Battle  of 465 

Texas-Mexiean  War,  The 472 

Tennessee  Troops  Sent  to  Mexico 474  to  476 

War  of  1812,  The 461 

Wahoo  Swamp,  Battle  of. 472 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Federal  Military  History 477 

Burnside’s  Occupation  of  East  Tennessee 490 

Bridge  Burners  Ordered  Hanged 488 

Campbell’s  Station,  Battle  of. 491 

Confederate  Movements 486 

Fishing  Creek,  Battle  of 488 

Federal  Troops  Furnished,  Total 497 

General  Movements 489 

Greenville  Union  Convention,  The 481 

Issue  Joined,  The 483 

Knoxville  Union  Convention,  The 479 

Knoxville,  Siege  of. 492 

Longstreet  vs.  Burnside 491 

Loyalty  of  East  Tennessee 477 

Morgan,  The  Killing  of. 495 

Regimental  Sketches 497  to  512 

Skirmishes,  The  Concluding 496 

Union  Leaders,  The 478 

Union  Regiments  Organized 484 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Confederate  Military  History 513 

Army  Bill,  The 522 

Arms,  Condition  and  Quantity 515 

Aid  Societies 539 

Advance  to  Columbus,  The 543 

Army  Rolls 595  to  617 

Belmont,  Battle  of 545 

Burnside  in  East  Tennessee , 558 

Call  to  Arms,  The 518 

Confederate  Government,  The 635 

Chickamauga,  Battle  of. 556 

Confederate  Line,  Danger  to  the 547 

Confederate  Forces,  .Aggregate 546 

Defensive  Measures,  Extent  of. 536  to  539 

Election  Returns  of  June 8 532  to  534 

Evacuation  of  Middle  Tennessee 550 

February  Convention,  The 614 

Fishing  Creek,  Battle  of 547 

Fort  Henry,  Fall  of. 648 

Franklin,  Battle  of 560 

Fort  Donelson,  Fall  of. 548 

Georgia  Campaign,  The 559 

Legislature  Convened,  The 518 

Militia,  Reorganization  of  the : 515 

Military  League,  The 528 

Militia  Transferred  to  the  Confederacy 540 

Memphis,  Surrender  of .vr.- ;.....  553 

Military  Appointments 530 

Murfreesboro,  Battle  of. 555 

Missionary  Ridge,  Battle  of 557 

Neutrality  Question,  The 544 

Nashville,  Federal  Occupation  of. 549 

Nashville,  Battle  of 660 

Ordinance  of  Secession,  The 520 

Ordnance,  The  Manufacture  of 541 

Perry ville.  Battle  of. 554 

Position  of  the  General  Assembly 516 

Reserve  Corps,  The 542 

Rock  Castle  Hills,  Battle  of. 544 

Regimental  Sketches 561  to  595 

State  Sovereignty  and  Secession 513 

Shiloh,  Battle  of 550 

Secession  Overwhelmingly  Favored 517 

Tennessee  Admitted  to  the  Confederacy 535 

Troops,  Call  for  and  Refusal  to  Furnish 517 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

Tennessee  Literature 617 

Brownlow 622 

Bright 628 

Brunner 625 

Baskerville 625 

Baldwin 625 

Brown 628 

Chattanooga  Press,  The 631 


PAGE. 

Crockett 623 

Carr 625 

Cross 629 

Fitzgerald.. 625 

French 627 

Geological  Authors 623 

Guild 624 

Graves  (Joseph  C.) 624 

Graves  (Adelia  C.) 627 

Gilchrist 629 

Harrison 624 

Haywood 618 

Journalism 629 

Ketehum 627 

Knoxville  Press,  The 629 

Law 628 

Lindsley  (Phillip) 624 

Lindsley  (J.  Berrien) 619 

Legal  Authors 626 

Murfree 626 

Memphis  Press,  The 637 

McAdoo 629 

McAnally 621 

McFerrin 621 

Martin 622 

McTyeire 622 

Medical  Authors 622 

Maury 623 

Nelson i 621,  623 

Nashville  Prpss,  The..... J 632 

Putnam 619 

Pearson 621 

Ramsey 618 

Redl'ord 624 

Ryan 622 

Rivers 1 622 

Summers..  625 

Tannehill 620 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Religious  History 638 

Arminianism,  The  Creed  of 648 

Buildings  Erected,  The  first 646 

Baptist  Church,  The 687 

Church  and  State,  Union  of. 640 

Camp-Meeting,  The  first 650 

Creeds,  Formation  of  the 658 

Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church,  The 658 

Christian  Church,  The 700 

Catholic  Church,  The 704 

Colored  Churches,  The 708 

Episcopal  Church,  The 694 

Irreligion  Punished 641 

Jerks,  The 651  to  655 

Jerks,  The  Cause  of  the 655  to  657 

Jewish  Church,  The 706 

Lutheran  Church,  The 705 

Methodist  Church,  The 662 

Methodist  Church  South 676 

Methodist  Statistics 676  to  679 

Methodist  Book  Concern,  The 679 

Preaching  in  Tennessee,  The  first 645 

Presbyterian  Church,  The 680 

Revival,  The  Great 649  to  654 

Religious  Intolerance 639 

Separation  of  Church  and  State 644 

Slavery  Divides  the  Church 667  to  676 

University  of  the  South,  The 699 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

Biographical  Chapter 708 

Blount,  Gov.  AVilliam 716 

Bell,  Hon.  John 733 

Brownlow,  Gov.  William  G 740 

Carroll,  Gov.  William 719 

Crockett,  Col.  David 728 

Forrest,  Gen.  N.  B 742 

Grundy,  Hon.  Felix 729 

Haywood,  Judge  John 714 

Houston,  Gov.  Sam 724 

Jackson,  President  Andrew 720 

Johnson,  President  Andrew 745 

Johnson,  Hon.  Cave 735 

Polk,  President  James  K 738 

Robertson,  Gen.  James 712 

Sevier.Gov.  John 708 

White,  Hon.  Hugh  L 732 

Zollicoffer,  Gen,  Felix  K,,„.„ 747 


CONTENTS. 


viii 


CHAPTER  XX. 

PAGE. 

Political  History 749  ' 

Administrations  of  Gov.  Sevier 751 

Abolitionism,  Growth  of. 758 

Abolishment  of  Imprisonment  for  Debt 764 

“Arnell  BUI,”  The 780 

Bill  of  1831 756 

“Brownlow’s  Legislature” 780 

Campaigns  of  1844  and  1848 771-772 

Campaigns  of  1872  and  1876 789-791 

Dresser’s  Arrest  and  Punishment 757 

Elections 765-767 

Free  Negroes 755 

Franchise  Measures 782-786 

Free  Negro  Bill  of  1859-60 758 

Houston’s  Governorship 761 

Impeachment  of  Senator  Blount 750,  751 

Industrial  Depression  and  Revival 753 

Important  Political  Events 769-771 

“Instructing  Resolutions,”  The 768 

Jackson’s  Official  Career 760 

Ku  Klux  Klans 785 

Later  Political  Events 789-796 

Nullification 762-763 

New  Constitution,  The 787 

Politics  of  the  “Fifties” 773 

Pro-Slavery  Movements.. 757 

Public  Polity,  Questions  of. 759 

Restoration  of  Tennessee 781 

Resumption  of  Federal  Authority 777 

Resignation  of  Senators  Foster  and  White..  768 

Spanish  Controversy,  The 749-750 

Slavery  Question,  The 754 

Slave  Legislation,  Early 755 

Secession 773-777 

State  Debt,  The 793 

War  of  1812,  The 752 


KNOX  COUNTY. 

Knox  County . 797 

Attorneys,  List  of 819 

Business  at  Knoxville,  Early 841-844 

Banking 866-867 

Business  Houses,  Later 851-855 

Boundary,  etc 797 

Cavett  Massacre,  The 804 

Commerce,  Early 807 

County  Officers 814 

Casteel  Massacre,  The 805 

Courts,  The 815 

-=-5-Commeree,  Extent  of. 851 

' Education 875-883 

— Finances,  etc 813 

Indians,  Dealings  with  the 800-806 

Industries,  Early 846-849 

Insurance 867 

Incorporation 873-874 

Knox  County  Organized. 808-809 

Knoxville 839 

' v 


PAGE. 

Knoxville  Since  the  War 849 

Lodges 868-870 

Military  Record 825-839 

Massacres  by  the  Indians 806 

Minerals,  etc 797-798 

Manufacturers 856-866 

Medical  Society,  The 870-871 

Mayors,  Catalogue  of 874-875 

Public  Buildings 809-813 

Poor  Farm,  The 811-812 

Press  of  Knoxville,  The ,871-873 

Postoffice  Building 875 

Railroads 808 

Retail  Trade  at  Present 855 

Religion 883-908 

Soil,  Fertility  of  the 797 

Streams,  Drainage,  etc 798 

Settlement,  etc 799-806 

BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 

Knox  County 909 

PORTRAITS,  MAPS  AND  VIEWS. 

Aboriginal  Map Frontispiece 

Beaman,  F.  C between  844,  845 

Bell,  John “ 732.  733 

Blind  Asylum “ 124,  125 

Blount,  William “ 716,  717 

Brownlow,  W.  G “ 508,  509 

Chapel,  University  of  the  South...  “ 348,  349 

Chiekamauga “ 556,  557 

Crockett,  David.. “ 156,157 

Deaf  and  Dumb  Asylum “ 268,  269 

Donelson “ 476,  477 

Franklin “ 588,  589 

Grundy,  Felix “ 380,  381 

Insane  Asylum,  West  Tenn “ 140,  141 

Insane  Asylum,  East  Tenn “ 92,  93 

Jackson’s  Statue “ 284,  285 

Jackson,  Andrew “ 460,  461 

Johnson,  Andrew “ 636,  637 

Johnson  Cave “ 668,  669 

Murfreesboro “ 572,  573 

Missionary  Ridge “ 492,  493 

Nashville “ 604,  605 

Normal  School “ 428,  429 

Polk,  James  K “ 396,  397 

Robertson,  James “ 76,  77 

Rodgers,  James “ 892,  893 

Sevier,  John “ 220,  221 

Shiloh “ 540,  541 

State  Capitol “ 28,  29 

Thompson  Hall,  University  of  the 

South “ 316,317 

Tennessee  University “ 444,  445 

University  of  the  South “ 700,  701 

View  on  Emery  River “ 44,  45 

View  on  Falls  Creek “ 188,189 


0 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


CHAPTER  I * 


Geology  of  the  State — Boundary  and  Area — Drainage  and  Mean  Eleva- 
tion-General Topographical  Features— Natural  Geological  Divis- 
ions— Classification  and  Description  of  Strata — Tennessee  Geological 
Periods— Local  Details— Varieties  of  Soil— The  Coal  Interests— 
Local  Stratification— Analysis  and  Comparison  of  Coals— Iron  De- 
posits and  Varieties— Paleontology — Copper  and  Galenite— Other 
Metals— The  Marble  Beds— Hygrometry  and  Temperature— Princi- 
pal Elevations  of  the  State. 


THE  southern  boundary  of  the  State  of  Tennessee  coincides  mainly  ** 
with  the  thirty-fifth  parallel  of  north  latitude,  while  the  northern 
boundary  is  a broken  line  lying  between  the  parallels  thirty-sis  degrees 
and  twenty-nine  minutes  and  thirty-six  degrees  and  forty-one  minutes 
north  latitude.  The  mean  breadth  is  slightly  more  than  109  miles,  and 
the  mean  length  about  385  miles,  the  general  outline  forming  a long 
trapezoid.  The  State  comprises  an  area  of  about  42,000  square  miles. 

The  general  elevation  above  the  sea,  excepting  the  leading  highest  and 
lowest  localities,  is  about  900  feet.  The  entire  surface  of  the  State,  ex- 
cepting a small  tract  on  the  southeast,  the  waters  of  which  find  their 
wTay  into  Georgia,  is  drained  by  the  tributaries  of  the  Ohio  and  Missis- 
sippi Rivers,  the  most  important  being  Tennessee,  Cumberland,  Forked 
Deer,  Obion  and  Hatchie. 

On  the  eastern  boundary  of  the  State,  with  numerous  outliers  and<j5dnH 
projections,  are  the  Appalachian  Mountains, f consisting  of  high  ranges  {JoJihuj 
more  or  less  parallel,  with  isolated  peaks  and  domes,  all  interspersed  with  [ 

numerous  ravines,  creeks  and  coves,  and  the  entire  region  presenting  the 
most  picturesque  and  romantic  scenery  of  the  State.  Westward  of  this 
mountainous  system  to  just  beyond  the  Tennessee  River  spreads  a broad 
valley  with  most  distinguishing  features.  The  general  surface  is  uniform, 
but  is  cut  up  with  numerous  long,  high  ridges  extending  northeast  and 
southwest,  surmounted  with  occasional  mountainous  elevations,  and 


♦Adapted  to  this  volume  from  the  report  of  the  State  Geologist. 

fNamed  by  the  Spaniards  under  De  Soto,  who  derived  the  term  from  the  Indians. — Am.  Cyc. 

I 


14 


HISTORY  OE  TENNESSEE. 


broken  here  and  there  by  gaps,  or  is  dotted  with  innumerable  knobs, 
often  mountainous,  all  of  which  are  encircled  with  valleys,  linear  or  curv- 
ing, to  correspond  with  the  elevation.  The  general  surface,  excluding 
the  extremes,  is  about  900  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  The  entire 
valley  with  all  its  coves  and  extensions  has  an  area  of  about  9,200  square 
miles.  Westward  of  this  valley  lies  the  Cumberland  Table-land,  the 
eastern  boundary  of  which  is  high  and  almost  unbroken  from  Kentucky 
to  Alabama,  while  the  western  boundary  is  very  irregular,  with  less 
elevation  and  with  numerous  valley  and  stream  indentations.  Though 
the  table-land  contains  many  streams  and  small  valleys,  it  is,  in  the  main, 
of  uniform  surface,  but  broken  with  mountainous  ridges  and  knobs,  par- 
ticularly in  the  northeastern  portion.  The  mean  elevation  is  about 
2,000  feet,  and  the  extent  is  about  5,100  square  miles.  West  of  the 
table-land  is  the  Central  Basin,  having  the  general  outline  of  an  ellipse 
with  a length  (nearly  north  and  south)  of  about  121  miles,  and  a width 
of  from  fifty-five  to  sixty  miles.  It  comprises  about  5,451  square  .miles, 
and  has  a mean  elevation  of  from  500  to  600  feet.  The  surface  is  knobby 
or  billowy,  with  numerous  large  and  very  fertile  tracts.  Outside  of  the 
basin,  entirely  encircling  it,  is  the  Highland  Him,  an  extremely  hilly 
portion  of  the  State.  It  is  over  1,000  feet  above  the  sea.  The  hills  on 
each  side  of  the  Avestern  valley  of  the  Tennessee  are  from  800  to  1,000 
feet  above  the  sea,  while  the  elevation  of  the  valley  at  Hamburgh  is  only 
392  feet.  The  Mississippi  slope  of  West  Tennessee,  though  in  the  main 
level,  is  veined  with  peculiar  stream  Aralleys,  is  about  eighty-four  miles 
wide,  stretches  north  and  south  across  the  State  and  terminates  abruptly 
on  the  west  Avitli  the  bluff  deposits  which  skirt  the  valley  of  the 
Mississippi.  The  bluffs  reach  the  river  at  Memphis,  at  the  lower 
part  of  Tipton  County,  at  Randolph  and  at  Fulton.  The  mean  elevation 
is  about  450  feet,  and  the  extent  about  8,850  square  miles.  The  Missis- 
sippi A7 alley  is  low,  swampy  and  level.  Reelfoot  Lake,  lying  in  this  a- alley, 
was  formed  during  the  volcanic  convulsions  of  1811-12,  when  Reelfoot 
Creek,  which  then  emptied  into  the  Mississippi,  was  dammed  up  and  its 
water  spread  out  over  a tract  of  country  from  three-fourths  to  three  miles 
wide  and  eighteen  miles  long,  forming  the  present  lake,  Avhicli  finally 
forced  an  outlet  through  Obion  River.  The  elevation  of  the  valley  is 
about  215  feet  at  Memphis  and  295  feet  on  the  northern  boundary  of  the 
State. 

The  geological  features  of  Tennessee  are  so  marked  and  have  been 
so  minutely  and  critically  examined  by  competent  State  authorities,  that 
but  little  if  any  iiuproATement  can  be  made  to  what  has  already  been  made 
public.  The  State  presents  to  the  geologist  eight  localities  having  dis- 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


15 


tinct  characteristics  as  follows : 1.  The  Unaka  region.  2.  The  valley 

of  East  Tennessee.  3.  The  Cumberland  Table-land.  d.  The  Highland 
Kim.  5.  The  Central  Basin.  6.  The  Western  Yalley  of  the  Tennessee 
River.  7.  The  Plateau  slope  of  West  Tennessee.  8.  The  Mississippi 
Bottom  region.  The  characteristics  of  each  division  will  be  described 
somewhat  in  detail,  leaving  the  more  minute  particulars  to  the  province 
of  local  history.  To  prepare  the  reader  for  a clearer  knowledge  of  the 
subject,  an  outline  of  the  science  of  geology  in  general  is  presented. 
For  convenience,  students  of  geology  have  divided  the  strata  of  the  earth 
into  clearly  defined  groups,  having  uniform  distinctions,  to  which  names 
implying  the  leading  characteristics  have  been  given,  as  follows: 

1.  Archaean  Period,  Archaean  Age,  Azoic  Time. 

2.  Primordial  Period,  Lower  Silurian  Age,  Paleozoic  Time. 

3.  Canadian  Period,  Lower  Silurian  Age,  Paleczic  Time. 

4.  Trenton  Period,  Lower  Silurian  Age,  Paleozoic  Time. 

5.  Niagara  Period,  Upper  Silurian  Age,  Paleozoic  Time. 

6.  Salina  Period,  Upper  Silurian  Age,  Paleozoic  Time. 

7.  Helderberg  Period,  Upper  Silurian  Age,  Paleozoic  Time. 

8.  Oriskany  Period,  Upper  Silurian  Age,  Paleozoic  Time. 

9.  Corniferous  Period,  Devonian  Age,  Paleozoic  Time. 

10.  Hamilton  Period,  Devonian  Age,  Paleozoic  Time. 

11.  Chemung  Period,  Devonian  Age,  Paleozoic  Time. 

12.  Catskill  Period,  Devonian  Age,  Paleozoic  Time. 

13.  Subcarboniferous  Period,  Carboniferous  Age,  Paleozoic  Time. 

14.  Carboniferous  Period,  Carboniferous  Age,  Paleozoic  Time. 

15.  Permian  Period,  Carboniferous  Age,  Paleozoic  Time. 

16.  Triassic  Period,  Reptilian  Age,  Mesozoic  Time. 

17.  Jurassic  Period,  Reptilian  Age,  Mesozoic  Time. 

18.  Cretaceous  Period,  Reptilian  Age,  Mesozoic  Time. 

19.  Lignitic  Period,  Mammalian  Age,  Cenozoic  Time. 

20.  Alabama  Period,  Mammalian  Age,  Cenozoic  Time. 

21.  Miocene  Period,  Mammalian  Age,  Cenozoic  Time. 

22.  Pliocene  Period,  Mammalian  Age,  Cenozoic  Time. 

23.  Glacial  Period,  Mammalian  Age,  Cenozoic  Time. 

24.  Champlain  Period,  Mammalian  Age,  Cenozoic  Time. 

25.  Recent  Period,  Mammalian  Age,  Cenozoic  Time. 

26.  Human  Period,  Mammalian  Age,  Cenozoic  Time. 

Azoic  is  so  called  because  it  is  destitute  of  evidences  of  the  remains 
of  animal,  and  possibly  vegetable,  life ; Paleozoic  because  of  the  appear- 
ance of  both  animal  and  vegetable  life;  Mesozoic  because  of  its  situa- 
tion between  the  earlier  and  present  times,  and  Cenozoic  because  of  the 
presence  of  mammals.  Of  the  ages,  Silurian  represents  that  when  the 
simpler  form  of  both  animal  and  vegetable  life  appeared;  Devonian 
when  fishes  and  kindred  animal  life  and  a more  advanced  vegetable  life 
appeared ; Carboniferous  when  a gigantic  vegetation  enveloped  the  earth ; 
Reptilian  when  the  swampy  surface  of  the  earth  became  filled  with  rep- 
tiles, some  of  gigantic  size ; Mammalian  when  animals  which  suckle  their 


16 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


young  flourished.  The  latter  age  comprises  human  beings.  The  periods 
are  superimposed  upon  each  other  in  the  order  given  above,  the  Archaean 
being  the  lowest  and  oldest,  and  the  others  being  formed  in  succession 
since  through  the  lapse  of  an  indeterminate  though  very  long  period  of 
years.  A stratum  is  a more  or  less  homogeneous  layer  of  earth,  the 
term  earth  being  used  to  designate  any  portion  of  what  is  commonly 
called  ground.  All  strata,  whether  stone,  sand,  clay,  gravel  or  other 
inorganic  material,  were  originally  rocks,  which  are  either  yet  in  that 
state  or  have  been  more  or  less  powdered,  mainly  by  the  action  of  the 
climatic  elements,  and  have  become  associated  with  more  or  less  organic 
matter,  thus  forming  the  numerous  varieties  of  soil.  As  the  fertility  of 
soil  depends  upon  its  degree  of  disintegration,  the  quantity  and  quality 
of  organic  and  inorganic  matter  combined,  and  the  extent  and  character 
of  chemical  union  between  the  constituents,  it  becomes  a question  of 
great  value  to  the  husbandman  to  be  able  to  determine  the  properties  of 
his  soil,  its  strength  under  certain  continued  vegetation,  the  proper  time 
for  a change  of  crops,  for  the  work  of  the  plow  and  for  the  use  of 
manures,  and  many  other  important  particulars.  Each  period  given 
above  represents  a long,  indefinite  lapse  of  time,  extending  into  the  tens 
and  probably  the  hundreds  of  thousands  of  years,  and  comprising  various 
strata  of  different  kinds  of  soil,  each  of  which  was  formed  under  the 
surface  of  water  or  by  its  action,  and  has  been  definitely  defined  and 
ascertained. 

Of  the  above  periods  only  thirteen  are  represented  in  Tennessee,  as 
follows:  Primordial. — The  metamorphic  rocks,  the  Ocoee  slates  and 

conglomerates,  and  the  Chilhowee  sandstone.  Canadian. — The  Knox 

group  of  magnesian  limestones  and  shales,  and  the  Lenoir  limestone. 
Trenton. — The  Lebanon  and  Nashville  limestones.  Niagara. — Clinch 
Mountain  sandstone,  the  Lvestone  or  Red  Iron  ore  formation,  and  the 
Clifton  limestones.  Helderberg. — The  Linden  limestone,  Hamilton. — - 
The  Black  Shale.  Subcarboniferous. — The  Barren  Group,  the  St.  Louis 
limestone  and  the  Mountain  limestone.  Coal  Measures. — The  coal  form- 
ation. Cretaceous.— The  Coffee  sand,  the  Rotten  limestone,  and  the 
Ripley  Group.  Lignitic. — The  Flatwood  clays  and  sands,  and  the  La- 
Grange  sand.  Glacial. — The  Orange  sand.  Champlain. — The  Bluff 

Loam.  Recent. — Alluvium. 

The  Primordial  Period  includes  the  Metamorphic  rocks,  the  Ocoee 
slates  and  conglomerates,  and  the  Chilhowee  sandstones.  These  are 
very  thick  and  massive  formations,  and  embrace  the  rocks  of  the  great 
Unaka  range.  Their  strata  are  hard  and  pre-eminently  mountain-mak- 
ing, and  are  not  found  outside  of  the  Lnaka  mountain  area.  The 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


17 


lands  can  never  be  brought  into  successful  cultivation  on  account  of 
the  ruggedness  of  the  country.  Magnetic  iron  ore,  copper  ore,  roof- 
ing slate,  building  material,  and  some  gold  are  found  in  these  forma- 
tions. The  metamorphic  formation  is  composed  of  thick  and  thin-bed- 
ded granite-like  rocks  called  gneiss,  talcose  slate  and  mica  slate,  the 
constituents  of  which  are  quartz,  mica,  feldspar,  talc  and  similar  minerals. 
They  were  originally  common  sandstones,  conglomerates,  shales,  etc., 
which  have  lost  their  original  character  and  have  become  crystalized 
through  the  agency  of  heat  or  other  means.  The  soils  of  this  locality 
are  generally  thin  and  poor,  with  here  and  there  a spot  of  singular  fertil- 
ity. Wild  grasses  grow  fairly  well,  and  fine  walnut,  cherry,  poplar,  beech 
and  oak  abound.  Buckwheat  grows  luxuriantly  in  a few  spots.  The  cop- 
per mines  of  Polk  County  and  the  magnetic  iron  ore  of  Carter  County  are 
in  this  formation.  The  Ocoee  group  is  a series  of  changeable  rocks 
having  an  estimated  thickness  of  10,000  feet,  and  composing  the  greater 
part  of  the  Unakas.  There  are  heavy  beds  of  conglomerates,  sandstones, 
clay  slates,  semi-talcose  and  roofing  slates,  and  dolomite  or  magnesian 
limestone.  Occasional  veins  of  quartz  are  gold-bearing.  The  beds  of 
roofing  slates  are  especially  valuable.  The  soil  is  similar  to  that  of  the 
metamorphic  formation.  The  Cliilhowee  sandstone  has  an  estimated 
maximum  thickness  of  not  less  than  2,000  feet,  and  extends  to  Cliilhowee 
and  similar  mountains  which  form  the  most  northwesterly  interrupted 
range  of  the  Unakas.  The  stone  is  usually  heavy-bedded  and  grayish 
white  when  weathered,  but  is  sometimes  whitish  quartose  and  sometimes 
includes  sandy  shales. 

The  Canadian  Period  includes  the  Knox  group  of  magnesian  lime- 
stones and  shales  and  the  Lenoir  limestone.  The  Knox  sandstone  of  this 
period  forms  ridges  which  present  a sort  of  transition  between  the  moun- 
tain and  valley  formations.  It  comprises  variegated  sandstones,  shales 
and  occasional  dolomites,  having  an  aggregate  thickness  of  800  to  1,000 
feet.  The  formation  is  of  little  agricultural  importance,  but  presents 
marked  topographical  features,  such  as  sharp  roof -like  or  comby  ridges. 
Webb’s,  Bosebury’s,  Bay  Mountain,  Beaver,  Bull  Bun  and  Pine  Bidges 
are  of  this  formation.  The  Knox  shale  is  a brown,  reddish,  buff  or  green 
calcareous  shale  2,000  or  more  feet  thick.  Occasionally  it  contains  thin 
layers  of  oolitic  limestone,  and  as  it  approaches  the  Unakas  becomes  more 
calcareous,  even  to  a slaty  limestone  or  dolomite.  Upon  this  formation 
of  the  Knox  group  are  the  principal  valleys,  especially  in  the  northwest- 
ern, western  and  southern  portions  of  the  valley  of  East  Tennessee.  It 
contains  many  long,  beautiful- and  generally  rich  valleys.  Fossil  shells 
and  trilobites,  about  the  oldest  specimens  of  animal  life  found  in  Tenues- 


18 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


see,  occur  in  the  limestone  layers  of  this  group.  The  entire  valley  of 
East  Tennessee  was,  doubtless,  once  much  higher  than  at  present,  but 
has  been  denuded  by  the  action  of  water  principally,  leaving  the  strata 
in  variable  inclinations.  The  Knox  dolomite  outcrops  over  a large  por- 
tion of  East  Tennessee  Valley,  and  is  the  most  massive  formation  in  the 
State.  It  is  estimated  to  be  nearly  a mile  in  thickness,  and  consists  of 
heavy -bedded  strata  of  blue  and  gray  limestones  and  dolomites,  being 
often  oolitic  at  the  base  and  crystaline  or  sparry  above,  with  more  or  less 
chert  or  flint  occurring  sparsely  in  thin  layers  and  nodules.  It  is  com- 
posed of  the  carbonates  of  lime  and  magnesia  containing  more  or  less 
sand,  argillaceous  and  ferruginous  matter,  with  fossils  in  the  lower  oolitic 
strata ; and  its  outcrops  are  confined  to  this  valley,  with  the'  single  excep- 
tion of  an  exposure  in  the  curious  Well’s  Creek  Basin,  in  Houston 
County.  In  several  places  in  the  Central  Basin  it  is  not  far  from  the 
surface.  Generally  the  disintegration  of  the  dolomite  furnishes  rich 
plant  food,  and  nearly  all  grains  grow  well  in  the  better  localities. 

The  Trenton  Period,  comprising  the  Lebanon  and  Nashville  lime- 
stones, is,  in  general,  a great  series  of  blue  limestone,  rich  in  fossils  and 
plant  food.  They  are  the  principal  rocks  of  the  Central  Basin,  lying  ap- 
proximately in  a horizontal  position,  and  constitute  the  surface  rocks  of 
many  long  valley-ranges  of  East  Tennessee,  of  which  the  soils  are  dis- 
tinguished for  their  fertility  and  the  ranges  for  their  symmetry  and 
beauty.  They  are  also  uncovered  in  the  western  valley  of  the  Tennessee. 
Under  denuding  and  eroding  agencies  these  rocks  present  the  richest 
valley  and  lowland  depressions.  The  maximum  thickness  of  the  period 
in  East  Tennessee  is  between  2,500  and  3,000  feet.  It  has  two  mem- 
bers— the  lower  blue  limestone  on  both  sides  of  the  valley  and  the  upper 
calcareous  though  sandy  stone  in  the  southeast  half  of  the  valley.  The 
lower  member  varies  in  thickness  from  200  to  600  feet.  Further  north 
it  is  thin  and  poor.  It  is  more  or  less  argillaceous,  and  with  the  Knox 
dolomite  forms  many  rich  valleys.  It  often  dips  at  right  angles.  The 
upper  member  is,  in  the  southeast,  a great  mass  of  sky-blue  calcareous 
shale  more  or  less  sandy.  It  often  contains  thin  layers  of  limestone  and 
sandstone  and  has  a maximum  thickness  of  about  2,000  feet.  The  two 
great  belts  where  this  stone  outcrops,  called  the  Gray  Knobs  and  the 
Red  Knobs,  present  distinguishing  and  important  characteristics.  In 
the  tract  of  the  Gray  Knobs  bold,  pointed  and  steep  hills,  with  vales  of 
great  strength  and  fertility  winding  among  them,  stand  crowded  together. 
Their  existence  is  due  to  the  different  erosive  effects  of  water  agen- 
cies upon  rocks  of  varying  and  widely  opposite  degrees  of  hardness,  the 
softer  being  washed  or  worn  away  and  the  harder  slowly  left  high  and 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


19 


dry  above  the  subsiding  glacial  sea.  Upon  the  tract  of  the  Red  Knobs 
are  remarkable  lines  of  red  hills  whose  origin  is  primarily  due  to  a few 
interpolated  plates  of  a hard  ferruginous  sandy  limestone,  which,  aided 
by  the  strata  dip,  have  partially  saved  the  adjacent  softer  rocks  from 
erosion  and  have  deeply  colored  the  soil  with  the  liberated  red  iron  oxide. 
The  slopes  of  the  red  hills  are  often  very  rich.  In  this  tract  a few  gray 
knobs  appear.  Another  interpolated  rock  is  the  variegated  red  and  white, 
or  grayish-white,  marble  which  occurs  in  heavy  strata  and  outcrops  in 
long  lines  and  in  inexhaustible  quantity,  and  in  other  localities  than  the 
red  tract.  In  the  northwest  half  of  the  valley  the  upper  member  loses 
much  of  its  sandy,  shaly  character,  becomes  thin-bedded  and  blue,  is 
loaded  with  fossils  and  yields  an  excellent  soil.  The  interpolated  beds 
gradually  disappear  and  the  mass  loses  its  thickness  and  the  marble  is 
reduced  to  a minimum.  Beaver  Creek,  Raccoon,  Hickory,  Big,  Powell’s, 
Tennessee,  Lookout  and  Savannah  Valleys  rest  upon  these  limestones. 
The  Sequatchie  Valley  is  an  outlier,  very  similar  in  structure,  of  the 
Eastern  Tennessee  Valley.  Outcropings  of  the  Knox  dolomites  and  the 
blue  Trenton  limestones  occur.  There  is  more  or  less  dip  to  all  the  strata 
in  these  valleys.  In  the  Central  Basin,  however,  they  become  practically 
horizontal.  The  Trenton  and  Nashville  divisions  are  easily  distinguished 
and  constitute  the  bottom  and  much  of  the  sides  of  the  basin.  The  Tren- 
ton are  more  argillaceous  and  the  Nashville  more  silicious,  with  a darker 
blue  color.  Each  division  is  about  500  feet  in  thickness.  The  Tren- 
ton is  subdivided  into  Central,  Pierce,  Ridley,  Glade  and  Carter’s  Creek 
limestones.  The  Central  is  a dove-colored,  thick-bedded  limestone,  con- 
taining much  chert  or  flint,  is  the  lowest  stratum  of  the  basin  and  ex- 
poses a thickness  of  about  100  feet.  It  outcrops  over  a circular  area 
whose  diameter  is  about  thirteen  miles,  Murfreesboro  being  within  the 
area.  The  soil  here  is  rich,  containing  considerable  iron  from  the  decom- 
posing chert,  the  red  color  being  due  to  the  oxide  of  iron.  Around  this 
area  in  a circular  belt  with  a thickness  of  about  twenty-seven  feet  outcrop 
the  beds  of  the  flaggy,  Pierce  limestone.  Around  this  belt  is  another 
called  the  Ridley  stone,  consisting  of  heavy-bedded  dove-colored  lime- 
stone, having  a thickness  of  ninety-five  feet  and  furnishing  a fine  soil.  Still 
another  belt  encircles  the  last  mentioned  and  is  called  Glade  limestone, 
consisting  of  light  blue,  flaggy  stone  with  an  aggregate  thickness  of  120 
feet.  Upon  this  belt  grow  the  red  cedar  forests,  from  which  alone  could 
the  outcrops  be  traced.  This  stone  constitutes  the  surface  of  large  por- 
tions of  Rutherford,  Wilson,  Bedford  and  Marshall,  and  occurs  in  less  ex- 
tent in  Maury,  Williamson  and  Davidson.  Lebanon,  Shelbyville  and  Co- 
lumbia, rest  partly  upon  this  belt.  Above  the  Glade  stratum  appears  Car- 


20 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


ter’s  Creek  limestone  with  a thickness  of  50  to  100  feet.  It  is  heavy -bed- 
ded and  dove-colored  and  is  used  for  lime  on  Carter’s  Creek,  being  much 
whiter.  The  Nashville  formation,  as  a Avliole,  is  fairly  homogeneous, 
though  about  seventy  feet  near  the  base  contains  considerable  sand.  This 
stone  furnishes  the  surface-rock  of  several  of  the  best  farming  regions  of 
the  basin,  the  country  between  Columbia  and  Mount  Pleasant  being  one. 
In  the  Well’s  Creek  Basin,  Houston  County,  the  Trenton  and  Nashville 
rocks  outcrop  around  the  Knox  dolomite  and  also  appear  in  the  Western 
Valley  of  the  Tennessee,  mainly  as  a hydraulic  limestone.  These  forma- 
tions furnish  the  marbles  of  East  Tennessee, the  hydraulic  limestones  of  the 
Eastern  and  Western  Valleys  and  the  basin,  the  flagstones,  lime-rock 
and  building  materials  so  valuable  to  the  State,  and  much  of  the  most- 
fertile  soil. 

The  Niagara  Period  includes  the  Clinch  Mountain  sandstones,  the 
dyestone  or  red  iron  ore  formation  and  the  Clifton  limestone,  with  thin 
subdivisions.  Between  the  Trenton  and  Nashville  rocks  and  the  Clinch 
sandstone  is  a stratum  of  red  calcareous  shale,  which  in  Hawkins  County 
is  400  feet  thick.  Besting  upon  this  is  the  Clinch  Mountain  Bock,  which 
is  a grayish-white,  tliick-bedded  sandstone  about  400  feet  thick.  It  forms 
the  southern  slope  of  Clinch  Mountain,  and  below  it  always  appears  the 
red  shale.  Neither  this  stone  nor  the  red  shale  is  found  outside  of  the 
Eastern  Valley  or  south  of  Knox  County.  It  is  associated  with  high 
ridges,  such  as  Clinch  Mountain,  Stone  Mountain,  Devil’s  Nose,  House 
Mountain,  Bay’s  Mountain,  Newman’s  Bidge,  Powell’s  and  Lone  Moun- 
tains. The  sandstone  yields  a poor  soil ; the  shale  a better  one.  The 
White  Oak  Mountain  sandstone  is  a reddish-brown,  greenish,  buff  or 
other  colored  rock  accompanied  with  shales,  and  occurs  on  White  Oak 
Mountain’s  eastern  slope  and  summit,  and  on  the  eastern  slopes  of  Powell’s 
and  Lone  Mountains.  It  is  a mountain  formation  and  is  about  500  feet 
thick.  The  Dyestone  group,  enclosing  the  red  iron  ore,  appears  on  the 
northwestern  side  of  the  Eastern  Valley  and  comprises  a series  of  varie- 
gated shales  and  thin  sandstones  from  100  to  300  feet  thick,  which  con- 
tain from  one  to  three  or  more  layers  of  fossiliferous  iron  ore,  much  of  the 
mass  being  quite  calcareous  with  occasional  beds  of  thin  limestone.  This 
formation  is  found  in  numerous  small  but  long  ridges,  one  of  which  ex- 
tends along  the  eastern  base  of  the  Cumberland  Table-land  from  Virginia 
to  Georgia,  representing  everywhere  more  or  less  iron  ore.  The  Niagara 
limestone  occurs  mainly  in  the  Western  Valley  and  is  a thick-bedded 
fossiliferous  stone,  somewhat  argillaceous  and  often  crystalline,  and  fre- 
quently weathers  into  sliale-forming  glades.  At  its  greatest  development 
this  formation  is  about  200  feet  thick  and  is  divided  into  two  members, 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


21 


tlie  lower  consisting  of  red  and  variegated  strata,  several  being  fair  mar- 
ble,  and  the  upper  of  gray  rocks.  This  formation  outcrops  over  the 
greater  portion  of  the  Western  Valley.  It  extends  eastward  and  appears 
on  Duck  and  Buffalo  Rivers,  and  on  the  western  edge  of  the  basin.  On 
the  eastern  base  of  Powell’s  Mountain  and  at  the  base  of  Newman’s  Ridge 
it  also  outcrops. 

The  Lower  Helderberg  limestone  has  its  greatest  development  in  the 
Western  Valley,  and  is  a series  of  blue,  thin-bedded  fossiliferous  rocks, 
containing  cherty  layers,  and  has  a maximum  thickness  of  about  seventy 
feet.  It  furnishes  an  excellent  soil  and  outcrops  on  Duck  and  Buffalo' 
Rivers  and  on  the  northwestern  slope  of  the  basin. 

The  Hamilton  Period  is  represented  by  the  black  shale,  a nearly  black, 
bituminous,  rather  tough  shale  or  slate  which  outcrops  in  East  Tennessee, 
the  Central  Basin  and  the  Western  Valley  of  the  Tennessee.  Its  average 
thickness  is  less  than  fifty  feet,  though  in  the  eastern  valley  it  reaches 
100  feet,  and  the  outcrops  are  linear  on  the  slopes  of  ridges  or  in  narrow 
straight  valleys  at  the  base  of  ridges.  It  contains  iron  pyrites  and 
enough  liydrocarbonic  oil  to  support  brief  combustion,  but  is  not  likely 
to  become  a source  of  coal  oil,  though  often  mistaken  for  coal  by  novices. 

The  Subcarboniferous  Period  is  represented  by  the  Barren  group,  the 
St.  Louis  limestone  and  the  Mountain  limestone.  The  former  consists  of 
heavy  strata  of  flint  or  chert,  interstratified  with  more  or  less  limestone, 
and  sometimes  becomes  a blue  calcareous  shale  and  includes  heavy  beds, 
of  crinoidal  limestone.  In  the  eastern  valley  it  rests  upon  the  black 
shale  and  outcrops  on  the  Dyestone  ridges  in  linear  lines,  and  in  the  Cen- 
tral Basin  appears  on  the  edge  and  interior  portion  of  the  Highland  Rim. 
Its  thickness  is  from  250  to  300  feet,  becoming  less  in  the  southern  part 
of  the  State.  The  coral  limestone  of  this  formation  is  a bluish-gray  stone, 
containing  nodules  of  chert,  is  fossiliferous,  sometimes  siliceous  and  argil- 
laceous, and  is  characterized  by  the  presence  of  the  fossil  Liiliostrotion 
Canadense.  This  stratum  has  a maximum  thickness  of  250  feet  and  out- 
crops in  the  eastern  valley  with  the  Barren  group,  and  is  the  chief  rock 
of  the  higher  and  greater  part  of  the  Highland  Rim.  The  iron  of  the 
chert  colors  the  soil  red.  This  stone  is  usually  called  St.  Louis  limestone, 
and  is  celebrated  in  this  State  and  elsewhere  for  its  sink-holes  and  caves. 
Just  above,  it  is  the  mountain  limestone,  which  outcrops  on  the  eastern 
and  western  slopes  of  the  Cumberland  Table-land,  and  consists  of  a heavy 
group  of  limestones  and  shales.  It  forms  the  base  of  the  table-land, 
and  is  thickest  in  the  southern  part  of  the  State,  decreasing  northward  to 
the  Kentucky  line,  where  it  is  400  feet  thick.  About  one-fourth  of  the 
mass,  mostly  near  the  top,  is  shale,  and  a part  is  marly.  Usually  the 


22 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


strata  are  highly  fossiliferous,  rich  in  plant  food,  furnishing  a strong  soil 
and  abundant  building  material.  A heavy  sandstone  stratum  forty  to 
fifty  thick  occurs  in  the  middle  of  the  group  in  White  and  Overton  Coun- 
ties, and  gives  origin  to  a terrace  around  the  table-land,  and  furnishes 
caps  for  neighboring  “small  mountains”  aud  ridges. 

The  Carboniferous  Period  comprises  the  strata  containing  the  coal  of 
the  State.  The  formation  caps  the  table-land,  with  which  it  is  co-exten- 
sive,  having  an  area  of  5,100  square  miles.  It  is  a series  of  conglomer- 
ates, shales  and  sandstones,  containing  beds  of  coal,  and  has  an  average 
depth  of  500  to  600  feet,  though  in  Morgan,  Anderson,  Scott,  Campbell 
and  Claiborne  Counties,  it  reaches  2,000  feet,  and  contains  no  less  than 
sixteen  beds  of  coal,  one  of  which,  hear  the  base,  is  from  four  to  seven 
feet  thick.  Sandstone  lies  next  under  the  surface  of  the  table-land,  and 
shale  outcrops  on  the  sides  of  the  ridges. 

The  Cretaceous  Period,  comprising  the  Coffee  sand,  the  Rotten  lime- 
stone and  the  Ripley  group,  outcrops  in  Hardin  and  Decatur  Counties  and 
consists  of  a group  of  stratified  sands  usually  containing  mica,  with 
which  are  often  associated  strata  of  dark  clay,  often  very  thin  but  some- 
times predominating.  Laminated  or  slaty  clay  from  one  to  twenty  feet 
thick  is  occasionally  found,  and  numerous  woody  fragments  and  leaves 
occur,  mainly  in  the  form  of  lignite.  The  thickness  is  probably  about 
200  feet.  In  Hardin  County  the  river  washes  the  Coffee  sand,  as  at 
Coffee,  Crump’s  and  Pittsburgh  Landing.  Above  and  lapping  over  the 
Coffee  sand  is  the  Rotten  limestone  or  green  sand,  consisting  of  fine  quar- 
tose  sand  mixed  with  clay,  with  which  there  is  much  calcareous  matter 
and  green  grains  of  glauconite.  This  formation  contains  many  fossil 
shells,  some  of  which  are  very  large,  conspicuous  among  them  being  fos- 
sil oyster  shells,  which,  in  some  localities,  have  been  burned  for  lime.  Its 
greatest  thickness  is  in  McNairy  County — 350  feet.  When  dry  it  is 
greenish  gray ; when  wet,  darker.  The  Ripley  group  is  mainly  stratified 
sands,  often  laminated,  with  strata  of  clay  and  an  occasional  bed  of  slaty 
clay.  In  Hardeman  County  a bed  of  limestone  two  to  six  feet  thick  and 
a bed  of  green  sand  containing  shells  occur.  This  group  is  from  400  to 
500  feet  thick. 

The  Lignitic  Period  comprises  the  Flatwood  clays  and  sand  and  the 
LaGrange  sand.  The  Flatwood  group  is  200  to  300  feet  thick  and  is 
much  similar  to  the  Ripley  and  the  Coffee  sands,  but  contains  more  lam- 
inated or  slaty  clay.  This  is  called  the  Porter’s  Creek  group,  as  a bed  of 
laminated  clay  of  the  group,  100  feet  thick,  outcrops  on  that  creek.  The 
LaGrange  group  is  a broad  belt  about  forty  miles  wide,  extending  north 
and  south  over  the  central  part  of  West  Tennessee  and  is  a stratified  mass  of 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


23 


sands,  more  or  less  argillaceous,  which,  when  weathered,  are  yellow,  red 
and  orange.  The  sands  are  similar  to  those  above  and  contain  leaves 

<D 

and  lignitic  beds,  and  masses  of  white  and  colored  clays  occur.  This 
group  is,  perhaps,  600  feet  thick. 

The  Glacial  Period  gives  the  State  the  Orange  sand  or  drift.  After  the 
formation  of  the  groups  above  described  the  entire  western  portion  of  the 
State  appears  to  have  been  covered  with  water,  which  deposited  over  the 
surface  an  irregular  layer  of  unstratified  sand  and  gravel,  and  to  this  the 
term  “Orange  sand”  has  been  applied.  The  formation  is  variegated  in 
color,  though  mainly  orange  and  red,  is  of  great  extent,  is  of  variable 
thickness,  disclosing  here  and  there  the  underlying  formations.  The 
beds  of  gravel  of  the  western  valley,  of  the  highlands  and  of  the  iron 
strata,  belong  to  this  group. 

The  Champlain  Period  furnishes  the  Bluff  deposit,  loam  or  loess, 
which  caps  the  uplands  of  Shelby,  Tipton,  Lauderdale,  Dyer  and  Obion 
Counties,  and  is  a stratum  of  fine  siliceous  loam,  more  or  less  calcareous, 
and  usually  colored  ashen,  yellowish  or  buff,  and  contains  land  and  fresh- 
water shells  and  numerous  calcareous  nodules.  The  group  ranges  in 
thickness  from  a few  feet  to  100  feet;  and  the  eastern  boundary  is  only 
partially  established,  owing  to  the  gradual  disappearance  of  the  loam. 
The  various  formations  above  it  outcrop  on  the  slopes  of  the  bluffs  along 
the  Mississippi — on  top  the  loam,  below  it  the  Orange  sand  and  still  lower 
the  LaGrange  group. 

The  Becent  Period  includes  the  alluvial  bottoms  of  all  the  larger 
streams,  and  consists  of  inorganic  washings  from  the  neighboring  high- 
lands,  associated  with  more  or  less  decomposing  organic  matter,  furnish- 
ing the  richest  and  most  productive  soil  of  the  State.  The  Mississippi 
bottom  is  the  largest  and  most  important. 

The  Soils. — The  soils  owe  their  characteristics  to  the  underlying 
rocks,  and  are  best  when  derived  from  limestone,  dolomites  and  calcare- 
ous shales.  Sand  gives  strength  to  the  stocks  of  plants,  renders  the  soil 
porous  and  suitable  for  the  penetration  of  air  and  vital  plant  gases,  per- 
mits surplus  water  and  deleterious  substances  to  escape  either  upward  or 
downward,  and,  as  a base  for  the  union  with  acid  or  alkaline  salts,  furn- 
ishes important  food  for  the  growth  of  plants.  Clay  gives  tenacity  to 
the  soil,  prevents  the  escape  either  upward  or  downward  of  important 
gases,  retains  from  rain-water  ammonia,  nitrogen,  carbonic  acid  and 
other  similar  plant  foods,  and  combined  with  other  elements  furnishes 
direct  food  for  the  plants.  The  calcareous  or  limy  soils  present  many 
varieties,  depending  upon  the  impurities  of  the  rocks,  the  disintegration 
of  which  furnishes  the  soil.  The  soil  is  more  or  less  arenaceous  or 


21 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


sandy  and  argillaceous,  or  clayey,  with  varying  quantities  of  ferric  or 
iron  compounds.  The  soil  from  the  Knox  dolomite  is  calcareous,  has 
a red  clay  subsoil  with  chert  masses,  which  is  underlaid  with  rocks 
of  carbonate  of  lime  and  magnesia.  ' The  soil  is  very  rich  but  should 
be  rotated  with  clover  to  insure  almost  infinite  durability.  The  Tren- 
ton or  Lebanon  soil  rests  on  blue  fosiliferous  limestone  and  covers 
about  half  of  the  Central  Basin  and  is  the  soil  of  many  valleys  of  East 
Tennessee  and  of  the  red  knobs  around  Knoxville.  It  is  more  friable 
and  fertile  but  less  durable  than  the  soil  of  the  Knox  dolomite,  and 
grows  all  cereals  to  great  perfection,  wheat  often  weighing  seventy 
pounds  to  the  bushel.  Cotton  grows  luxuriantly,  as  in  Rutherford,  Giles, 
Maury  and  Williamson  Counties.  The  Nashville  limestone  soil  contains 
a greater  quantity  of  siliceous  or  sandy  matter,  is  mellow,  porous,  highly 
productive,  and  well  adapted  to  the  cereals  and  all  kinds  of  vegetables. 
Marvelous  melons  are  grown.  This  soil  is  not  so  tenacious  as  those  con- 
taining less  sand  or  more  clay  and  is  more  easily  handled.  It  consti- 
tutes nearly  half  of  the  Central  Basin  and  many  small  valleys  of  East 
Tennessee.  The  subsoil  is  yellower  than  that  of  the  Trenton  Period. 
These  soils  have  made  their  locations  famous,  and  for  general  excellence 
are  not  exceeded  by  those  of  any  other  portion  of  the  State.  Their  locality 
is  called  “the  blue-grass  region.”  The  Niagara  soil  is  found  mainly  in 
the  Western  Valley  of  the  Tennessee,  along  Buffalo  River,  rests  upon 
gray  and  red  limestone,  is  moderately  productive,  but  not  so  good  for 
wheat  and  cotton  as  those  last  described,  though  corn  and  some  of  the 
grasses  grow  well.  This  soil  must  not  be  confounded  with  the  alluvial 
soil  of  those  valleys.  The  Lower  Helderberg  furnishes  a dark  gray  or 
chocolate-colored  calcareous  soil  which  is  mellower  than  that  of  the 
Niagara,  but  less  so  than  that  of  the  Trenton  and  the  Nashville,  and  occurs 
mainly  in  Benton,  Henry,  Decatur  and  Hardin  Counties. 

The  Lower  Carboniferous  has  two  soils ; the  first  being  characterized  by 
a large  fossil  coral,  Lithostrotion  Ganadense,  and  is  composed  of  silica,  al- 
lumina,  carbonate  of  lime,  oxide  of  iron,  organic  matter,  etc.,  furnishing  a 
distinctly  marly  soil.  It  is  the  best  tobacco  soil  of  the  State  and  is  as 
good  for  wheat  as  any  portion  of  the  Central  Basin.  Grapes  grow  to 
great  perfection,  and  corn,  oats,  hay  and  potatoes  do  well.  It  is  strong, 
durable,  reliable,  and  is  stiffen  than  many  other  calcareous  soils  and  less 
likely  to  wash.  Under  the  chert  bed  is  a stratum  of  tenacious  clay,  Avhicli 
in  periods  of  drouth,  supplies  the  roots  of  plants  witli  the  retained  moist- 
ure, while  the  chert  bed,  in  wet  seasons,  carries  off  the  surplus  water,  so 
that  the  soil  is  good  in  either  wet  or  dry  seasons.  This  soil  occupies  a 
large  portion  of  the  Highland  Rim  where  sink-holes  abound.  Crops  are 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


25 


certain,  and  on  this  soil  are  many  of  the  best  farms  of  the  State.  The 
soil  of  the  Central  Basin  is  more  fertile,  but,  as  the  underlying  limestone 
is  nearer  the  surface,  is  more  easily  affected  by  drouth,  so  that,  in  the  end, 
it  is  not  more  productive  than  the  Lower  Carboniferous  soil.  The  latter 
will  not  admit  of  tramping,  owing  to  the  clay  it  contains;  while  the  Nash- 
ville soil  does  better  with  packing,  owing  to  its  porous  state  caused  by 
the  presence  of  considerable  sand.  Blue-grass  does  not  thrive  so  well 
on  the  clayey  soil.  The  largest  orchards  of  the  State  are  grown  on  the 
Lower  Carbniferous  soil,  though  many  other  portions  are  as  valuable  in 
this  respect.  The  second  soil  of  the  Lower  Carboniferous  Period,  on  the 
slopes  of  the  tableland,  contains  less  chert,  but  is  highly  productive.  It 
is  not  so  red,  resembling  more  the  alluvial  bottoms,  and  contains  less 
clay  and  more  sand  than  the  first  soil  of  this  period,  and  is,  therefore, 
more  fertile  though  less  durable  than  the  Nashville  soil.  Heavy  forests 
cover  its  principal  tracts  in  Overton,  White,  Warren  and  Fentress  Coun- 
ties. The  green  sand  soil  is  a siliceous  loam,  resting  upon  mixed  sand 
and  clay,  containing  carbonate  of  lime  and  numerous  green  pebbles  of 
glauconite.  Lime  is  obtained  from  the  numerous  shell  heaps  contained. 
This  constituent  renders  the  soil  much  more  fertile,  friable  and  produc- 
tive. Cotton  and  corn,  and  often  wheat,  grow  well.  The  green  sand 
giving  name  to  this  group,  contains  gypsum,  soluble  silica,  oxide  of  iron 
and  carbonate  of  lime,  all  fertile  ingredients,  and  may,  in  the  end,  as  the 
deposit  is  eight  miles  wide  and  fifty  miles  long  and  quite  thick,  be  used 
extensively  as  a fertilizer. 

The  shaly  soils  of  the  State  are  usually  cold,  clayey,  unimportant  and 
unproductive  except  for  grasses.  The  alluvial  soils,  in  the  aggregate, 
occupy  a larger  area  than  any  other.  Nine  hundred  square  miles  lie  in 
one  body  in  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi,  and  to  this  must  be  added  the 
immense  aggregate  of  all  the  creek  and  river  bottoms  of  the  State,  a vast 
though  indeterminate  expanse.  The  alluvial  soils  differ  much  in  charac- 
ter, some  containing  much  lime,  some  much  sand,  some  a noticeable  lack 
of  both,  depending  on  the  constituents  of  the  surrounding  highlands 
from  which  the  rich  washings  come.  These  alluvial  soils  are  the  richest, 
most  durable  and  productive  of  the  State — most  durable  because  of  the 
constant  renewal  of  their  fertile  elements  drained  from  the  adjacent  hills. 
They  are  especially  adapted  for  wheat — forty  bushels  not  infrequently  being 
raised  upon  one  acre.  A sandy  soil  is  usually  warm,  a clayey  one  cold ; some 
are  light,  heavy,  loamy,  marly,  leacliy,  limy,  sour,  sweet,  marshy,  com- 
pact, tenacious,  porous,  fine,  coarse,  gravelly  or  rocky,  and  their  product- 
iveness not  only  depends  upon  the  fertile  elements  such  as  soluble  silica, 
lime,  carbon,  potash,  magnesia,  oxide  of  iron  and  their  compounds  and 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


26 

other  fertile  matter  such  as  nitrogen,  ammonia,  carbonic  acid,  sulphuric 
acid,  etc.,  but  upon  climatic  and  other  allied  conditions,  such  as  heat, 
cold,  drouths,  drainage,  rains,  subsoils,  manures,  pulverization,  etc. 
The  best  condition  of  a soil  for  production  is  a thorough  pulverization, 
with  a subsoil  of  sufficient  tenacity  to  hold  fertilizers  and  moisture,  and 
yet  well  drained  of  its  surplus  waters.  The  decomposing  vegetable  mat- 
ter called  humus,  gives  wonderful  richness  to  the  soil  and  furnishes  car- 
bonic acid,  nitrogen  and  ammonia,  the  life-blood  of  plants. 

The  sandy  soils  are  found  mainly  in  West  Tennessee.  They  contain 
a greater  or  less  quantity  of  iron  compounds,  clay  and  calcareous  mat- 
ter, which,  in  some  localities,  give  them  great  vigor,  but  where  these  ele- 
mets  are  lacking  leave  them  comparatively  sterile.  Level  lands,  or  those 
approximately  so,  if  well  drained,  do  best,  as  they  are  not  washed  of  their 
plant  food  elements  so  readily.  The  soil  of  the  Orange  sand  is  the  most 
important,  and  is  spread  over  the  greater  portion  of  West  Tennessee.  The 
soils  of  the  Ripley  and  Flatwood  groups  embrace  some  fine  farming  land, 
and  some  too  much  broken  into  hills  and  ridges  to  be  convenient  to  work. 
In  some  localities  the  Flatwood  group  contains  layers  of  laminated  clay, 
which  furnish  a stiff  soil.  The  sandy  soils,  if  properly  fertilized  and 
cared  for,  repay  the  husbandman  with  a fair  harvest. 

The  bluff  loam,  or  loess,  covering  all  other  formations  in  the  belt  of 
high  lands  extending  from  the  Kentucky  line  to  Memphis,  is  a fine  cal- 
careo-siliceous  earth,  often  ash  colored,  sometimes  reddish  or  chocolate 
colored,  and  occasionally  black.  It  contains  more  calcareous  matter  than 
the  others,  except  the  green  sand.  Carbonate  of  lime  is  sometimes  found 
in  concretions  in  heaps.  This  soil  is  among  the  best  in  the  State,  owing 
its  valuable  qualities  to  the  lime,  sand,  iron,  clay,  etc.,  it  contains,  and 
to  the  excellent  pulverulent  qualities  it  possesses.  Tobacco,  cotton, 
wheat,  oats,  clover’,  and  the  grasses  grow  luxuriantly,  while  the  forests  are 
very  extensive  and  some  of  the  trees  of  enormous  size. 

The  siliceous  or  flinty  soils  are  found  in  greatest  abundance  over  the 
counties  of  Lawrence,  Wayne,  Lewis,  Stewart,  Montgomery,  DeKalb, 
Cannon,  Coffee,  Moore,  Hickman,  Humphreys,  Dickson  and  Franklin, 
and  are  thin  and  poor.  They  have  a bluish,  or  pale  yellow  subsoil  so 
porous  that  manures  are  lost  after  a few  years.  The  natural  vegetation 
of  all  kinds  is  scrubby  and  coarse,  though  a rank  grass  which  grows  in 
open  woods  supplies  large  herds  of  stock.  Fruit  trees  do  well.  These 
are  the  “barrens,”  which  are  destitute  of  calcareous  matter  and  have  a 
porous  subsoil  and  a leachy  surface  soil.  Similar  lands  containing  lime 
and  iron  and  having  a tenacious  red  subsoil  are  much  better. 

The  soils  of  the  Unaka  region  are  generally  thin  and  unproductive, 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


27 


though  wild  grasses  grow  well,  and  here  and  there  a spot  of  surprising 
fertility  appears.  The  mountain  slopes  are  often  covered  with  heavy  tim- 
ber. The  soil  of  the  Chilhowee  sandstone  occupies  mountainous  locations, 
is  limited  in  extent,  but  in  small  spots  furnishes  gardens  and  vegetable 
fields.  Blue-grass  may  be  grown  on  this  soil.  The  soil  of  the  Clinch 
Mountain  sandstone  is  thin,  but  potatoes  and  other  vegetables,  and  grass 
and  timber  do  well.  The  Dyestone  and  White  Oak  Mountain  soils  are 
good,  though  limited  in  area.  The  soil  of  the  Cumberland  Table-land, 
which  covers  over  5,000  square  miles  of  the  State,  is  sandy  and  thin, 
though  there  are  areas  of  moderate  fertility  at  the  foot  of  knobs  and 
ridges,  where  fertile  washings  from  the  slopes  are  gathered.  All  the  val- 
leys are  fertile,  and  accordingly  productive.  No  lime  appears,  all  being 
sand,  and  compost  soon  sinks  below  plant  roots.  The  yellowish  red  subsoil, 
with  a thin  coating  of  humus,  is  more  valuable  than  that  with  less  iron 
and  little  or  no  humus.  The  former,  with  care  and  proper  composts,  may 
be  made  highly  productive;  not  so  the  latter,  which  is  too  porous  and 
tender,  and,  when  uncultivated,  produces  nothing  but  shrubby  trees,  hardy, 
coarse  weeds  and  grass,  lichens  and  mosses.  The  glades  and  wet  lands 
along  the  streams  may  be  made  valuable  by  drainage  and  by  the  use  of 
alkalies  to  neutralize  the  abundant  acid  liberated  by  the  decomposition  of 
a superabundance  of  vegetable  remains. 

The  Coals. — The  area  of  the  coal-bearing  strata  amounts  to  5,100 
square  miles,  and  over  this  vast  extent  of  country  from  one  to  sixteen 
seams  occur.  The  coal  fields  include  the  counties  of  Scott,  Morgan  and 
Cumberland,  the  greater  portions  of  Pickett,  Fentress,  Yan  Buren,  Bled- 
soe, Grundy,  Sequatchie  and  Marion;  considerable  portions  of  Claiborne, 
Campbell,  Anderson,  Bhea,  B.oane,  Overton,  Hamilton,  Putnam,  White 
and  Franklin,  and  small  portions  of  Warren  and  Coffee.  About  1,000 
square  miles  of  the  northeastern  portion  of  this  tract  consists  of  a series 
of  short  irregular  mountain  chains,  breaking  away  from  the  main  Cum- 
berland Mountain  ridge,  and  casting  heavenward  numerous  peaks  of 
great  height.  The  remainder  of  the  coal  tract,  except  certain  portions 
in  the  southern  part,  is  the  true  Cumberland  Table-land  or  plateau.  The 
upper  coal  measures  embrace  one  or  two  principal  sandstones  (one  of 
which  may  be  a conglomerate)  and  an  equal  number  of  coal  horizons  in 
which  one  or  more  beds  of  coal  may  be  expected.  These  and  their  ac- 
companying strata  compose  the  upper  plateau,  and  have  a thickness  of 
from  200  to  300  feet,  but  are  not  typical  of  the  tract  of  1,000  square 
miles,  to  which  reference  was  made  above.  The  conglomerate  sandstone, 
upon  which  the  upper  coal  measures  rest,  usually  contains  numerous 
small  white  quartz  pebbles,  and  is  sometimes  a double  seam,  ei  i;  bracing 


'28 


HISTORY  OR  TENNESSEE. 


an  important  coal  horizon.  The  lower  coal  measures  consist  of  a series 
of  sandstones  and  shales  with  from  one  to  three  or  four  coal  veins,  and 
constitute  the  most  important  division  of  the  carboniferous  period  in  the 
State  and  over  a considerable  area  the  only  one  available  as  a source  of 
coal.  Excluding  the  Cliff  rock  the  thickness  of  this  division  ranges  from 
a few  feet  to  300.  These  characteristics  are,  in  general,  typical  only  of 
the  southern,  western  and  northwestern  portions  of  the  table-land,  as  the 
northeastern  portion  and  a strip  along  the  eastern  side,  in  the  counties  of 
Claiborne,  Scott,  Campbell,  Anderson  and  Morgan,  have  a thickness  of 
the  upper  coal  measures,  in  some  places  of  over  2,000  feet.  The  coal  meas- 
ures above  the  conglomerate  have  been  much  denuded,  particularly  on 
the  western  side  of  the  table-land,  and  at  points  where  the  formations  are 
much  elevated,  the  reverse  being  true  where  the  elevations  are  low. 
Where  the  coal  measures  are  thickest  the  conglomerate  is  depressed  and 
the  waste  by  denudation  is  measurably  compensated  by  the  superior  de- 
velopment, at  many  points,  of  the  lower  coal  measures. 

In  the  Sewanee  District,  embracing  parts  of  the  counties  of  Franklin, 
Marion,  Sequatchie,  Grundy,  Warren,  Bledsoe  and  Van  Buren,  the  coal 
measures  are  approximately  horizontal.  The  following  section,  the  low- 
est strata  of  which  are  taken  from  the  gulf  of  Little  Gizzard  Creek,  about 
two  miles  south  of  Tracy  City,  and  the  higher  in  succession  in  ascending 
the  stream  to  the  plateau  or  top  of  the  conglomerate,  exhibits  well  the 
general  character  of  the  formations  of  the  coal  measures  in  the  Sewanee 
District : 


UPPER  COAL  MEASURES. 

Feet. 

Sandstone,  the  conglomerate  or  cap  rock  of  the  upper  plateau  and 


the  uppermost  stratum  in  this  region 50 

Coal (a  few  inches) 

Shale 23 

Coal,  outcrop • I 

Shale,  dark  and  clayey 1 

Shale,  sandy 25 

Sandstone 86 

Shale,  more  or  less  sandy 45 

Coal,  main  Sewanee  seam 3 to  7 

Shale,  some  of  it  sandy 33 

Coal,  outcrop 1 

Shale 3 

Sandstone.. 17 

Conglomerate 70 


LOWER  COAL  MEASURES. 


Feet. 

Coal,  outcrop i to  1 

Shale,  overlaid  with  clay 10 

Sandstone,  cliff  rock 65 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


2y 


Feet. 

Coal,  outcrop | to  11 

Shale,  with  clay  at  top 8 

Sandy  shale 22 

Sandstone,  hard 78 

Coal,  with  occasional  shale 1 to  3 

Sandstone,  hard,  local 20 

Shale,  including  a thin  sandstone 20 

Mountain  limestone  with  archimedes 20 


Below  the  conglomerate,  in  the  eastern  and  southeastern  part  of  the 
Sewanee  District,  there  are  usually  four  seams  of  coal.  In  Franklin 
County  and  in  the  southern  part  of  Grundy  one  seam  disappears.  In  the 
northern  part  of  Grundy  and  in  Warren  another  seam  is  missing,  and  the 
thickness  of  the  lower  coal  measure  is  reduced  from  360  to  lifty  feet,  ex- 
clusive of  the  conglomerate.  The  coal  beds  are  very  irregular  in  thick- 
ness, being  often  too  thin  to  work  profitably  and  in  some  places  from 
three  to  nine  feet  thick.  The  aggregate  amount  of  coal  is  very  great 
and  the  quality  good,  and  the  extent  coincides  with  the  Sewanee  Dis- 
trict. The  conglomerate  is  the  cover  and  protector  of  the  lower  coal 
measures,  having  saved  them  from  denudation  in  past  ages.  The 
Tracy  City  coals  belong  to  the  upper  coal  measures  ; those  of  Little  Fiery 
Gizzard  to  the  lower  measures.  On  Crow,  Battle  and  Little  Sequatchie 
Creeks  are  important  outcrops  of  the  lower  coals.  On  Cave  Creek  in 
Marion  County,  under  the  Cliff  rock,  a coal  seam  nine  feet  thick  outcrops 
and  near  in  the  “pocket”  is  five  feet  thick.  At  the  old  Parmelee  Bank 
it  is  from  seven  to  nine  feet  thick.  North  of  Tracy  City  only  two  coal 
seams  of  the  lower  measures  are  usually  found ; those  near  McMinnville 
are  thin.  In  Bledsoe,  Y an  Buren,  W arren  and  Grundy  they  are  thin  with 
occasional  thicker  spots.  The  conglomerate  is  mainly  the  surface  rock 
from  Tracy  City  to  Alabama,  and  over  this  expanse  only  occasional  knolls 
of  the  upper  coal  measures  occur:  one  two  miles  west  of  Tracy  City,  an- 
other about  half  way  between  Tracy  City  and  the  Nashville  & Chattanooga 
tunnel,-  and  another  just  south  of  the  lower  mines. 

Southeast,  east  and  northeast  of  Tracy  City  the  ridges  of  the  upper 
measures  often  appear.  The  main  Sewanee  coal  in  the  vicinity  of  Tracy 
City  is  of  good  quality,  semi-bituminous,  and  contains  little  pyrites.  It 
is  fragile  and  is  usually  a four  or  five  foot  bed,  and  is  the  most  reliable 
one  west  of  the  Sequatchie  Valley.  Other  seams  of  the  upper  measures 
are  found  in  the  Sewanee  District,  but  are  not  so  valuable. 

The  Raccoon  and  Walden’s  Ridge  District  embraces  the  portion  of  the 
table-land  east  of  Sequatchie  Valley  and  the  Crab  Orchard  Mountains,  and 
extends  from  Alabama  to  the  Emery  River  in  Morgan  County,  compris- 
ing parts  of  Marion,  Sequatchie,  Hamilton,  Bledsoe,  Rhea,  Cumberland, 


30 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Roane  ancl  Morgan.  At  tlie  Etna  Mines  and  vicinity  the  Cliff  rock  be- 
comes a conglomerate,  and  the  conglomerate  (the  cap  of  the  lower  meas- 
ures) becomes  a sandstone.  The  following  is  the  section  at  Etna 
Mines  : 


UPPER  COAL  MEASURES. 

Sandstone,  cap  rock  at  Etna 

Shale 

Coal,  good  block  and  uniform 

Shale  with  occasional  thin  coal 

Coal  with  slate  or  shale 

Shale 

Coal,  good  block 

Fire  clay 

Sandstone  (Conglomerate  of  last  table) 

Coal 

Shale 

Coal 

Sandy  shale 

Conglomerate  (the  cliff  rock  of  the  former  table  where  it  is 
classed  with  the  lower  coal  measures) 


Feet. 

75 

48 

4 

30  to  40 

5 to  6 

44 

2 to  3 

1 to  2 

75 

(few  inches) 

30  to  40 

. .(10  inches) 

. . .100  to  130 

. . . .70  to  100 


Shale 


LOWER  COAL  MEASURES. 


Feet. 
,0  to  12 


Coal  (main  Etna  or  Cliff  vein,  most  important  bed  in  the 


Raccoon  Mountains)  average 3 

Fire  clay  with  Stigmaria 1 to  3 

Shale 5 to  20 

Coal,  thin i to  1 

Sandstone  and  sandy  shale 80  to  120 

Shale  (?) 0 to  5 

Coal | to  3 

Fire  clay 0 to  2 

Sandy  shale  and  sandstone 20  to  25 

Shale 15  to  20 

Coal 1$  to  3 

Fire  clay 0 to  3 

Shales  and  shaly  sandstones 80  to  150 

Mountain  limestone not  ascertained 


The  above  section  is  a typical  exhibit  of  the  measures  of  the  Raccoon 
Mountain  District.  The  upper  measures  are  rich  in  coal,  and  it  will  be- 
observed  by  comparison  that  there  is  one  more  coal  seam  in  the  lower 
measures  than  on  the  west  slope  of  Sequatchie  Valley,  and  the  volume  is 
much  greater.  The  lower  measures  are  well  exhibited  where  the  Ten- 
nessee River  cuts  through  the  Walden  Range  and  are  similar  to  the  Etna 
measures.  The  four  coals  below  the  cliff  rock  outcrop  on  the  slopes. 
Northward  to  the  Emery  River  the  sections  above  of  the  Sewanee  and 
Raccoon  Districts  may  be  taken  as  types  of  both  the  upper  and  lower 
measures.  The  main  Sewanee  is  the  principal  coal,  and  numerous  out- 
crops of  the  upper  and  lower  measures  occur  on  the  eastern  slope  of  the 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


31 


table-land.  The  strata  are  often  much  disturbed,  doubtless  by  volcanic 
forces.  The  following  is  the  section  where  the  Crossville  & Kingston 
Road  crosses  Crab  Orchard  Range  in  Cumberland  County: 


UPPER  COAL  MEASURES. 

Feet. 

Sandstone,  probably 100 

Shale,  doubtless  with  coal 25  to  50 

Sandstone 100  to  150 

Shale,  probably  with  coal 60 

Sandstone 60 

Shale 50 

Coal,  main  Sewanee 4 

Fire  clay 1 

Shale 30  to  40 

Conglomerate,  caps  the  mountains 100  to  150 

LOWER  COAL  MEASURES. 

Feet, 

Shale,  possibly  with  coal 15 

Sandstone 33 

Shale  with  light  coal  seams 110 

Sandstone 50 

Shale,  with  impure  coal 20 

Mountain  limestone not  ascertained 


In  this  table  the  thicknesses  are  only  approximately  correct.  Here 
the  strata  of  the  coal  measures  are  folded  in  a great  arch,  and  are  missing 
at  the  summit,  having  been  denuded  by  natural  agencies. 

The  northern  coal  district  is  made  to  embrace  that  part  of  the  table- 
land lying  north  of  Yan  Buren  and  Bledsoe  Counties  and  west  of  the 
Crab  Orchard  range,  and  a line  running  through  Montgomery  and 
Huntsville,  and  within  its  limits  are  parts  of  White,  Cumberland,  Mor- 
gan, Putnam,  Overton,  Fentress,  Pickett  and  Scott  Counties.  Here  the 
top  of  the  table-land  is  usually  a flat  surface,  and  back  from  the  slopes 
appears  an  upper  plateau.  In  the  eastern  portion  of  this  area  the  Crab 
Orchard  section  above  may  be  considered  the  type.  On  Clifty  Creek  in 
White  County  the  following  is  the  section: 

UPPER  COAL  MEASURES. 


Feet. 

Sandstone  and  conglomerate 65 

Shale 0 to  12 

Coal,  irregular 4 to  2 

Fire  clay 0 to  2 

Shale  with  sandy  strata 60 

Fire  clay  with  coal  traces (11  inches) 

Sandstone 40 

Shale 20 

Fire  clay  with  coal  traces (11  inches) 

Sandy  shale  or  sandstone 25 


eist;z,t  or  teesis-see: 


a_ 


Peei. 

Coal 3 

Stale.  . 25 

Coa glomerate 60 

L.c  “_y.  COAT  mSTSES. 

Tea. 

Siiie -trlth  c~e  ox  ~o  seams  oi  coal  0 to  15  inches,  in  ail 15 

Mr-nniain  iiznesr-cae 4C‘ 

Calcareous  shale not  ascerr.arned 

At  :the:  - :ints  At  ~Thdte  County  the  2:~ er  measures  are  of  greater 
importance  G-enerahy  the  I:~ ex  measures  on  the  — estem  slope  of  tie 
zalle-lanz  iron  Alabama  t;  Kentnc-iy  present  the  same  features,  con- 
pnsm«  asoa%  i — : sttietiziee  Street  se_et  seem?.  Htea toe  m ::: 

tiititj-  1 xt  !■:•:  ally  available  and  valuable.  The  measures  under  tie  eon- 
P-aroerate  it  mis  t ■ : mi  on  of  tie  table-land  axe  similar  to  those  on  lie 
—estem  sire  :f  the  be— mee  District  In  fact  the  measures  are  similar 
thronphont  the  extent  :i  the  —estem slope  and  consist  of  shales  and  sand- 
stones and  — : stmetimes  three,  rarely  more,  seams  of  coal  Though 
often  to:  thin  for  mining,  they  become  thicker  and  valuable  locally.  In 
the  -alley  :f  the  Calfhi'.'ez.  in  Putnam  County,  the  coals  belo—  the  con- 
p-ttoerate  ore  :rten  valuable  and  the  peneral  feattres  it  the  c: unties  oi 
Ptttatt  Overtom  Pidkett  Pentress.  hi  organ  and  Scott  are  the  same  as 
above.  Little  extensive  — ----- p has  been  done  in  this  tart  of  the  district, 
r-vrng  toadtiy  to  the  lack  of  transportation.  The  following  section  from 
the  month  of  Pip  Hurricane  Creek,  it  Pettres^  County,  is  typical  of  the 
eosd  measures  or  the  northern  counties. 

TTPI3  COAX  MT-ASmiS. 

Ret 

5T-i?.'i-  ftn~ntw1f«K  tilltt  rvmL . -51 

one. 6 

doTlbllaE  -srrrtl  cofil 21 

45 

d whiles  vith  cqeI 50 

ComgiaTngrate  "korer  t-~o.  anaiat 90 

liOtTEH  GOAL  -MVaSTT.es. 

Coe!,  good  ilock. 9 to  3 

Tfre  Aej  shAe  aaa  saadsUme. 4 

Stair  vrrti  layers  of  day  kassiBEes 25  to  30 

Stales,  zosrly  End  variegated. 1C“J 

Phe  main  c;tv_:  iterate  tas  always  a coal  terison  below,  consisting  of 
£ta_e§  an_  sandstones.  and.  vnen  the  cat  rock  of  the  upper  t_ateans  is 
tresett  has  one  above.  httorots  of  the  lower  measures  at  Bttalo  Cave. 


HISTORY  OT  TEXXE3SEE. 


83 


Fentress  County  and  near  -Jamestown  show  the  coal  below  the  conglomer- 
ate to  be  three  to  five  feet  thick,  black,  lustrous  and  excellent.  Outcrops 
of  the  upper  coals  are  not  as  numerous  as  of  those  below  the  main  con- 
glomerate. Numerous  banks  of  these  coals  have  been  opened-  one  at 
Little  Laurel,  Overton  County,  being  four  and  a half  feet  thick  and  excel- 
lent. 

The  northeastern  district,  embracing  parts  of  the  counties  of  Morgan. 
Anderson,  Scott,  Campbell  and  Claiborne,  is  traversed  by  numerous  high 
ridges  or  mountains,  in  which  are  heavy  developments  of  the  coal  depos- 
its, particularly  the  upper;  and  shales,  coals  and  sandstones  are  piled 
up  high  above  the  conglomerate,  which,  elsewhere,  is  the  surface  rock. 
The  carboniferous  formation  here  is  not  far  from  2.500  feet,  and  nowhere 
else  in  the  State  are  there  so  many  coal  beds  or  such  an  aggregate  mass 
of  coak  The  following  is  an  estimated  section  at  Cross  Mountain,  four 
miles  northwest  of  Jacksborough. 


UPPER  COAE  MEASURES. 

Feet 

Sandstone,  cap  of  the  mountains 106 

Shales  and  sandstones 249 

Coal,  pure  block,  except  a six-inch  seam  of  black  shale 6 

Shales  and  sandstones 357 

Coal,  excellent,  possibly  6 feet 4 

Shale  and  sandstones 150  to  190 

Coal,  outcrop 1 

Fire  clay,  shale  and  sandstones 262  to  323 

Coal,  outcrop 1 

Shale 6 

Coal,  outcrop,  may  be  6 feet 3 

Shales  and  sandstones 323  to  39S 

Coal  outcrop  with  shale  three  inches 3 

Shales  and  sandstones 260  to  290 

Coal 3 

Shales,  slate  and  sandstones 170 

Coal,  outcrop 1 

Fire  clay  and  shale 9 

Coal  with  three-inch  parting 5 

Fire  clay,  shale,  black  slate  with  Stigmaria,  to  foot  of  mountain 30 


The  entire  thickness  of  this  section  is  about  2.100  feet,  and  an  ag- 
gregate thickness  of  twenty-seven  feet  of  coal  is  found.  A section  at 
Tellico  Mountain  shows  about  the  same  aggregate  quantity  of  coal 
several  seams  of  which,  with  the  conglomerate,  appear  in  the  upper  part 
of  Pine  Mountain,  caused  by  a fault  in  the  strata.  The  Cross  Moun- 
tain section  above  is  typical  of  the  measures  of  this  district.  Numerous 
banks  have  been  opened,  all  presenting,  in  general,  similar  characteristics. 
Scores  of  banks  could  be  profitably  opened  on  Finery  Fiver.  The  coal 
of  this  division  is  usually  very  good  block  and  is  practicably  inexhaust- 


84 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


ible.  When  railroads  reach  these  valuable  fields,  future  generations  will 
receive  the  benefit.  The  coal  of  the  Etna  Mines  contains  74.2  per  cent 
of  fixed  carbon  and  21.1  of  volatile  matter.*  The  Sewanee  coal  gives  62 
per  cent  of  fixed  carbon  and  25.41  of  volatile  matter.  The  present  pro- 
duction of  coke  is  very  great. 

Iron  Ore. — The  deposits  of  iron  ore  are  of  the  greatest  value.  The 
outcrops  where  such  deposits  occur  appear  in  three  belts  which  have  been 
named  and  described  as  follows:  The  eastern  iron  region  which  extends 
through  the  State  with  and  in  front  of  the  Unaka  Range;  the  Dye- 
stone  region,  which  skirts  the  eastern  base  of  Cumberland  Table-land 
or  Walden’s  Ridge  from  Virginia  to  Georgia,  and  extends  laterally  into 
the  valley  of  East  Tennessee  from  ten  to  twenty  miles,  and  includes  the 
Sequatchie  and  Elk  Valleys;  the  western  iron  region,  which  occupies 
a belt  of  high  lands  contiguous  to  the  western  valley  and  a part  of  the 
valley  itself,  and  extends  from  Kentucky  to  Alabama. 

The  eastern  region  includes  the  counties  of  Johnson,  Carter,  Sul- 
livan, Washington,  Greene,  Cocke,  Sevier,  Blount,  Monroe,  Polk  and  the 
entire  eastern  part  of  McMinn.  In  the  valleys  and  coves  of  this  vast 
region  occur  most  of  the  iron  ore  deposits.  The  bottoms  of  the  valleys 
are  usually  occupied  by  shales  and  slates  and  magnesian  limestone  of  the 
Knox  group,  which  have  been  so  leached  and  weathered  that  ridges  and 
knolls  of  clay,  sand,  chert  and  shaly  debris  or  clay  have  been  formed,  and 
in  these  masses  the  iron  ore  lias  accumulated.  Limonite,  by  far  the  most 
abundant  ore  of  this  region,  contains,  when  pure,  59.92  per  cent  of 
metallic  iron;  25.68  per  cent  of  oxygen  and  14.4  per  cent  of  water.  The 
source  of  limonite  is  the  ferruginous  chert  of  the  lithostrotion  bed. 
Practically  the  percentage  of  iron  is  less  than  59.92  per  cent  owing  to 
impurity.  This  ore  occurs  both  as  honey-comb  and  solid  ore  and  some- 
times in  oclireous  and  earthy  combinations.  It  occurs  in  all  sizes  less 
than  beds  ten  or  fifteen  feet  in  diameter.  Generally  the  most  important 
banks  are  on  knolls,  hills  or  ridges  fifty  to  200  feet  high  and  often  several 
miles  long,  and  the  deposits  occur  at  intervals.  The  ores  in  Johnson, 
Carter  and  Washington  Counties  contain  lead  and  zinc.  These  ores,  in- 
cluding the  iron,  originated  doubtless  from  the  decomposed  limestones 
which  contain  these  elements.  The  iron  ore  is  of  excellent  quality  and 
the  beds  are  so  numerous  that  it  is  estimated  that  there  is  sufficient  ore 
to  supply  an  average  of  three  or  four  extensive  works  to  each  of  the 
counties  named  for  a long  period  of  years.  Hematite  contains  70  per 
cent  of  iron  and  30  per  cent  of  oxygen.  Impurities  reduce  the  amount 
of  iron.  The  hard,  solid  ore  of  this  division  occurs  only  in  a few  places 


*Analysis  by  Prof.  Pohle,  of  New  York  City. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


35 


and  in  a regular,  solid  bed.  The  ore  in  more  or  less  magnetic  and  ex- 
cellent. The  Dyestone  ore  is  a stratified  fossiliferous  iron  rock  and  is 
composed  of  flattened  oolitic  or  rounded  grains  and  frequently  contains 
crinoidal  buttons.  Magnetite,  when  pure,  contains  72.4  per  cent  of  iron 
and  and  27.6  of  oxygen.  It  is  a very  rare  ore,  one  bed  being  in  Cocke 
and  another  in  Carter  County.  It  is  associated  with  Sahlite  and  decom- 
posing gneissoid  rocks  and  occurs  in  irregular  layers,  patches  and  wedge- 
shaped  masses  in  the  metamorphic  group. 

On  the  west  side  of  the  valley  of  East  Tennessee  is  the  Dyestone  iron 
region,  which  includes  a portion  or  all  of  the  following  counties:  Han- 

cock, Claiborne,  Grainger,  Campbell,  Anderson,  Roane,  Rhea,  Meigs, 
Hamilton,  Marion,  Sequatchie  and  Bledsoe.  The  ore  is  a distinctly  strati- 
fied red  iron  stone,  a variety  of  hematite,  generally  soils  the  fingers,  but 
is  sometimes  quarried  in  blocks.  It  is  highly  fossiliferous  and  upon  ex- 
posure becomes  brownish  red,  though  almost  scarlet  when  first  mined. 
This  is  the  main  ore  of  this  region  and  its  impurities  are  sandy  and  ar- 
gillaceous matters  and  carbonate  of  lime.  Numerous  banks  have  been 
opened.  Limonite  to  a limited  extent  is  found  in  this  region.  The 
mountain  ridge  containing  the  Dyestone  ore  is  150  miles  long  and  its 
average  thickness  is  over  20  inches.  Upon  the  Cumberland  Table-land 
occur  a few  beds  of  clay  ironstones.  This  ore  is  an  impure  carbonate  of 
iron  and  contains  41.25  percent  of  metallic  iron,  11.78  of  oxygen,  35.17 
carbonic  acid  and  11.8  of  water,  etc.  Practically  30  to  33  per  cent  of 
iron  is  obtained.  It  occurs  in  nodules  and  balls  and  is  limited  in  quan- 
tity. Black  band  ironstone  and  limonite  are  also  found  scattered  over 
the  table-land. 

The  western  iron  region  includes  part  or  all  of  the  following  coun- 
ties: Lawrence,  Wayne,  Hardin,  Lewis,  Perry,  Decatur,  Hickman, 
Humphreys,  Benton,  Dickson,  Montgomery  and  Stewart.  The  belt  is 
about  fifty  miles  wide  and  over  the  entire  extent  more  or  less  ore  occurs. 
There  appear  centers  where  heavy  deposits  of  great  value  and  extent  are 
found.  These  banks  have  a high  position  on  the  tops  or  edges  of  plateau 
ridges,  and  owe  their  origin  very  probably  to  the  remains  of  decomposed 
sandstones  before  the  Central  Basin  or  the  valley  of  West  Tennessee  was 
excavated.  The  banks  are  from  a few  feet  to  100  feet.  Limonite  is  al- 
most the  only  ore,  though  hematite  occurs  near  Clifton,  in  Wayne  County. 
Limonite  occurs  in  irregular  lumps  or  hollow  concretions  called  “pots” 
scattered  through  the  matrix  of  the  debris  of  the  strata  of  the  siliceous 
group,  consisting  of  angular  fragments  of  half  decomposed  and  often 
bleached  chert  and  soft  sandstones  imbedded  in  clay.  This  is  the  bed  of 
the  ore.  The  varieties  of  this  ore  are  called  compact,  honey-comb,  pot 


36 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


and  pipe  ores  and  oclier,  the  first  three  being  common.  The  pots  vary  in 
size  from  an  orange  to  two  feet  in  diameter.  Pipe  ore  is  worked  in  Stew- 
art County.  It  is  estimated  that  the  best  banks  furnish  one-fourth  to 
one-third  of  the  mass  removed  in  iron  ore.  Its  occurrence  in  banks  is 
irregular — sometimes  in  pockets,  beds,  veins,  strata,  columns,  or  isolated 
masses  often  ten  to  twenty  feet  through.  Some  masses  furnish  scores  of 
tons  of  ore.  The  beds  of  Hickman  are  most  extensive  and  valuable  and 
more  than  twenty  banks  have  been  opened.  Those  of  Dickson  and  Stew- 
art are  next  valuable.  On  the  eastern  rim  of  the  basin  in  the  counties 
of  White,  Warren,  Putnam  and  Overton,  corresponding  with  the  deposits 
of  the  western  belt,  limonite  of  good  quality  is  found.  The  percentage 
of  pure  iron  varies  from  44  to  about  60. 

Fossils. — The  paleontological  features  are  characteristic  and  import- 
ant. Every  formation  considered  in  this  chapter,  except  the  Unaka, 
contains  fossils,  often  large,  finely  preserved  and  beautiful.  As  every 
formation  contains,  in  the  main,  its  own  fossils,  they  become  an  import- 
ant factor  in  identifying  the  strata.  The  most  fruitful  source  of  fossils 
in  this  State  are  the  Trenton  and  Nashville  groups.  The  following  is  a 
list  of  the  genera:  Buthotrephis,  Stromatopora,  Stenopora,  Constellaria, 

Tetradium,  Columnaria,  Petraia,  Cleiocrinus,  Dendocrinus,  Glyptocrinus, 
Palieocrinus,  Petraster,  Ptilodictia,  Betepora,  Graptolithus,  Leptiena, 
Stropliomena,  Ortliis,  Skenidium,  Bhynchonella,  Triplesia,  Avicula,  Am- 
bonychia,  Crytodonta,  Ctenodonta,  Modiololopsis,  Holopea,  Cyclonema,, 
Subulites,  Eunema,  Helicotoma,  Maclurea,  Trochonema,  Pleurotomaria, 
Murchisonia,  Crytolites,  Bellerophon,  Carinaropsis,  Clioderma,  Conularia, 
Salterella,  Ortlioceras,  Cyrtoceras,  Lituites,  Trocholites,  Asaphus,  Caly- 
mene,  Cheirurus,  Encrinurus,  Illaenus,  Liclias,  Pliacops,  Dalmanites  and 
Leperditia.  Many  of  these  are  represented  by  a half  dozen  or  more 
species.  In  the  Niagara  group  occur  the  following  genera:  Astylo- 

spongia,  Palseomanon,  Artraeospongia,  Stenopora,  Thecostegites,  Thecia, 
Heliolites,  Plasmopora,  Halysites,  Favosites,  Cyathopliyllum,  Petraia, 
Aulopora,  Alveolites,  Cladopora,  Fenestella,  Caryocrinus,  Apiocystites, 
Pentatrematites,  Saccocrinus,  Platycrinus,  Lampterocrinus,  Cytocrinus, 
Eucatyptocrinus,  Coccocrinus,  Synbathocrinus,  Posteriocrinus,  Gysto- 
crinus,  Haplocrinus,  Calceola,  Strophomena,  Streptorhynchus,  Orthis, 
Spirifer,  Atrypa,  Pentamerus,  Athyris,  Rliynchonella,  Platyostoma,  Platy- 
ceras,  Cyclonema,  Ortlioceras,  Ceraurus,  Sphserexoclius,  Dalmania,  Caly- 
mene  and  Bumastus.  In  the  Lower  Helderberg  formation  the  following 
are  found:  Anisophyllum,  Favosites,  Apiocystites,  Leptsena,  Stropho- 

mena, Strophodonta,-  Orthis,  Spirifer,  Trematospira,  Nucleospira,  Rhynch- 
ospira,  Leptocoelia,  Bhynchonella,  Atrypa,  Merista,  Camarium,  Eatonia, 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


37 


Pentamerus,  Platyostoma,  Platyceras,  Phacops,  Dolmania  and  Dalmania. 
In  the  Lower  Carboniferous  formation  are  found  the  following  genera: 
Spirifer,  Orthis,  Platyceras,  Granatocrinus,  Agaricocrinus,  Actinocrinus, 
Cyathocrinus,  Icthiocrinus,  Lithostrotion,  Zaphrentis,  Pentremites,  Dic- 
chorinus,  Melonites,  Hemipronites,  Retzia,  Rliynchonella,  Productus, 
Conularia,  Astmea,  Archimedes,  Athyris,  Terebratula,  Aspidodus,  Clay- 
dodus  and  a few  others.  The  Green  Sand  of  West  Tennessee,  famous 
for  its  beds  of  fossil  shells,  contains  the  following  genera  so  far  noticed 
and  named:  Platytrochus,  Corbula,  Crassatella,  Astarte,  Venilia,  Car- 

dium,  Trigonia,  Area,  Nucula,  Cuculloea,  Ctenoides,  Pacten,  Neithea, 
Ostrea,  Oxogyra,  Graphse,  Anomia,  Placnnanomia,  Scalaria,  Natica, 
Yolutilithes,  Rapa,  Auchura,  Baculites,  Enchodus,  Sphyraena,  Ischyrhiza, 
Teredo,  Serpula,  Rostellaria,  Fusus,  Turritella  and  Delphinnla.  In  the 
Ripley  group  are  the  following:  Corbula,  Venus,  Crassatella,  Cardita, 

Leda,  Modiola,  Ostrea,  Gryphaea,  Turritella,  Natica,  Fasciolaria,  Nep- 
tunea,  Callianassa,  Lamna  and  crocodilus.  In  the  Bluff  loam  of  West 
Tennessee  are  Helix,  Planorbis,  Cyclas,  Amnicola,  Lymnea,  Succinea. 
In  the  Knox  group  are  Crepicephalus.  Lonchocephalus,  Agnostus,  Ling- 
ula and  PleUrotomaria. 

The  fossil  fauna  of  Tennessee  are  distinct  and  characteristic  of  the 
strata  containing  them.  In  the  main  Sewanee  and  Jackson  coal  horizon 
occur  the  following:  Neuropteris,  Hymenophyllites,  Alethopteris,  Aster- 
ophyllites,  Calamities,  Stigmaria,  Sigillaria,  Syrigodendron,  Lepidoden- 
dron,  Lepidostrobus,  Trigonocarpum  and  Rhabdocarpus,  and  in  the  main 
Etna  Sphenopteris,  Hymenophyllites  and  Lepidodendron,  and  at  the 
base  of  the  coal  measures  on  the  Sewanee  Railroad  the  fossil  nut: 
Trigonocarpon.  Wood  and  leaves  are  found  in  the  Ripley  group  in 
West  Tennessee.  In  the  Orange  sand  appear  the  following  genera: 
Quercus,  Laurus,  Prunus,  Andromeda,  Sapotacites,  Ebuagnus,  Salix,  Jug- 
laus,  Pagfus  and  Ceanothus.  On  the  west  side  have  been  found  bones  of 
the  extinct  Mastodon,  Megalonyx,  Castor  and  Castoroides. 

Metals. — Copper  ore  is  found  at  Ducktown.  The  surface  of  the  coun- 
try is  rolling,  and  is  about  2,000  feet  above  the  sea.  Ocoee  River  crosses 
this  area.  The  rocks  are  talcose,  chlorite  and  mica  slates,  and  dip  at 
high  angles  to  the  southeast.  The  ore  deposits  are  great  lenticular  masses, 
of  metal  and  gangue  material,  occurring  in  long  ranges  or  belts,  which 
have  been  improperly  termed  veins.  These  dip  at  high  angles,  and  upon 
the  surface  is  gossan,  and  below  it  about  ten  feet  are  the  black  copper 
ores,  and  further  down  are  other  zones  containing  more  or  less  copper. 
Numerous  mines  have  been  opened  since  the  discovery  of  copper  in  1843. 
The  ores  and  minerals  found  are  as  follows : Copper  pyrites,  iron  pyrites, 


38 


HISTOKY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


magnetic  pyrites,  copper  glauce,  zinc  blende,  galena,  ortlioclase,  albite, 
tremolite,  actinolite,  diallage,  zoisite,  calcite,  quartz,  rutile,  garnet,  allo- 
pliane,  alisonite,  bornite,  red  copper,  malachite,  azurite,  copperas,  blue- 
stone,  black  oxide  (very  valuable),  native  copper,  harrisite,  rahtite,  lirno- 
nite  (gossan).  Millions  of  dollars  worth  of  copper  ore  have  been  taken 
out  and  shipped  away. 

Nearly  every  county  in  East  Tennessee  contains  galenite  in  small 
quantities.  In  Claiborne  and  Union  Counties  it  occurs  particularly 
abundant.  In  the  latter  county,  on  Powell’s  River,  between  Tazewell  and 
Jacksborougli,  about  sixteen  miles  from  Tazewell,  is  one  of  the  richest 
mines.  The  vein  fills  a nearly  vertical  fissure  about  twenty  inches  wide, 
in  nearly  horizontal  rocks,  and  can  be  traced  nearly  a mile.  The  galenite 
is  associated  with  zinc  blende  and  pyrite,  and  occurs  in  sheets,  two  or 
more,  having  an  aggregated  thickness  of  five  to  ten  inches.  This  mine  is 
typical  of  the  others.  Near  Charleston  galenite  was  mined  by  the  earlier 
races,  probably  Mound-Builders.  Veins  of  galenite  occur  also  in  Middle 
Tennessee,  but  are  of  little  importance.  An  important  one  occurs  in 
Davidson  County,  near  Haysborough,  occurring  in  a gangue  of  barite. 
Galenite  has  also  been  found  among  the  limestones  of  West  Tennessee. 
Smithsonite  and  calamite,  two  zinc  ores,  occur  in  deposits  and  irregular 
veins  in  the  dolomites  of  the  Knox  group,  the  most  important  being  in 
Union,  Claiborne  and  Jefferson  Counties.  The  Steiner  locality  in  Union 
County  is  important.  The  ore  outcrops  in  a belt  fifty  or  sixty  feet  wide, 
and  runs  across  a low  ridge.  Through  this  ore  small  veins  of  Smithsonite 
and  calamite  ramify.  Gold  occurs  in  East  Tennessee  in  the  sands  and 
gravels  of  creeks  which  flow  over  the  metamorphic  slates  of  the  Ocoee 
group,  and  could  doubtless  be  found  in  the  quartz  veins  of  the  same  group. 
It  has  been  found  in  Blount,  Monroe  and  Polk  Counties.  The  most  has 
been  found  on  Coca  Creek  and  vicinity,  in  Polk  County,  in  a tract  eight 
or  ten  miles  long  by  two  or  three  wide.  Gold  was  first  discovered  in 
1831.  Soon  afterward  the  field  was  thoroughly  explored,  and  up  to  1853 
$46,023  in  gold  of  this  locality  was  deposited  in  the  United  States  Mint. 
This  gold  is  derived  from  the  decomposed  quartz  veins,  and  has  been 
washed  into  creek  valleys.  A quartz  bearing  gold  has  lately  been  found  in 
Whip-poor-will  Creek, the  metal  appearing  in  grains  or  scales  in  the  quartz. 

Lignite  is  found  in  beds  in  the  Mississippi  bluffs,  and  is  a mass  of 
dark  grayish,  laminated,  micaceous  sand,  with  lignitic,  woody  fragments, 
sticks,  leaves,  etc.  It  is  also  found  in  Carter  County  and  a few  other 
places.  Crude  petroleum  and  allied  substances  have  been  worked  with 
profit  in  various  places  in  Tennessee.  Maury,  Jackson,  Overton,  Dickson, 
Wilson,  Montgomery,  Hickman  and  other  counties  furnish  it. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


39 


The  black  shale  is  a great  source  of  these  oils,  the  richest  producing 
from  thirty  to  forty  gallons  of  oil  to  the  ton.  The  Spring  Creek,  Over- 
ton  County,  wells  have  yielded  most.  Thousands  of  barrels  of  crude 
petroleum  have  been  pumped,  salt  mines  have  been  worked  on  Calfkiller 
Creek,  and  in  Anderson,  Warren,  Van  Buren,  Overton,  Jackson  and  else- 
where. Sulphur  springs  occur  in  some  localities.  Nitre  is  found  in  the 
numerous  caves  of  the  limestones  of  the  table-land.  Alum  is  obtained 
from  the  black  shale.  Epsom  salts  is  found  in  the  caves.  Gypsum  ap- 
pears in  several  caves.  Barite  is  found.  Copperas  was  formerly  exten- 
sively made  from  the  protoxide  of  iron  (pyrites)  thrown  out  at  the  Duck- 
worth copper  mines,  also  sulphate  of  copper.  Iron  pyrites  is  often  found. 
Black  manganese  is  often  found  associated  with  limonite. 

Marble.-- The  marbles  are  very  valuable,  and  are  already  a great 
source  of  wealth.  They  have  been  divided  as  follows:  1,  reddish  varie- 
gated fossiliferous  marble ; 2,  whitish  variegated  fossiliferous  marble ; 3, 
dull,  variegated  magnesian  marble ; 4,  black  and  dark-blue  marbles ; 5, 
breccia  and  conglomerate  marbles.  The  first  is  the  most  important  and 
occurs  in  East,  Middle  and  West  Tennessee.  Beds  have  been  opened  in 
Henry  County,  also  in  Benton  and  Decatur.  In  Franklin  County  are  ex- 
tensive beds.  In  White  County  a clouded  white  marble  is  obtained.  In 
the  valley  of  East  Tennessee  the  reddish  marble  occurs  in  Hawkins,  Han- 
cock, Grainger,  Jefferson,  Knox,  Roane,  Blount,  Monroe,  McMinn  and 
Bradley,  and  to  a more  limited  extent  in  Meigs,  Anderson,  Union  and 
Campbell.  It  has  been  extensively  quarried,  and  is  a variegated  crin- 
oidal  and  coralline  limestone  colored  grayish-white  or  brownish-red  and 
sometimes  pinkish  or  greenish-red.  The  most  common  color  is  brownish- 
red  more  or  less  mottled  with  white  or  gray  clouds  or  spots,  due  to  corals. 
Earge  quantites  are  mined  and  shipped.  It  possesses  great  properties 
of  weather  durability  and  resistance  to  pressure.  The  whitish  marble  is 
a coralline,  sparry  gray-whitish  rock,  much  of  the  white  ground  being 
mottled  with  pink  or  reddish  spots.  There  is  no  superior  building  stone 
in  the  State  than  this  variety.  The  other  varieties  are  rarer,  but  all  are 
good.  From  the  gneiss  and  white  quartz  stones  of  the  metamorphic 
group  excellent  mill-stones  are  obtained.  The  chert  of  the  Knox  dolo- 
mite furnishes  fine  mill-stones.  The  Ocoee  group  produces  the  best 
roofing  slates.  Hydraulic  limestone  and  fire-clay  abound.  Sulphur, 
chalybeate,  Epsom  and  alum  springs  abound.  Sulphur  springs  originate 
in  the  black  shale. 

Temperature. — It  has  been  found,  through  many  years’  observation, 
that  the  mean  annual  temperature  of  the  Yalley  of  East  Tennessee  is  about 
57  degrees,  of  the  Central  Basin  58,  and  of  West  Tennessee  594  to  60  de- 


40 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


grees,  through  the  central  part  of  the  State,  east  and  west.  The  average 
annual  minimum  temperature  of  Middle  Tennessee  is  2 degrees,  and  the 
average  maximum  temperature  about  94  degrees.  The  average  length  of 
the  groAving  season,  between  the  last  killing  frost  of  spring  and  the  first 
of  autumn,  is  about  194  days.  In  East  Tennessee  it  is  a feAv  days  less. 
Southerly  winds  are  most  prevalent,  then  northerly,  and  easterly  and 
westerly  about  the  same.  The  quantity  of  rain  and  melted  snow  varies 
annually  from  43  to  55  inches.  These  estimates  are  the  best  that  can  be 
given  from  the  limited  observations  made  in  the  past. 

Elevations. — The  principal  elevations  above  the  sea  are  as  follows,  in 
feet:  Stone  Mountain  range — Cat  Face  Mountain,  4,913;  State  Gap, 

3,400 ; Taylorsville,  2,395 ; State  line  in  Watauga  Valley,  2,131 ; Yellow  and 
Roane  range — Yellow  Mountain,  5,158 ; Little  Yellow,  5,196 ; Roane — Cold 
Spring,  6,132;  Grassy  Ridge  Bald,  6,230;  High  Knob,  6,306;  High 
Bluff,  6,296 ; Bald  Mountain  range — Bald  Mountain,  5,550 ; Jonesborough, 
1734;  Big  Butt  range — highest  points  over  5,000  feet;  Greenville  depot, 
1,581;  Great  Smoky  range — Warm  Springs,  N.  C.,  1,335;  piazza  of 
hotel,  Tennessee  line  on  French  Broad,  1,264;  Indian  Grove  Gap,  4,288; 
Man  Patch  Gap,  4,392;  Bear  Wallow  Mountain,  4,659;  Luftee  Knob, 
6,238;  Thermometer  Knob,  6,157 ; Raven’s  Knob,  6,230;  Tricorner  Knob, 
6,188;  Mount  Guyot,  6,636;  Mount  Henry,  6,373;  Mount  Alexander, 
6,447 ; South  Peak,  6,299;  highest  peak  of  Three  Brothers,  5,907 ; Thun- 
der Knob,  5,682;  Laurel  Peak,  5,922;  Reinhardt  Gap,  5,220;  top  of 
Richland  Ridge,  5,492;  Indian  Gap,  5,317;  Peck’s  Peak,  6,232;  Mount 
Ocona,  6,135;  New  Gap,  5,096;  Mount  Mingus,  5,694;  Bullhead  group 
— Mount  Le  Conte  (central  peak),  6,612;  Mount  Curtis  (west  peak), 
6,568;  Mount  Salford,  6,535;  Cross  Knob,  5,931;  Neighbor,  5,771; 
Master  Knob,  6,013;  Tomahawk  Gap,  5,450;  Alum  Cave,  4,971;  Rood 
Gap,  5,271;  Mount  Collins,  6,188;  Collins’  Gap,  5,720;  Mount  Love, 
6,443;  Clingman’s  Dome,  6,660;  Mount  Buckley,  6,599;  Ckimzey  Knob, 
5,588;  Big  Stone  Mountain,  5,614;  Big  Cherry  Gap,  4,838;  Corner 
Knob,  5,246;  Foniey  Ridge  Peak,  5,087;  Snaky  Mountain,  5,195;  Thuu- 
derliead  Mountain,  5,520;  Eagletop,  5,433;  Spence  Cabin,  4,910; 
Turkey  Knob,  4,740;  Opossum  Gap,  3,840;  North  Bald,  4,711;  Central 
Peak  of  Great  Bald,  4,922;  South  Peak,  4,708;  Tennessee  River  at 
Hardin’s,  899;  Chilliowee  Mountain,  2,452;  Montvale  Springs,  1,293; 
between  Little  Tennessee  and  Hiwassee — Hangover  Knob,  over  5,300; 
Haw  Knob,  over  5,300;  Beaver  Dam  or  Tellico  Bald,  4,266;  south  of 
the  Hiwassee  the  elevation  of  the  chain  is  reduced  to  3,000  to  3,400 
feet;  Frog  Mountain  is  about  4,226  feet;  the  Ducktown  copper  region  is 
about  2,000  feet  high. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


41 


Along  tlie  East  Tennessee,  Virginia  and  Georgia  Railway  the  eleva- 
tions are  as  follows:  Bristol,  1,678;  Union,  1,457;  Carter,  1,474;  John- 
son’s, 1,643;  summit  between  Cliucky  and  Watauga,  1,841;  Jones- 
borougli,  1,736;  Limestone,  1,419;  Fullens,  1,489;  Greeneville,  1,581; 
Bull’s  Gap,  1,214;  Russellville,  1,260;  Morristown,  1,283;  Strawberry 
Plains,  906;  Kiioxville,  898 ; Loudon,  819;  Athens,  993;  Hiwassee 
River  at  low  water,  684;  Cleveland,  878;  State  line  between  Tennessee 
and  Georgia,  837;  also  Clinton,  847;  Chattanooga,  railroad  grade,  675; 
Tennessee  River  at  Chattanooga,  642;  Cumberland  Gap,  1,636;  Pinna- 
cle (near  gap),  2,680;  Elk  Gap  (surface),  1,702;  Cross  Mountain  Point, 
3,370;  Gap,  2,875;  Cove  Creek,  1,041;  average  bottom  of  Elk  Fork 
Valley,  1,200;  Pine  Mountain,  2,200  to  2,400;  Tellico  Mountain,  2,000  to 
2,700;  Crab  Orchard  Mountain,  about  3,000;  flat  summit  of  Lookout 
Mountain,  2,154;  Raccoon  Mountain,  back  of  Whiteside  depot,  1,900; 
Tracy  City,  1,847;  highest  ridges  near  Tracy  City,  2,161;  summit  of 
Ben  Lomond,  1,910;  Tullalioma  (grade),  1,070;  creek  at  Manchester, 
996 ; McMinville  (depot),  912;  Sparta,  station,  945;  Livingston,  station, 
966;  Hickory  Nut  Mountain,  about  1,400;  Murfreesboro  depot,  583; 
Nashville  depot  grade,  435.  Nashville,  low  water  in  Cumberland,  365; 
Springfield  grade,  659;  Gallatin  surface,  528;  Franklin  depot,  642; 
Columbia  depot,  657;  Mount  Pleasant  (creek),  625;  Palo  Alto,  1,025; 
Pulaski,  648 ; Kingston  Station,  506 ; highest  point  on  the  railroad  west 
from  Nashville  to  the  Tennessee  River,  915;  lowest  point  on  the  grade  at 
the  Tennessee  River,  368;  Grand  Junction  on  the  west  side,  575;  Middle- 
ton,  407;  Moscow,  351;  Germantown,  378,  Memphis,  245;  low  water  of 
the  Mississippi  at  Memphis,  170;  Obion  River  on  the  Ohio  & Mississippi 
Railroad  (grade),  287;  Bolivar,  430;  Medon,  420;  Jackson,  459. 


42 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


CHAPTER  II. 


The  Mound-Builders— Evidences  of  Pre- Historic  Occupation— Arguments 
of  Bancroft  and  Hildreth— Deductions  of  Judge  Haywood — Com- 
parison of  Ancient  Races  and  Customs— The  Sun  Worshipers — The 
Natchez  Tribe  — Classification  of  Earthworks  — Representative 
Mounds  of  Tennessee— The  “Stone  Fort ’’—Contents  of  the  Works— 
Their  Great  Age. 


A 


T tlie  time  of  the  discovery  of  the  present  State  of  Tennessee  by 
white  people,  the  larger  part  of  it,  as  well  as  the  larger  part  of  the 
State  of  Kentucky,  was  unoccupied  by  any  Indian  tribe.  The  reason  of 
this  state  of  things  will  appear  as  the  reader  proceeds.  But  although 
then  unoccupied  there  were  found  abundant  evidences  not  only  of  the 
former  presence  of  Indian  tribes  but  of  a still  more  dense  and  ancient 
population,  possessing  a higher  degree  of  civilization,  a more  liighl  / de- 
veloped condition  of  art,  agriculture,  warfare  and  religion,  than  anything 
of  the  kind  pertaining  to  any  of  the  aboriginal  or  Indian  tribes,  as  they  are 
called.  These  evidences  consist  of  mounds  of  various  shapes  and  kinds, 
of  fortifications  and  of  burying-grounds,  of  their  conteuts,  relics  and  re- 
mains still  to  be  found  throughout  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi,  and  of 
the  valleys  of  its  tributaries  from  the  Alleghany  to  the  Rocky  Mountains, 
and  from  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  to  the  great  lakes,  all  of  which  relics  and  re- 
mains will  be  appropriately  noticed  in  the  proper  connection.  But  from 
the  existence  and  frequency  of  the  occurrence  of  these  mounds,  the  origin 
and  history  of  which  were  at  least  as  inexplicable  to  the  aboriginal  Indian 
tribes,  as  to  their  more  intelligent  and  inductive  successors,  their  erectors 
and  constructors  for  want  of  a better  name,  have  been  by  American  histor- 
-X  ians  generally  called  the  “ Mound  Builders.” 

A . The  most  conspicuous  exception  to  this  rule  is  the  venerable  Bancroft, 
i AVhose  opinions,  even  if  occasionally  erronous,  are  eminently  worthy  of 
jr  profound  respect.  To  the  historian  and  especially  to  the  antiquarian, 
even  if  in  less  degree  to  the  general  student  and  reader,  is  the  inquiry 
pertinent  as  to  the  origin  of  the  first  inhabitants  of  America.  Bancroft 
many  years  ago  wrote : “ To  aid  this  inquiry  the  country  east  of  the  Missis- 
sippi has  no  monuments.  The  numerous  mounds  which  have  been  discov- 
ered in  the  alluvial  valleys  of  the  West,  have  by  some  been  regarded  as  the 
works  of  an  earlier  and  more  cultivated  race  of  men,  whose  cities  have  been 
laid  waste,  whose  language  and  institutions  have  been  destroyed,  or  driven 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


43: 


away ; but  the  study  of  the  structure  of  the  earth  strips  this  imposing  theory 
of  its  marvels.  Where  imagination  fashions  relics  of  artificial  walls,  geol- 
ogy  sees  but  crumbs  of  decaying  sandstone,  clinging  like  the  remains  of 
mortar  to  blocks  of  green  stone  that  rested  on  it ; it  discovers  in  parallel  in- 
trenchments,  a trough  that  subsiding  waters  have  ploughed  through  the 
center  of  a ridge ; it  explains  the  tessellated  pavement  to  be  but  a layer  of 
pebbles  aptly  joined  by  water;  and,  on  examining  the  mounds,  and  finding 
them  composed  of  different  strata  of  earth,  arranged  horizontally  to  the 
very  edge,  it  ascribes  their  creation  to  the  Power  that  shaped  the  globe 
into  vales  and  hillocks.  When  the  waters  had  gently  deposited  their  al- 
luvial burden  on  the  bosom  of  the  earth  it  is  not  strange  that  of  the  fan- 
tastic forms  shaped  by  the  eddies,  some  should  resemble  the  ruins  of  a 
fortress ; that  the  channel  of  a torrent  should  seem  even  like  walls  that 
connected  a town  with  its  harbor;  that  natural  cones  should  be  esteemed 
monuments  of  inexplicable  toil.  But  the  elements  as  they  crumble  the 
mountain,  and  scatter  the  decomposed  rocks,  do  not  measure  their  action 
as  men  measure  the  labor  of  their  hands.  The  hunters  of  old,  as  more 
recently  the  monks  of  La  Trappe,  may  have  selected  a mound  as  the  site 
of  their  dwellings,  the  aid  to  their  rude  fortifications,  their  watch-towers 
for  gaining  a vision  of  God,  or  more  frequently  than  all  as  their  burying 
places.  Most  of  the  northern  tribes,  perhaps  all,  preserved  the  bones  of 
their  fathers ; and  the  festival  of  the  dead  was  the  greatest  ceremony  of 
Western  faith.  When  Nature  has  taken  to  herself  her  share  in  the  con- 
struction of  the  symmetrical  hillocks,  nothing  will  remain  to  warrant  the 
inference  of  a high  civilization  that  has  left  its  abodes  or  died  away — of 
an  earlier  acquaintance  with  the  arts  of  the  Old  World.  That  there  have 
been  successive  irruptions  of  rude  tribes  may  be  inferred  from  the  insulated 
fragments  of  nations  which  are  clearly  distinguished  by  their  language.. 
The  mounds  in  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi  have  also  been  used ; the  smal- 
ler ones  perhaps,  have  been  constructed  as  burial  places  of  a race,  of  which 
the  peculiar  organization,  as  seen  in  the  broader  forehead,  the  larger  fac- 
ial angle,  the  less  angular  figure  of  the  orbits  of  the  eye,  the  more  narrow 
nose,  the  less  evident  projection  of  the  jaws,  the  smaller  dimensions  of  the 
palatine  fossa,  the  flattened  occiput,  bears  a surprisingly  exact  resem- 
blance to  that  of  the  race  of  nobles  who  sleep  in  the  ancient  tombs  of 
Peru.  Retaining  the  general  characteristics  of  the  red  race,  they  differ 
obviously  from  the  present  tribes  of  Miamis  and  Wyandots.  These 
moldering  bones  from  hillocks  which  are  crowned  by  trees  that  have  de- 
fied the  storms  of  many  centuries,  raise  bewildering  visions  of  migrations 
of  which  no  tangible  traditions  exist ; but  the  graves  of  earth  from  which 
they  are  dug,  and  the  feeble  fortifications  that  are  sometimes  found  in 


44 


HIST OF. X OF  TEXXESSEE. 


the  vieinirv.  afford  no  special  evidence  of  early  connection  with  otlier 
continents.  ’Among  the  more  ancient  works.'  says  a careful  observer, 
who  is  not  disposed  to  undervalue  the  significance  of  these  silent  monu- 
ments. near  which  he  dwells,  and  which  he  has  carefully  explored.  : there 
is  not  a single  edifice  nor  any  ruins  which  prove  the  existence  in  former 
ages  of  a building  composed  of  imperishable  materials.  Xo  fragment  of 
a column,  nor  a brick,  nor  a single  hewn  stone  large  enough  to  have  been 
incorporated  into  a walk  has  been  discovered.  The  only  relics  which  re- 
main to  inflame  curiosity  are  composed  of  earth.'  Some  of  the  tribes  had 
vessels  made  of  clay:  near  Xatchez  an  image  was  found  of  a substance 
not  harder  than  clay  dried  in  the  sun.  These  few  memorials  of  other 
days  may  indicate  revolutions  among  the  barbarous  hordes  of  the  Ameri- 
cans themselves : they  cannot  solve  for  the  inquirer  the  problem  of  their 
orionu." 

Thus  Bancroft  while  denying  the  general  proposition  that  there  was 
in  the  Mississippi  Y alley  anteriorly  to  its  occupation  by  Indians,  a race 
of  Mound  Builders,  as  that  term  is  generally  understood,  yet  admits  that 
there  may  have  been  a race  who  may  have  constructed  the  smaller  mounds, 
as  burial  places,  and  whose  general  physical  characteristics  bore  a strik- 
ingly exact  resemblance  to  that  of  the  race  of  nobles  who  sleep  in  the 
ancient  tombs  of  Peru  But  other  authorities,  notably  TTinchell.  the 
author  of  "Preadamites. " hold,  from  the  evidences  which  they  have  accu- 
mulated. that  not  only  was  the  entire  Mississippi  Talley  inhabited  by  an 
agricultural  population  of  greater  or  less  density,  but  such  population 
possessed,  an  entirely  different  physical  structure  and  entirely  different 
habits  and  civilization  than  these  possessed  by  the  Indian  tribes.  If 
the  latter  were  the  descendants  of  the  earlier  race  of  Mound  Builders  suf- 
ficient time  elapsed  between  them  to  change  the  stature,  cranial  develop- 
ment and  pursuits.  It  is  well  established  that,  while  the  Indians  pro- 
fessed no  knowledge  of  the  construction  of  the  greater  number  of  the 
mounds,  they  themselves  built  them  for  probably  the  same  purpose  as  the 
Mound  Builders. 

Another  celebrated  American  historian.  Hildreth,  expresses  himself 
with  reference  to  the  inferences  to  be  drawn  from  the  existence  of  the 
mounds  in  the  following  language : "These  memorials  consist  of  embank- 
ments of  earth  and  stone  exhibiting  indisputable  evidence  of  design  and 
were  sometimes  of  very  great  extent.  Some  of  them  were  located  along  the 
brows  of  hills  or  upon  the  precipitous  edges  of  ravines  enclosing  consid- 
erable table-land  and  were  evidently  designed  as  works  of  defense.  Others 
still  more  numerous,  extensive  and  elaborate  were  most  probably  con- 
nected with  religious  ideas.  In  various  places  they  present  curious  basso- 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


45 


relievos,  birds,  beasts,  reptiles  and  even  men;  more  generally  enclosures 
of  various  sorts,  perfect  circles  or  squares  and  parallel  lines  of  great 
extent,  the  embankments  being  from  five  to  thirty  feet  in  height,  and  the 
enclosures  from  one  to  fifty  or  even  to  four  hundred  acres ; other  classes 
of  structures  connected  with  or  separate  from  those  just  mentioned, 
increasing  in  number  toward  the  south,  conical  and  pyramidal  structures, 
from  a few  yards  to  hundreds  in  diameter  and  from  ten  to  ninety  feet  in 
height  occasionally  terraced  like  the  Mexican  teocallis.  Some  of  these 
were  for  sepulchral  purposes,  others  were  doubtless  mounds  of  sacrifice. 
Connected  with  these  ancient  monuments  are  found  remnants  of  pottery, 
and  weapons  and  utensils  of  stone,  axes  and  ornaments  of  copper;  but 
nothing  which  indicates  a higher  civilization  than  that  possessed  by  the 
Indians.  Yet  the  extent  and  number  of  these  earth  erections,  of  which 
there  are  but  few  traces  east  of  the  Alleghanies,  which  region  was  the 
most  populous  when  discovered  by  Europeans,  evinces  the  combined  labor 
of  many  hands,  of  a kind  of  which  no  trace  has  ever  been  found  among 
the  aboriginal  tribes.” 

All  writers  on  American  antiquities  infer  from  the  existence  of  these 
antiquities  the  existence  of  a race  of  Mound  Builders.  Accepting  this 
conclusion  as  settled  there  still  remain  the  puzzling  problems  as  to 
whence  they  came,  how  long  they  remained  and  when  and  whither  they 
went.  Other  authors,  besides  Judge  Haywood,  have  made  strong  attempts 
at  a solution  from  the  scanty  evidence  at  hand.  His  attempt,  though 
exceedingly  interesting  and  ingenious,  has  not  been  generally  recognized 
as  final.  He  labors  assiduously  to  show  various  similarities  between  the 
Hindoos  and  Egyptians,  and  then  to  show  the  similarities  between  Mexi- 
cans and  Peruvians  and  the  Hindoos  and  Persians.  All  of  these  nations 
called  their  rulers  the  children  of  the  sun.  The  Mexicans  and  Hindoos 
both  divided  the  people  into  four  castes.  The  state  of  property  was  also 
the  same  in  Persia,  Egypt  and  Peru,  one-third  set  apart  as  sacred  to  the 
God  they  worshiped,  one-third  to  the  sovereign  and  one-third  to  the 
people.  The  religion  of  the  Mexicans  and  of  the  Hindoos  was  also  similar. 
The  Hindoos  have  a Irimurii  consisting  of  Brahma,  Yishnu  and  Siva. 
Erom  Hindostan  this  idea  or  conception  of  a triune  God  traveled  into 
Egypt,  and  thence  to  the  Hebrew  nation,  Greece  and  Borne,  and  if  the 
same  deified  trinity  be  found  in  America  it  is  legitimate  to  refer  it  to  the 
same  Hindoo  origin,  at  least  until  a better  be  assigned. 

The  representations  of  the  Mexican  god  Hialzettipocli  very  strikingly 
resemble  that  of  the  Hindoo  god  Krishna.  The  masque  of  the  Mexican 
priest  is  represented  in  Mexico.  He  is  drawn  as  sacrificing  a human 
victim,  a sacrifice  which  all  worshipers  of  the  sun  everywhere  make. 


46 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


The  masque  represents  an  elephant’s  trunk,  similar  to  the  head  so  often 
seen  portrayed  in  Hindostan.  As  no  elephants  exist  in  America  it  is 
reasonable  to  conclude  that  the  design  was  brought  from  Asia.  Various 
coincidences  are  seized  upon  to  show  the  possible  derivation  of  the  relig- 
ion of  the  Mexicans  from  that  of  the  Hindoos.  Among  the  latter  the 
conch  shell  is  used  as  a symbolical  representation  of  Vishnu,  and  also  in 
the  worship  of  that  deity.  The  conch  shell  is  similarly  used  by  the  Mex- 
icans in  their  Avorship  of  the  god  of  the  ocean,  which  they  adore  equally 
with  the  sun.  And  the  little  conch  shells  found  in  the  graves  of  the 
ancient  inhabitants  of  the  Mississippi  Valley  indicate  similar  religious 
belief  and  ceremonies.  Multitudinous  ablutions  are  alike  used  by  both. 
The  sacred  buildings  of  the  Mexicans  are  similar  to  the  same  buildings, 
and  the  pyramids  of  Egypt  and  India  and  the  temple  of  Belus.  The 
tower  of  Babel  and  the  great  temple  of  Mexico  Avere  each  dedicated  to 
two  divinities.  'The  similarity  of  the  construction  of  the  pyramids  of 
Mexico  is  worthy  of  notice,  those  in  both  countries  being  square  and  so 
built  as  to  almost  exactly  face  the  four  cardinal  points  of  the  compass; 
those  in  Egpyt  being  precisely  coincident  with  the  true  meridian,  and 
those  in  Mexico  varying  only  by  fifty-tAVO  seconds  of  arc.  The  cosmical 
history  of  the  Mexicans  is  the, same  as  that  of  the  Hindoos,  both  believ- 
ing, to  illustrate,  that  the  world  would  be  destroyed  by  a general  confla- 
gration, and  mankind  having  all  derived  it  from  the  prophecy  of  Noah  A 
The  vernacular  customs  of  both  Hindoos  and  Mexicans  were  the  same 
both  as  to  those  relative  to  religion  and  as  to  those  relating  to  the  com- 
mon concerns  of  life.  The  titles  the  sun,  the  brother  of  the  sun,  the  chil- 
dren of  the  sun,  were  given  to  the  princes  of  Peru  and  of  Mexico  and  of 
the  Natchez,  and  are  the  same  as  those  anciently  given  to  the  princes  of 
Persia,  India,  Ceylon  and  China.  The  Mexican  year  consisted  of  365 
days,  six  hours,  and  the  day  began  with  the  rising  of  the  sun,  as  was  like- 
wise the  case  with  the  Persians  and  Egpytians,  as  well  as  the  greater  part 
of  the  nations  of  Asia.  The  Egyptians  did  not  knoAV  of  the  year  consist- 
ing of  365  days  in  the  time  of  Moses  nor  until  1322  B.  C.  In  the  time 
of  Plato,  384  B.  C.,  they  discovered  that  a year  consists  of  365  days,  six 
hours.  The  people  of  America  called  the  constellation  now  universally 
knoAvn  as  the  Great  Bear  by  a name  which  signifies  the  bear,  a name  first 
given  to  this  constellation  by  the  Egpytians  and  some  Asiatic  people. 
Such  facts  as  these  afford  indubitable  proof  that  the  astronomy  of  the 
Mexicans  was  not  of  their  own  invention,  but  was  learned  by  them  from 
the  countries  whence  they  immigrated.  They  also  were  familiar  with 
certain  Scriptural  traditions ; as  the  fall  of  man,  and  the  connection  of  the 


♦Genesis  ix:  11  to  15. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


47 


serpent  with  that  fall ; of  a great  flood  overwhelming  the  earth  from  which 
only  a single  family  escaped,  and  also  of  a great  pyramid  erected  by  the 
pride  of  man,  and  destroyed  by  the  anger  of  the  gods.  But  they  have 
no  tradition  of  any  thing  that  occurred  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  Atlantic 
Ocean  later  than  the  building  of  the  tower  of  Babel.  The  Mexicans 
therefore  could  not  have  learned  them  from  the  writings  of  Moses  or  they 
would  also  have  known  of  the  history  of  Abraham  and  of  the  Israelites 
as  well  as  of  the  facts  to  which  such  traditions  relate.  Hence  they  must 
have  left  the  Old  World  before  the  writings  of  Moses  came  into  exist- 
ence, or  they  must  have  lived  for  a time  in  some  part  of  Asia,  where,  on 
account  of  the  prevailing  idolatry,  the  writings  of  Moses  could  not  pene- 
trate, but  yet  where  they  had  access  to  the  astronomical  learning  of  the 
Chaldeans  after  384  B.  C. 

At  the  time  of  Moses  all  the  civilized  nations  of  Asia  worshiped  the 
sun,  as  the  numerous  places  named  Baal  with  an  affix  abundantly  testify, 
as  Baalath,  Baalpeor,  etc.,  and  so  far  were  his  many  and  earnest  injunc- 
tions  from  subduing  their  disposition  to  this  worship,  that  even  Solomon, 
who  lived  500  years  after  Moses’  time,  and  who  was  the  wisest  of  princes, 
embraced  the  idolatrous  worship  of  the  sun.  It  is  fair  to  presume  that 
sun-worshipers  follow  the  same  customs  all  over  the  world.  Sun-wor- 
shipers, wherever  they  are  known  to  practice  this  form  of  idolatry,  build 
high  places,  enclosing  them  in  open  courts,  and  upon  these  high  places 
erect  houses  for  their  idols,  placing  the  idols  within  the  houses.  Upon 
these  high  places  they  burnt  incense  to  Baal,  to  the  sun,  to  the  moon,  to 
the  planets  and  to  the  hosts  of  heaven.  Upon  these  high  places  they 
made  sacrifices  of  human  beings,  even  of  their  sons  and  daughters,  to  the 
sun,  and  made  their  children  pass  through  the  fire  to  their  idols.  In 
Scotland  a ceremony  used  to  be  celebrated  on  the  1st  of  May  (O.  S. ), 
the  inhabitants  of  a district  assembling  in  the  field,  digging  out  a square 
trench,  in  which  they  built  a fire  and  baked  a cake,  and  then  cutting  the 
cake  into  as  many  pieces  as  there  were  persons,  and  blacking  one  with 
charcoal,  all  were  thrown  into  a bag,  out  of  which  each  person,  blind- 
folded, drew  a piece,  the  one  drawing  the  black  piece  was  sacrificed  to 
Baal  (some  say  made  to  leap  through  the  fire  three  times)  to  propitiate 
him  for  the  coming  year.  This  is  the  same  ceremony  as  was  practiced 
by  Manasseh,  the  sixteenth  King  of  Judah,  who  made  his  sons  pass 
through  the  fire  to  Moloch.  Certain  worshipers  of  the  sun  kept  the 
festival  of  Tammuz,  at  the  time  of  the  summer  solstice,  the  same  time  at 
which  the  southern  Indians  celebrated  the  green  corn  dance 

The  Mexicans  had  pikes  pointed  with  copper  which  appeared  to  have 
been  hardened  with  an  amalgam  of  tin,  and  they  had  among  them  car- 


48 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


penters,  masons,  weavers  and  founders.  The  Peruvians  used  mattocks  of 
hardened  wood  and  bricks  dried  in  the  sun.  They  had  the  art  of  smelt- 
ing ore,  and  of  refining  silver,  of  which  they  made  domestic  utensils. 
They  had  also  hatchets  of  copper  made  as  hard  as  iron,  but  they  did 
not  worship  idols.  They  carried  the  idols  of  the  people  they  conquered 
to  their  temple  of  the  sun  at  Cusco.  Hence  the  mounds  upon  which 
images  have  been  found  in  the  Mississippi  Yalley  can  not  be  ascribed  to 
the  Peruvians.  The  question  remains,  can  they  be  ascribed  to  the  Mex- 
icans or  to  a similar  race? 

All  the  nations  west  of  the  Mississippi  when  they  first  became  known 
to  Europeans  were  worshipers  of  the  sun,  and  were  governed  by  despotic 
princes — two  prominent  circumstances  in  which  they  differed  from  the 
Indians  who  lived  on  the  Great  Lakes  and  on  the  east  side  of  the  Alle- 
ghanies.  At  this  time  the  Natchez  tribe  of  Indians  occupied  almost  the 
entire  eastern  part  of  the  Mississippi  Yalley  south  of  the  Ohio  River,  and 
a portion  of  that  north  of  this  river,  and  most  of  the  mounds  were  the 
limits  of  their  settlements.  They  were  governed  by  one  man  who  styled 
himself  the  child  of  the  sun,  or  the  sun,  and  upon  his  breast  was  the 
image  of  that  luminary.  His  wife  was  called  the  wife  of  the  sun,  and 
like  him  was  clothed  with  absolute  authority.  When  either  of  these  rul- 
ers died,  the  guards  killed  themselves  in  order  to  attend  them  in  the  other 
world.  They  had  one  temple  for  the  entire  nation  and  when  on  one  occa- 
sion it  caught  fire,  some  mothers  threw  their  children  into  the  flames  to 
stop  their  progress.  Some  families  were  considered  noble  and  enjoyed 
hereditary  dignity,  while  the  great  body  of  the  people  were  considered 
vile.  Their  great  chief,  the  descendant  of  the  sun,  the  sole  object  of 
their  worship,  they  approached  with  religious  veneration,  and  honored 
him  as  the  representative  of  their  deity.  In  their  temples,  which  were 
constructed  with  some  magnificence,  they  kept  up  a perpetual  fire  as  the 
\purest  emblem  of  their  divinity.  The  Mexicans  and  the  people  of  Bo- 
gota were  worshipers  of  the  sun  and  moon,  and  had  temples,  altars, 
priests  and  sacrifices.  The  name  of  the  Natchez  melted  away,  and  their 
decline  seemed  to  keep  pace  with  the  wasting  away  of  the  Mexican  em- 
pire. The  Natchez  were  partially  destroyed  in  a battle  with  the  Erench, 
east  of  the  Mississippi,  and  after  their  retreat  up  Red  River,  west  of  the 
Mississippi,  they  were  finally  conquered,  their  women  and  children  re- 
duced to  slavery  and  distributed  among  the  plantations,  and  the  men 
themselves  sent  to  serve  as  slaves  in  San  Domingo. 

The  Natchez  were  the  most  highly  polished  and  civilized  of  any  race 
of  Indians.  They  had  an  established  religion  and  a regular  priesthood. 
The  usual  distinctions  created  by  rank  were  understood  and  observed,  in 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


49 


which  particulars  they  differed  from  the  Indians  north  of  the  Ohio  and 
east  of  the  Alleghauies.  They  were  seldom  engaged  in  any  but  defensive 
wars  and  did  not  deem  it  glorious  to  destroy  the  human  species.  They 
were  just,  generous  and  humane,  and  attentive  to  the  wants  of  the  needy; 
and  it  is  probable  they  inhabited  all  the  country  from  the  Mississippi 
eastward  to  the  Alleghanies  and  northward  to  the  Ohio. 

In  the  light  of  more  recent  investigations,  although  Judge  Haywood’s 
line  of  argument  is  that  necessarily  followed  by  naturalists,  and  although 
the  facts  brought  to  light  by  him  are  yet  as  valuable  as  though  his  theory 
were  impregnable,  yet  it  was  necessary  for  him  to  assume  untenable 
positions  in  order  to  make  it  appear  reasonable  that  the  Natchez  were  the 
Mound  Builders.  In  all  probability  this  tribe  occupied  a territory  much 
smaller  than  that  supposed  by  him,  viz. : the  entire  eastern  half  of  the 
Mississippi  Valley  south  of  the  Ohio  Biver.  But  even  if  his  supposition 
in  this  respect  were  true,  there  are  many  thousands  of  mounds  outside  of 
these  limits,  in  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois  and  Wisconsin.  In  this  latter 
State  the  mounds  appear  to  be  of  a kind  peculiar  to  that  location,  being 
so  constructed  as  to  show  they  were  designed  to  be  effigies  of  most  of  the 
various  kinds  of  quadrupeds  known  in  the  country,  as  well  as  fishes,, 
reptiles  and  birds.  Of  these  perhaps  the  most  remarkable  is  the  “Big' 
Elephant  Mound,”  a few  miles  below  the  mouth  of  the  Wisconsin  River, 
in  Wisconsin.  From  its  name  its  form  may  be  inferred.  It  is  135  feet 
in  length  and  otherwise  properly  proportioned.  It  scarcely  seems  prob- 
able that  the  people  who  constructed  these  mysterious  mounds  could  have 
represented  an  elephant  or  a mastodon  without  having  seen  one,  and  it 
is  perhaps  justly  inferable  that  the  “Big  Elephant  Mound”  was  con- 
structed in  the  days  of  the  mastodon.  If  this  be  true  it  is  eloquent  in 
its  argument  for  the  immense  age  of  the  mounds,  as  geologists  are  gen- 
erally  agreed  that  the  mastodon  lived  not  much  later  than  the  Pliocene  era. 

Another  fact  attesting  the  great  age  of  these  most  interesting  relics 
is  this:  The  human  bones  found  therein,  except  those  of  a later  and 
probably  intrusive  burial,  are  not  in  a condition  to  admit  of  removal,  as 
they  crumble  into  dust  upon  exposure  to  the  air;  while  human  bones  are 
removed  entire  from  British  tumuli  known  to  belong  to  ages  older  than 
the  Christian  era,  and  frequently  from  situations  much  less  conducive  to 
preservation  than  those  in  the  mounds,  and  in  addition  the  mounds  are 
rarely  found  upon  the  most  recently  formed  terraces  of  the  rivers. 

The  selection  of  sites  for  the  location  of  these  mounds  appears  to 
have  been  guided  by  the  location  of  soils  capable  of  cultivation,  and  by 
accessibility  to  navigable  streams;  the  same  situations  have  since  fre- 
quently been  selected  by  pioneers  of  civilization  as  the  centers  of  settle- 


50 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


ment  and  trade.  AVhile  the  purpose  for  which  some  of  these  mounds 
Avere  erected  is  sometimes  doubtful,  as  is  the  case  with  the  “animal 
mounds”  in  AVisconsin,  a few  in  Ohio,  and  some  in  the  valley  of  the  Arkan- 
sas, yet  as  to  many  of  them  which  have  been  carefully  explored  there  is 
less  doubt,  and  they  are  divided  according  to  the  uses  to  which  they  were 
probably  devoted.  All  the  earthworks  found  in  Tennessee  belong  to  one 
of  the  classes  below.  Mounds  are  numerous  in  AVest  Tennessee,  on  the 
Cumberland,  on  both  Big  and  Little  Tennessee,  on  French  Broad, on  Duck 
and  on  the  Elk.  The  earthworks  have  been  classified  by  an  eminent  anti- 
quarian* as  follows: 


Earthworks. 


f Sepulchral. 

I Templar. 

f Mounds  { Sacrificial. 

I Memorial. 

[ Observatory. 
1 Animal. 

i Effigies  1 Emblematic. 

( Symbolical. 

I Military. 

L Inclosures  -j  Covered. 

( Sacred. 


One  of  these  mounds  is  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Nashville,  upon 
which  Monsieur  Charleville,  the  French  trader,  had  his  store  in  1714, 
when  the  Shawanee  Indians  were  driven  away  by  the  Cherokees  and  Chick- 
asaws.  Very  large  burying  grounds  lay  between  this  mound  and  the 
river ; thence  westwardly  and  then  to  the  creek.  The  great  extent  of  the 
burying  ground,  and  the  vast  number  of  interments  therein,  induce  the 
belief  that  a population  once  resided  there  many  times  greater  than  that 
now  occupying  that  portion  of  the  State,  and  suggested  the  idea  that  the 
cemetery  was  in  the  vicinity  of  the  mound  because  the  mound  was  used 
for  religious  purposes. 

About  fourteen  miles  up  the  Cumberland  above  Nashville  is  a mound 
twelve  to  thirteen  feet  high.  Upon  excavation  ashes  were  found  mixed 
with  lime  and  substances  resembling  human  bodies  after  being  burned. 

On  Big  Harpeth  River,  near  the  mouth  of  Dog  Creek,  is  a square 
mound,  47x47  feet  and  25  feet  high  and  in  a row  with  it  two  others  from 
5 to  10  feet  high.  At  some  distance  are  three  others  in  a roAV  parallel 
with  the  first,  the  space  between  resembling  a public  square.  All  around 
the  bend  of  the  river,  except  at  a place  of  entrance,  is  a wall  on  the  mar- 
gin of  the  river,  the  mounds  being  within  the  area  enclosed  by  the  wall. 
AVithin  this  space  is  a reservoir  of  water  about  fifteen  feet  square.  On 
the  top  of  the  large  mound  was  found  an  image  eighteen  inches  long  from 
head  to  foot  composed  of  soapstone.  The  trees  standing  upon  the  mounds 
are  very  old ; a poplar  tree  was  five  or  six  feet  in  diameter. 


"'Isaac  Smucker  in  “Ohio  Statistics.” 


HISTOBY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


51 


Higher  up  the  river  and  within  a mile  o£  those  just  described  is 
another  bend  in  the  river.  In  this  bend,  on  the  south  side  of  the  river, 
is  a mound  of  the  same  size  as  the  larger  one  described  above.  Near 
this  mound  were  found  a large  number  of  pine  knots.  As  there  were  then 
no  pine  Avoods  within  five  or  six  miles  it  is  supposed  that  these  pine  knots 
are  the  remains  of  the  old  field  pines,  Avliich  grew  to  full  size  after 
cultivation  had  deserted  this  region,  and  falling  there  decayed.  The  soil 
renewed  its  richness,  and  the  present  groAvth,  consisting  of  oaks,  poplars 
and  maples,  succeeded  that  renewal.  AlloAving  250  years  for  the  growth 
of  the  pines,  50  years  for  the  renewal  of  the  soil  and  350  years  for  the 
present  groAvth,  650  years  have  passed  since  the  commencement  of  the 
growth  of  the  pines.  Hence  those  pines  must  have  begun  to  grow  about 
the  year  1240,  which  again  shows  the  great  age  of  the  mounds. 

In  Sumner  County,  in  a circular  enclosure  between  Bledsoe’s  Lick 
and  Bledsoe’s  Spring  branch,  is  a Avail  from  fifteen  to  eighteen  inches 
high,  with  projecting  angular  elevations  of  the  same  height,  the  wall 
enclosing  about  sixteen  acres.  Within  the  enclosure  is  a raised  platform 
from  thirteen  to  fifteen  feet  above  the  common  surface,  about  200  yards 
from  the  south  wall.  This  platform  is  sixty  yards  wide,  is  level  on  the 
top  and  joins  a mound  Avhich  is  twenty  feet  square  and  eighteen  feet 
above  the  common  level.  In  1785  a black  oak  tree  three  feet  through 
was  growing  on  the  top  of  this  mound.  About  1815  there  was  plowed 
up  on  top  of  the  mound  an  image  made  of  sandstone.  The  breast  was 
that  of  a female  and  prominent,  and  the  color  was  that  of  a dark  infusion 
of  coffee.  Near  this  mound  was  a cave,  Avhich  at  the  time  of  its  discovery 
contained  a great  number  of  human  skulls,  without  the  appearance  of  any 
other  portions  of  the  human  skeleton  near  them. 

In  Williamson  County,  northwardly  from  Franklin,  on  the  north  side 
of  Little  Harpeth,  are  walls  of  dirt  running  north  from  the  river.  In 
1821  they  Avere  four  or  five  feet  high,  and  from  400  to  500  yards  long, 
the  inclosure  containing  about  fifty  acres.  Within  this  inclosure  are 
three  mounds  standing  in  a row  from  north  to  south,  all  nearly  of  the 
same  size.  Within  this  inclosure  is  a large  number  of  graves,  some  of 
the  bones  in  which  were  very  large. 

In  the  same  county  on  the  south  side  of  Big  Harpeth,  about  three 
miles  from  Franklin,  is  an  ancient  entrenchment  nearly  in  the  form  of  a 
semi-circle,  containing  about  twenty  acres.  Within  the  inclosure  made 
by  this  entrenchment  and  the  bluff  are  several  mounds  of  different  shapes 
and  sizes,  from  six  to  ten  feet  high  and  from  ten  to  twelve  yards  wide. 
Besides  these  are  other  mounds  nearly  round  and  ten  yards  in  diameter. 
The  largest  of  the  mounds  of  the  first  class  is  sixty-eight  feet  wide  and 


52 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


148  feet  long  and  about  ten  feet  high.  The  trees  within  the  enclosure 
are  as  large  as  those  of  the  surrounding  country. 

In  Hickman  County,  at  the  junction  of  Piney  River  with  Duck  River, 
is  an  enclosure  containing  twenty-five  or  thirty  mounds,  one  of  which  is 
about  fifteen  feet  high,  round  and  somewhat  raised  on  top,  but  yet  flat 
enough  to  build  a house  on.  At  the  base  it  is  about  thirty  or  forty  yards 
across.  There  are  numerous  mounds  in  the  bottoms  of  Duck  River,  and 
caves  containing  human  bones. 

In  Lincoln  County,  near  Fayetteville,  below  the  mouth  of  Norris 
Creek,  are  a wall  and  a ditch  proceeding  from  a point  on  the  river  circu- 
larly till  it  returns  to  the  river,  forming  an  enclosure  of  about  ten  acres. 
Within  this  enclosure  are  mounds  six  or  eight  feet  high.  On  the  outside 
of  the  wall  and  joined  to  it  are  angular  projections  about  180  feet  apart 
and  extending  outward  about  ten  feet.  On  one  of  these  angular  pro- 
jections stood  a black  oak  tree,  which,  when  cut  down,  exposed  260  annu- 
lar rings. 

In  Warren  County  are  numerous  mounds  fifteen  feet  high.  Eight 
miles  south  from  McMinnville,  on  Collins  River,  is  a mound  thirty  feet 
high,  with  a flat  top,  containing  about  one  and  a half  acres  of  ground. 
On  either  side  of  the’  mound  toward  the  north  and  south  is  a ditch  about 
twenty  feet  wide  and  four  feet  deep  at  present,  extending  parallel  and 
terminating  at  each  end  at  high  bluff.  On  the  mounds  were  large 
stumps  indicating  trees  of  a very  great  age. 

In  Roane  County  is  a mound  thirty  feet  high,  having  a flat  top  and  a 
regular  ascent  from  bottom  to  top.  The  summit  contains  one-fourth  of 
an  acre,  and  all  around  the  summit  there  was  a stone  wall  about  two 
feet  high.  It  is  on  the  south  side  of  the  Tennessee  River.  Across  the 
Tennessee  facing  the  mound  is  a high  bluff,  upon  which  three  figures  are 
painted  with  black  and  red  colors  from  the  waist  upward.  One  of  the 
figures  is  that  of  a female. 

On  the  French  Broad  River,  about  one  mile  above  the  mouth  of  the 
Nollichucky,  is  a mound  thirty  feet  high,  with  old  trees  at  the  top. 

In  the  third  section  of  the  fourth  range  of  the  Tenth  District  of  the 
Chickasaw  Purchase  are  seven  mounds,  one  of  them  seventeen  feet  high 
and  about  140  feet  across.  Seven  miles  southwest  of  Hatchie  River  and 
about  fifty  miles  east  of  the  Mississippi,  in  a fertile  part  of  the  country, 
are  three  mounds  enclosed  by  an  intrenchment  from  ten  to  thirty  feet 
wide.  Two  miles  south  of  the  south  fork  of  Forked  Deer  River  and  about 
fifty  miles  east  of  the  Mississippi,  is  a mound  fifty-seven  feet  high  and 
over  200  feet  across.  On  the  south  side  of  Forked  Deer  River,  about 
forty  miles  west  of  the  Tennessee,  is  a mound  about  100  rods  in  diameter 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


58. 


at  the  base,  the  summit  containing  about  four  acres,  and  in  this  part  of 
the  country  are  a great  number  of  mounds  besides. 

On  the  north  bank  of  the  Holston  River  five  miles  above  the  mouth 
of  French  Broad,  are  six  mounds  on  half  an  acre  of  ground,  irregularly 
scattered.  The  bases  of  these  mounds  are  from  ten  to  thirty  feet  in 
diameter,  the  largest  one  ten  feet  high.  Near  these  mounds  on  a bluff 
100  feet  high  are  painted  in  red  colors  the  figures  of  the  sun  and  moon, 
birds,  fishes,  etc. 

The  contents  of  the  mounds  are  sometimes  of  considerable  interest. 
In  1821  the  Charleville  mound  near  Nashville  was  opened,  and  pottery 
of  Indian  fabrication  was  found,  as  also  the  jaw  bone  of  some  unknown 
carniverous  animal,  and  small  fragments  of  bones  thought  to  be  human. 
About  four  feet  from  the  summit  was  found  a layer  of  charcoal  about  two 
inches  thick  and  extending  outward  from  the  center  of  the  mound  from 
eight  to  ten  feet.  The  inference  was  that  a fire  had  been  built  on  top  of 
the  mound,  and  after  the  fuel  had  been  consumed,  fresh  dirt  carried  in 
earthen  jars  and  laid  on  the  ashes  before  they  had  time  to  blow  away,  the 
fragments  of  these  jars  being  seen  through  every  part  of  the  mound. 
The  object  for  which  the  mound  was  raised  can  only  be  conjectured.  It 
could  not  have  been  for  a throne  for  the  ruler  of  the  nation,  for  savages 
are  not  thus  devoted  to  their  leaders.  It  could  not  have  been  for  mili- 
tary purposes,  for  to  be  placed  on  the  mound  would  be  only  to  be  more 
exposed  to  the  enemy’s  missiles.  It  could  not  have  been  for  a tower,  for 
there  was  no  narrow  pass  near  it  to  be  guarded.  It  therefore  seems  prob- 
able that  it  could  only  be  for  religious  purposes. 

In  the  mounds  near  Bledsoe’s  Lick  (Gastalian  Springs),  in  Sumner 
County,  were  found  ashes,  pottery  ware,  flint,  muscle  shells,  periwinkles, 
coal,  etc.  In  making  an  excavation  in  one  of  these  mounds  there  was 
found  two  feet  below  the  surface  a layer  of  ashes  fourteen  inches  thick.  In 
proceeding  downward  there  were  found  twenty-eight  layers  of  ashes,  alter- 
nating with  clay,  the  ashes  being  of  a blackish  color.  At  eight  feet  below 
the  summit  of  the  mound  was  found  the-skeleton  of  a child,  the  surround- 
ings bearing  evidence  of  careful  burial.  The  skeleton  was  in  quite  a de- 
cayed state.  At  its  feet  was  a jug  of  sand-stone  capable  of  holding  about 
a gallon.  Small  pieces  of  decayed  human  bones  were  also  found,  and  also 
the  jaw-bone  of  some  unknown  animal  with  a tusk  attached,  the  tusk  being 
of  the  same  form  as  that  of  the  mastodon.  There  were  found  also  the  bones 
of  birds,  arrow  points,  and  flints  at  the  depth  of  eighteen  feet,  and  pottery, 
some  of  which  was  glazed,  isinglass,  and  burnt  corn-cobs.  At  the  depth  of 
nineteen  feet  were  found  a piece  of  a corn-cob  and  some  small  pieces  of 
cedar  almost  entirely  decayed. 


54 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Near  Nashville,  probably  about  the  year  1800,  there  was  dug  up  an 
image.  The  base  of  this  image  was  a flat  circle  from  which  rose  a some- 
what elongated  globular  figure  terminating  at  the  top  with  the  figure  of 
a female  head.  The  features  of  the  face  were  Asiatic,  probably  a resem- 
blance of  the  Mound  Builders  themselves.  The  crown  of  the  head  was 
covered  with  a cap  or  ornament,  shaped  into  a pyramidal  figure,  with  a 
flattened  circular  summit  ending  at  the  apex  in  a rounded  button. 
Another  image  was  found  about  twelve  miles  ‘south  from  Nashville,  of 
sculptured  stone,  representing  a woman  sitting  ivith  hands  under  her 
chin  and  elbows  on  her  knees.  It  was  well  proportioned,  neatly  formed 
and  highly  polished.  Two  others  were  found  near  Clarksville,  one  of  an 
old  man  the  other  of  an  old  woman.  In  1883  a roughisli  stone  image 
was  found  on  the  farm  of  Dr.  W.  H.  Carman,  seven  miles  from  Franklin, 
Williamson  County.  This  is  the  image  of  a person  sitting  with  limbs 
drawn  close  to  the  body  and  hands  upon  knees,  and  with  the  features 
resembling  somewhat  the  supposed  appearance  of  the  Mound  Builders. 
This  image  is  now  in  the  possession  of  the  Tennessee  Historical  Society 
at  Nashville. 

In  a cave  about  six  miles  from  Carthage  on  the  Cumberland  Biver 
were  found  a number  of  human  skeletons,  one  of  which  was  that  of  a female 
with  yellow  hair,  and  having  around  the  wrist  a silver  clasp  with  letters  in- 
scribed resembling  those  of  the  Greek  alphabet.  This  was  in  1815.  But 
perhap  the  most  interesting  relics  found  in  Tennessee,  in  the  form  of  human 
skeletons,  were  discovered  in  1811  in  a cave  in  Warren  County,  about 
twenty  miles  from  McMinnville.  These  were  of  two  human  beings,  one 
male  the  other  female.  They  had  been  buried  in  baskets  the  construc- 
tion of  which  was  evidence  of  considerable  mechanical  skill.  Both  bodies 
were  dislocated  at  the  hips  and  were  placed  erect  in  the  baskets,  each  of 
which  had  a neatly  fitting  cover  of  cane.  The  flesh  of  these  persons  was 
entire  and  undecayed,  dry  and  of  a brown  color.  Around  the  female,  next 
to  her  body,  was  placed  a well  dressed  deer-skin,  and  next  to  this  was  a 
mantle  composed  of  the  bark  of  a tree  and  feathers,  the  bark  being  com- 
posed of  small  strands  well  twisted.  The  mantle  or  rug  was  about  six 
feet  long  and  three  feet  wide.  She  had  in  her  hand  a fan  made  from  the 
tail  feathers  of  a turkey,  and  so  made  as  to  be  opened  and  closed  at  pleas- 
ure. The  hair  remaining  on  the  heads  of  both  was  entire,  and  that  upon 
the  head  of  the  female,  who  appeared  to  have  been  about  fourteen  years 
old  at  the  time  of  her  death,  was  of  a yellow  color  and  a very  fine  texture. 
Hence  the  individuals  were  thought  to  have  been  of  European  or  Asiatic 
extraction.  With  reference  to  the  mantles  in  which  these  bodies  were 
enclosed  it  may  be  remarked  that  the  Florida  Indians  met  with  by  De 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


55 


Soto  in  his  wanderings  “adorned  themselves  with  mantles  made  of 
feathers,  or  in  a textile  fabric  of  some  woody  fiber,”  and  “ wore  shoes  and 
clothing  made  from  skins  which  they  dressed  and  colored  with  great  skill.  ”* 
It  appears  also  that  certain  Indians  were  acquainted  with  some  kind  of 
rude  art  of  preserving  the  bodies  of  the  dead,  for,  in  1528,  Pamphilo  de 
Narvaez  and  his  company  in  a reconnoissance  along  the  coast  near  Tampa 
Bay,  Fla.,  “ came  upon  a little  Indian  village,  where  they  found  some 
bodies  in  a sort  of  mummified  condition,  the  sacred  remains,  no  doubt,  of 
the  ancestors  of  the  chiefs  of  the  tribe.”-j*  Thus  the  mantles  and  the 
mummified  condition  of  these  bodies  might  perhaps  be  considered  suffi- 
ciently accounted  for,  but  there  remains  the  question  of  the  color  and 
fineness  of  the  texture  of  the  hair  to  be  solved. 

Numbers  of  the  constructions  by  the  Mound  Builders  were  evidently 
for  other  than  sacrificial  or  religious  purposes.  On  the  south  branch 
of  Forked  Deer  River  between  the  Tennessee  and  Mississippi  Rivers  is 
the  appearance  of  what  the  people  there  call  an  ancient  fortification.  It 
is  250  yards  square.  The  wall  is  made  of  clay  and  is  eight  feet  above 
Ihe  general  level.  Trees  as  large  as  any  in  the  surrounding  county  are 
growing  on  the  top  and  sides  of  the  wall.  Within  this  wall  is  an  ancient 
mound  eighty-seven  feet  high,  circular  in  form  except  at  the  top  where 
it  is  square  and  fifty  feet  each  way. 

In  Stewart  County,  near  the  junction  of  Spring  Branch  with  Wells 
Creek  is  a fortification  about  ninety  feet  square,  with  bastions  twelve 
feet  square  at  the  opposite  corners.  Large  white  oak  and  hickory  trees 
are  growing  on  the  walls  and  bastions. 

But  perhaps  the  most  interesting  of  all  the.  ancient  constructions  in 
Tennessee  is  what  is  everywhere  known  as  the  “Old  Stone  Fort.”  This 
fort  is  in  Coffee  County,  at  the  verge  of  the  highlands  one  mile  from 
Manchester,  just  above  the  junction  of  Barren  Fork  and  Taylor’s  Fork  of 
Duck  River.  The  fort  itself  is  in  the  form  of  an  irregular  oval.  On 
the  east  and  west  sides  of  it  the  water  falls  from  precipice  to  precipice 
until  the  fall  is  100  feet  in  a half  mile.  The  fort  is  a wonderful  struc- 
ture. The  walls  are  composed  of  boulders,  conglomerate  and  debris  from 
the  beds  of  the  two  streams,  and  earth.  The  embankment  has  a base  of 
thirty  feet  and  when  built  it  was  doubtless  higher  than  the  men  who 
made  it.  The  amount  of  material  which  entered  into  its  construction  is 
immense,  and  a corresponding  amount  of  labor  was  required  to  do  the 
work.  Thirty  years  ago  the  ground  was  very  heavily  timbered  with 
poplar,  chestnut  and  hickory,  ranging  from  three  to  five  feet  in  diameter. 
Trees  as  large  as  could  be  found  anywhere  in  the  vicinity  were  standing 


* Bryant, 
flbid. 


56 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


immediately  on  the  embankment,  and  it  is  manifest  that  at  the  time  of  the 
building  of  the  fort  there  was  not  a tree  nor  shrub  to  be  found  in  the  vicin- 
ity. In  the  diagram  A repre- 
sents the  entrance  into  the  fort, 
B a semi-circular  embankment 
to  cover  the  entrance,  and  C an 
excavation  about  100  feet  deep 
extending  from  one  river  to  the 
otliei\  Whether  this  excavation 
was  made  by  man  or  nature  can 
not  now  be  known,  but  specula- 
tion favors  the  hypothesis  that 
it  was  made  by  man.  The  an- 
tiquity of  the  fort  is  indubit- 
able. Nothing  has  ever  been 
found  about  the  fort  to  furnish 
tha  least  clue  to  its  origin.  It 
could  not  have  been,  as  has 
been  suggested,  the  work  of  Be 
Soto  and  his  men,  for  in  the  first 
place  they  were  probably  much 
farther  south  when  they  passed 
its  longitude,  and  second  it 
would  have  required  half  a life- 
time to  do  the  work,  and  then 
they  would  have  had  no  use  for 
it  when  made.  In  addition  to 
these  considerations  it  is  shown  to  have  been  in  existence  before  De  Soto 
visited  this  country.  On  the  7 th  of  August,  1819,  Col.  Andrew  Erwin, 
on  whose  land  the  fort  was,  caused  to  be  cut  down  a white  oak  tree. 
Maj.  Murray  and  himself  counted  357  annular  rings  in  this  tree,  which 
was  growing  on  the  wall.  How  long  it  was  after  the  building  of  the 
wall  before  the  tree  began  to  grow  it  is  of  course  impossible  to  know. 
It  may  have  been  one  hundred  or  a thousand  years.  But  if  no  interval 
be  allowed,  which  however  cannot  be  supposed,  the  fort  can  not  have 
been  erected  later  than  357  years  previous  to  1819,  or  1162,  thirty  years 
before  Columbus  discovered  America,  and  seventy-eight  years  before  De 
Soto  made  his  famous  tour  of  exploration.  Thus  again  do  we  arrive  at 
an  immense  age  for  these  works,  and  it  is  also  fair  to  presume  that  the 
fort  was  built  when  this  section  of  the  country  was  thickly  inhabited. 

Many  other  remains  and  relics  of  great  interest,  especially  to  the  anti- 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


57 


qtiarian,  have  been  found  within  this  State.  Enough  has  been  presented 
to  show  that  the  Mound  Builders,  whencesoever  and  whenever  they  may 
have  come,  were  a numerous,  intelligent,  religious,  agricultural  and,  to  a 
considerable  degree,  a warlike  people,  at  least  so  far  as  defensive  wars 
are  concerned ; that  they  occupied  the  country  probably  for  many  centur- 
ies ; that  they  were  driven  out  by  a race  superior  in  numbers  and  probably 
in  the  art  of  war,  but  inferior  in  intellect;  that  they  can  scarcely  have 
lived  in  this  country  later  than  1,000  or  1,200  A.  D. ; that  when  driven 
out  they  probably  moved  southward  into  Mexico,  Central  and  South  Am- 
erica, and  they  may  possibly  have  been  the  ancestors  of,  or  have  been 
absorbed  by,  some  Central  American  or  South  American  race. 


The  Indian  Races— Dialects  and  Traditions—  Geographical  Tribal  Lo- 
cation-French and  Spanish  Settlements— Establishment  of  the  First 
Fort — Savage  Atrocities— The  Fort  Loudon  Massacre — Destruction 
of  Indian  Villages  and  Fields— “ The  Beloved  Town” — Peace  and  Ces- 
sion Treaties— Battle  of  Point  Pleasant— Border  Wars— Expeditions 
of  Rutherford  and  Christian— “ The  Lower  Towns” — Sevier’s  Cam- 
paigns—Reservations  and  Boundary  Lines— Thrilling  Frontier  Inci- 
dents—Indian  Affairs  on  the  Cumberland— Robertson’s  Exertions— 
The  Coldwater  and  IsTickajack  Expeditions— Treaty  Stipulations— 
The  Unicoi  Turnpike  Company— The  Hiwassee  Lands— The  Western 
Purch  ase— Exodus  . 

HE  race  of  red  men  having  the  earliest  claim  to  the  territory  now  em- 


braced within  the  limits  of  Tennessee,  was  the  Iroquois,  or  Confeder- 
acy of  Six  Nations,  though  it  was  for  the  most  part  unoccupied  by  them. 
The  Achalaques  had  a kind  of  secondary,  or  perhaps  it  may  be  called 
permissory  claim  to  it.  In  Schoolcraft’s  great  work  on  the  Indian  races 
of  North  America  is  a map  showing  the  location  of  the  various  Indian 
tribes  in  the  year  1600,  which,  if  authentic,  proves  that  the  Achalaques 
then  occupied  most  of  Tennessee  east  of  the  Tennessee  River,  and  also 
small  portions  of  Georgia  and  Alabama,  and  a considerable  portion  of 
Kentucky.  The  ancient  Achalaques  were  the  same  tribe  or  nation  as 
the  modern  Cherokees.  They  have  no  l in  their  language,  and  hence 
substitute  the  letter  r therefore,  in  a manner  similar  to  that  in  which  the 
modern  Chinaman  substitutes  l for  r.  Then  by  a few  other  slight  and 
obvious  changes  the  name  Cherokee  is  easily  obtained.  But  the  first 
actual  Indian  occupants  of  this  territory,  of  which  history  or  tradition  fur- 


CHAPTER  III. 


58 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


nislies  any  account,  were  tlie  Shawanees,  or  Skawanoes  as  they  were  earlier 
known. 

With  respect  to  the  origin  of  the  Shawanees  it  is  proper  to  observe 
that  they  and  the  Algonquins  are  the  only  tribes  of  Indians,  having  a 
tradition  of  an  origin  from  beyond  the  seas — -of  a landing  from  a sea  voy- 
age. John  Johnson,  Esq.,  who  Avas  for  many  years  prior  to  1820  agent 
for  the  Shawanees,  observes,  in  a letter  dated  July  7,  1810,  that  they 
migrated  from  west  Florida  and  parts  adjacent  to  Ohio  and  Indiana, 
where  they  Avere  then  located : 

“The  people  of  this  nation  have  a tradition  that  their  ancestors  crossed 
the  sea.  They  are  the  only  tribe  Avith  which  I am  acquainted  Avho  ad- 
mit a foreign  origin.  Until  lately  they  kept  yearly  sacrifices  for  their 
safe  arrival  in  this  country.  From  where  they  came  or  at  what  period 
they  arrived  in  America  they  do  not  knoAV.  It  is  a prevalant  opinion 
among  them  that  white  people  had  inhabited  Florida  Avho  had  the  use  of 
iron  tools.  Blackhoof,  a celebrated  Indian  chief,  informs  me  that  he  has 
even  heard  it  spoken  of  by  old  people  that  stumps  of  trees  covered  Avith. 
earth  Avere  frequently  found  which  had  been  cut  down  Avith  edged  tools.” 

About  the  year  1600  the  Five  Nations  were  settled  near  the  site  of 
Montreal,  Canada,  having  come  probably  from  the  north  or  northwest. 
There  were  among  them,  as  well  as  among  other  races,  several  traditions 
relative  to  the  extirpation  of  an  ancient  race  of  people.  The  tradition  of 
the  Indians  northwest  of  the  Ohio  Avas  that  Kentucky  had  been  inhab- 
ited by  white  people,  and  that  they  had  been  exterminated  by  war.  The 
Sac  Indians  had  a tradition  that  Kentucky  had  been  the  scene  of  muck 
blood.  The  ancient  inhabitants,  they  said,  Avere  AAdiite,  and  possessed 
arts  of  which  the  Indians  Avere  entirely  ignorant.  Col.  McGee  was  told  by 
an  Indian  that  it  Avas  a current  tradition  among  the  Indians  that  Ohio  and 
Kentucky  had  once  been  inhabited  by  Avliite  people  Avho  possessed  arts 
not  understood  by  the  Indians,  and  that  after  many  severe  conflicts  they 
had  been  exterminated.  The  various  sources  from  which  this  tradition 
comes  is  evidence  of  its  very  general  existence  among  the  Aborigines 
more,  perhaps,  than  of  its  truth. 

The  Shawanees,  who  came  from  the  Savannah  River,  whose  name  was 
once  the  Savannachers,  and  after  Avhom  the  Savannah  River  received  its 
name,  at  one  time  claimed  the  lands  on  the  Cumberland  River.  This  was, 
however,  at  a later  period  in  their  history,  when  their  name  had  been 
changed  from  the  Savannachers  to  the  Shawanoes.  The  French  called 
both  the  tribe  and  the  river  the  Chauvanon,  or  Shauvanon.  The  Chero- 
kees,  as  Avas  stated  above,  also  asserted  a claim  to  the  same  land,  but  al- 
Avays  acknowledged  the  superior  claim  of  the  Iroquois,  who  themselves 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


59 


claimed  the  country  by  right  of  conquest.  For  many  years  both  Sliaw- 
nees  and  Cherokees  maintained  against  each  other  a bloody  contest  for 
its  possession ; but  being  so  nearly  equal  in  strength  and  prowess,  neither 
could  gain  any  decided  advantage  over  the  other.  At  length  both  na- 
tions, fearing  the  results  of  a continuation  of  the  conflict,  refrained  from 
going  upon  the  lands  between  the  Cumberland  and  the  Kentucky  and 
Ohio,  for  which  reason  this  beautiful  section  of  the  country  became  an 
immense,  luxuriant  park,  abounding  in  game  of  every  kind  perfectly  safe 
from  the  arrows  of  the  savages,  who  fearfully  observed  this  as  a neutral 
ground.  When  this  great  and  unusual  abundance  of  game  became  known 
to  white  hunters  belonging  to  the  English  and  French  pioneers,  they 
soon  began  to  resort  thither  for  the  purpose  of  enriching  themselves 
with  the  skins  and  furs  of  the  bear,  the  deer,  the  otter  and  the  mink,  to 
to  be  so  easily  and  so  plentifully  obtained.  Gen.  Bobertson  learned  that 
about  a century  and  a half  before  his  time  the  Shawanees  had  by  degrees 
returned  to  the  lands  on  the  Cumberland,  were  scattered  to  the  west- 
ward as  far  as  the  Tennessee,  and  even  considerably  to  the  north.  About 
the  year  1710,  being  much  harassed  by  the  Cherokees,  they  came  to  the 
determination  to  permanently  leave  the  country. 

The  Chickasaws  were  at  that  time  occupying  the  country  to  the  south- 
west, in  the  western  part  of  Tennessee  and  the  northern  part  of  Mississippi. 
According  to  their  own  tradition  they  came  from  west  of  the  Mississippi. 
When  about  to  start  eastward  from  their  ancient  home  they  were  provided 
with  a large  dog  as  a guard  and  a pole  as  a guide.  The  dog  would  give 
them  warning  of  the  approach  of  an  enemy,  to  defend  themselves  against 
whom  they  could  then  prepare.  The  pole  they  set  up  in  the  ground 
every  night,  and  the  next  morning  they  would  look  at  it  and  go  in  the 
direction  it  leaned.  They  continued  their  journey  thus  until  they  crossed 
the  Mississippi  Biver,  and  until  they  arrived  on  the  waters  of  the  Ala- 
bama where  Huntsville  is  now  located.  There  the  pole  was  unsettled  for 
several  days,  but  finally  becoming  steady  it  leaned  in  a northwest  direc- 
tion, and  in  consequence  they  resumed  their  journey  toward  the  north- 
west, planting  the  pole  every  night  as  before  until  they  arrived  at  the 
place  called  “Chickasaw  Old  Fields,”  where  the  pole  stood  perfectly  erect. 
All  then  came  to  the  conclusion  that  they  had  reached  the  promised  land. 
In  this  location  they  remained  until  1837  or  1838,  when  they  migrated 
west  of  the  State  of  Arkansas. 

When  the  pole  was  in  its  unsettled  condition  a part  of  the  tribe  moved 
on  eastward  and  joined  the  Creeks.  They  always  afterward  declined  the 
invitation  to  reunite  with  the  majority  of  their  tribe,  but  always  remained 
friendly  until  they  had  intercourse  with  the  whites.  The  great  dog  was 


60 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


lost  iii  crossing  tlie  Mississippi,  and  the  Cliickasaws  always  believed  that 
he  fell  into  a large  sink-hole  and  there  remained.  They  said  they  could 
hear  him  howl  at  night,  and  so  long  as  this  continued  whenever  they  took 
any  scalps  from  an  enemy  they  sent  boys  back  with  the  scalps  to  throw 
to  the  dog.  In  traveling  from  the  West  they  have  no  recollection  of  hav- 
ing crossed  any  large  stream  of  water  except  the  Mississippi.  Upon  leav- 
ing the  West  they  were  informed  they  might  look  for  white  people,  that 
these  white  people  would  come  from  the  East,  and  that  they  were  to  be  on 
their  guard  against  them  lest  they  should  become  contaminated  with  all 
the  vices  the  whites  possessed. 

The  Shawanees,  it  is  believed,  came  to  this  country  about  the  year 
1650,  and  in  1710  or  thereabouts,  when  they  determined  to  leave  it  forever 
on  account  of  the  frequent  liarassments  to  which  they  were  subjected  by 
the  Cherokees,  the  Chickasaws,  for  some  reason  which  does  not  ajipear, 
iFuited  with  the  Cherokees,  the  hereditary  enemies  of  the  Shawanees,  for 
the  purpose  of  striking  a decisive  blow  and  thus  making  themselves  mas- 
ters of  the  situation.  In  pursuance  of  this  design  a large  body  of  Chicka- 
saws repaired  to  the  Cumberland  just  above  the  mouth  of  Harpeth,  where 
they  attacked  the  Shawanees,  killed  a large  number  of  them  and  took  from 
them  all  their  property.  The  remnant  of  the  tribe  made  their  way  north- 
ward  as  best  they  could. 

The  claim  of  the  Cherokees  to  the  land  north  of  the  Cumberland  was 
not  considered  as  perfect  even  by  themselves.  This  became  apparent  at 
the  treaty  of  Fort  Stanwix,  which  was  made  November  5,  1768.  This 
treaty  was  made  between  Sir  William  Johnson,  superintendent  for  north- 
ern Indian  affairs,  representing  the  King  of  Great  Britain,  and  3,200 
Indians  of  seventeen  different  tribes — the  Six  Nations,  and  tribes  tribu- 
tary to  that  confederacy,  or  occupying  territory  contiguous  to  territory 
occupied  by  them.  In  this  treaty  the  delegates  of  the  respective  na- 
tions aver  that  “ they  are  the  true  and  absolute  proprietors  of  the 
lands  thus  ceded,”  and  that  for  the  consideration  mentioned  they  con- 
tinued the  line  south  to  Cherokee  or  Hogohegee*  Biver,  because  the  same 
is  and  we  declare  it  to  be  our  true  bounds  with  the  southern  Indians, 
and  that  we  have  an  undoubted  right  to  the  country  as  far  south  as 
that  river.”  Some  visiting  Cherokees,  who  were  present  at  the  treaty, 
on  their  arrival  at  Fort  Stanwix,  having  killed  some  game  on  the  way 
for  their  support,  tendered  the  skins  to  the  Six  Nations,  saying,  “they 
are  yours,  we  killed  them  after  passing  the  Big  Biver,”  the  name  by 
which  they  always  called  the  Tennessee.  By  the  treaty  at  Fort  Stan- 
wix the  right  to  the  soil  and  sovereignty  was  vested  in  the  king  of 


*Holston. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


61 


Great  Britain,  and  by  the  treaty  of  1783  the  king  of  Great  Britain 
resigned  Iris  sovereignty  in  the  lands,  and  thns  they  became  the  property 
of  those  States  within  whose  limits  they  happened  then  to  be. 

While  the  Sis  Nations  claimed  the  lands  only  by  the  right  of  con- 
quest, the  Cherokees  had  long  exercised  the  privilege  of  using  them  as 
a hunting  ground,  and  naturally,  therefore,  regarded  with  jealousy  the 
encroachments  of  the  whites.  John  Stuart,  superintendent  of  Southern 
Indian  Affairs,  was,  therefore,  instructed  to  assemble  the  southern  In- 
dians for  the  purpose  of  establishing  a boundary  line  with  them,  and 
concluded  a treaty  with  the  Cherokees  at  Hard  Labour,  S.  C.,  October 
14,  1768.  By  this  treaty  it  was  agreed  that  the  southwestern  boundary 
of  Virginia  should  be  a line  “extending  from  the  point  where  the  north- 
ern line  of  North  Carolina  intersects  the  Cherokee  hunting  grounds,  about 
thirty-six  miles  east  of  Long  Island,  on  the  Holston  Liver,  and  thence 
extending  in  a direct  course  north  by  east  to  Chiswell’s  Mine,  on  the  east 
bank  of  Kanawha  River,  and  thence  down  that  stream  to  its  junction 
with  the  Ohio.” 

Having  thus  traced  the  Iroquois  and  Shawanees  to  their  departure 
from  the  State,  the  former  by  treaty  with  Great  Britain,  and  the  latter 
by  expulsion  by  the  Cherokees  and  Chickasaws,  there  now  remain,  to 
treat  of  in  this  chapter  the  Creeks — -or  as  they  were  originally  known, 
the  Muscogees — the  Choctaws  and  Chickasaws,  the  three  leading  tribes 
or  nations  of  the  Appalachian  group,  which  in  early  Indian  times,  just 
previous  to  the  dawn  of  history  in  this  State,  occupied  Florida,  Georgia, 
Alabama,  Mississippi  and  the  western  part  of  Tennessee,  and  the  Achal- 
aques  or  Cherokees,  who  ostensibly  occupied  Eastern  and  Middle  Ten- 
nessee and  small  portions  of  Georgia,  Alabama  and  Kentucky. 

Perhaps  the  earliest  exploits  of  the  Creeks  and  Cherokees  desirable 
to  mention  in  this  work,  were  their  alliances  with  the  whites  in  1711, 
about  the  time  of  the  expulsion  of  the  Shawanees  from  the  Cumberland, 
when  the  Tuscaroras,  Corees  and  other  tribes  combined  for  the  extermin- 
ation of  the  settlers  on  the  Roanoke,  their  attempt  resulting  in  the 
massacre  of  137  white  people.  The  details  of  this  disaster  reaching 
Charleston,  Gov.  Craven  sent  Col.  Barnwell  with  600  militia  and  400 
Indians  went  to  the  relief  of  the  survivors,  the  400  Indians  consisting  in 
part  of  Creeks  and  Cherokees.  The  Tuscaroras  and  Corees  were  sub- 
dued, the  hostile  portion  of  the  former  tribe  migrated  to  the  vicinity  of 
Oneida  Lake,  and  then  became  the  sixth  nation  of  the  Iroquois  Con- 
federacy. 

In  about  four  years  after  the  suppression  of  the  Tuscaroras,  all  the 
Indian  tribes  from  Florida  to  Cape  Fear  united  in  a confederacy  for 


62 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


the  destruction  of  the  white  settlements  in  Carolina.  This  confederacy 
was  composed  of  the  Catawbas,  Congarees,  Creeks,  Cherokees,  and 
Tamassees.  It  is  believed  they  Avere  instigated  to  the  course  they  pur- 
sued by  the  Spaniards,  as  they  had  just  received  guns  and  ammunition 
from  St.  Augustine.  After  spreading  desolation  and  death  for  some  time 
through  the  unsuspecting  settlements,  the  confederacy  was  met  by 
Gov.  Craven  at  Salkeliatcliie,  defeated  and  driven  across  the  Savannah 
River. 

The  French  Avere  at  this  time  erecting  forts  in  various  parts  of  the 
South' Avest:  Paducah  at  the  mouth  of  the  Cumberland;  Assumption,  on 
Chickasaw  Bluff;  besides  others,  and  numerous  trading  posts  on  the 
Tennessee.  The  English  and  French  colonists  Avere  each  seeking  to 
ingratiate  themselves  with  the  various  Indian  tribes  Avith  which  they 
came  in  contact,  with  the  view  of  attaching  to  themselves  as  many  of 
the  Indians  as  possible  and  of  thus  obtaining  advantages  the  one 
over  the  other.  In  pursuance  of  this  policy  Gov.  Nicholson,  in  1721, 
invited  the  Cherokees  to  a general  conference,  in  order  to  establish  a 
treaty  of  commerce  and  friendship.  In  response  to  this  invitation  the 
chieftains  of  thirty-seven  different  towns  attended  the  conference,  at 
which  Gov.  Nicholson  made  them  presents,  laid  off  their  boundaries, 
and  appointed  an  agent  to  superintend  their  affairs.  Similar  measures 
were  taken  with  the  Creeks.  In  1730  the  projects  of  the  French  with 
reference  to  uniting  Louisiana  and  Canada  began  to  be  more  notice- 
ably developed.  They  had  already  made  many  friends  among  the 
Indians  west  of  Carolina,  and  in  order  to  counteract  their  influence 
Great  Britain  sent  out  Sir  Alexander  Gumming  to  treat  with  the 
Cherokees,  aaIio  then  occupied  the  lands  about  the  head  Avaters  of  the 
Savannah  River,  and  backward  from  the  Appalachian  chain  of  moun- 
tains. This  tribe  Avas  then  computed  to  consist  of  more  than  20,000 
individuals,  6,000  of  Avhom  Avere  warriors.  Sir  Alexander  met  the 
chiefs  in  April  of  the  year  last  mentioned  at  Nequassee,  all  the  towns 
sending  in  representatives  or  delegates.  Nequassee  Avas  near  the 
sources  of  the  HiAvassee.  A treaty  of  friendship,  alliance  and  com- 
merce was  drawn  up  and  formally  executed,  in  consequence  of  which  a 
condition  of  peace  and  friendship  continued  to  exist  for  some  time  be- 
tween the  colonists  and  this  tribe.  Two  years  afterward  Goa-.  Ogle- 
thorpe effected  a treaty  with  the  Lower  and  Upper  Creeks,  a powerful 
tribe  then  numbering  in  the  aggregate  about  25,000  souls.  These 
alliances  Avitli  the  Cherokees  and  Creeks  promised  security  to  the  col- 
onists from  the  encroachments  from  the  Spanish  and  French  in  Florida 
and  Louisiana. 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


63 


In  1740  tlie  Cherokee  Indians  marked  out  a path  from  Augusta  to 
their  nation,  so  that  horsemen  eonld  ride  from  Savannah  to  all  the  Indian 
nations.  In  1750  a treaty  was  made  by  Col.  Waddle  and  the  chief, 
A ttakullakulla,  in  behalf  of  the  Cherokee  nation,  in  accordance  with 
which  Fort  Dobbs  was  built  about  twenty  miles  from  Salisbury,  N.  C., 
and  near  the  Yadkin;  but  the  Indians  paid  but  little  attention  to  the 
treaty,  as  they  killed  some  people  the  next  spring  near  the  Catawba.  In 
1755  Gov.  Glenn,  of  South  Carolina,  met  the  Cherokee  warriors  and 
-chiefs  in  their  own  country,  and  made  a treaty  with  them  at  which  a ces- 
.sion  of  considerable  territory  was  made  to  the  King  of  Great  Britain 
and  deeds  of  conveyance  formally  executed  in  the  name  of  the  whole 
people.  In  1756  the  Earl  of  Loudon,  commander  of  the  King's  troops 
in  America,  sent  Andrew  Lewis  to  erect  a stone  fort  on  the  Tennessee 
River,  at  the  head  of  navigation.  It  Avas  erected  about  thirty  miles  from 
the  present  site  of  Knoxville,  and  Avas  named  Fort  Loudon  in  honor 
•of  the  Earl.  This  fort  was  garrisoned  with  about  200  men,  the  exis- 
tence of  the  fort  and  the  presence  of  the  troops  giving  great  uneasiness 
to  the  Indians.  In  the  spring  of  1758  the  settlement  around  Fort  Lou- 
don, by  the  arrival  of  hunters  and  traders,  soon  grew  into  a thriving  vil- 
lage. During  this  year  the  British  captured  Fort  Du  Quesne,  the  En- 
glish Army  being  commanded  by  Gen.  Forbes,  and  immediately  after  its 
capitulation  the  name  was  changed  to  Fort  Pitt,  in  honor  of  the  great 
commoner  of  England.  In  the  army  of  Gen.  Forbes  were  several  Cher- 
okees, who  had  accompanied  the  provincial  troops  of  North  and  South 
Carolina.  The  disaffection  among  the  Cherokees  already  existing  was 
unfortunately  suddenly  and  largely  increased  by  a serious  occurrence  in 
the  back  parts  of  Virginia.  Returning  home  through  this  part  of  the 
country,  the  Cherokees,  who  had  lost  some  horses  on  the  expedition  to 
Fort  Du  Quesne,  stole  such  as  they  found  running  at  large.  This  action 
of  theirs  was  resented  by  the  Virginians  killing  twelve  or  fifteen  of  the 
Cherokees,  Avhich  ungracious  conduct  from  allies  Avhose  frontier  the 
Cherokees  had  aided  to  defend,  at  once  aroused  a spirit  of  resentment 
and  revenge.  The  garrison  of  Fort  Loudon,  consisting  of  about  200 
men,  under  the  command  of  Capts.  Demere  and  Stuart,  on  account  of 
its  remoteness  from  white  settlements,  was  the  first  to  notice  and  suffer 
from  the  retaliatory  proceedings  of  the  Cherokees.  Soldiers  making  ex- 
cursions into  the  woods  to  procure  fresh  supplies  of  provisions  were 
attacked  by  the  Indians,  and  some  of  them  killed.  From  this  time  it 
became  necessary  for  them  to  confine  themselves  within  the  narrow  limits 
•of  the  fort.  The  sources  of  their  provisions  being  cut  off,  there  seemed 
no  prospect  before  them  but  famine  and  death.  Parties  of  warriors 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


04 


rushed  down  upon  the  settlements  along  the  border,  and  the  work  of 
massacre  became  general  among  the  frontier  settlements. 

After  the  fall  of  Fort  Du  Quesne,  and  the  decline  of  the  power  of 
France  in  America,  a fundamental  change  occurred  in  the  relations  of  the 
northern  Indian  tribes  to  the  French  and  English  nations.  The  north- 
ern tribes  had  hitherto  been  allied  to  the  French,  but  now  the  French, 
having  been  overcome  by  the  English,  it  became  necessary  for  them  to 
transfer  their  allegiance  to  the  English.  But  the  southern  tribes  re- 
mained quiescent  and  relied  for  security  on  the  power  of  the  French.  At 
this  time  the  territory  of  the  Clierokees  extended  from  Fort  Ninety-six  on 
the  Carolina  frontier  and  Fort  Prince  George  on  the  Keowee  branch  of 
the  Savannah  to  the  source  of  that  river  and  across  the  Appalachian 
chain  of  mountains  to  and  down  the  Cherokee  or  Tennessee  River  and  its 
southern  branches,  a country  replete  with  every  resource  required  for 
the  sustenance  of  savage  life  and  customs. 

Gov.  Lyttleton  hearing  of  the  investment  of  Fort  Loudon,  and  of 
the  outrages  along  the  border,  summoned  the  militia  to  assemble  at  Con- 
garee,  for  the  purpose  of  chastising  the  enemy,  but  previous  to  assuming 
offensive  measures,  called  together  some  of  the  head  men  of  the  nation 
and  made  with  them  a treaty,  which  after  reciting  reference  to  former 
treaties,  which  had  been  violated  by  the  Indians,  proceeded  with  com- 
mendable precision  to  rehearse  grievances  of  a still  later  date,  for  all  of 
which  the  Cherokees  promised  to  make  amend,  and  also  promised  good 
conduct  for  the  future.  Two  of  their  own  nation  who  had  committed, 
murders  were  actually  delivered  up,  and  the  surrender  of  twenty  more 
was  promised,  to  be  kept  as  hostages,  until  the  same  number  of  Indians 
guilty  of  murder,  should  be  delivered  up,  and  that  the  Cherokees  should 
kill  or  take  prisoner  every  Frenchman  that  should  presume  to  come  into 
the  nation.  This  treaty  was  signed  by  Attakullakulla  and  five  other  prin- 
cipal chiefs  on  the  part  of  the  Cherokees,  and  by  Gov.  Lyttleton.  His 
purpose  having  been  accomplished,  and  peace  restored  as  he  supposed, 
the  Governor  returned  to  Charleston,  and  the  Indians  recommenced  their 
depredations.  It  has  been  well  said  by  a writer  on  American  history, 
that  the  Indians  are  of  such  a nature  that  unless  they  feel  the  rod  of 
chastisement,  they  cannot  believe  in  the  power  to  inflict  it;  and  accord- 
ingly whenever  they  happen  to  be  attacked  unprepared  they  have  resource' 
to  a treaty  of  peace  as  a subterfuge,  in  order  to  gain  time  to  collect  them- 
selves. Then  without  the  least  regard  to  the  bonds  of  public  faith,  they 
renew  their  hostilities  on  the  first  opportunity,  Possibly,  however,  there 
may  be  some  little  palliation  for  their  perfidy  with  reference  to  this  treaty' 
with  Gov.  Lyttleton  signed  by  the  six  Cherokees,  when  it  is  consid- 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


65 


ered  that  only  this  small  number  signed  it,  and  that  the  treaty  itself  was 
not  in  accordance  with  the  sentiments  of  the  tribe.  This  became  pain- 
fully evident  immediately  after  the  departure  of  the  Governor  from  Fort 
Prince  George  and  the  dispersion  of  his  army.  Hostilities  were  at  once 
renewed  and  fourteen  whites  killed  within  a mile  of  the  fort.  On  the 
18th  of  February,  1760,  the  Cherokees  assembled  at  the  fort  on  the 
Keowee,  and  attempted  to  surprise  it.  As  the  garrison  was  gazing  at 
the  forces  from  the  ramparts,  a noted  chief,  Oconostota,  approached 
and  expressed  a desire  to  speak  to  the  commandant,  Lieut.  Coytmore, 
who  agreed  to  meet  him  on  the  bank  of  the  Keowee  River.  whither  he 
was  accompanied  by  Ensign  Bell  and  the  interpreter,  Mr.  Coliarty.  Ocon- 
ostota said  he  wished  to  go  down  to  see  the  Governor  and  requested  that  a 
white  man  be  permitted  to  go  with  him.  This  request  being  acceded  to 
he  said  to  an  Indian  “Go  and  catch  a horse  for  me.”  This  was  objected 
to,  but  the  chief  making  a faint  motion  carelessly  swung  a bridle,  which 
he  held,  three  times  around  his  head.  This  being  a secret  signal  to  men 
lying  concealed,  a volley  was  poured  in  which  mortally  wounded  Coytmore, 
who  received  a ball  in  his  breast,  and  inflicted  deep  flesh  wounds  on 
others. 

This  treachery  of  Oconostota  so  aroused  the  indignation  of  Ensign 
Miln,  commanding  the  garrison  of  the  fort,  that  he  determined  to  put  the 
twenty  hostages  as  well  as  the  two  murderers  in  irons ; but  the  first  attempt 
to  seize  the  assassins  was  so  successfully  resisted  that  the  soldier  deputed  to 
effect  it  was  instantly  killed  and  another  wounded.  This  so  exasperated  the 
garrison  that  they  immediately  put  to  death  all  the  hostages.  This  act  of 
retaliation  was  followed  by  a general  invasion  of  the  frontier  of  Carolina, 
and  an  indiscriminate  slaughter  of  men,  women  and  children. 

Measures  were  taken  as  soon  as  practicable  to  punish  and  restrain  these 
excesses  by  collecting  together  a large  force  of  men  and  sending  them  for- 
ward under  Col.  Montgomery  for  the  Cherokee  country.  Such  was  the 
celerity  of  his  movements  that  the  Cherokees  were  taken  completely  by 
surprise.  On  the  26tli  of  May  he  reached  Fort  Ninety-Six,  and  on  June  1 
passed  the  twelve-mile  branch  of  the  Keowee.  Four  miles  before  reach- 
ing the  town  of  Estatoe  Col.  Montgomery’s  attention  was  attracted  by  the 
barking  of  a dog  about  a quarter  of  a mile  from  the  road,  at  a town  called 
Little  Keowee.  He  detached  a force  of  soldiers  to  surround  the  town 
with  instructions  to  kill  the  men,  but  to  spare  the  women  and  children, 
which  instructions  were  obeyed,  the  main  force  proceeding  on  to  Estatoe, 
a town  of  about  200  houses,  well  supplied  with  provisions  and  ammunition. 
Estatoe  was  reduced  to  ashes,  and  twelve  of  its  warriors  killed  Other 
towns  were  attacked  in  rapid  succession,  until  every  one  in  the  lower 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


66 

nation  had  been  visited  and  destroyed.  About  twenty  o£  the  Cherokees: 
were  killed  and  forty  taken  prisoners,  with  a loss  to  Col.  Montgomery  of 
four  soldiers  killed  and  two  officers  wounded. 

Montgomery  then  returned  to  Fort  Prince  George,  whence  he  sent  out 
messengers  inviting  the  Cherokees  to  sue  for  peace,  and  also  sending  word 
to  Capts.  Demere  and  Stuart,  commanding  at  Fort  Loudon,  requesting 
them  to  obtain  peace  if  possible  with  the  Upper  Towns.  But  hearing  noth- 
ing from  them  he  determined  to  penetrate  to  the  Middle  Towns.  Start- 
ing on  the  24th  of  June  he  marched  with  the  same  celerity  three  days,  on 
the  third  day  reaching  Etchowee.  Entering  the  valley  near  this  town  the 
savages  sprang  from  their  lurking  lair,  fired  upon  the  troops,  killed  Capt. 
Morrison  and  wounded  a number  of  his  men.  A heavy  firing  sprang  up  on 
both  sides  and  lasted  about  an  hour,  with  the  result  of  killing  twenty- six 
and  wounding  seventy  of  Col.  Montgomery’s  men.  The  loss  to  the  Indians 
is  not  known,  but  the  battle  was  not  decisive,  and  Col.  Montgomery,  with 
such  a large  number  of  wounded  men  upon'  his  hands,  found  it  impractica- 
ble to  proceed  further,  and  so  returned  to  Fort  Prince  George. 

Fort  Loudon,  by  reason  of  its  great  distance  from  the  seat  of  authority 
in  North  Carolina,  ivas  peculiarly  exposed  to  the  dangers  of  frontier  war- 
fare. Its  garrison  was  noAV  reduced  to  the  fearful  alternative  of  starving- 
to  death  or  of  submitting  to  the  enraged  Cherokees,  as  neither  Virginia  nor 
North  Carolina  was  able  to  render  any  assistance;  For  an  entire  month 
they  had  been  obliged  to  subsist  on  the  flesh  of  lean  dogs  and  horses  and  a 
small  supply  of  Indian  beans,  stealthily  procured  for  them  by  some 
friendly  Cherokee  women.  Besieged  night  and  day,  and  with  no  hope  of 
succor,  the  garrison  refused  longer  to  be  animated  and  encouraged  to 
hold  out  by  their  officers,  and  threatened  to  leave  the  fort,  take  their 
chances  of  cutting  through  the  forces  of  their  savage  besiegers,  and,  fail- 
ing, die  at  once  rather  than  longer  endure  the  slow,  painful  process  of 
starvation.  The  commander  therefore  held  a council  of  war,  and  the  offi- 
cers all  being  of  the  opinion  that  it  was  impossible  to  hold  out  longer, 
agreed  to  surrender  the  fort  to  the  Cherokees  on  the  best  terms  that 
could  be  obtained.  Capt.  Stuart  therefore  obtained  leave  to  go  to  Chota, 
Avhere  he  obtained  the  folloAving  terms  of  capitulation: 

That  the  garrison  of  Fort  Loudon  march  out  with  their  arms  and  drums,  each 
soldier  having  as  much  powder  and  ball  as  their  officers  shall  think  necessary  for  the 
march,  and  all  the  baggage  they  may  choose  to  carry;  that  the  garrison  be  permitted  to 
march  to  Virginia  or  Fort  Prince  George  as  the  commanding  officer  shall  think  proper, 
unmolested;  that  a number  of  Indians  be  appointed  to  escort  them  and  hunt  for  provisions 
on  the  march;  that  such  soldiers  as  are  lame,  or  are  by  sickness  disabled  from  marching, 
be  received  into  the  Indian  towns  and  kindly  used  until  they  recover,  and  then  be  allowed 
to  return  to  Fort  Prince  George;  that  the  Indians  provide  for  the  garrison  as  many  horses 
as  they  conveniently  can  for  the  march,  agreeing  with  the  officers  and  soldiers  for  pay- 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


67 

ment;  that  the  fort,  great  guns,  powder,  ball  and  spare  arms  be  delivered  to  the  Indians 
without  fraud  or  delay  on  the  day  appointed  for  the  march  of  the  troops. 

In  accordance  with  this  stipulation  the  garrison  marched  out  of  the 
fort,  with  their  arms,  accompanied  by  Oconostota,  Judd's  friend,  the 
prince  of  Chota,  and  several  other  Indians,  and  marched  fifteen  miles  on 
the  first  day,  encamping  for  the  night  on  a plain  about  two  miles  from 
Tellico.  xit  this  place  all  their  Indian  attendants  left  them  upon  one 
pretext  or  another.  This  desertion  was  looked  upon  by  the  garrison  as 
of  a very  suspicious  nature,  and  hence  a strong  guard  was  placed  around 
the  camp.  The  next  morning  about  daybreak,  one  of  the  guard  came 
running  into  camp  with  the  information  that  a vast  number  of  Indians 
armed  and  painted  in  the  most  dreadful  manner,  were  creeping  up  among 
the  bushes  and  preparing  to  surround  the  camp.  Almost  immediately 
the  enfeebled  and  dispirited  garrison  was  surrounded  and  a heavy  fire 
was  opened  upon  them  from  all  quarters,  which  they  were  powerless  to 
resist.  Capt.  Demer£,  three  other  officers  and  about  twenty-six  private 
soldiers  fell  at  the  first  onset.  Some  fled  to  the  woods,  others  were  taken 
prisoners  and  confined  in  the  towns  of  the  valley.  Capt.  Stuart  and  some 
others  were  taken  back  to  Fort  Loudon.  Attakullakulla,  hearing  of  his 
friend  Stuart’s  capture,  immediately  repaired  to  the  fort,  purchased  him 
from  his  captors,  took  him  to  his  own  home,  where  he  kept  him  until  a 
favorable  opportunity  should  offer  for  aiding  him  in  his  escape.  The 
soldiers  were  after  some  time  redeemed  by  the  Province  at  great  expense. 

While  the  prisoners  were  confined  at  Fort  Loudon,  Oconostota  decided 
to  make  an  attack  upon  Fort  Prince  George,  and  in  the  attack  to  employ 
the  cannon  and  ammunition  taken  at  Fort  Loudon.  The  council  at  which 
this  decision  was  made  was  held  at  Chota,  Capt.  Stuart  being  compelled 
to  attend.  The  Captain  was  given  to  understand  that  he  must  accompanv 
the  expedition  to  Fort  Prince  George,  and  there  assist  in  the  reduction  of 
the  fort  by  manning  the  artillery  for  the  Indians,  and  by  being  their 
enforced  amanuensis  in  the  correspondence  with  the  fort.  This  prospect 
was  so  alarming  to  the  Captain  that  he,  from  the  moment  of  being  made 
acquainted  with  the  designs  of  the  Cherokees  with  reference  to  himself, 
resolved  to  escape  or  perish  in  the  attempt.  He  therefore  privately 
communicated  his  purpose  to  his  friend  Attakullakulla,  and  invoked  his 
assistance  to  accomplish  his  release,  which  Attakullakulla  promptly 
pledged  himself  to  give.  Claiming  Capt.  Stuart  as  his  prisoner,  he 
announced  to  the  other  Indians  his  intention  of  going  hunting  for 
a few  days,  and  took  the  Captain  with  him.  The  utmost  caution  and 
celerity  were  required  in  order  to  prevent  surprise  from  pursuit.  Nine 
days  and  nights  did  they  hasten  on  through  the  wilderness  for  Virginia, 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


08 

shaping  their  course  by  the  sun  and  moon.  On  the  tenth  they  fell  in 
with  a party  of  300  men  at  the  banks  of  Holston  River,  sent  out  by  Col. 
Bird  for  the  relief  of  Fort  Loudon.  For  his  kindly  offices  to  Capt.  Stuart 
Attakullakulla  was  loaded  with  provisions  and  presents,  and  sent  back 
to  protect  the  other  unhappy  prisoners  until  such  time  as  they  could  be 
ransomed,  and  to  exert  his  influence  with  his  nation  for  the  restoration  of 
peace. 

The  success  of  the  Cherokees  at  Fort  Loudon  and  the  fact  of  the  bat- 
tle of  Etchowee  with  Col.  Montgomery  being  indecisive,  or  perhaps  rather 
being  favorable  to  the  Indians,  only  served  to  stimulate  their  spii’it  of 
aggression;  but  the  French  in  Canada  being  now  reduced  it  became  much 
surer  than  hitherto  to  send  from  the  north  a force  adequate  to  the  defense 
of  the  southern  provinces.  In  pursuance  of  this  policy  of  defense  against 
the  warlike  Indians,  Col.  Grant  arrived  at  Charleston  with  the  British 
regulars  early  in  1761,  and  in  company  with  a provincial  regiment  raised 
for  the  purpose,  marched  for  the  Cherokee  country.  Among  the  field 
officers  of  this  regiment  were  Middleton,  Laurens,  Moultrie,  Marion,  Hu- 
ger and  Pickens.  Col.  Grant  arrived  with  his  command  at  Fort  Prince 
George  May  27,  1761.  Attakullakulla,  hearing  of  the  approach  of  this 
formidable  army,  hastened  to  the  camp  of  Col.  Grant,  and  vainly  proposed 
terms  of  peace;  but  knowing  too  well  the  story  of  Cherokee  perfidy,  the 
Colonel  was  determined  on  severer  measures  than  a treaty,  the  terms  of 
which  were  so  soon  forgotten.  A fierce  battle  was  therefore  fought  near 
the  town  of  Etchowee  on  the  same  ground  where  a year  before  Montgom- 
ery was  practically  defeated.  The  engagement  raged  three  hours,  until 
the  perseverance  and  bravery  of  the  soldiers  expelled  the  Cherokees  from 
the  field.  After  the  battle  their  granaries  and  corn  fields  were  destroyed, 
and  their  wretched  families  driven  to  the  barren  mountains.  Their  war- 
like spirit  was  for  a time  subdued,  and  at  the  earnest  solicitation  of  Atta- 
kullakulla, the  old  and  friendly  chief,  peace  was  once  more  restored  and 
ratified.  The  peace  which  succeeded  this  victory  over  the  Cherokees 
brought  with  it  a remarkable  increase  of  population  and  prosperity. 

In  1767,  upon  the  application  of  the  Cherokee  nation,  and  at  the  rec- 
ommendation of  Gov.  Tryon,  an  application  was  made  by  North  Carolina 
for  the  running  of  a dividing  line  between  the  western  settlements  of  the 
Province  and  the  hunting  grounds  of  the  Cherokees,  the  tribe  of  Indians 
most  closely  identified  with  the  history  of  Tennessee.  They  were  a 
formidable  tribe,  both  with  regard  to  numbers  and  to  warlike  prowess. 
The  early  history  of  this  State  is  full  of  incidents  illustrative  of  their 
courageous,  revengeful  and  perfidious  spirit.  It  had  been  found  impos- 
sible to  reconcile  them  with  the  Tuscaroras.  When  the  attempt  was 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


69 

made  the  Cherokees  replied:  “We  can  not  live  without  war.  Should  we 
make  peace  with  the  Tuscaroras  we  must  immediately  look  out  for  some 
other  nation  with  whom  we  may  be  engaged  in  our  beloved  occupation.” 
Animated  by  this  sentiment  they  were  constantly  acting  on  the  offensive. 
In  the  earlier  maps  of  the  country  the  Tennessee  River  is  called  the 
Cherokee,  as  the  Cumberland  was  early  called  the  Shawanee,  and  similarly 
the  name  of  this  tribe  was  applied  to  the  mountains  near  them,  the  word 
Currahee  being  only  a corruption  of  Cherokee.  They  had  almost  uni- 
versally been  conquerors  in  their  wars  with  other  nations,  and  their  con- 
tinued success  made  them  arrogant,  quarrelsome  and  defiant.  About  the 
year  1769  they  took  offense  at  the  Chickasaws  and  made  a hostile  inva- 
sion of  their  country.  At  the  Chickasaw  Old  Fields  the  inoffensive  but 
braye  Chickasaws  met  them  with  great  spirit,  the  result  being  a sanguin- 
ary conflict  and  the  total  defeat  of  the  Cherokees,  who  retired  to  their 
own  village  beyond  the  Cumberland  and  the  Caney  Fork.  This  defeat, 
occurring  about  the  same  time  with  the  settlement  on  the  Watauga, 
doubtless  contributed  much  to  the  peaceful  demeanor  of  the  Indians  to- 
ward that  infant  and  feeble  colony,  and  hence  to  its  success. 

One  of  the  institutions  of  most  Indian  tribes  was  the  city  of  refuge, 
which,  if  a murderer  or  other  criminal  could  once  enter,  was  a sure  pro- 
tection against  punishment  so  long  as  he  remained  within  its  limits. 
Chota,  five  miles  above  the  ruins  of  Fort  Loudon  was  the  city  of  refuge 
for  the  Cherokees.  On  a certain  occasion  an  Englishman,  after  killing 
an  Indian  warrior  in  defense  of  his  property,  took  refuge  in  Chota  and 
found  protection  there  so  long  as  he  chose  to  remain,  but  was  warned 
that  if  he  ventured  outside  some  Cherokee  would  surely  kill  him  on  the 
first  opportunity.  How  long  he  remained  in  Chota  is  not  recorded,  nor 
what  was  his  fate  upon  leaving  the  beloved  town. 

The  Cherokees  had  a profound  veneration  for  the  relics  of  the  Mound- 
Builders,  the  origin  of  which,  however,  they  knew  nothing;  but  they 
considered  them  the  vestiges  of  an  ancient  and  numerous  race,  further 
advanced  in  the  arts  of  civilized  life  than  themselves. 

Early  in  1772  the  authorities  of  Virginia  made  a treaty  with  the 
Cherokees  by  which  a boundary  line  was  agreed  upon,  to  run  west  from 
the  White  Top  Mountain  in  northern  latitude  36  degrees,  30  minutes. 
Almost  immediately  afterward  the  W atauga  leases  were  made,  which  are 
referred  to  in  the  chapter  on  settlement,  and  also  that  of  Jacob  Brown. 
In  the  fall  of  1771  negotiations  were  commenced  between  Richard  Hen- 
derson & Co.  and  the  Cherokees,  which  terminated  in  March,  1775,  the 
treaty  being  held  at  Watauga.  At  this  treaty  two  deeds  were  obtained — 
one  known  as  the  “Path  Deed.”  and  the  other  as  the  “Great  Grant.” 
The  boundaries  expressed  in  the  Path  Deed  were  as  follows: 


70 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


“All  that  tract,  territory,  or  parcel  of  land  beginning  on  the  Holston 
River,  where  the  course  of  Powell’s  Mountain  strikes  the  same;  thence 
up  the  said  river  as  it  meanders  to  where  the  Virginia  line  crosses  the 
same;  thence  westwardly  along  the  line  run  by  Donelson  et.  al  to  a 
point  six  English  miles  eastward  of  the  Long  Island  in  the  said  Holston 
River ; thence  a direct  course  toward  the  mouth  of  the  Great  Kanawha,  until 
it  reaches  the  top  of  Powell’s  Mountain;  thence  westwardly  along  the  said 
ridge  to  the  beginning.”  The  Great  Grant  Deed  contained  the  follow- 
ing boundaries: 

“ All  that  tract,  territory  or  parcel  of  land  situated,  lying  and  being  ill 
North  America,  on  the  Ohio  River,  one  of  the  eastern  branches  of  the 
Mississippi  River,  beginning  on  the  said  Ohio  River,  at  the  mouth  of  Ken- 
tucky, Cherokee  or  what  is  known  by  the  English  as  the  Louisa  River; 
thence  running  up  said  river,  and  the  most  northwardly  fork  of  the  same 
to  the  head  spring  thereof;  thence  a southeast  course  to  the  ridge  of 
Powell’s  Mountain;  thence  westwardly  along  the  ridge  of  said  mountain 
unto  a point  from  which  a northwest  course  will  hit  or  strike  the  head 
spring  of  the  most  northwardly  branch  of  Cumberland  River;  thence 
down  the  said  river,  including  all  its  waters,  to  the  Ohio  River;  thence  up 
the  said  river  as  it  meanders  to  the  beginning.” 

These  two  purchases,  or  the  treaty  under  which  they  were  made,, 
were  repudiated  by  both  North  Carolina  and  Virginia,  as  being  made  by 
private  individuals,  the  States  themselves,  however,  claiming  the  benefit 
of  the  treaty.  About  the  time  of  the  commencement  of  negotiations  be- 
tween Col.  Henderson  & Co.  and  the  Cherokees,  occurred  the  first 
battle  with  the  Indians  in  which  Tennessee  troops  were  engaged.  This 
was  the  battle  of  the  Kanawha  or  Point  Pleasant,  on  the  Ohio  River,  and 
here  they  displayed  that  adventure  and  prowess  which  have  so  signally 
characterized  them  during  all  periods  of  the  history  of  their  State.  The 
tribes  of  Indians  engaged  in  the  work  of  destruction  and  massacre 
on  the  Virginia  frontier  were  the  Sliawanees  and  other  northern  and  west- 
ern tribes.  Lord  Dunmore  took  immediate  and  vigorous  measures  to 
repress  the  hostilities  and  punish  the  audacity  of  the  enemy.  Four  reg- 
iments of  militia  and  volunteers  under  Gen.  Andrew  Lewis,  who  built 
Fort  Loudon,  were  ordered  to  march  down  the  Great  Kanawha  to  the  Ohio. 
While  on  the  march  down  the  Great  Kanawha,  or,  as  it  is  called  now,  the 
New  River,  Gen.  Lewis  was  joined  by  Capt.  Evan  Shelby,  who  had 
raised  a company  of  upward  of  fifty  men  for  the  expedition  in  what  are 
now  Sullivan  and  Carter  Counties.  The  entire  army  reached  and  en- 
camped upon  the  present  site  , of  Point  Pleasant,  on  the  6th  of  October. 
Early  on  the  morning  of  the  10th  the  camp  was  attacked  by  a large  body 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


7L 


of  Indians,  and  a sanguinary  battle  ensued  which  lasted  the  entire  day, 
but  which  by  skillful  maneuvering  and  courageous  fighting  terminated 
in  the  evening  in  a total  rout  of  the  Indians,  in  their  precipitate  flight 
across  the  Ohio,  and  their  return  to  their  towns  on  the  Scioto.  The  loss 
of  the  Indians  in  this  hard  and  well-fought  battle  appears  not  to  have 
been  ascertained,  but  that  of  Gen.  Lewis  was  twelve  commissioned  offi- 
cers killed  or  wounded,  seventy -five  non-commissioned  officers  killed  and 
141  wounded. 

Capt.  Evan  Shelby’s  company  consisted  of  the  following  persons: 
James  Robertson,  Valentine  Sevier  and  John  Sawyer  were  three  of  the 
orderly  sergeants;  James  Shelby,  John  Findley,  Henry  Sparr,  Daniel 
Mungle,  Frederick  Mungle,  John  Williams,  John  Comack,  Andrew  Tor- 
rence, George  Brooks,  Isaac  Newland,  Abram  Newland,  George  Ruddle, 
Emanuel  Shoutt,  Abram  Bogard,  Peter  Forney,  William  Tucker,  John 
Fain,  Samuel  Fain,  Samuel  Vance,  Samuel  Handley,  Samuel  Samples, 
Arthur  Blackburn,  Robert  Handley,  George  Armstrong,  William  Casey, 
Mack  Williams,  John  Stewart,  Conrad  Nave,  Richard  Burk,  John  Riley.. 
Elijah  Robertson,  Rees  Price,  Richard  Halliway,  Jarret  Williams,  Julius 
Robinson,  Charles  Fielder,  Benjamin  Graham,  Andrew  Goff,  Hugh 
O'Gullion,  Patrick  St.  Lawrence,  James  Hughey,  John  Bradley,  Basileel 
May  well  and  Barnett  O’Gullion. 

After  the  battle  of  Point  Pleasant  a treaty  was  made  between  the 
Indians  and  Lord  Dunmore,  by  which  they  relinquished  all  their  claims 
to  lands  north  of  the  Ohio  River,  and  by  the  treaty  with  Henderson  & 
Co.  the  Cherokees  relinquished  all  their  claim  to  the  land  lying  between 
the  Ohio  and  Cumberland  Rivers;  hence  this  immense  tract  of  magnifi- 
cent country  was  at  that  time  entirely  free  from  Indian  occupants  as 
claimants. 

Previous  to  the  conclusion  of  the  Henderson  Treaty,  a remarkable 
speech  was  made  by  Oconostota,  a Cherokee  chief,  whose  name  has  oc- 
curred heretofore  in  this  history.  Oconostota  had  fought  for  the  reten- 
tion of  the  country  by  his  own  people  and  was  now  opposed  to  the  treaty, 
and  though  his  speech  ivas  listened  to  with  profound  attention  and  all 
the  respect  due  to  so  venerable  an  ofator,  yet  its  counsels  were  not 
heeded,  and  the  cession  was  made.  In  the  light  of  subsequent  events, 
however,  it  can  scarcely  be  said  that  the  cession  was  unwise,  notwith- 
standing the  eloquence  and  prophetic  nature  of  the  speech  of  Oconostota, 
for  had  not  the  cession  been  made  in  March,  1775,  it  would  have  been 
made  at  a later  time  and  at  the  close  of  a more  or  less  protracted 
and  sanguinary  struggle.  In  his  speech  Oconostota  reminded  his  audi- 
tory of  the  once  flourishing  condition  of  his  nation,  of  the  continual  en- 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


eroacliments  of  tlie  white  people  upon  the  consequently  continually  re- 
tiring Indian  nations,  who  had  been  compelled  to  leave  the  homes  of  their 
ancestors  to  satisfy  the  insatiable  greed  of  the  white  people.  It  was  at 
one  time  hoped  that  these  white  people  would  not  be  willing  to  travel 
beyond  the  mountains,  but  now  that  fallacious  hope  had  vanished,  and 
the  Cherokee  lands  were  fast  being  absorbed  and  usurped,  and  the  at- 
tempt was  now  being  made  to  have  those  usurpations  confirmed  by  a 
treaty  in  which  the  Cherokees  would  sign  their  own  rights  away,  after 
the  accomplishment  of  which  the  same  encroaching  spirit  would  again 
lead  them  upon  other  Cherokee  lands,  until  finally  the  entire  country 
which  the  Cherokees  and  their  forefathers  had  occupied  for  so  many 
centuries  would  be  required,  and  the  Cherokee  nation  once  so  great  and 
formidable,  reduced  to  a small  remnant,  would  be  compelled  to  seek  a 
retreat  in  some  far  distant  wilderness,  there  to  dwell  but  a short  time 
when  the  same  greedy  host  would  again  approach  with  their  banners  of 
civilization,  and  unable  to  point  out  any  further  retreat  for  the  Cherokees 
to  seek,  would  proclaim  the  extinction  of  the  whole  race.  The  close  of 
this  oration  was  a strong  appeal  to  his  people  to  run  all  risks  rather  than 
consent  to  any  further  diminution  of  their  territory. 

But  when  accomplished  this  treaty,  like  so  many  others,  failed  to  sat- 
isfy a large  portion  of  the  Cherokee  nation,  and  in  the  year  1776  they 
made  great  preparations  for  an  attack  on  the  settlements  on  the  W atauga 
and  Holston.  Indications  of  these  preparations  became  more  and  more 
evident  and  numerous.  Jarret  Williams  and  Robert  Dews,  two  traders 
among  them,  from  observations  they  had  made  arrived  independently  of 
each  other  at  the  conclusion  that  an  exterminating  war  had  been  deter- 
mined upon.  Evidence  was  also  discovered  that  the  Cherokees  had  been 
so  influenced  as  to  be  ready  to  massacre  all  the  back  settlers  of  Carolina 
and  Georgia.  The  commencement  of  the  Cherokee  hostility  was  the 
killing  of  two  men  named  Boyd  and  Doggett,  after  the  former  of  whom 
Boyd’s  Creek  in  Sevier  County  was  named.  John  Stuart,  superinten- 
dent of  southern  Indian  affairs,  instructed  by  the  British  War  Depart- 
ment, dispatched  orders  to  his  deputies  resident  among  the  different  tribes, 
to  carry  into  effect  the  desires  of  the  Government.  Alexander  Cameron, 
agent  for  the  Cherokee  nation,  upon  receipt  of  his  instructions,  lost  no 
time  in  convening  the  chiefs  and  warriors;  and  notwithstanding  efforts 
were  made  by  the  Americans  to  counteract  his  intrigues,  Cameron  was 
successful  in  enlisting  the  sympathies  and  assistance  of  a majority  of  the 
head  men  and  warriors  of  the  tribe.  A formidable  invasion  was  planned 
by  the  Cherokees,  which  would  doubtless  have  been  harassing  and  de- 
structive in  the  extreme  but  for  the  opportune  assistance  of  Nancy  Ward, 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


73 


who  has  been  named  the  “Pocahontas  of  the  West,”  and  who,  allied  to 
some  of  the  leading  chiefs,  obtained  information'  of  their  plan  of  attack 
and  immediately  thereupon  communicated  this  information  to  Isaac 
Thomas,  a trader,  her  friend  and  a true  American.  Mr.  Thomas  without 
delay  proceeded  to  the  committee  of  safety  in  Virginia,  which  adopted 
such  measures  as  were  practicable  for  the  defense  of  the  frontier. 

The  plan  of  attack  by  the  Cherokees  upon  the  settlements  was  for 
one  division  of  the  Indians  under  “ Dragging  Canoe  ” to  fall  upon  the 
Holston  settlement,  and  another  division  under  “Old  Abraham”  to  fall 
upon  Watauga.  These  divisions  were  to  consist  of  350  men  each. 
“ Dragging:  Canoe’s  ” division  was  defeated  in  a “ miracle  of  a battle  ” at 
Heaton’s  Station  near  Long  Island,  in  which  the  Indians  lost  upward  of 
forty  in  killed  and  the  settlers,  only  five  wounded,  all  of  whom  recovered. 
Among  the  wounded  was  John  Findley,  who  was  supposed  by  Collins  and 
by  Ramsey  not  to  have  been  heard  of  after  the  attack  on  Boone’s  camp 
in  1769.  “Old  Abraham”  with  his  forces  made  the  attack  on  the  fort 
at  Watauga,  where  Capt.  James  Robertson  was  in  command.  Capt.  John 
Sevier  was  also  present,  and  although  the  attack  was  made  with  great 
vigor  the  defense  was  successful  and  the  Indians  were  driven  off  with 
considerable  loss.  It  was  during  this  siege  that  occurred  the  following 
romantic  incident:  As  the  Indians  approached  the  fort  they  appear  to 

have  taken  by  surprise,  and  almost  surrounded,  Miss  Catharine  Sherrill, 
who,  discovering  her  danger  just  in  time,  started  for  the  fort.  She  was  a 
young  woman,  tall  and  erect  of  stature  and  fleet  of  foot  as  the  roe.  In 
her  flight  she  was  closely  pursued,  and  as  she  approached  the  gate  she 
found  other  Indians  in  her  way,  doubtless  confident  of  a captive  or  of  a 
victim  to  their  guns  and  arrows.  But  turning  suddenly  she  eluded  her 
pursuers  and  leaped  the  palisades  at  another  point,  falling  into  the  arms 
of  Capt.  John  Sevier.  In  a few  years  after  this  sudden  leap  into  the 
arms  of  the  captain  she  became  the  devoted  wife  of  the  colonel,  and  the 
bosom  companion  of  the  general,  the  governor,  the  people’s  man  and  the 
patriot,  John  Sevier,  and  finally  the  mother  of  ten  children,  who  could 
rise  up  and  call  her  blessed. 

Another  incident  not  less  romantic  but  of  quite  a different  character 
connected  with  this  attack  upon  Fort  Watauga,  is  worthy  of  commemora- 
tion. No  one  in  the  fort  was  wounded,  but  Mrs.  Bean  was  captured  near 
Watauga,  and  taken  a prisoner  to  the  station  camp  of  the  Indians  over 
the  Nollichucky.  After  being  questioned  by  the  Indians  as  to  the  num- 
ber and  strength  of  the  forts  occupied  by  the  white  people,  she  was  con- 
demned to  death,  bound  and  taken  to  the  top  of  one  of  the  mounds  to  be 
burned.  It  was  a custom  with  the  Cherokees  to  assign  to  a certain 


"74 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


woman  the  office  of  declaring  what  punishment  should  be  inflicted  upon 
great  offenders,  whether  for  instance,  burning  or  other  death,  or  whether 
they  should  be  pardoned.  The  woman  so  distinguished  was  called  the 
“beloved”  or  “pretty  woman.”  At  the  time  Mrs.  Bean  was  condemned 
to  death  Mrs.  Nancy  Ward  was  exercising  the  functions  of  the  “pretty 
woman,”  and  the  question  of  carrying  into  execution  the  sentence  against 
Mrs.  Bean  being  referred  to  Mrs.  Ward,  she  pronounced  her  pardon. 

A division  of  the  Cherokees  (other  than  those  commanded  by  Old 
Abraham  and  Dragging  Canoe),  commanded  by  Raven,  made  a detour 
across  the  country  with  the  intention  of  falling  upon  the  frontier  in  Car- 
ter’s Valley.  Coming  up  the  Holston  to  the  lowest  station,  the  Raven 
heard  of  the  repulse  at  Watauga  and  of  the  bloody  defeat  at  Long  Island 
Flats,  and  hence  retreated  to  his  own  towns.  A fourth  party  of  Indians 
fell  upon  the  inhabitants  scattered  along  the  valley  of  Clinch  River,  and 
carried  fire,  devastation  and  massacre  to  the  remotest  cabin  on  Clinch,  and 
to  the  Seven  Mile  Ford  in  Virginia.  William  Creswell,  whose  numer- 
ous descendants  now  live  in  Blount  and  Sevier  Counties,  was  among  the 
killed. 

This,  as  has  been  previously  said,  was  about  the  time  of  the  com- 
mencement of  the  Revolutionary  war,  and  the  hostilities  of  and  invasion 
by  the  Cherokees  were  imputed  to  the  instigation  of  British  officers.  The 
details  of  the  conspiracy  were  traced  to  a concerted  plan  of  Gen.  Gage 
and  John  Stuart,  the  superintendent  of  Indian  affairs  for  the  southern 
district.  The  evidence  appears  conclusive  that  Mr.  Stuart  was  engaged 
in  arousing  the  resentment  and  in  stimulating  the  bad  passions  of  the  sav- 
ages against  the  Americans  who  were  struggling  against  aggression,  and 
attempting  to  vindicate  the  rights  of  freemen.  The  plan  of  Gen.  Gage 
and  Mr.  Stuart  was  to  send  a large  body  of  men  to  west  Florida,  to  pene- 
trate through  the  country  of  the  Creeks,  Cherokees  and  Chiekasaws,  and 
induce  the  warriors  of  those  nations  to  join  the  body,  and  with  this  large 
force  of  British  and  Indian  soldiers,  invade  the  Carolinas  and  Virginia. 
But  after  the  repulse  of  Peter  Parker  in  the  harbor  of  Charleston,  prep- 
arations were  immediately  made  by  the  colonists  to  march  with  an  im- 
posing force  upon  the  Cherokees,  who  at  that  time  occupied,  as  places  of 
residence  or  hunting  grounds,  the  country  west  and  north  of  the  upper 
settlements  in  Georgia,  west  of  the  Carolinas  and  southwest  of  Virginia. 
Their  country  was  known  by  three  great  geographical  divisions,  as  the  Lower 
Towns,  having  356  warriors ; the  Middle  Settlements,  having  878  warriors-, 
and  the  Overhill  Towns,  having  757  warriors — -a  total  of  1,991  warriors. 

Col.  McBury  and  Maj.  Jack,  from  Georgia,  entered  the  Indian  settle- 
ments on  Tugalo,  defeated  the  Indians,  and  destroyed  their  towns  on 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


75 


that  river.  Gen.  Williamson,  of  South  Carolina,  early  in  July  was  at  the 
head  of  1,150  men,  in  command  of  whom  he  encountered  and  defeated  a 
large  body  of  Esseneca  Indians  at  Oconowee,  destroyed  their  towns  and 
a large  amount  of  provisions.  Burning  Sugaw  Town,  Soconee,  Keowee, 
Octatoy,  Tugalo  and  Braso  Town,  he  proceeded  against  Tomassee,  Che- 
liokee  and  Eusturtee,  at  which  latter  place,  observing  a trail  of  the 
enemy,  he  made  pursuit,  overtook  and  vanquished  300  of  their  warriors, 
and  destroyed  the  three  last  named  towns.  In  the  meantime  North 
Carolina  had  raised  an  army  under  Gen.  Rutherford,  who,  in  concert 
with  Col.  Williamson  and  Col.  Martin  Armstrong,  marched  upon  the 
Indians  and  fought  an  engagement  with  them  at  Cowhee  Mountain,  in 
which  but  one  white  man  was  killed.  How  many  of  the  Indians  were 
killed  is  not  known,  as  the  survivors  carried  off  their  dead.  From  Cowhee 
Mountain  the  army  under  Gen.  Rutherford  marched  to  the  Middle  Towns 
on  the  Tennessee  River,  expecting  there  to  form  a junction  with  Gen. 
Williamson.  After  waiting  a few  days  they  left  here  a strong  guard 
and  marched  on  to  the  Hiwassee  towns,  but  all  the  towns  were  found 
evacuated,  the  warriors  evidently  not  desiring  to  meet  the  troops  under 
Gen.  Rutherford.  Few  Indians  were  killed  and  few  taken  prisoners,  but 
the  towns  were  burned  and  the  buildings,  crops  and  stock  of  the  enemy 
very  generally  destroyed,  leaving  them  in  a starving  condition.  In  this 
expedition  of  Gen.  Rutherford  from  thirty  to  forty  Cherokee  towns  were 
destroyed.  The  route  pursued  by  this  army  has  since  been  known  as 
“ Rutherford’s  Trace.”  While  these  movements  were  in  progress  an 
army  under  Col.  William  Christian,  of  Virginia,  was  marching  into  the 
heart  of  the  Cherokee  country  to  avenge  the  ravages  of  that  nation  on  the 
settlements  on  the  Watauga,  Holston  and  Clinch.  By  the  1st  of  August 
several  companies  had  assembled  at  the  place  of  rendezvous,  the  Great 
Island  of  Holston.  Soon  afterward  Col.  Christian  was  re-enforced  by 
about  100  North  Carolina  militia  under  Col.  Joseph  Williams,  Col.  Love 
and  Maj.  Winston.  This  entire  army  took  up  its  march  for  the  Chero- 
kee towns,  about  200  miles  distant.  Crossing  the  Holston  at  Great 
Island  they  marched  eight  miles  and  encamped  at  Double  Springs,  on  the 
head  Avaters  of  Lick  Creek.  Here  the  army  was  joined  by  a force  from 
Watauga,  by  which  its  strength  was  augmented  to  1,800  men,  armed  Avith 
rifles,  tomahaAvks,  and  butcher  knives,  all  infantry  except  one  company 
of  light  horse.  Sixteen  spies  were  sent  forward  to  the  French  Broad, 
across  Avhich  the  Indians  had  boasted  no  Avhite  man  should  go.  At  the 
encampment  that  night,  near  the  mouth  of  Lick  Creek,  Alexander  Hardin 
informed  Col.  Christian  that  at  the  French  Broad  were  assembled  3,000 
Indians  prepared  to  dispute  his  passage.  Hai’din  Avas  ordered  into  camp 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


X~)  Q 

7o 

with  the  spies,  who,  at  the  head  of  the  Nollichucky,  found  the  camps  of' 
the  enemy  deserted,  but  affording  evidence  that  the  Indians  were  in  the 
neighborhood  in  large  numbers.  Col.  Christian  sent  Hardin  forward  to 
inform  the  Indians  that  he  would  cross  not  only  the  French  Broad,  but 
also  the  Tennessee  before  he  returned.  As  they  came  down  Dumplin 
Creek  they  were  met  by  a trader  named  Fallen  with  a flag  of  truce,  of 
whom  no  notice  was  taken,  in  consequence  of  which  he  returned  imme- 
diately and  informed  the  Indians  that  the  whites,  as  numerous  as  the 
trees  of  the  forest,  were  marching  into  their  country. 

Having  arrived  at  the  river  Col.  Christian  ordered  every  mess  to 
build  a good  fire  and  make  such  preparations  as  would  lead  the  Indians 
to  thiuk  that  he  intended  to  remain  there  several  days.  During  the 
night  a large  detachment,  under  great  difficulties,  crossed  the  river  near 
where  Brabson’s  mill  afterward  stood  and  passed  up  the  river  on  its 
southern  bank.  Next  morning,  when  the  main  army  crossed  the  river 
near  the  Big  Island,  marching  forward  in  order  of  battle,  they  momentar- 
ily expected  an  attack  from  the  Indians,  but,  to  their  surprise,  found  no 
trace  of  even  a recent  camp.  It  was  afterward  learned  that  after  the 
departure  of  Fallen  to  meet  Col.  Christian  with  his  flag  of  truce,  an- 
other trader,  by  the  name  of  Starr,  who  was  in  the  Indian  encampment, 
made  a very  earnest  speech  to  the  Indians,  saying  to  them  in  effect  that 
the  Great  Spirit  had  made  the  one  race  of  white  clay  and  the  other  of  red  ^ 
that  he  intended  the  former  to  conquer  the  latter ; that  the  pale  face 
would  certainly  overcome  the  red  man  and  occupy  his  country ; that  it  was 
useless,  therefore,  to  resist  the  onward  movements  of  the  white  man,  and 
advised  an  immediate  abandonment  of  their  purpose  of  defense,  as  that 
could  only  result  in  defeat.  A retreat  was  made  at  once  to  their  villages 
and  to  the  fastnesses  of  the  mountains.  The  next  morning  the  army 
under  Col.  Christian  resumed  its  march  along  the  valley  of  Boyd’s 
Creek,  and  down  Ellejoy  to  Little  River,  thence  to  the  Tennessee,  and  on 
the  march  not  an  Indian  was  to  be  seen,  but  it  was  expected  that  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  Tennessee  a formidable  resistance  would  be  made. 
Here  also  they  were  disappointed,  for  crossing  the  Little  Tennessee  they 
took  possession  of  a town  called  Tamotlee,  above  the  mouth  of  Tellico 
River,  and  encamped  in  the  deserted  village.  Next  morning  Great  Island 
was  taken  without  resistance,  a panic  having  seized  the  Cherokee  warriors, 
not  one  of  whom  could  be  found.  But  they  were  not  for  this  reason  to  go 
unpunished.  Their  deserted  towns  and  villages  were  burned  and  laid 
waste,  as  Neowee,  Tellico  and  Chilhowee  and  others.  Occasionally  a sol- 
itary warrior  was  seen  making  his  way  from  one  town  to  another,  but 
no  one  was  taken  prisoner.  Such  towns,  however,  as  were  known  not  to 


James  Robertson 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


have  consented  to  hostilities,  as  Chota,  were  not  destroyed.  This  course 
was  pursued  by  Col.  Christian  to  convince  the  Indians,  the  Cherokees, 
that  he  was  at  war  only  with  enemies.  Sending  out  a few  men  with  flags 
of  truce  requesting  a talk  with  the  chiefs,  six  or  seven  of  them  imme- 
diately came  in,  and  in  a few  days  several  others  came  forward  and  pro- 
posed a cessation  of  hostilities.  This  was  granted  to  take  effect  when  a 
treaty  should  be  made  with  the  whole  tribe,  which  was  to  assemble  the 
succeeding  May  on  Long  Island.  A suspension  of  hostilities  followed, 
applicable  to  all  the  Cherokee  towns  but  two,  which  were  high  up  in  the 
mountains  on  Tennessee  River.  These  were  reduced  to  ashes  because 
they  had  burned  a prisoner  named  Moore,  taken  some  time  previously 
near  Watauga.  Col.  Christian’s  troops,  having  conquered  a peace,  re- 
turned to  the  settlement. 

But  a part  of  the  Cherokee  nation  was  still  hostile,  panted  for  revenge 
and  resolved  not  to  participate  in  the  comtemplated  treaty.  However 
two  separate  treaties  were  made,  one  at  Dewitt’s  Corner,  between  the  In- 
dians and  commissioners  from  South  Carolina;  the  other  at  Long  Island, 
between  several  chiefs  of  the  Overhill  Towns,  and  Col.  Christian  and  Col. 
Evan  Shelby,  commissioners  from  Virginia,  and  Waiglitstill  Avery,  Jo- 
seph Winston  and  Robert  Lanier  from  North  Carolina.  By  the  former 
large  cessions  of  territory  were  made  on  the  Saluda  and  Savannah  Rivers, 
and  by  the  latter  Brown’s  line  was  agreed  upon  as  the  boundary  between 
the  Indians  and  the  settlements,  and  the  Cherokees  released  lands  as  low 
down  the  Holston  River  as  the  mouth  of  Cloud’s  Creek,  but  the  Chicka- 
maugas  refused  to  join  in  the  treaty.  At  this  treaty,  made  at  Fort  Heu- 
ry,  on  the  Holston  River,  near  Long  Island,  July  20,  1777,  between 
North  Carolina  and  the  Overliill  Indians,  the  following  among  other  ar- 
ticles were  agreed  upon: 

Article  I.  That  hostilities  shall  forever  cease  between  the  said  Cherokees  and  the  peo- 
ple of  North  Carolina  from  this  time  forward,  and  that  peace,  friendship  and  mutual 
confidence  shall  ensue. 

By  the  second  article  all  prisoners  and  property  were  to  be  delivered 
up  to  the  agent  to  be  appointed  to  reside  among  the  Cherokees,  and  by 
the  third  article  no  white  man  was  permitted  to  reside  in  or  pass  through 
the  Overhill  towns  without  a certificate  signed  by  three  justices  of  the 
peace  of  North  Carolina,  or  Washington  County,  Va.,  the  certificate 
to  be  approved  by  the  agent.  Any  person  violating  this  article  was  to  be 
apprehended  by  the  Cherokees  and  delivered  to  the  said  agent,  whom 
they  were  to  assist  in  conducting  such  person  to  the  nearest  justice  of 
the  peace  for  i adequate  punishment,  and  the  Cherokees  were  authorized 
to  apply  to  their  own  use  the  effects  of  such  person  so  trespassing.  Ar- 


78 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


tide  fourth  provided  for  the  punishment  of  murderers,  both  Indians  and 
white  men,  and  article  fifth  defined  the  boundary  line  as  follows : 

“ That  the  boundary  line  between  the  State  of  North  Carolina  and  the 
said  Overhill  Cherokees  shall  forever  hereafter  be  and  remain  as  follows: 
Beginning  at  a point  in  the  dividing  line  which  during  this  treaty  hath  been 
agreed  upon  between  the  said  Overhill  Cherokees  and  the  State  of  Vir- 
ginia, where  the  line  between  that  State  and  North  Carolina,  hereafter  to 
be  extended,  shall  cross  or  intersect  the  same ; running  thence  a right 
line  to  the  north  bank  of  Holston  River  at  the  mouth  of  Cloud’s  Creek,  be- 
ing the  second  creek  below  the  Warrior’s  Ford  at  the  mouth  of  Carter’s 
Valley;  thence  a right  line  to  the  highest  point  of  a mountain  called  the 
High  Rock  or  Chimney  Top:  thence  a right  line  to  the  mouth  of  Camp 
Creek,  otherwise  called  McNamee’s  Creek  on  the  south  bank  of  Nolli- 
chucky  River,  about  ten  miles  or  thereabouts,  below  the  mouth  of  Great 
Limestone,  be  the  same  more  or  less,  and  from  the  mouth  of  Camp  Creek 
aforesaid,  a southeast  course  into  the  mountains  which  divide  the  hunting 
grounds  of  the  Middle  Settlements  from  those  of  the  Overhill  Cherokees. 
And  the  said  Overhill  Cherokees,  in  behalf  of  themselves,  their  heirs  and 
successors,  do  hereby  freely  in  open  treaty;  acknowledge  and  confess  that 
all  the  lands  to  the  east,  northeast  and  southeast  of  the  said  line,  and  ly- 
ing south  of  the  said  line  of  Virginia,  at  any  time  heretofore  claimed  by 
the  said  Overhill  Cherokees,  do  of  right  now  belong  to  the  State  of  North 
Carolina,  and  the  said  subscribing  chiefs,  in  behalf  of  the  said  Overhill 
Cherokees,  their  heirs  and  successors,  do  hereby  in  open  treaty,  now  and 
forever,  relinquish  and  give  up  to  the  said  State,  and  forever  quit  claim 
all  right,  title,  claim  and  demand  of,  in  and  to  the  land  comprehended  in 
the  State  of  North  Carolina,  by  the  line  aforesaid.” 

This  treaty  was  signed  by  Waightstill  Avery,  William  Sharpe,  Hub- 
ert Lanier  and  Joseph  Winston,  on  the  part  of  North  Carolina,  and  by 
tlie  following  chiefs  and  warriors,  each  one  making  his  mark : Oconostota, 
The  Old  Tassel,  The  Raven,  Willanawaw,  Ootosseteli,  Attusah,  Abram 
of  Cliilhowee.  Rollowch,  Toostooh,  Amoyah,  Oostossetih,  Tillehaweh, 
Queeleekali,  Annakelinjah,  Annacekah,  Skeahtukah,  Attakullakulla, 
Ookoonekah,  Kataquilla,  Tuskasah  and  Sunnewauh.  Witnesses,  Jacob 
Womack,  James  Robins,  John  Reed,  Isaac  Bledsoe,  Brice  Martin  and 
John  Kearns.  Interpreter,  Joseph  Vann. 

The  negotiations  and  details  of  this  treaty  of  Holston,  which  com- 
menced on  the  30th  of  June  and  was  concluded  on  the  20th  of  July,  are 
of  unusual  interest,  but  too  numerous  and  requiring  too  much  space  to  be 
introduced  into  this  work.  And  while  much  was  hoped  from  the  friendly 
and  yielding  disposition  of  the  large  number  of  chiefs  and  warriors  in 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


79 


attendance,  yet  as  some  distinguished  chiefs  were  absent,  peace  and  tran- 
quility could  not  be  considered  as  absolutely  assured  before  the  views 
and  intentions  of  these  absent  chiefs  were  known.  Judge  Friend,  the 
Dragging  Canoe,  the  Lying  Fish  and  Young  Tassel  were  among  the 
absent  ones.  Dragging  Canoe  was  chief  of  the  Chickamaugas,  who 
remained  dissatisfied  in  part,  at  least,  as  the  result  of  British  intrigue. 
In  order  to  counteract  so  far  as  practicable  the  influence  of  the  British 
agents,  Gov.  Caswell  directed  that  a superintendent  of  Indian  affairs 
reside  among  them,  and  the  North  Carolina  commissioners  appointed 
Capt.  James  Robertson  to  that  important  position.  Capt.  Robertson  car- 
ried, as  a present  from  Gov.  Caswell,  a dog  to  the  Raven  of  Chota,  pro- 
posing and  hoping  for  peace.  Swanucah  and  some  of  the  more  aged  chiefs 
were  disposed  to  peace,  but  they  were  unable  to  suppress  the  warlike 
spirit  of  the  Dragging  Canoe  and  his  hostile  tribe. 

Some  years  previous  to  the  time  at  which  we  have  now  arrived  cer- 
tain families  from  West  Virginia,  desiring  to  reach  west  Florida,  built 
boats  on  the  Holston,  and  following  that  stream  and  the  Tennessee 
reached  the  lower  Mississippi  by  water.  They  were  obliged  to  employ 
Indians  and  Indian  traders  as  guides.  Occasionally  a boat  was  wrecked 
between  the  Chickamauga  towns  and  the  lower  end  of  the  Muscle  Shoals, 
and  then  its  crew  became  an  easy  prey  to  the  Indians  whose  settlements 
were  extending  along  the  rapids  from  year  to  year.  The  Chickamaugas 
were  the  first  to  settle  in  this  locality,  and  usually  failed  to  attend  treaties 
of  peace  held  by  other  portions  of  the  Cherokee  nations,  and  hence  did 
not  consider  themselves  bound  by  treaty  stipulations  entered  into  by  the 
other  portions  of  the  nation.  Leaving  their  towns  near  Chickamauga 
they  moved  lower  down  and  laid  the  foundations  of  the  five  lower  towns — 
Running  Water,  Nickajack,  Long  Island  Village,  Crow  Town  and  Look 
Out.  These  towns  soon  became  populous  and  the  most  formidable  part 
of  the  Cherokee  nation.  Here  congregated  the  worst  men  from  all  the 
Indian  tribes,  and  also  numerous  depraved  white  men,  all  of  whom  for  a 
number  of  years  constituted  the  “Barbary  Powers  of  the  West.”  They 
were  a band  of  reckless,  lawless  banditti  of  more  than  1,000  warriors. 
Having  refused  the  terms  of  peace  proffered  by  Col.  Christian,  having 
committed  numerous  atrocities  upon  the  frontier,  and  being  the  central 
point  from  which  marauding  expeditions  radiated  for  murderous  and  all 
criminal  purposes,  it  was  determined  to  invade  their  country  and  destroy 
their  towns.  A strong  force  was  therefore  ordered  into  the  field  by  Vir- 
ginia and  North  Carolina  under  the  command  of  Col.  Evan  Shelby, 
whose  name  is  familiar  to  all  Tennesseans  in  connection  with  the  defense 
•of  the  pioneers  against  the  savages.  Col.  Shelby’s  force  consisted  of 


80 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


1,000  volunteers  from  these  two  States,  and  a regiment  of  twelve  months’ 
men  under  Col.  John  Montgomery,  this  regiment  having  been  raised  as 
a re-enforcement  to  Gen.  George  Rogers  Clarke  in  his  expedition  to  Kas- 
kaskia,  Vincennes,  etc.,  but  was  temporarily  diverted  from  that  purpose 
to  assist  in  the  reduction  of  the  Chickamaugas.  This  expedition  was  fitted 
out  on  the  individual  responsibility  of  Isaac  Shelby.  The  army  rendez- 
voused at  the  mouth  of  Big  Creek,  a few  miles  above  the  present  location 
of  Rogersville.  From  this  rendezvous,  having  made  canoes  and  pirogues, 
the  troops  descended  the  Holston  as  rapidly  as  possible,  and  reaching  the 
Chickamauga  towns  took  them  completely  by  surprise.  Upon  discover- 
ing the  approach  of  Col.  Shelby’s  command  the  Indians  fled  in  all  direc- 
tions to  the  woods  and  mountains  without  giving  battle,  pursued  by 
Shelby,  and  losing  in  killed  at  the  hands  of  his  command  upward  of  forty 
of  their  warriors,  most  of  their  towns  being  destroyed,  and  about  20,000 
bushels  of  corn  being  captured.  They  also  lost  about  $20,000  worth  of 
stores  and  goods.  This  success  of  Col.  Shelby  was  very  fortunate,  as  it 
prevented  Gov.  Hamilton,  of  Canada,  from  forming  a grand  coalition  of 
all  the  northern  and  southern  Indians,  to  be  aided  by  British  regulars  in 
a combined  attack  upon  the  settlers  on  the  western  waters. 

After  the  battle  of  King’s  Mountain,  in  which  Tennessee  officers  and 
soldiers  bore  such  an  honorable  and  conspicuous  part,  Col.  John 
Sevier  became  apprehensive  of  an  outbreak  from  the  Cherokees,  in  the 
absence  of  so  many  men  and  arms,  and  sent  home  Capt.  Russell  to 
guard  the  frontier  settlers.  Information  was  brought  in  by  two  traders, 
Thomas  and  Harlin,  that  a large  body  of  Indians  was  on  the  march  to  as- 
sail, the  frontier,  but  before  the  attack  was  made  Col.  Sevier  himself, 
with  his  vigorous  troops,  arrived  at  home  in  time  to  assist  in  repelling  the 
attacks  of  the  Indians.  Without  losing  any  time  Sevier  set  on  foot 
an  offensive  expedition  against  the  Cherokees,  putting  himself  at  the 
head  of  about  100  men  and  setting  out  in  advance  of  the  other  troops. 
Coming  upon  a body  of  Indians  he  pursued  them  across  French  Broad 
to  Boyd’s  Creek,  near  which  he  drew  on  an  attack  by  the  Indians.  Se- 
vier’s command  was  divided  into  three-  divisions — -the  center  under  Col. 
Sevier,  the  right  wing  under  Maj.  Jesse  Walton,  and  the  left  wing 
under  Maj.  Jonathan  Tipton.  The  victory  won  here  by  Sevier  was  de- . 
cisive.  The  Indians  lost  twenty-eight  in  killed  and  many  wounded,  who 
escaped  being  taken  prisoners.  Of  the  white  troops  none  were  killed 
and  only  three  seriously  wounded.  This  rapid  expedition  saved  the  fron- 
tier from  a bloody  invasion,  as  the  Indian  force  which  he  thus  broke  up 
was  large  and  well  armed. 

A few  days  after  this  repulse  of  the  enemy  Col.  Sevier’s  little 


HISTOEY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


81 


army  was  re-enforced  by  the  arrival  of  Col.  Arthur  Campbell  with  his 
regiment  from  Virginia  and  by  Maj.  Martin  with  his  troops  from  Sulli- 
van County.  He  then  had  at  his  command  a body  of  about  700  mounted 
men.  With  this  force  he  crossed  Little  Tennessee  three  miles  below 
Chota,  while  the  main  body  of  the  Indians  were  lying  in  wait  for  him  at 
the  ford  one  mile  below  Chota.  The  Indians  were  so  disconcerted  by  his 
crossing  at  the  lower  ford  instead  of  at  the  upper,  and  so  overawed  by  the 
imposing  array  of  so  large  a body  of  cavalry,  that  they  made  no  attack, 
but  instead,  upon  his  approach,  hastily  retreated  and  escaped.  The 
troops  pushed  on  to  Chota  and  proceeded  to  reduce  Chilhowee,  eight  miles 
above.  Every  town  between  the  Little  Tennessee  and  the  Hiwassee  was 
reduced  to  ashes.  The  only  white  man  killed  in  this  expedition  was  Capt. 
Elliott,  of  Sullivan  County.  Near  to  Hiwassee,  after  it  was  burned, 
an  Indian  warrior  was  captured,  and  by  him  a message  was  sent  to  the 
Cherokees  proposing  terms  of  peace.  At  Tellico  the  army  was  met  by 
Watts  and  Noonday  who  were  ready  to  make  terms.  After  passing 
Hiwassee  Town  the  army  continued  its  march  southwardly  until  it  came 
near  the  Chickamauga,  or  Look  Out  Towns,  where  they  encamped,  and 
next  day  marching  into  them  found  them  deserted.  They  proceeded 
down  the  Coosa  to  the  long  leafed  or  yellow  pine  and  cypress  swamp, 
where  they  began  an  indiscriminate  destruction  of  towns,  houses,  grain 
and  stock,  the  Indians  fleeing  precipitately  before  them.  Returning  to 
Chota  they  held  a council  with  the  Cherokees  which  lasted  two  days.  A 
peace  was  here  agreed  upon,  after  which  the  army,  crossing  near  the 
mouth  of  Nine  Mile  Creek,  returned  home. 

The  Cherokees,  notwithstanding  their  repeated  failures  and  chastise- 
ments, were  still  unable  to  repress  their  deep  passion  for  war  and  glory 
and  strong  love  of  country,  which  continued  to  further  aggression  and 
hostility.  They  still  prowled  around  the  remote  settlements  committing 
theft  and  murder.  Col.  Sevier,  therefore,  in  March,  1781,  collected  to- 
gether 130  men  and  marched  with  them  against  the  Middle  Settlements 
of  the  Cherokees,  taking  by  surprise  the  town  of  Tuckasejah,  on  the  head 
waters  of  Little  Tennessee.  Fifty  warriors  were  slain,  and  fifty  women  and 
children  taken  prisoners.  About  twenty  towns  and  all  the  grain  and  corn 
that  could  be  found  were  burned.  The  Indians  of  the  Middle  Towns  were 
surprised  and  panic  stricken,  and  consequently  made  but  a feeble  resist- 
ance. During  the  summer  a party  of  Cherokees  invaded  the  settlements 
then  forming  on  Indian  Creek ; and  Gen.  Sevier,  with  a force  of  100  men, 
‘marched  from  Washington  County,  crossed  Nollichucky,  proceeded  to 
near  the  site  of  the  present  town  of  Newport,  on  French  Broad,  crossed 
that  river,  and  also  the  Big  Pigeon,  and  unexpectedly  fell  upon  the  trail 


82 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


of  the  Indians,  surrounded  their  camp,  and  by  a sudden  fire  killed  seven- 
teen of  them,  the  rest  escaping.  This  was  on  Indian  Creek,  now  in  Jeffer- 
son County. 

In  the  spring  of  1782  settlements  were  formed  south  of  the  French 
Broad.  Of  this  intrusion  the  Cherokees  complained,  and- Gov.  Martin 
wrote  to  Col.  Sevier  in  reference  thereto,  asking  him  to  prevent  the  en- 
croachments complained  of,  and  to  warn  the  intruders  off  the  lands  re- 
served to  the  Indians,  and  if  they  did  not  move  off  according  to  warning  he 
was  to  go  forth  with  a body  of  militia  and  pull  down  every  cabin  and 
drive  them  off,  “laying  aside  every  consideration  of  their  entreaties  to 
the  contrary.” 

Notwithstanding  the  efforts  of  a part  of  the  Cherokee  nation  in  the  in- 
terest of  peace,  it  continued  impossible  to  restrain  the  majority  of  the 
warriors.  They  could  plainly  see  that  the  white  man  was  steadily  en- 
croaching upon  their  hunting  grounds  and  reservations,  and  that  there 
was  no  remedy,  at  least  there  was  no  remedy  but  war.  Treaty  lines  were 
but  a feeble  barrier  against  the  expansive  force  of  the  settlements.  Unless 
this  feeble  barrier  could  be  made  as  strong  as  the  famous  Chinese  wall, 
and  as  the  Raven  expressed  it  at  the  treaty  of  Holston,  be  as  “a  wall  to 
the  skies,”  it  would  not  be  out  of  the  power  of  the  people  to  pass  it;  and 
so  long  as  it  was  not  out  of  their  power  to  pass  it  it  served  only  as  a tem- 
porary check  upon  their  advance,  and  as  a means  of  tantalizing  the  red 
proprietors  of  the  soil  into  a false  sense  of  security  of  possession,  of  rais- 
ing his  hopes  of  retaining  the  beautiful  and  beloved  home  of  his  ances- 
tors, only  to  dash  them  cruelly  to  the  ground  in  a few  short  weeks  or 
months  at  most.  Even  the  Indians  most  peacefully  disposed  complained 
that  there  was  no  line  drawn  according  to  promise  in  former  treaties 
which  should  serve  as  a boundary  between  the  two  races.  However,  in 
May,  1783,  the  western  boundary  of  North  Carolina  was  fixed  by  the 
Legislature  of  that  State  as  follows : 

“Beginning  on  the  line  which  divides  this  State  from  Virginia,  at  a 
point  due  north  of  the  mouth  of  Cloud’s  Creek;  running  thence  west  to 
the  Mississippi;  thence  down  the  Mississippi  to  the  thirty-fifth  degree  of 
north  latitude ; thence  due  east  until  it  strikes  the  Appalachian  Moun- 
tains; thence  with  the  Appalachian  Mountains  to  the  ridge  that  divides 
the  waters  of  the  French  Broad  River  and  the  waters  of  the  Nollichucky 
River ; and  with  that  ridge  until  it  strikes  the  line  described  in  the  act  of 
1778,  commonly  called  Brown’s  Line;  and  with  that  line  and  those  sev- 
eral water-courses  to  the  beginning.” 

There  was  reserved,  however,  a tract  for  the  Cherokee  hunting 
grounds  as  follows: 


1 HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


83 


“Beginning  at  the  Tennessee  River  where  the  southern  boundary  of 
North  Carolina  intersects  the  same,  nearest  the  Cliickamauga  Towns; 
thence  up  the  middle  of  the  Tennessee  and  Holston  Rivers  to  the  middle 
of  French  Broad  River,  which  lines  are  not  to  include  any  islands  in  said 
river,  to  the  mouth  of  Big  Pigeon  River;  thence  up  the  same  to  the  head 
thereof;  thence  along  the  dividing  ridge  between  the  waters  of  Pigeon 
River  and  Tuskejali  River  to  the  southern  boundary  of  this  State.1' 

About  this  time  occurred  the  unfortunate  killing  of  Untoola,  or  Gun 
Rod  of  Citico,  a Cherokee  chief,  known  to  the  whites  as  Butler.  It  was 
when  attempts  were  being  made  to  revive  peaceful  relations  between  the 
white  and  Indian  populations.  The  aged  and  wise  among  the  Cherokees 
could  clearly  see  the  futility  of  continuing  hostilities  with  the  whites, 
and  their  councils  had  at  length  prevailed  over  the  inconsiderateness  and 
rashness  of  the  young  men  and  warriors.  But  Butler  Avas  one  of  the 
chiefs  who  Avas  opposed  to  peace,  and  Avhen  he  heard  of  the  presence  of 
Col.  James  Hubbard  and  a fellow  soldier,  who  were  in  the  Cherokee 
country  for  the  purpose  of  trafficking  for  corn  and  other  necessities,  he, 
in  company  with  a brave  who  still  adhered  to  his  fortunes,  went  forth  to 
meet  Col.  Hubbard,  against  whom,  according  to  Indian  ideas  of  honor, 
he  had  special  reasons  for  enmity,  and  attempted  to  put  him  out  of  the 
way.  After  meeting  Hubbard,  and  maneuvering  for  some  time  to  gain 
the  advantage  of  position,  Butler  suddenly,  and  as  quick  as  lightning, 
raised  his  gun  and  fired  upon  Col.  Hubbard,  the  ball  passing  between 
his  head  and  ear,  grazing  the  skin  and  slightly  stunning  him ; Butler  and 
his  attendant  brave  suddenly  turned  their  horses’  heads  and  galloped  rap- 
idly away.  Recovering  himself  Col.  Hubbard  seized  his  rifle,  Avhich  he 
had  leaned  against  a tree  for  the  purpose  of  convincing  Butler  of  his 
peaceful  intentions,  fired  upon  him  Avhen  at  a distance  of  about  eighty 
yards,  hitting  him  in  the  back  and  bringing  him  to  the  ground.  Ap- 
proaching the  wounded  Indian  hard  words  passed  between  the  two,  and 
at  length  Col.  Hubbard,  unable  to  longer  bear  the  taunts  and  insults  of 
Butler,  clubbed  his  gun  and  killed  him  at  a single  bloAv.  The  companion 
of  Butler,  inadvertently  permitted  to  escape,  carried  the  news  of  Butler's 
death  and  the  manner  of  it  to  the  Cherokee  nation,  and  they  in  retalia- 
tion committed  many  acts  of  revenge  and  cruelty,  notwithstanding  Gov. 
Martin  made  every  reasonable  effort  to  preserve  the  peace.  The  Gover- 
nor Avas  informed  that  Col.  Hubbard  had  killed  Untoola,  or  Butler,  with- 
out  any  provocation,  and  sent  a conciliatory  “ talk  ” to  the  Cherokees. 
He  also  sent  a letter  to  Gen.  Sevier  informing'  him  that  he  had  given 
directions  for  the  apprehension  of  Hubbard  and  his  retention  in  jail  until 
such  time  as  a trial  should  be  obtainable. 


84 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Besides  the  killing  of  Butler  the  Cherokees  had  other  causes  for  dis- 
satisfaction. The  limits  set  by  the  Franklin  treaties  had  not  been,  be- 
cause they  could  not  be,  observed  by  the  settlers.  The  consequences  of 
these  continual  encroachments  Avas  that  it  was  thought  necessary  by  Con- 
gress that  a treaty  should  be  held  under  the  authority  of  the  United 
States.  In  order  to  hold  and  establish  such  a treaty  Benjamin  Hawkins, 
Andrew  Pickens,  Joseph  Martin  and  Lachlin  McIntosh  Avere  appointed 
government  commissioners.  By  these  commissioners  the  chiefs  of  the 
respective  toAvns  Avere  invited  to  a conference  at  Hopewell  on  the  Keowee 
in  South  Carolina.  This  treaty  of  Hopewell  was  concluded  November 
28,  1785.  By  it  the  boundary  which  had  been  the  chief  cause  of  com- 
plaint by  the  Indians  Avas  made  to  conform  very  nearly  to  the  lines  of  the 
deed  to  Henderson  & Co.  and  the  treaty  of  Holston  in  1777.  The  fourth 
article  of  this  treaty  fixing  the  boundary  was  as  follows: 

Article  4.  The  boundary  allotted  to  the  Cherokees  for  their  hunting  grounds  be- 
tween the  said  Indians  and  the  citizens  of  the  United  States  within  the  limits  of  the  Unit- 
ed States  of  America  is,  and  shall  be  the  following,  viz. : Beginning  at  the  mouth  of  Duck 
River  on  the  Tennessee;  thence  running  northeast  to  the  ridge  dividing  the  waters  running 
into  Cumberland  from  those  running  into  the  Tennessee;  thence  eastwardly  along  the  said 
ridge  to  a northeast  line  to  be  run  which  shall  strike  the  river  Cumberland  forty  miles 
above  Nashville;  thence  along  the  said  line  to  the  river;  thence  up  the  said  river  to 
the  ford  where  the  Kentucky  road  crosses  the  river;  thence  to  Campbell’s  line  near  the 
Cumberland  Gap;  thence  to  the  mouth  of  Cloud’s  Creek  on  Holston  (River);  thence  to  the 
Chimney-top  Mountain;  thence  to  Camp  Creek  near  the  mouth  of  Big  Limestone  on  Nol- 
lichucky;  thence  a southerly  course  six  miles  to  a mountain;  thence  south  to  the  North 
Carolina  line;  thence  to  the  South  Carolina  Indian  boundary  and  along  the  same  south- 
west over  the  top  of  the  Oconee  Mountain  till  it  shall  strike  Tugalo  River;  thence  a direct 
line  to  the  top  of  the  Currahee  Mountain;  thence  to  the  head  of  the  south  fork  of  Oconee 
River. 

It  was  also  provided  in  the  articles  of  treaty  tbat  if  any  citizen  of  the 
United  States  should  settle  within  the  above  described  Indian  domain, 
and  would  not  remove  Avithin  six  months  after  the  conclusion  of  the 
treaty,  he  should  forfeit  all  rights  of  protection  from  the  Government ; 
and  it  Avas  further  provided  that  all  Indians  committing  murders  or  other 
crimes  should  be  surrendered  to  the  authorities  of  the  Government  for 
trial,  and  all  white  persons  committing  crimes  against  the  Indians  should 
be  punished  as  if  such  crimes  had  been  committed  against' white  citizens ; 
that  the  United  States  had  the  sole  right  of  regulating  trade  with  the  In- 
dians;  that  the  Indians  should  have  the  right  to  send  a deputy  to  Con- 
gress; that  the  punishment  of  the  innocent  under  the  idea  of  relaliation 
was  unjust  and  should  not  be  practiced  by  either  party,  and  that  the 
hatchet  should  be  forever  buried  and  friendship  be  universal.  The  wit- 
nesses avIio  signed  the  articles  were  William  Blount,  Maj.  Samuel  Tay- 
lor, John  Owen,  Jesse  Walton,  Capt.  John  Cowan,  Thomas  Gregg,  W. 


HISTOEY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


85  ‘ 

Hazzard,  James  Madison  (intrepreter),  and  Arthur  Coody  (interpre- 
ter). The  Indians  were  represented  by  the  following  chiefs,  who  made 
their  marks  to  the  articles:  Koatohee,  or  Corn  Tassel,  of  Toquo;  Scho- 
lanetta,  or  Hanging  Man  of  Chota;  Tuskegatahue,  or  Long  Fellow,  of 
Chistoliee;  Ooskwha,  or  Abraham,  of  Chilhowee;  Kolacusta,  or  Prince,  of 
North;  Newota,  or  the  Gritz,  of  Cliickamanga;  Konatota,  or  the  Rising 
Fawn,  of  Hiwassee;  Tuckasee,  or  Young  Terrapin,  of  Ellejoy;  Toosta- 
ka,  or  the  Waker,  of  Oostanawa;  Untoola,  or  Gun  Rod,  of  Citico;  Unsuo- 
kanil,  or  Buffalo  White  Calf,  “New  Cussee;”  Kostayeck,  or  Sharp  Fel- 
low, Watauga;  Clionosta,  or  Cowe;  Cheskoonhoo,  or  Bird  in  Close,  of 
Tomotlee;  Tuckassee,  or  Terrapin,  of  Hightower;  Chesetoah,  or  the 
Rabbit,  of  Flacoa;  Chesecotetona,  or  Yellow  Bird,  of  the  Pine  Log; 
Sketaloska,  or  Second  Man,  of  Tellico;  Chokasatabe,  or  Chickasaw  Kil- 
ler, Tosonta;  Onanoota,  of  Koosoati;  Ookoseeta,  or  Sour  Mush,  of  Kool- 
oque ; Umatooetha,  of  Lookout  Mountain ; Tulco,  or  Tom,  of  Chatauga ; 
Will,  of  Akoha;  Necatee,  of  Sawta;  Amokontakona,  or  Kutcloa;  Kowetata- 
bee,  of  Frog  Town;  Keukucli,  of  Talkoa;  Tulatiska,  of  Choway;  Wooa- 
looka,  the  Way  layer,  of  Chota;  Tatlausta,  or  Porpoise,  of  Talassee;  John, 
of  Little  Tellico ; Skeleelack ; Akonalucta,  the  Cabin;  Cheanoka,  of  Kawe- 
takac,  and  Yellow  Bird. 

This  treaty  was  signed  with  great  unanimity  by  the  chiefs  of  the 
Cherokees,  as  well  it  might  be  considering  what  they  gained.  A 
glance  at  the  map  of  the  State  will*  show  that  the  United  States  com- 
missioners set  aside  the  treaty  made  by  North  Carolina  in  that  State 
(if  that  can  be  called  a treaty  in  which  the  Indians  had  no  voice)  so 
far  as  to  recede  to  the  Cherokees  nearly  all  of  the  territory  in  this  State 
between  the  Cumberland  and  Tennessee  Rivers  except  that  north  of  the 
mouth  of  Duck  River.  The  surrender  of  this  territory  was  made  to  con- 
ciliate the  Cherokees,  but  it  failed  of  permanent  influence  for  peace,  and 
gave  great  dissatisfaction  to  the  border  settlers,  whose  boundaries  were 
thereby  very  much  contracted.  William  Blount,  then  in  Congress  from 
North  Carolina,  gave  it  all  the  opposition  in  his  power,  arguing  that  Con- 
gress had  no  authority  to  make  a treaty  which  was  repugnant  to  the  laws 
of  North  Carolina  concerning  lands  within  her  limits. 

This  view,  however,  seems  not  to  have  obtained  in  Congress,  for  with- 
in three  months  from  the  time  of  the  conclusion  of  this  treaty  with  the 
Cherokees,  a treaty  was  concluded  January  10,  1786,  between  the  same 
commissioners,  with  the  exception  of  Mr.  McIntosh,  and  the  Chickasaw 
nation,  by  which  their  boundaries  were  for  the  first  time  definitely  fixed. 
The  following  were  the  boundaries  established  between  the  Chickasaws 
and  the  United  States: 


HISTOHY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


86 


Beginning  on  the  ridge  that  divides  the  waters  running  into  the  Cumberland  front 
those  running  into  the  Tennessee,  at  a point  on  a line  to  be  run  northeast,  which  shall 
strike  the  Tennessee  at  the  mouth  of  Duck  River;  thence  running  westerly  along  the  said 
ridge  till  it  shall  strike  the  Ohio;  thence  down  the  southern  banks  thereof  to  the  Missis- 
sippi; thence  down  the  same  to  the  Choctaw  line  of  Natchez  district;  thence  along  the  said 
line  to  the  line  of  the  district  eastwardly  as  far  as  the  Chickasaws  claimed  and  lived  and 
hunted  on  November  29,  1782;  thence  the  said  boundary  eastwardly  shall  be  the  lands  al- 
lotted to  the  Choctaws  and  Cherokees  to  live  and  hunt  on  and  the  lands  at  present  in  the 
possession  of  the  Creeks,  saving  and  reserving  for  the  establishment  of  a trading  post  a tract 
or  parcel  of  land  to  be  laid  out  at  the  lower  post  of  the  Muscle  Shoals  at  the  mouth  of  Oco- 
chappo,  in  a circle,  the  diameter  of  which  shall  be  five  miles  on  the  said  river,  which  post 
and  the  lauds  annexed  thereto,  shall  be  to  the  use  and  under  the  Government  of  the  Unit- 
ed States  of  America. 

The  usual  provisions  concerning  prisoners,  criminals,  stolen  horses, 
Indian  trade,  etc.,  were  established.  This  treaty  was  signed  by  Benja- 
min Hawkins,  Andrew  Pickens  and  Joseph  Martin,  commissioners  on 
the  part  of  the  United  States,  and  by  Piomingo,  head  warrior  and  first 
minister  of  the  Chickasaw  nation;  Mingatushka,  one  of  the  leading 
chiefs,  and  Latopoya,  first  beloved  man  of  the  nation.  Not  long  after 
the  conclusion  of  the  treaty  of  Hopewell  with  the  Cherokees,  an  attack 
was  made  by  some  Indians  belonging  to  this  nation  on  some  settlers  on 
the  Holston.  Mr.  Biram’s  house  was  attacked  and  two  men  killed.  A 
few  of  the  settlers  hastily  erected  temporary  defenses,  while  the  others 
fell  back  upon  the  settlements  above.  To  again  check  these  atrocities, 
Gen.  Sevier  adopted  the  policy  so  frequently  pursued  by  him  with 
salutary  effect,  viz. ; that  of  suddenly  penetrating  with  a strong  force  in- 
to the  heart  of  the  Cherokee  country.  This  invasion  of  Gen.  Sevier 
resulted  in  the  killing  of  fifteen  warriors  and  of  the  burning  of  the  val- 
ley  towns,  and  although  the  pursuit  from  motives  of  military  expediency 
was  abandoned,  yet  it  had  the  effect  of  preventing  aggressions  for  some 
considerable  time.  Yet  further  measures  of  conciliation  were  not  con- 
sidered unwise  by  either  North  Carolina  or  the  State  of  Franklin  which 
had  been  in  operation  about  two  years.  The  former  State  sent  Col. 
Joseph  Martin  into  the  Cherokee  nation  on  a tour  of  observation.  Col. 
Martin  on  his  return  wrote  Gov.  Caswell,  May  11,  1786,  to  the  effect 
that  affairs  were  not  yet  by  any  means  in  a settled  condition,  that  two  or 
three  parties  of  Cherokees  had  been  out  on  an  expedition  to  secure  satis- 
faction for  the  murder,  by  a Mr.  McClure  and  some  others,  of  four  of  their 
young  men;  that  these  parties  had  returned  with  fifteen  scalps  and  were 
satisfied  to  remain  at  peace  if  the  whites  were,  but  if  they  wanted  war 
they  could  have  all  of  that  they  might  want ; that  there  were  great  prepar- 
ations making  among  the  Creeks,  instigated  as  he  believed  by  the 
French  and  Spaniards  for  an  expedition  against  the  settlers  on  the  Cum- 
berland. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


8-7/ 

Gov.  Sevier,  in  order  if  possible  to  maintain  peace  between  his  State 
and  the  Indians,  appointed  commissioners  to  negotiate  another  treaty 
with  the  Cherokees,  the  commissioners  being  William  Cocke,  Alexander 
Outtaw,  Samuel  Wear,  Henry  Conway  and  Thomas  Ingle.  Negotiations  ., 
were  begun  at  Chota  Ford  July  31,  1786,  and  concluded  at  Coyatee 
August  3.  The  chiefs  who  conducted  the  negotiations  were  Old  Tassel 
and  Hanging  Maw.  The  proposition  made  to  the  Indians  was  that  if  the 
Cherokees  would  give  up  the  murderers  among  them,  return  the  stolen 
horses,  and  permit  the  whites  to  settle  on  the  north  side  of  the  Tennessee^ 
and  Holston,  as  they  intended  to  do  at  any  rate,  the  whites  would  live  at 
peace  with  them  and  be  friends  and  brothers.  The  land  claimed  in  this 
treaty  was  the  island  in  the  Tennessee  at  the  mouth  of  the  Holston,  and 
from  the  head  of  the  island  to  the  dividing  ridge  between  Holston,  Little 
'River  and  Tennessee  to  the  Blue  Ridge  and  the  lands  sold  to  them  by 
North  Carolina  on  the  north  side  of  the  Tennessee.  These  terms  were 
agreed  to  and  the  treaty  signed  by  the  two  chiefs  named  above. 

During  the  existence  of  the  State  of  Franklin  the  Cherokees  were 
comparatively  quiet,  having  a wholesome  dread  of  the  courage  and  ability 
of  Gov.  Sevier ; but  with  the  fall  of  the  Franklin  government  they  began 
again  to  manifest  a desire  to  renew  hostilities,  and  an  Indian  invasion 
was  regarded  as  imminent.  Messengers  were  therefore  sent  to  Gen. 
Sevier,  who  was  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  Territory,  who,  after  his  fail- 
ure at  the  siege  at  Tipton’s  house,  was  immediately  himself  again,  and  at  the 
head  of  a body  of  mounted  men  upon  the  frontier  ready,  as  of  old  to  guard 
and  protect  its  most  defenseless  points.  On  July  8,  1788,  Gen.  Sevier  and 
James  Hubbert,  one  of  his  old  Franklin,  officers,  issued  an  address  to  the 
inhabitants  in  general  recommending  that  every  station  be  on  its  guard, 
and  also  that  every  good  man  that  could  be  spared  report  to  Maj.  Hous- 
ton’s station  to  repel  the  enemy  if  possible. 

Just  before  Gen.  Sevier  started  out  on  this  expedition  a most  atro- 
cious massacre  occurred  of  the  family  of  a Mr.  Kirk,  who  lived  about 
twelve  miles  from  Knoxville,  on  the  southwest  side  of  Little  River. 
During  the  absence  of  Mr.  Kirk  from  home,  an  Indian  named  Slim  Tom, 
who  was  well  known  to  the  family,  approached  the  house  and  asked  for 
something  to  eat.  After  being  supplied  he  withdrew,  but  soon  returned 
with  a party  of  Indians,  who  fell  upon  and  massacred  the  entire  family, 
leaving  them  dead  in  the  yard.  Not  long  afterward  Mr.  Kirk  returned, 
and,  seeing  the  horrible  condition  of  his  dead  family,  immediately  gave 
the  alarm  to  the  neighborhood.  The  militia,  under  command  of  Sevier, 
assembled  to  the  number  of  several  hundred,  and  severely  punished  the 
Indians  in  several  portions  of  the  Territory,  though  they  generally  tied 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


88 

before  the  troops  to  the  mountains.  A friendly  Indian  by  the  name  of 
Abraham  lived  with  his  son  on  the  south  side  of  the  Tennessee.  . When 
the  troops  came  to  the  south  side  of  the  river  opposite  Abraham’s  house, 
they  sent  for  him  and  his  son  to  cross  over  to  them,  and  afterward  Abra- 
ham was  sent  to  bring  in  the  Tassel  and  another  Indian,  that  a 'talk 
might  be  held  with  them,  a Hag  of  truce  being  also  displayed  to  assure 
the  Indians  of  their  peaceful  intentions.  The  Indians,  when  they  had 
crossed  the  river  under  these  conditions  and  assurances,  were  put  into  a 
house.  Gen.  Sevier  being  absent  on  business  connected  with  his  com- 
mand, young  Kirk,  a son  of  the  man  whose  family  had  just  before  been 
massacred,  was  permitted  to  enter  the  house  with  tomahawk  in  hand,  ac- 
companied by  Hubbard.  There  Kirk  struck  his  tomahawk  into  the  head 
of  one  of  the  Indians,  who  fell  dead  at  his  feet,  the  troops  looking  in 
through  the  window  upon  the  deed.  The  other  Indians,  five  or  six  in 
number,  immediately  understood  the  fate  in  store  for  them,  and  bowing 
their  heads  and  casting  their  eyes  to  the  ground,  each  in  turn  received 
the  tomahawk  as  had  the  first,  and  all  fell  dead  at  the  feet  of  young 
Kirk,  the  avenger.  Thus  was  committed  an  act  as  base  and  treacherous 
as  any  ever  committed  by  the  red  man.  Gen.  Sevier  returning,  learned 
of  the  commission  of  this  crime,  saw  at  a glance  what  must  be  the  inevita- 
ble effects  of  the  rash  act,  and  remonstrated  with  young  Kirk  for  the 
cruel  part  he  had  played,  but  was  answered  by  him  that  if  he  (Sevier) 
had  suffered  at  the  hands  of  the  murderous  Indians  as  he  had  done,  he 
would  have  acted  in  the  same  way.  Kirk  was  sustained  by  a number  of 
the  troops,  and  Sevier  was  obliged  to  overlook  the  flagitious  deed. 

The  massacre  of  Kirk’s  family  was  followed  by  that  of  many  others. 
A man  named  English  was  killed  near  Bean’s  Station,  and  also  James 
Kirkpatrick.  Some  were  killed  near  Bull  Bun,  others  north  of  Knox- 
ville, and  many  others  on  the  roads  to  Kentucky  and  West  Tennessee. 
Capt.  John  Fayne,  with  some  enlisted  men,  and  Capt.  Stewart,  who  had 
been  sent  to  Houston’s  Station,  were  sent  out  to  reconnoiter  the  adjacent 
country.  They  orossed  the  Tennessee  and  entered  an  apple  orchard  to 
gather  some  fruit.  Some  Indians  lying  in  wait  suffered  them  to  march 
into  the  orchard  without  molestation,  and  then  while  they  were  gathering 
the  fruit  fell  upon  them  and  drove  them  into  the  river,  killing  sixteen, 
wounding  four  and  taking  one  prisoner.  This  massacre  occurred  near  a 
town  named  Citico.  The  killed  were  afterward  found  by  Capt.  Evans, 
horribly  mutilated,  and  by  him  buried.  The  war  was  continued  for  sev- 
eral weeks  with  success  to  the  south  of  the  Tennessee,  and  finall}r  the 
troops  returned  home. 

The  events  above  narrated  mainly  occurred  in  the  eastern  part  of  this 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


80 


State.  An  attempt  will  now  be  made  to  relate  as  succinctly  as  may  be, 
and  yet  with  a sufficiency  of  detail,  similar  events  that  had  been  for  some 
years  simultaneously  occurring  upon  the  Cumberland.  The  proximity 
of  the  Chickasaws  to  the  settlements  on  the  Cumberland  had  been  cause 
for  serious  apprehension ; yet,  notwithstanding  this,  the  first  attack  upon 
them  was  made  by  the  Creeks  and  Cherokees.  This  was  in  the  year 
1780,  and  was  made,  not  by  a large  force  of  Indians  in  battle  ai’ray,  but 
by  small  parties  upon  individuals  or  small  parties  of  white  men.  In 
April  of  that  year  the  Indians  killed  an  elder  and  younger  Milliken,  Jo- 
seph Bernard,  Jonathan  Jennings,  Ned  Carver  and  William  Neely,  all 
in  the  vicinity  of  Nashville;  at  Eaton’s  Station,-  James  Mayfield;  at 
Mansker’s  Lick,  Jesse  Ballentine,  John  Shockley,  David  Goin  and  Risby 
Kennedy;  at  Bledsoe’s  Lick,  William  Johnson;  at  Freeland’s  Station,  D. 
Larimer,  and  near  Nashville,  Isaac  Lefevre,  Solomon  Phillips,  Samuel 
Murray  and  Bartlett  Renfroe.  About  this  time  occurred  the  massacre 
at  Battle  Creek,  in  Robertson  County,  recited  in  detail  in  the  history  of 
that  county.  The  Indians  engaged  in  this  massacre  were  Chickasaws,  and 
the  reason  given  by  them  for  its  commission  was  that  Gen:  George 
Rogers  Clarke  had  that  year  built  Fort  Jefferson,  eighteen  miles  below 
the  mouth  of  the  Ohio,  on  the  east  side  of  the  Mississippi.  All  the  ter- 
ritory west  of  the  Tennessee  River  they  claimed,  and  they  were  especially 
offended  at  Gen.  Clarke’s  intrusion,  upon  which  they  became  the  allies  of 
the  English.  Isolated  cases  of  murder  were  numerous  for  years  in  these 
settlements,  the  names  of  the  killed  being  generally  reserved  for  insertion 
in  the  histories  of  the  counties  in  which  the  murders  occurred,  in  order 
to  avoid  unnecessary  repetition.  In  April,  1781,  a determined  attack 
was  made  by  a numerous  body  of  Cherokees  on  the  fort  at  the  Bluff,  and 
nineteen  horsemen,  who  sallied  forth  to  drive  them  off,  were  defeated 
with  a loss  of  seven  killed,  four  wounded  and  some  of  their  horses  stolen. 
At  this  battle  occurred  the  famous  onset  of  the  dogs  upon  the  Indians, 
an  anomaly  in  warfare,  and  which  enabled  nearly  all  of  those  not  killed 
to  regain  the  fort  in  safety.  Mrs.  Robertson,  who  directed  the  guard  to 
let  slip  the  dogs,  pertinently  remarked  that  the  Indians’  fear  of  dogs  and 
love  of  horses  proved  the  salvation  of  the  whites  on  this  occasion.  In 
1782  John  Tucker,  Joseph  Hendricks  and  David  Hood  were  fired  upon 
at  the  French  Lick.  The  first  two,  though  wounded,  escaped  through 
the  assistance  of  their  friends.  David  Hood  was  shot  down,  scalped, 
stamped  upon  and  left  by  the  Indians  for  dead,  in  their  chase  after 
Tucker  and  Hendricks.  Hood,  supposing  the  Indians  had  gone,  slowly 
picked  himself  up  and  began  to  walk  toward  the  fort,  but  to  his  disap- 
pointment and  dismay  he  saw  the  same  Indians  just  before  him  making 


90 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


•sport  of  his  misfortunes  and  mistake.  They  then  made  a second  attack 
upon  him,  inflicting  other  apparently  mortal  wounds,  and  again  left  him 
for  dead.  ‘ He  fell  in  a brush  heap  in  the  snow,  where  he  lay  all  night. 
The  next  morning  being  found  by  his  blood  he  was  taken  home  and 
placed  in  an  outhouse  for  dead,  but  to  the  surprise  of  all  he  revived  and 
lived  for  many  years. 

The  continuance,  frequency  and  savageness  of  these  depredations  led 
many  of  the  people  on  the  Cumberland  to  seriously  consider  the  propri- 
ety of  breaking  up  the  settlements  and  going  away  to  Kentucky,  or  to 
some  place  where  it  was  hoped  they  might  live  in  peace.  Gen.  Robert- 
son earnestly  opposed  the  plan,  as  it  was  impossible  to  get  to  Kentucky, 
and  equally  so  to  reach  the  settlements  on  the  Holston.  The  only  plan 
which  contained  an  element  of  practicability  was  to  go  down  the  river  to 
Illinois,  and  even  to  the  execution  of  this  plan  there  seemed  insuperable 
obstacles,  the  principal  one  being  to  build  the  boats.  This  could  not  be 
done  without  timber;  the  timber  was  standing  in  the  woods,  and  the 
woods  were  full  of  Indians. 

In  1783,  after  further  ravages  by  the  Chickasaws,  Gen.  Robertson  ob- 
tained a cession  from  them  by  which  they  relinquished  to  North  Carolina 
a region  of  country  extending  nearly  forty  miles  south  of  the  Cumber- 
land to  the  ridge  dividing  the  tributaries  of  that  stream  from  those  of 
the  Duck  and  Elk  Rivers.  This  cession,  however,  did  not  cause  inva- 
sions and  murders  to  cease.  Instigated  by  the  Spaniards  at  a conference 
held  at  W alnut  Hills,  they  returned  to  the  settlements  evidently  with  the 
renewed  determination  to  kill  as  many  of  the  settlers  as  possible.  In 
order  to  neutralize  the  influence  of  the  Spaniards  Gen.  Robertson  opened  a 
correspondence  with  one  of  the  Spanish  agents,  a Mr.  Portell,  in  which  a 
mutual  desire  to  live  at  peace  was  expressed ; but  the  letters  which  passed 
between  Gen.  Robertson  and  Mr.  Ported  had  apparently  but  little  if  any 
effect  upon  the  minds  of  the  Indians,  whose  depredations  were  continued 
through  the  year  1785.  In  1786  was  made  the  treaty  of  Hopewell  with 
the  Chickasaws,  as  mentioned  and  inserted  above,  by  which  immigration 
to  the  Cumberland  was  greatly  encouraged  and  increased. 

In  1787  Indian  atrocities  continued  as  numerous  as  before,  and  it 
became  necessary  for  Gen.  Robertson  to  imitate  the  tactics  of  Gen. 
Sevier,  viz. : To  carry  offensive  operations  into  the  heart  of  the  enemy’s 
country.  For  this  purpose  a force  of  130  men  volunteered,  of  whom  Gen. 
Robertson  took  command,  assisted  by  Col.  Robert  Hays  and  Col.  James 
Ford.  At  the  head  of  this  force  he  marched  against  the  Indian  village 
of  Coldwater,  with  two  Chickasaw  Indians  as  guides.  Arriving  within 
fen  miles  of  the  Muscle  Shoals  he  sent  forward  some  of  his  most  active 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


91 


soldiers  witli  one  of  the  Chickasaw  guides  to  reconnoiter.  At  12 
next  day  they  struck  the  river  at  the  lower  end  of  the  Muscle  Shoals,  and 
concealed  themselves  until  night.  After  a futile  attempt  to  capture  some 
Indians  it  was  determined  to  cross  the  Tennessee  River  that  night.  The 
soldiers  who  had  been  sent  forward  with  the  guide  swam  the  river  and 
went  up  on  the  opposite  bank  to  the  cabins  of  an  Indian  village,  which; 
they  found  empty,  and  securing  a canoe  returned  to  the  main  body  on 
the  north  side  of  the  river.  On  account  of  the  leaky  condition  of  the. 
canoe  it  was  impossible  to  get  across  the  river  before  daylight  next  morn  - 
ing.  A heavy  rain  coming  on  forced  the  men  into  the  cabins  until  it 
was  over,  and  when  the  clouds  cleared  away  they  followed  a well  beaten 
path  leading  toward  the  west.  At  the  distance  of  about  six  miles  they 
came  to  Coldwater  Creek,  upon  the  opposite  side  of  which  was  a number 
of  cabins  built  upon  low  ground.  The  people  of  this  village  were  sur- 
prised by  this  sudden  invasion  and  fled  precipitately  to  their  boats  pur- 
sued by  such  of  the  men  as  had  crossed  the  creek.  This  town  was 
occupied  by  the  Creeks,  some  French  traders  and  a white  woman.  In 
the  attack  upon  the  Indians  twenty-six  of  the  Creek  warriors  were  killed, 
as  were  also  the  three  Frenchmen  and  the  white  woman.  A lar^e 

O 

quantity  of  stores  was  secured  in  the  town,  and  afterward  the  town  itself 
was  burned  down  and  the  domestic  animals  destroyed.  Each  of  the 
Chickasaw  Indian  guides  was  presented  with  a horse,  a gun  and  as  many 
blankets  and  clothes  as  his  horse  could  carry,  and  sent  home.  After  dis- 
posing of  the  prisoners  and  goods,  most  of  the  latter  being  taken  to 
Eaton's  Station,  sold,  and  the  proceeds  distributed  among  the  soldiers, 
the  soldiers  were  disbanded  on  the  nineteenth  day  after  setting  out  on 
the  expedition.  This  invasion  of  the  Creek  country  was  of  great  benefit 
to  the  Cumberland  settlement,  as  it  gave  them  peace  and  quiet  for  a con- 
siderable time,  and  discovered  to  them  the  sources  whence  the  Indians 
were  obtaining  their  supplies.  But  it  was  not  entirely  without  disastrous, 
or  at  least  threateningly  disastrous,  consequences.  David  Hay,  of  Nash- 
ville, attempted  to  carry  on  simultaneously,  a campaign  by  water  against 
the  same  Indians,  with  the  view  of  assisting  Gen.  Robertson’s  men,  both 
in  their  warfare  and  in  respect  to  supplying  them  with  provisions  in  case 
they  should  be  detained  longer  away  from  home  than  was  anticipated, 
but  unfortunately  his  company  was  led  into  an  ambush,  was  attacked  by 
the  Indians  and  was  obliged  to  return.  Gen.  Robertson’s  campaign  came 
very  near  involving  him  in  difficulties  with  the  French,  who  were  carrying 
on  trade  with  the  Indians  from  the  Wabash  up  the  Tennessee. 

The  cessation  of  hostilities  procured  by  Gen.  Robertson’s  Coldwater 
campaign  was  of  but  temporary  duration.  Capt.  John  Rains,  a vigilant 


92 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


and  intrepid  Indian  fighter,  made  three  successful  campaigns  against  the 
Indians,  and  similar  expeditions  were  made  by  others  in  every  direction 
throughout  the  country.  In  1788  the  hostilities  which  still  continued  were 
committed  by  the  Creek  warriors,  still  under  the  malign  influence  of  the 
Spaniards.  As  no  settlements  had  been  made  on  territory  claimed  by  that 
nation,  and  as  no  acts  of  offensive  war  had  been  committed  against  Span- 
ish colonies,  it  was  determined  to  inquire  into  the  reason  for  their  insti- 
gation of  these  incursions  upon  the  settlers.  Gen.  Robertson  and  Col. 
Anthony  Bledsoe,  therefore,  addressed  a joint  letter  to  the  celebrated 
agent  of  the  Creeks,  McGilvery.  To  this  communication  the  agent  re- 
plied that  the  Creeks,  in  common  with  other  southern  Indians  had  adhered 
to  the  British  interests  during  the  late  war,  that  after  peace  was  declared 
he  had  accepted  proposals  for  friendship  by  the  settlers,  and  that  while 
these  negotiations  were  pending,  six  of  his  nation  were  killed  at  Coldwater 
and  their  death  had  given  rise  to  a violent  clamor  for  revenge,  and  that 
the  late  expeditions  by  the  Creeks  had  been  undertaken  for  that  purpose. 
But  now  as  the  affair  at  Coldwater  had  been  amply  retaliated  he  would 
use  his  best  endeavors  for  peace.  Immediately  afterward,  however,  hos- 
tilities were  renewed  and  Col.  Anthony  Bledsoe  killed  at  the  fort  of  his 
brother  Isaac  at  Bledsoe’s  Lick.  At  this  time  North  Carolina  was  unable 
to  assist  her  western  settlements  even  had  she  been  so  disposed,  and  in 
their  extremity  it  became  absolutely  necessary  for  Gen.  Robertson  to 
forget  the  murder  of  his  friend  Anthony  Bledsoe,  and  to  bring  into  play 
all  the  arts  of  diplomacy  of  which  he  was  possessed  in  order  to  soothe  the 
savage  breast  and  to  beget  in  him  a peaceful,  or  at  least  a less  warlike 
disposition.  Dissembling  the  resentment  which  the  cruel  murder  of  his 
friend  must  have  caused  him  to  feel,  he  wrote  to  McGilvery  acknowl- 
edging the  satisfaction  caused  by  the  receipt  of  his  letter,  seemed  to  exten- 
uate the  recent  aggressions  of  the  Creeks  upon  the  settlers,  and  stated 
that  he  had  caused  a deed  for  a lot  in  Nashville  to  be  recorded  in  his 
name.  To  another  letter  from  the  Creek  chief  he  replied  that  the  Cum- 
berland settlers  were  not  the  people  who  had  made  encroachments  upon 
Creel,  territory,  and  stated  that  the  people  of  the  Cumberland  only 
claimed  the  land  which  the  Cherokees  had  sold  to  Col.  Hudson  in  1775,  etc. 

The  right  to  the  lands  of  the  Lower  Cumberland  was  claimed  by  the 
Chickasaws  rather  than  by  the  Cherokees  at  the  time  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary war.  Prior  to  that  time  the  former  tribe  lived  north  of  the 
Tennessee  and  about  fifty  miles  lower  down  that  stream  than  the  Lower 
(Cherokee)  Towns.  They  ceded  the  Cumberland  lands  in  1782  or  1783  at 
the  treaty  held  by  Donelson  and  Martin. 

In  1786  commissioners  were  appointed  by  Congress  to  treat  with  the 


EAST  TENNESSEE  ASYLUM  FOR  THE  INSANE. 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


93 


Cherokees  and  other  southern  tribes.  These  commissioners  say  in  their 
report  to  Richard  Henry  Lee,  president  of  Congress,  “ that  there  are 
some  few  people  settled  on  the  Indian  lands  whom  we  are  to  remove,  and 
those  in  the  fork  of  French  Broad  and  Holston  being  numerous,  the 
Indians  agree  to  refer  their  particular  situation  to  Congress  and  abide  by 
their  decision.”  Although  these  persons  had  settled  contrary  to  treaty 
stipulations  entered  into  by  Virginia  and  North  Carolina  in  1777,  yet 
they  were  too  numerous  to  order  off,  hence  the  necessity  of  obtaining  the 
consent  of  the  Cherokees  to  refer  the  matter  to  Congress.  The  same  re- 
port furnishes  an  estimate  of  the  number  of  warriors  of  the  nations  of 
Indians  living  south  of  the  Tennessee  and  in  reach  of  the  advanced  set- 
tlements which  was  as  follows:  Cherokees,  2,000;  Creeks,  5,400;  Chicka- 
saws,  800 ; Choctaws,  6,000 — total  number,  14,200,  besides  remnants  of  the 
Shawanees,  Uchees  and  other  tribes.  That  this*  number  of  warriors  was 
not  able  with  the  assistance  of  northern  tribes  to  crush  out  the  settle- 
ments in  what  is  now  Tennessee  in  that  early  day  is  very  remarkable, 
but  is  doubtless  due  in  part  to  determination  and  courage  of  the  whites. 

The  year  1788  was  distinguished  by  the  unfortunate  attempt  of  Col. 
James  Brown  to  reach  Nashville  by  the  Tennessee,  Ohio  and  Cumberland 
Rivers,  related  at  such  length  in  the  chapter  on  settlements  as  to  only  need 
brief  mention  here  in  chronological  order.  The  same  year  was  distin- 
guished by  the  campaign  against  the  Cherokees,  by  the  attack  on  Sher- 
rell’s  and  Gillespie’s  Stations. 

During  the  administration  of  Gov.  Blount  the  policy  of  conciliation 
was  persistently  followed  in  obedience  to  instructions  and  proclamations 
from  the  President  of  the  United  States,  Gen.  Washington.  An  earnest 
attempt  was  made  by  both  the  authorities  of  the  United  States,  and  of 
the  “ Territory  of  the  United  States  south  of  the  river  Ohio,”  to  enforce 
treaty  stipulations,  but  notwithstanding  all  that  was  or  could  be  done  by 
both  Governments,  both  Indians  and  whites  disregarded  and  violated  all 
the  treaties  they  should  have  observed.  And  while  it  was  thus  demon- 
strated and  had  been  from  the  signing  of  the  first  treaty,  that  treaties 
were  only  a temporary  make-shift,  or  subterfuge,  yet  both  Nation  and  State 
kept  on  making  treaty  after  treaty  with  the  various  tribes  of  Indians. 

In  obedience  to  this  treaty-making  spirit  another  treaty  was  con- 
cluded July  2,  1791,  at  the  Beaty  ground  on  the  bank  of  Holston  River, 
near  the  mouth  of  the  French  Broad,  between  the  Cherokees  of  the  one 
part  and  William  Blount,  governor  in  and  for  the  “Territory  of  the 
United  States  of  America  south  of  the  river  Ohio,”  and  superintendent 
of  Indian  affairs  for  the  southern  district,  of  the  other  part,  whereby  the 
following  boundary  between  the  lands  of  the  two  parties  was  established: 


6 


n 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


AimcLE4.  The  boundary  between  the  citizens  of  the  United  States  and  the  Cherokee 
nation  is  and  shall  be  as  follows:  Beginning  at  the  top  of  the  Currahee  Mountain  where 
the  Creek  line  passes  it;  thence  a direct  line  to  Tugelo  River;  thence  northwest 
to  the  Occunna  Mountain,  and  over  the  same  along  the  South  Carolina  Indian  bound- 
ary to  the  North  Carolina  boundary;  thence  north  to  a point  from  which  a line 
is  to  be  extended  to  the  river  Clinch  that  shall  pass  the  Holston  at  the  ridge  which 
divides  the  waters  running  into  Little  River  from  those  running  into  the  Tennessee; 
thence  up  the  river  Clinch  to  Campbell’s  line,  and  along  the  same  to  the  top  of  the  Cum- 
berland Mountain;  thence  a direct  line  to  the  Cumberland  River  where  the  Kentucky 
road  crosses  it;  thence  down  the  Cumberland  River  to  a point  from  which  a southwest 
line  will  strike  the  ridge  which  divides  the  waters  of  Cumberland  from  those  of 
Duck  River,  forty  miles  above  Nashville;  thence  down  the  said  ridge  to  a point  from 
whence  a southwest  line  will  strike  the  mouth  of  Duck  River, 

It  was  agreed  that  all  land  lying  to  the  right  of  this  boundary,  be- 
ginning at  Currahee  Mountain,  should  belong  to  the  United  States;  and 
as  a further  consideration  the  Government  stipulated  to  pay  the  Chero- 
kees  an  annuity  of  $1,000,  which  was  increased  later  by  an  additional  ar- 
ticle to  $1,500.  All  prisoners  were  to  be  surrendered,  criminals  pun- 
ished, whites  settling  on  Indian  lands  to  be  denied  the  protection  of  the 
Government,  whites  to  be  granted  the  navigation  of  the  Tennessee  and  to 
be  permitted  to  use  a road  between  Washington  and  Mero  Districts,  the 
Indians  to  be  furnished  with  implements  of  husbandry,  etc.,  etc.  The 
witnesses  signing  this  treaty  were  Daniel  Smith,  secretary  of  the  Terri- 
tory of  the  United  States  south  of  the  river  Ohio;  Thomas  Kennedy,  of 
Kentucky ; James  Robertson,  of  Mero  District ; Claiborne  Watkins,  of  Vir- 
ginia; John  Me  Whitney,  of  Georgia;  Fauche,  of  Georgia;  Titus  Ogden, 
of  North  Carolina;  John  Chisholm,  of  Washington  District;  Robert 
King  and  Thomas  Gregg.  The  official  and  sworn  interpreters  were  John 
Thompson  and  James  Ceery.  Forty-one  chiefs  of  the  Cherokee  nation 
were  the  contracting  party  for  the  Indians.  The  additional  article  of  the 
treaty,  which  provided  that  $1,500  instead  of  $1,000  should  be  annually 
paid  to  the  Cherokees,  was  agreed  to  between  Henry  Knox,  Secretary  of 
War,  and  Seven  chiefs,  February  17,  1792. 

In  1793  a force  of  1,000  Indians,  700  of  them  Creeks,  the  rest  Chero- 
kees, under  the  lead  of  John  Watts  and  Double  Head,  100  of  the  Creeks 
being  well  mounted  horsemen,  invaded  the  settlements  with  the  view  of 
attacking  Knoxville,  but  failing  to  surprise  the  citizens  they  abandoned 
their  contemplated  attack  upon  the  town.  Falling  back  they  found  it 
impossible  to  leave  the  country  without  carrying  out  in  some  degree  their 
revengeful  purposes,  and  so  made  an  attack  on  Cavett’s  Station.  Here  after 
suffering  a temporary  repulse  they  proposed  that  if  the  station  would 
surrender  they  would  spare  the  lives  of  the  inmates  and  exchange  them 
for  an  equal  number  of  Indian  prisoners.  Relying  upon  these  promises 
(he  inmates  of  the  station  surrendered,  but  no  sooner  had  they  passed 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


95 


the  door  than  Double  Head  and  his  party  fell  upon  them  and  put  them  to 
death,  and  most  horribly,  barbarously  and  indelicately  mutilated  their 
bodies,  especially  those  of  the  women  and  children. 

This  daring  invasion  by  the  Creeks  and  Cherokees,  under  the  cele- 
brated chief  John  Watts,  convinced  the  Federal  and  also  the  Territorial 
authorities  that  defensive  warfare  was  of  but  little  if  any  use  in  prevent- 
ing Indian  invasions.  The  people  themselves  had  long  been  convinced 
of  this  fact,  and  earnestly  desired  a return  to  the  tactics  of  Gen.  Sevier. 
A sudden  and  decisive  blow  was  loudly  called  for  as  the  only  means  of 
punishment  for  the  Indians  and  of  defense  for  the  settlements.  Gen. 
Sevier  was  once  more  the  man  to  lead  in  a campaign  of  this  kind.  His 
little  army  then  at  Ish’s  was  re-enforced  by  troops  under  Col.  John 
Blair  for  Washington  District  and  Col.  Christian  for  Hamilton  Dis- 
trict, and  with  these  forces  Gen.  Sevier  made  his  last  campaign  against 
the  Indians.  Crossing  Little  Tennessee,  near  Lowry’s  Ferry  he  came 
to  an  Indian  town  named  Estinaula,  and  suffered  a night  attack  from 
the  Indians  with  the  loss  of  one  man  wounded.  Breaking  camp  in  the 
night  he  went  on  toward  Etowah,  which  place  he  succeeded  in  capturing 
after  overcoming  a determined  resistance  by  the  Indians  under  the  com- 
mand of  King  Fisher,  who,  however,  fell  in  the  engagement.  After  be- 
ing defeated  the  Indians  escaped  into  the  secret  recesses  of  the  surround- 
ing country,  and  Gen.  Sevier  having  burned  the  town  and  becoming 
satisfied  that  further  pursuit,  would  not  meet  with  results  commensurate 
with  the  exertion  demanded,  countermarched  and  the  troops  returned 
safely  to  their  homes.  Thus  terminated  the  last  campaign  of  Sevier,  and 
the  first  for  which  he  received  compensation  from  the  Government.  In 
this  campaign  he  lost  three  brave  men,  Pruett  and  Weir  killed  in  the 
battle,  and  Wallace  mortally  wounded. 

A treaty  was  concluded  at  Philadelphia  between  Henry  Knox,  Secre- 
tary of  War,  and  thirteen  chiefs  of  the  Cherokees,  on  the  26th  of  June, 
1794,  to  set  at  rest  certain  misunderstandings  concerning  the  provisions 
of  the  treaty  of  Holstonof  July  2,  1791.  It  was  declared  that  the  treaty 
of  Holston  should  in  all  particulars  be  valid  and  binding,  and  that  the 
boundary  line  then  established  should  be  accurately  defined  and  marked. 
In  lieu  of  the  annuity  of  $1,000  granted  by  the  treaty  of  Holston  in 

1791,  or  the  annuity  of  $1,500  granted  by  the  treaty  of  Philadelphia  in 

1792,  the  Government  at  this  treaty  of  1794  agreed  to  pay  the  annual 
sum  of  $5,000  to  the  Cherokees.  This  treaty  was  attended  by  thirteen 
Cherokee  chiefs.  John  Thompson  and  Arthur  Coody  were  the  official  in- 
terpreters. The  boundary  provided  in  these  treaties  was  not  ascertained 
and  marked  until  the  latter  part  of  1797,  by  reason  of  which  delay  sev- 


96 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


eral  settlements  of  white  people  were  established  upon  the  Indian  domain.. 
These  settlers  were  removed  by  authority  of  the  Government,  and  two 
commissioners,  George  Walton,  of  Georgia,  and  Lieut. -Col.  Thomas 
Butler,  commander  of  the  troops  of  the  United  States  in  the  State  of 
Tennessee,  were  appointed  to  adjust  the  mutual  claims  and  rights  of  the 
white  settlers  and  the  Indians.  These  commissioners  met  thirty-nine 
authorized  Cherokee  chiefs,  representing  the  “whole  Cherokee  nation,1' 
in  the  council  house  of  the  Indians  near  Tellico,  October  2,  1798,  and  the 
following  provisions,  in  substance,  were  mutually  agreed  to:  The  former 
boundaries  were  to  remain  the  same  with  the  following  exception:  The 

Clierokees  ceded  to  the  United  States  all  the  lands  “from  a point  on  the 
Tennessee  Kiver  below  Tellico  Block-house,  called  the  White  Cat  Rock, 
in  a direct  line  to  the  Militia  Spring  near  the  Maiyville  road  leading 
from  Tellico;  from  the  said  spring  to  the  Chilhowee  Mountain  by  a line 
so  to  be  run  as  will  leave  all  the  farms  on  Nine  Mile  Creek  to  the  north- 
ward and  eastward  of  it,  and  to  be  continued  along  Chilhowee  Mountain 
until  it  strikes  Hawkins’  line;  thence  along  the  said  line  to  the  Great 
Iron  Mountain,  and  from  the  top  of  which  a line  to  be  continued  in  a 
southeastwardly  course  to  where  the  most  southwardly  branch  of  Little 
River  crosses  the  divisional  line  to  Tugalo  River.  From  the  place  of  be- 
ginning, the  Wild  Cat  Rock,  down  the  northeast  margin  of  the  Tennes- 
see River  (not  including  islands)  to  a point  or  place  one  mile  above  the 
junction  of  that  river  with  the  Clinch;  and  from  thence  by  a line  to  be 
drawn  in  a right  angle  until  it  intersects  Hawkins’  line  leading  from 
Clinch ; thence  down  the  said  line  to  the  river  Clinch ; thence  up  the  said 
river  to  its  junction  with  Emery  River;  thence  up  Emery  River  to  the 
foot  of  Cumberland  Mountains;  from  thence  a line  to  be  drawn  northeast- 
wardly along  the  foot  of  the  mountain  until  it  intersects  with  Campbell’s 
line.”  It  was  further  understood  that  two  commissioners,  one  to  be  ap- 
pointed by  each  the  Government  and  the  Cherokee  nation,  were  to  run 
and  mark  the  boundary  line ; that  the  annuity  should  be  increased  from. 
$5,000  to  $6,000  in  goods;  that  the  Kentucky  road  running  between  the 
Cumberland  Mountains  and  the  Cumberland  River  should  be  open  and 
free  to  the  white  citizens  as  was  the  road  from  Southwest  Point  to  Cum- 
berland River;  that  Indians  might  hunt  upon  the  lands  thus  ceded  until 
settlements  should  make  it  improper;  that  stolen  horses  should  be  either 
returned  or  paid  for,  and  that  the  agent  of  the  Government  living  among 
the  Indians  should  have  a piece  of  land  reserved  for  his  use.  Elisha  I. 
Hall  was  secretary  of  the  commission;  Silas  Dinsmore,  agent  to  the 
Cherokees;  Edward  Butler,  captain  commanding  at  Tellico,  and  Charles. 
Hicks  and  James  Casey  were  interpreters. 


HISTOEY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


97 


Tlie  year  1794  was  distinguished  for  the  Nickajack  expedition.  The 
banditti  Indians  of  the  five  Lower  Towns  on  the  Tennessee  River  contin- 
ued to  make  attacks  on  the  frontier  settlements,  and  the  frontiers  de- 
termined to  invade  the  towns  as  the  only  effectual  means  of  self-defense, 
ami  of  inflicting  punishment  upon  the  Indians  for  the  injuries  they  had 
received.  But  as  the  Cumberland  settlers  were  not  of  themselves  strong 
enough  to  successfully  undertake  an  expedition,  they  appealed  to  the  mar- 
tial spirit  of  Kentucky  to  aid  them  in  punishing  an  enemy  from  whom 
they  had  also  been  frequent  sufferers.  Col.  Whitley  of  Kentucky  entered 
into  the  scheme.  Col.  James  Ford,  of  Montgomery,  raised  a company 
from  near  Clarksville;  Col.  John  Montgomery  brought  a company  from 
Clarksville,  and  Gen.  Robertson  raised  a company  of  volunteers  from 
Nashville  and  vicinity. 

Maj.  Ore,  who  had  been  detached  by  Gov.  Blount  to  protect  the  fron- 
tiers of  Mero  District,  opportunely  arrived  at  Nashville  as  the  troops  were 
concentrating  for  the  Nickajack  expedition,  as  it  has  ever  since  been 
known,  and  entered  heartily  into  the  project;  Maj.  Ore  temporarily  as- 
sumed command,  and  the  expedition  has  sometimes  been  called  “ Ore’s 
expedition.”  Upon  the  arrival  of  the  Kentucky  troops,  Col.  Whitley  was 
given  command  of  the  entire  force,  and  Col.  Montgomery  of  the  volun- 
teers raised  within  the  Territory 

Notwithstanding  Col.  Whitley  having  command  of  the  little  army, 
Gen.  Robertson  issued  instructions  to  Maj.  Ore,  on  the  6th  of  September, 
and  on  the  next  day,  Sunday,  the  army  set  out  upon  its  march.  It  crossed 
the  Barren  Fork  of  Duck  River  near  the  Stone  Fort,  and  arrived  at  the 
Tennessee  on  the  night  of  the  8th.  Of  the  individuals  present  at  this 
expedition  were  Joseph  Brown,  son  of  Col.  James  Brown,  whose  mel- 
ancholy fate  is  elsewhere  recorded  in  this  work;  William  Trousdale, 
afterward  governor  of  Tennessee,  and  Andrew  Jackson.  The  troops 
having  the  next  morning  crossed  the  river,  penetrated  to  the  center  of 
the  town  of  Nickajack,  a village  inhabited  by  about  250  families.  In 
this  village  the  troops  killed  quite  a number  of  warriors,  and  many  oth- 
ers, while  they  were  attempting  to  escape  in  canoes  or  swimming  in  the 
river.  Eighteen  were  taken  prisoners  and  about  seventy  in  all  were 
killed;  but  this  number  includes  those  killed  in  the  town  of  Running 
Water  as  well  as  those  killed  in  Nickajack.  When  an  attack  was  made 
on  two  isolated  houses,  one  of  the  squaws  remained  outside  to  listen. 
She  attempted  to  escape  by  flight,  but  after  a hard  chase  was  taken  pris- 
oner, and  carried  up  to  the  town  and  placed  among  the  other  prisoners, 
in  canoes.  As  these  were  being  taken  down  the  river  the  squaw  loosed 
her  clothes,  sprang  head  foremost  into  the  river,  artfully  disengaged  her- 


98 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


sell  from  her  clothing,  left  them  floating  on  the  water  and  swam  rapidly 
away.  While  thus  making  her  escape,  some  of  the  soldiers  cried  out 
“ Shoot  her!  shoot  her!”  but  others  admiring  her  activity  and  courage  re- 
strained those  who  were  in  favor  of  shooting  her,  by  saying  “ No,  let  her 
escape,  she  is  too  smart  to  kill.”  With  respect  to  the  number  killed,  it 
was  given  to  Joseph  Brown  some  time  afterward  by  a chief  in  conversa- 
tion at  Tellico  Block-house  as  seventy-six. 

By  an  act  approved  May  19,  1796,  the  following  boundary  between 
the  United  States  and  the  Indian  tribes  for  the  States  of  Kentucky  and 
Tennessee  was  ordered  surveyed  and  definitely  marked.  “Beginning  at  a 
point  on  the  highlands  or  ridge  on  the  Ohio  River  between  the  mouth 
of  the  Cumberland  and  the  mouth  of  the  Tennessee  River;  thence  east- 
erly along  said  ridge  to  a point  from  whence  a southwest  line  will  strike 
the  mouth  of  Duck  River;*  thence  still  easterly  on  the  said  ridge  to 
a point  forty  miles  above  Nashville;  thence  northeast  to  the  Cumber- 
land River;  thence  up  the  said  river  to  where  the  Kentucky  road  crosses 
the  same;  thence  to  the  top  of  Cumberland  Mountain;  thence  along 
Campbell’s  line  to  the  river  Clinch;  thence  down  the  said  river  to  a point 
from  which  a line  shall  pass  the  Holston  at  the  ridge  which  divides  the 
waters  running  into  Little  River  from  those  running  into  the  Tennessee  ; 
thence  south  to  the  North.  Carolina  boundary.” 

At  a treaty  held  at  the  Chickasaw  Bluffs,  October  24,  1801,  between 
Brig.-Gen.  James  Wilkinson,  Benjamin  Hawkins,  of  North  Carolina, 
and  Andrew  Pickens,  of  South  Carolina,  “and  the  Mingo,  principal  men 
and  warriors  of  the  Chickasaw  nation,”  permission  was  given  the  United 
States  to  lay  out  and  cut  a wagon  road  between  the  settlements  of  the 
Mero  District  in  Tennessee  and  those  of  Natchez  on  the  Mississippi 
River.  It  was  agreed  that  $700  should  be  paid  the  Indians  to  compen- 
sate them  for  furnishing  guides  and  assistance.  Seventeen  Chickasaw 
chiefs  signed  the  articles  of  the  treaty. 

A treaty  was  held  at  Tellico,  October  25,  1805,  between  Return  Jona- 
than Meigs  and  Daniel  Smith  on  the  part  of  the  United  States,  and  thir- 
ty-three chiefs  on  the  part  of  the  Cherokees,  by  which  the  Indians  ceded 
all  their  land  north  of  the  following  boundary:  “Beginning  at  the  mouth 
of  Duck  River ; running  thence  up  the  main  stream  of  the  same  to  the 
junction  of  the  fork,  at  the  head  of  which  Fort  Nash  stood,  with  the  main 
south  fork ; thence  a direct  course  to  a point  on  the  Tennessee  River  bank 
opposite  the  mouth  of  Hiwassee  River.  If  the  line  from  Hiwassee 
should  leave  out  Field’s  settlement,  it  is  to  be  marked  round  this  im- 
provement and  then  continue  the  straight  course;  thence  up  the  middle  of 

* Sec  treaty  with  the  Chiekasaws,  January  10,  1786. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


99 


the  Tennessee  River  (but  leaving  all  tbe  islands  to  the  Ckerokees)  to  the 
mouth  of  Clinch  River;  thence  up  the  Clinch  River  to  the  former  boun- 
dary line  agreed  upon  with  the  said  Cherokees.  reserving,  at  the  same  time, 
to  the  use  of  the  Cherokees,  a small  tract  lying  at  and  below  the  mouth 
of  Clinch  River;  thence  from  the  mouth  extending  down  the  Tennessee 
River  (from  the  mouth  of  Clinch)  to  a notable  rock  on  the  north  bank  of 
the  Tennessee,  in  view  from  Southwest  Point;  thence  a course  at  right 
angles  with  the  river  to  the  Cumberland  road;  thence  eastwardly  along 
the  same  to  the  bank  of  Clinch  River  so  as  to  secure  the  ferry  landing  to 
the  Cherokees  up  to  the  first  hill  and  down  the  same  to  the  mouth  there- 
of together  with  two  other  sections  of  one  square  mile  each,  one  of  which 
is  at  the  foot  of  Cumberland  Mountain,  at  and  near  where  the  turnpike 
gate  now  stands,  the  other  on  the  north  bank  of  the  Tennessee  River 
where  the  Cherokee  Talootiske  now  lives.  And  whereas,  from  the 
present  cessions  made  by  the  Cherokees,  and  other  circumstances,  the  size 
of  the  garrisons  at  Southwest  Point  and  Tellico  are  becoming  not  the 
most  convenient  and  suitable  places  for  the  accommodation  of  the  said 
Indians,  it  may  become  expedient  to  remove  the  said  garrisons  and  fac- 
tory to  some  more  suitable  place,  three  other  square  miles  are  reserved 
for  the  particular  disposal  of  the  United  States  on  the  north  bank  of  the 
Tennessee  opposite  to  and  below  the  mouth  of  Hiwassee.”  In  consider- 
ation of  this  cession  the  Government  agree  to  pay  the  Indians  S3, 000  im- 
mediately in  valuable  merchandise,  and  $11,000  within  ninety  days  after 
the  ratification  of  the  treaty  and  also  an  annuity  of  S3, 000  to  begin  im- 
mediately. The  Indians,  at  their  option,  might  take  valuable  machines 
for  agriculture  and  useful  domestic  or  hunting  articles  out  of  the  Si  1.000. 
The  Government  was  also  to  have  the  “free  and  unmolested  use”  of  two 
new  roads  “one  to  proceed  from  some  convenient  place  near  the  head  of 
Stone’s  River  and  fall  into  the  Georgia  road  at  a suitable  place  toward 
the  southern  frontier  of  the  Cherokees;  the  other  to  proceed  from  the 
neighborhood  of  Franklin  or  Big  Harpeth,  and  crossing  the  Tennessee  at 
or  near  the  Muscle  Shoals,  to  pursue  the  nearest  and  best  way  to  the  set- 
tlements on  the  Tombigbee.” 

At  Tellico,  on  the  27th  of  October.  1805.  two  days  after  the  above 
treaty,  the  same  commissioners  (Meigs  and  Smith)  concluded  an  addi- 
tional treaty  with  fourteen  Cherokee  chiefs,  the  following  being  a portion 
of  one  of  the  articles  of  such  treaty:  “ Whereas,  it  has  been  represented 
by  the  one  party  to  the  other,  that  the  section  of  land  on  which  the  gar- 
rison of  Southwest  Point  stands  and  which  extends  to  Kingston,  is  likely 
to  become  a desirable  place  for  the  assembly  of  the  State  of  Tennessee  to 
convene  at  (a  committee  from  that  body  now  in  session  having  viewed 


100 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


the  situation),  now,  the  Cherokees  being  possessed  of  a spirit  of  concilia- 
tion, and  seeing  that  this  tract  is  desired  for  public  purposes  and  not  for 
individual  advantages,  reserving  the  ferries  to  themselves,  quitclaim  and 
cede  to  the  United  States  the  said  section  of  land,  understanding,  at  the 
same  time,  that  the  buildings  erected  by  the  public  are  to  belong  to  the 
public,  as  well  as  the  occupation  of  the  same,  during  the  pleasure  of  the 
Government.  We  also  cede  to  the  United  States  the  first  island  in  the 
Tennessee  above  the  mouth  of  Clinch  [River].” 

It  was  also  agreed  that  mail  which  had  been  ordered  to  be  carried 
from  Knoxville  to  New  Orleans  through  the  Cherokee,  Creek  and  Choc- 
taw countries,  should  not  be  molested  by  the  former  nation  over  the  Tel- 
lico  and  Tombigbee  road;  and  that  the  Government  should  pay  for  the 
land  ceded  as  above  described  $1,600  in  money  or  merchandise,  at  the 
option  of  the  Indians,  within  ninety  days  after  the  ratification  of  the 
treaty. 

On  the  23cl  of  July,  1805,  at  a treaty  concluded  in  the  Chickasaw 
country  between  James  Robertson  and  Silas  Dinsmore  and  the  chiefs  of 
the  Chickasaws,  the  latter  ceded  the  following  tract  of  land  to  the  United 
States:  “Beginning  at  the  left  bank  of  [the]  Ohio  at  the  point  where 
the  present  Indian  boundary  adjoins  the  same;  thence  down  the  left  bank 
of  Ohio  to  the  Tennessee  River;  thence  up  the  main  channel  of  the 
Tennessee  River  to  the  mouth  of  Duck  River;  thence  up  the  left  bank 
of  Duck  River  to  the  Columbian  highway  or  road  leading  from  Nashville 
to  Natchez;  thence  along  the  said  road  to  the  ridge  dividing  the  waters 
running  into  Duck  River  from  those  running  into  Buffalo  River;  thence 
eastwardly  along  the  said  ridge  to  the  great  ridge  dividing  the  waters 
running  into  the  main  Tennessee  River  from  those  running  into  Buffalo 
River  near  the  main  source  of  Buffalo  River;  thence  in  a direct  line  to 
the  great  Tennessee  River  near  the  Chickasaw  Old  Fields,  or  eastern 
point  of  the  Chickasaw  claim,  on  .that  river;  thence  northwardly  to  the 
great  ridge  dividing  the  waters  running  into  the  Tennessee  from  those 
running  into  the  Cumberland  River  so  as  to  include  all  the  waters  run- 
ning into  Elk  River;  thence  along  the  top  of  said  ridge  to  the  place 
of  beginning ; reserving  a tract  of  one  mile  square  adjoining  to  and  below 
the  mouth  of  Duck  River  on  the  Tennessee,  for  the  use  of  the  chief, 
Okoy,  or  Lishmastubbee.  The  commissioners  agreed  to  pay  $20,000 
for  the  use  of  the  nation  and  for  the  payments  of  its  debts  to  traders,  etc., 
and  to  pay  George  Colbert  and  Okoy  $1,000  each.  These  sums  were 
granted  these  head  men  upon  the  request  of  the  Chickasaw  delegation, 
as  a reward  for  distinguished  services  rendered  the  nation ; also,  the  head 
chief  of  the  nation,  Chinnubbee,  was  granted  an  annuity  of  $100  during 


HISTORY  OE  TENNESSEE. 


101 


the  remainder  of  “ his  natural  life,”  “ as  a testimony  of  his  personal 
worth  and  friendly  disposition.”  Two  dollars  per  day  was  ordered  paid 
an  agent  of  the  Chickasaws  appointed  to  assist  in  running  and  marking 
the  boundary  above  described. 

On  the  7tli  of  January,  1806,  at  the  city  of  Washington,  a treaty 
was  held  between  Henry  Dearborn,  Secretary  of  War,  and  Double 
Head,  James  Vann,  Tallotiska,  Chuleoah,  Sour  Mush,  Turtle  at  Home, 
Katihu,  John  McLemore,  Broom,  John  Jolly,  John  Lowry,  Red  Bird, 
John  Walker,  Young  Wolf,  Skewlia,  Sequecliu  and  William  Showry, 
chiefs  and  head  men  of  the  Cherokees,  Charles  Hicks  serving  as  inter- 
preter, and  Return  J.  Meigs,  Benjamin  Hawkins,  Daniel  Smith,  John 
Smith,  Andrew  McClary  and  John  McClary  as  witnesses,  whereby  the 
following  was  agreed  upon : The  Cherokee  nation  ceded  to  the  United 
States  “ all  that  tract  of  country  which  lies  to  the  northward  of  the  river 
Tennessee,  and  westward  of  a line  to  be  run  from  the  upper  part  of  the 
Chickasaw  Old  Fields  at  the  upper  part  of  an  island  called  Chickasaw  Is- 
land on  said  river,  to  the  most  easterly  head  waters  of  that  branch  of  said 
Tennessee  River  called  Duck  River,  excepting  the  two  following  tracts, 
viz. : one  tract  bounded  southerly  on  the  said  Tennessee  River  at  a place 
called  the  Muscle  Shoals,  westerly  by  a creek  called  Tekeetanoah  or 
Cypress  Creek,  and  easterly  by  Chuwalee  or  Elk  River  or  creek,  and 
northerly  by  a line  to  be  drawn  from  a point  on  said  Elk  River,  ten  miles 
on  a direct  line  from  its  mouth  or  junction  with  Tennessee  River,  to  a 
point  on  the  said  Cypress  Creek,  ten  miles  on  a direct  line  from  its  junc- 
tion with  the  Tennessee  River.  The  other  tract  is  to  be  two  miles  in  width 
on  the  north  side  of  Tennessee  River  and  to  extend  northerly  from 
that  river  three  miles  and  bounded  as  follows,  viz. : Beginning  at  the 
mouth  of  Spring  Creek  and  running  up  said  creek  three  miles  on  a 
straight  line ; thence  westerly  two  miles  at  right  angles  with  the  general 
course  of  said  creek ; thence  southerly  on  a line  parallel  with  the  general 
course  of  said  creek  to  the  Tennessee  River;  thence  up  said  river  by  its 
waters  to  the  beginning — which  first  reserved  tract  is  to  be  considered  the 
common  property  of  the  Cherokees  who  now  live  on  the  same,  including 
John  D.  Chisholm,  Autowe  and  Chechout;  and  the  other  reserved  tract, 
on  which  Moses  Milton  now  lives,  is  to  be  considered  the  property  of  said 
Milton  and  Charles  Hicks  in  equal  shares.  And  the  said  chiefs  and  head 
men  also  agree  to  relinquish  to  the  United  States  all  right  or  claim  which 
they  or  their  nation  have  to  what  is  called  the  Long  Island  in  Holston 
River.” 

In  consideration  of  the  relinquishment  of  this  land  the  United  States 
agreed  to  pay  $2,000  to  the  Indians  as  soon  as  the  treaty  was  ratified  by 


102 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


the  President,  and  $2,000  on  each  of  the  four  succeeding  years,  or  in  all 
$10,000;  and  agreed  to  build  a grist-mill  in  the  Cherokee  country  for  the 
use  of  the  nation;  to  furnish  a machine  for  cleaning  cotton;  to  pay  annu- 
ally to  the  old  chief,  Eunolee,  or  Black  Fox,  during  the  remainder  of 
his  life  $100,  and  to  settle  the  claims  of  the  Chickasaws  on  the  two  res- 
ervations described  above.  Apparently,  the  terms  of  this  treaty  required 
elucidation,  as,  September  11,  1807,  another  meeting  between  James 
Robertson  and  Return  J.  Meigs  and  a delegation  of  Cherokees,  of  whom 
Black  Fox  was  one,  was  held  “at  the  point  of  departure  of  the  line  at  the 
upper  end  of  the  island  opposite  to  the  upper  part  of  the  said  Chickasaw 
Old  Fields,”  on  which  occasion  the  following  was  fixed  as  the  eastern 
limits  of  the  ceded  tract:  “A  line  so  to  be  run  from  the  upper  end  of  the 
Chickasaw  Old  Fields  a little  above  the  upper  part  of  an  island  called 
Chickasaw  Island,  as  will  most  directly  intersect  the  first  waters  of  Elk 
River;  thence  carried  to  the  great  Cumberland  Mountain,  in  which  the 
waters  of  Elk  River  have  their  source;  then  along  the  margin  of  said 
mountain  until  it  shall  intersect  lands  heretofore  ceded  to  the  United 
States  at  the  said  Tennessee  Ridge.”  It  was  also  agreed  that  $2,000 
should  be  paid  to  the  Cherokees  to  meet  their  expenses  at  this  council  or 
treaty,  and  that  the  Cherokee  hunters  might  hunt  over  the  ceded  tract 
“until,  by  the  fullness  of  settlers,  it  shall  become  improper.”  Eunolee, 
or  Black  Fox;  Fauquitee,  or  Glass;  Fulaquokoko,  or  Turtle  at  Home; 
Richard  Brown  and  Sowolotaw,  or  King’s  Brother,  signed  this  “decla- 
ration of  intention.”  The  following  treaty  or  agreement  with  reference 
to  the  cultivation  of  a certain  tract  of  ground  by  the  proprietors  of  the 
Unicoi  road  was  entered  into  July  8,  1817 : 

We,  the  undersigned  chiefs  of  the  Cherokee  nation,  do  hereby  grant  unto  Nicholas- 
Byers,  Arthur  H.  Henly  and  David  Russell,  proprietors  of  the  Unicoy  road  to  Georgia, 
the  liberty  of  cultivating  all  the  ground  contained  in  the  bend  on  the  north  side  of  Ten- 
nessee River,  opposite  and  below  Chota  Old  Town,  together  with  the  liberty  to  erect  a 
grist-mill  on  Four  Mile  Creek,  for  the  use  and  benefit  of  said  road  and  the  Cherokees  in 
the  neighborhood  thereof ; for  them,  the  said  Byers,  Henly  and  Russell,  to  have  and  to 
hold  the  above  privileges  during  the  term  of  use  of  the  Unicoy  road,  also  obtained  from 
the  Cherokees  and  sanctioned  by  the  President  of  the  United  States. 


At  a treaty  between  Isaac  Shelby  and  Andrew  Jackson  and  the 
“chiefs,  head  men  and  warriors”  of  the  Chickasaw  nation  held  on  the 
19th  of  October,  1818,  “at  the  treaty  ground  east  of  Old  Town,  the  Indians 
ceded  lands  as  follows : The  land  lying  north  of  the  south  boundary  of  the 
State  of  Tennessee,  which  is  bounded  south  by  the  thirty-fifth  degree  of 
north  latitude,  and  which  lands  hereby  ceded  lie  within  the  following  bound- 
ary. viz. : Beginning  on  the  Tennessee  River  about  thirty -five  miles  by 
water  below  Col.  George  Colbert’s  ferry,  where  the  thirty-fifth  degree  of 


HISTORY  OE  TENNESSEE. 


103 


north  latitude  strikes  the  same;  thence  due  west  with  said  degree  of  north 
latitude  to  where  it  cuts  the  Mississippi  River  at  or  near  the  Chickasaw 
Bluffs;  thence  up  the  said  Mississippi  River  to  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio; 
thence  up  the  Ohio  River  to  the  mouth  of  the  Tennessee  River;  thence 
up  the  Tennessee  River  to  the  place  of  beginning.” 

In  consideration  of  this  valuable  cession  “and  to  perpetuate  the  hap- 
piness of  the  Chickasaw  nation”  the  Government  agreed  to  allow  the  In- 
dians an  annuity  of  $20,000  for  fifteen  successive  years;  also  to  allow 
Capt.  John  Gordon,  of  Tennessee,  $1,115  due  him  from  the  Chickasaws, 
and  also  to  allow  Capt.  David  Smith,  of  Kentucky,  $2,000  to  reimburse 
him  and  forty-five  soldiers  of  Tennessee  in  assisting  in  the  defense  of 
their  towns  (upon  their  request)  against  the  attacks  of  the  Creek  Indians 
in  1795.  A reservation  in  the  above  tract  was  retained  by  the  Indians. 
It  contained  four  miles  square  of  land,  including  a salt  spring  or  lick  on 
or  near  Sandy  River,  a branch  of  the  Tennessee.  The  Chickasaw  chief, 
Levi  Colbert  and  Maj.  James  Brown  were  constituted  agents  to  lease 
the  salt  licks  to  a citizen  or  citizens  of  the  United  States  for  the  benefit 
of  the  Indians,  a certain  quantity  of  salt  to  be  paid  therefor  annually  to 
the  nation;  and  after  two  years  from  the  date  of  the  ratification  of  the 
treaty  no  salt  was  to  be  sold  higher  than  $1  per  bushel  of  fifty  pounds 
weight.  The  Government  further  agreed  to  pay  to  Oppassantubbee,  a 
principal  chief  of  the  Chickasaws,  $500  for  his  two-mile  reservation  on  the 
north  side  of  the  Tennessee  River;  retained  September  20,  181(3,  to  pay 
John  Lewis,  a half-breed,  $25  for  a lost  saddle  while  serving  the  United 
States;  to  pay  Maj.  James  Colbert  $1,089,  which  had  been  taken  from 
his  pocket  in  June,  1816,  at  a theater  in  Baltimore. 

Also  to  give  upon  the  ratification  of  the  treaty  to  the  following  named 
chiefs  $150  each:  Chinnubbee,  king  of  the  Chickasaws;  Teshuahmin- 
go,  William  McGibvery,  Oppassantubee,  Samuel  Seely,  James  Brown, 
Levi  Colbert,  Iskarwcuttaba,  George  Pettigrove,  Immartoibarmicco,  and 
Malcolm  McGee,  interpreter;  and  to  Maj.  William  Glover,  Col.  George 
Colbert,  Hopoyeabaummer,  Immauklusharhopoyea,  Tushkailiopoye,  Hop- 
oyebaummer,  Jr.,  James  Colbert,  Coweamarthlar  and  Illacliouwarhopo- 
yea,  $100  each.  At  a treaty  with  the  Cherokees  held  at  Washington 
City,  February  27,  1819,  the  Indians  ceded  the  following  tract  of  country: 

All  of  tlieir  lands  lying  north  and  east  of  the  following  line,  viz. : Beginning  on  the  Ten- 
nessee River  at  the  point  where  the  Cherokee  boundary  with  Madison  County  in  Alabama. 
Territory  joins  the  same;  thence  along  the  main  channel  of  said  river  to  the  mouth  of  the 
Hiwassee;  thence  along  its  main  channel  to  the  first  hill  which  closes  in  on  said  river 
about  two  miles  above  Hiwassee;  thence  along  the  ridge  which  divides  the  waters  of  the 
Hiwassee  and  Little  Tellico,  to  the  Tennesee  River  atTelassee;  thence  along  the  main 
channel  to  the  junction  of  the  Cowee  and  Nauteyalee;  thence  along  the  ridge  in  the  fork  of 


104 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


-said  river  to  the  top  of  the  Blue  Ridge;  thence  along  the  Blue  Ridge  to  the  Unicoy  turn- 
pike road;  thence  by  a straight  line  to  the  nearest  main  source  of  the  Chestatee;  thence 
along  its  main  channel  to  the  Chatahouchee,  and  thence  to  the  Creek  boundary;  it  being 
understood  that  all  the  islands  in  the  Chestatee,  and  the  parts  of  the  Tennessee  and  Hi- 
wassee  (with  the  exception  of  Jolly  Island  in  the  Tennessee  near  the  mouth  of  the  Hiwas- 
-see)  which  constitutes  a portion  of  the  present  boundary,  belong  to  the  Cherokee  nation. 

Art.  3.  It  is  also  understood  and  agreed  by  the  contracting  parties,  that  a reserva- 
tion in  fee  simple,  of  six  hundred  and  forty  acres  square,  with  the  exception  of  Maj. 
Walker’s  which  is  to  be  located  as  is  hereafter  provided,  to  include  their  improvements, 
and  which  are  to  be  as  near  the  center  thereof  as  possible,  shall  be  made  to  each  of  the 
persons  whose  names  are  inscribed  on  the  certified  list  annexed  to  this  treaty,*  all  of  whom 
are  believed  to  be  persons  of  industry,  and  capable  of  managing  their  property  with  dis- 
cretion and  have,  with  few  exceptions,  made  considerable  improvements  on  the  tracts  re- 
served The  reservations  are  made  on  the  condition  that  those  forwhom  they  are  intended 
shall  notify  in  writing  to  the  agent  for  the  Cberokee  nation  within  six  months  after  the  ratifi- 
cation of  this  treaty  that  it  is  their  intention  to  continue  to  reside  permanently  on  the  land 
reserved.  The  reservation  for  Lewis  Ross  so  to  be  laid  off  as  to  include  his  house  and  out- 
buildings and  ferry  adjoining  the  Cherokee  agency,  reserving  to  the  United  States  all  the 
public  property  there  and  the  continuance  of  the  said  agency  where  it  now  is  during  the 
pleasure  of  the  Government;  and  Maj.  Walker’s  so  as  to  include  his  dwelling  house  and 
ferry,  for  Maj.  Walker  an  additional  reservation  is  made  of  640  acres  square,  to  include 
his  grist  and  saw  mill;  the  land  is  poor  and  principally  valuable  for  its  timber.  In  addi- 
tion to  the  above  reservations  the  following  are  made  in  fee  simple,  the  persons  for  whom 
they  are  intended  not  residing  on  the  same:  To  Cobbin  Smith  640  acres,  to  be  laid  off  in 
equal  parts  on  both  sides  of  his  ferry  on  Tellico,  commonly  called  Blair’s  ferry;  to  John 
Ross  640  acres,  to  be  laid  off  so  as  to  include  the  Big  Island  in  Tennessee  River,  being  the 
first  below  Tellico,  which  tracts  of  land  were  given  many  years  since  by  the  Cherokee 
nation  to  them;  to  Mrs.  Eliza  Ross,  step-daughter  of  Maj.  Walker,  640  acres  square,  to  be 
located  on  the  river  below  and  adjoining  Maj.  Walker’s;  to  Margaret  Morgan  640  acres 
square  to  be  located  on  the  west  of  and  adjoining  James  Riley’s  reservation;  to  George 
Harlin  640  acres  square,  to  be  located  west  of  and  adjoining  the  reservation  of  Margaret 
Morgan;  to  James  Lowry  640  acres  square,  to  be  located  at  Crow  Mocker’s  old  place,  at  the 
foot  of  Cumberland  Mountain;  to  Susannah  Lowry  640  acres,  to  be  located  at  the  Toll 
Bridge  on  Battle  Creek;  to  Nicholas  Byers  640  acres,  including  the  Toqua  Island,  to  be  lo- 
cated on  the  north  bank  of  the  Tennessee  opposite  to  said  island. 

Immediately  after  tlie  ratification  of  this  treaty  North  Carolina  ap- 
pointed commissioners  and  surveyors  to  survey  and  sell  the  lands  ac- 
quired within  her  limits  under  the  treaty.  These  commissioners  and 
surveyors  performed  their  duties  without  knowing  what  reservations 
would  be  taken  by  the  Indians,  or  where  they  would  be  located.  Subse- 
quently to  the  sale  by  the  State,  commissioners  were  sent  out  by  the 
United  States  Government  to  survey  and  lay  off  the  reservations  for  those 
Indians  who  claimed  under  the  treaty.  The  consequence  was  that  nearly 
all  the  reservations  conflicted  with  lands  previously  sold  by  the  State  Com- 
missioners to  citizens,  a number  of  whom  had  sold  their  homesteads  in 
older  settled  portions  of  the  State,  and  had  moved  to  the  newly  acquired 

Hubert  McLemore,  John  Baldridge,  Lewis  Ross,  Fox  Taylor,  Rd.  Timberlake,  David  Fields  (to  include  his 
mill),  James  Brown  (to.  include  his  field  by  the  long  pond),  William  Brown,  John  Brown,  Elizabeth.  Lowry, 
. Oeorge  Lowry,  John  Henze,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Peek,  John  Walker,  Sr.,  John  Walker,  Jr.,  Richard  Taylor,  John 
McIntosh,  James  Starr,  Samuel  Parks,  The  Old  Bark  (of  Chota)— total  20.  (Only  those  are  here  given  whose 
reserves  were  in  Tennessee.) 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


105 


territory.  These  conflicting  claims  caused  much  disturbance,  the  pur- 
chasers from  the  State  commissioners  looking  to  the  State  to  make  their 
title  yalid,  and  the  Indians  looking  to  the  United  States  to  make  their 
title  valid.  A great  many  suits  were  brought  by  the  Indians  in  the 
courts  of  North  Carolina  against  citizens  who  had  taken  possession  under 
titles  obtained  from  the  State  of  North  Carolina,  and  one  case  was  carried 
to  the  supreme  court  of  the  State  and  decided  in  favor  of  the  Indian. 
Clearly  perceiving  the  disagreeable  results  that  must  ensue  from  a con- 
tinuance of  this  state  of  things,  North  Carolina  felt  compelled  to  take 
prompt  measures  for  the  relief  of  the  citizens  to  whom  she  had  sold 
these  lands.  Time  would  not  permit  application  to  the  General  Govern- 
ment to  extinguish  the  Indian  title,  and  she  therefore  took  the  only  course 
left  open  for  her  to  pursue,  viz.:  to  appoint  commissioners  of  her  own  to 
purchase  of  the  Indians  their  claims  to  the  lands.  This  purchase  was 
effected  at  a cost  to  the  State  of  $19,969,  besides  incidental  expenses,  the 
entire  sum  expended  by  the  State  in  this  matter  being  $22,000.  North 
Carolina  then  made  application  to  Congress  for  the  reimbursement  to  her 
treasury  of  this  sum,  basing  her  claim  for  reimbursement  on  the  two 
following  reasons:  First — That  the  General  Government  had  no  power 

to  exercise  any  control  over  any  part  of  the  soil  within  the  limits  of  any 
of  the  original  States,  and  that  the  injury  sustained  by  North  Carolina 
resulted  from  the  act  of  the  General  Government  in  the  assumption  and 
exercise  of  this  power  as  set  forth  in  this  treaty,  and  which  was  a viola- 
tion of  the  rights  and  sovereignty  of  the  State.  Second — That  the  gen- 
eral policy  of  the  General  Government  has  been  to  extinguish  Indian 
titles  to  land  within  the  States  when  she  could  do  so.  The  first  proposi- 
tion was  discussed  at  considerable  length  and  the  second  was  sustained 
by  extracts  from  the  treaties  of  Hopewell,  1785,  and  of  Holston,  1791. 
The  application  of  North  Carolina  for  the  repayment  to  her  of  $22,000 
was  granted  by  Congress  in  an  act  approved  May  9,  1828.  Soon  after 
the  conclusion  of  the  above  treaty  the  following  agreement  with  reference 
to  the  laying  out  and  opening  of  a road  from  the  Tennessee  to  the  Tu- 
galo  River  was  made  and  entered  into : 

Cherokee  Agency,  Hiwassee  Garrison. 

We  the  undersigned  chiefs  and  councilors  of  the  Cherokees,  in  full  council  assembled, 
do  hereby  give,  grant  and  make  over  unto  Nicholas  Byers  and  Davi'd  Bussell,  who  are 
agents  in  behalf  of  the  States  of  Tennessee  and  Georgia,  full  power  and  authority  to  es- 
tablish a turnpike  company  to  be  composed  of  them,  the  said  Nicholas  and  David,  Arthur 
Henly,  John  Lowry,  Atto  and  one  Other  person,  by  them  to  be  hereafter  named  in  behalf 
of  the  State  of  Georgia,  and  the  above  named  person  are  authorized  to  nominate  five  prop 
er  and  fit  persons,  natives  of  the  Cherokees,  who,  together  with  the  white  men  aforesaid, 
are  to  constitute  the  company;  which  said  company  when  thus  established,  are  hereby 
fully  authorized  by  us  to  lay  out  and  open  a road  from  the  most  suitable  point  on  the- 


lot 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


Tennessee  River,  to  be  directed  the  nearest  and  best  way  to  the  highest  point  of  navigation 
on  the  Tugalo  River;  which  said  road  when  opened  and  established  shall  continue  and  re- 
main a free  and  public  highway,  unmolested  by  us,  to  the  interest  and  benefit  of  the  said 
company  and  their  successors,  for  the  full  term  of  twenty  years  yet  to  come  after  the  same 
may  be  opened  and  complete;  after  which  time  said  road  with  all  its  advantages  shall  be 
surrendered  up  and  reverted  in  the  said  Cherokee  nation.  And  the  said  company  shall 
have  leave,  and  are  hereby  authorized,  to  erect  their  public  stands,  or  houses  of  entertain- 
ment, on  said  road,  that  is  to  say:  One  at  each  end  and  one  in  the  middle,  or  as  nearly  so 
as  a good  situation  will  permit,  with  leave  also  to  cultivate  one  hundred  acres  of  land  on 
each  end  of  the  road  and  fifty  acres  at  the  middle  stand,  with  a privilege  of  a sufficiency 
of  timber  for  the  use  and  consumption  of  said  stands.  And  the  said  turnpike  company  do 
hereby  agree  to  pay  the  sum  of  $ 160  yearly  to  the  Cherokee  nation  for  the  aforesaid  priv- 
ilege, to  commence  after  said  road  is  opened  and  in  complete  operation.  The  said  com- 
pany are  to  have  the  benefit  of  one  ferry  on  Tennessee  River,  and  such  other  ferry  or  fer- 
ries as  are  necessary  on  said  road,  and  likewise  said  company  shall  have  the  exclusive  priv- 
ilege of  trading  on  said  road  during  the  aforesaid  term  of  time. 

In  testimony  of  our  full  consent  to  all  and  singular  the  above  named  privileges  and  ad- 
vantages, we  have  hereunto  set  our  hands  and  affixed  our  seals  this  eighth  day  of  March, 
eighteen  hundred  and  thirteen 

Big  Cabbin,  Oo-see-kee, 

Nettle  Carrier,  Chu-la-oo, 

John  Walker,  Wau-sa-way, 

Na-ah-ree,  The  Bark, 

The  Raven,  See-kee-kee, 

Te-is-tis-kee,  Dick  Brown, 

Quo-ti-quas-kee,  Charles  Hicks. 


Ou-TA-HE-LEE 
The-la-gath-a-hee, 
Two  Killers, 

John  Boggs, 

Cur-a-hee, 

Too-cha-lee, 

Dick  Justice, 


The  foregoing  agreement  and  grant  was  amicably  negotiated  and  concluded  in  my 
presence.  Return  J.  Meigs,  Agent  to  the  Cherokees. 

I certify  I believe  the  within  to  be  a correct  copy  of  the  original. 

Washington  City,  March  1,  1819  Charles  Hicks,  Agent  to  the  Cherokees. 


On  the  15th  of  November,  1819,  the  Legislature  of  Tennessee  passed 
an  act  to  dispose  of  the  lands  in  the  former  Cherokee  hunting  grounds 
between  the  rivers  Hiwassee  and  Tennessee,  and  north  of  the  Little  Ten- 
nessee. The  act  provided  that  three  commissioners  should  be  appointed 
to  superintend  the  sale  of  these  lands,  that  no  one  person  should  be  al- 
lowed to  purchase  for  himself  more  than  640  acres,  and  320  acres  for 
each  of  his  children,  and  that  no  land  should  be  sold  for  less  than  $2  per 
acre.  By  this  act  the  Unicoi  Turnpike  Company  was  permitted  to  retain, 
possess  and  enjoy  all  the  franchises  yielded  to  them  by  the  Cherokees  in 
the  treaty  of  February  27,  1819,  together  with  the  use  and  occupancy  of 
250  acres  of  land  convenient  to  the  public  house  then  occupied  by  Maj. 
Henry  Stephens  during  the  continuance  of  the  grant.  A few  days  pre- 
vious to  the  passage  of  the  above  act,  the  Legislature  of  Tennessee  passed 
an  act  (October  23,  1819)  for  the  adjudication  of  the  North  Carolina 
land  claims  and  for  satisfying  the. same  by  an  appropriation  of  the  va- 
cant soil  south  and  west  of  the  congressional  reservation  line,  and  ex- 
tending to  the  Mississippi  River.  This  territory  was  divided  into  seven 


HISTOBY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


107 


districts,  numbered  from  the  seventh  to  the  thirteenth  inclusive,  all  of 
these  districts  being  definitely  bounded  in  the  second  section  of  this  act. 

The  “congressional  reservation  line”  was  described  in  an  act  of 
Congress,  approved  April  18,  1806,  entitled  ‘ an  act  to  authorize  the 
State  of  Tennessee  to  issue  grants  and  perfect  titles  to  certain  lands 
therein  described,  and  to  settle  the  claims  to  the  vacant  lands  within  the, 
same.”  Following  is  the  description  of  the  line:  “ Beginning  at  tlieA 

place  where  the  eastern  or  main  branch  of  Elk  River  shall  intersect  the  f 
southern  boundary  line  of  the  State  of  Tennessee;  from  thence  running 
due  north  until  said  line  shall  intersect  the  northern  or  main  branch  of 
Duck  River;  thence  down  the  waters  of  Duck  River  to  the  military 
boundary  line  as  established  by  the  seventh  section  of  an  act  of  the  State 
of  North  Carolina  entitled  ‘an  act  for  the  relief  of  the  officers  and  sol- 
diers of  the  continental  line  and  for  other  purposes1  passed  in  the  year 
1783;  thence  with  the  military  boundary  line  west  to  the  place  where  it 
intersects  the  Tennessee  River ; thence  down  the  waters  of  the  river  Ten- 
nessee to  the  place  where  the  same  intersects  the  northern  boundary  line 
of  the  State  of  Tennessee.” 

With  reference  to  the  departure  of  the  Cherokee  Indians  from  the 
State  of  Tennessee,  it  is  proper  to  observe  that  early  in  this  century  they 
were  divided  into  the  Lower  and  Upper  Towns ; the  Lower  Towns  clinging 
to  the  hunter  life,  and  the  Upper  Towns  wishing  to  assimilate  with  the 
whites.  In  1808  delegations  from  both  parties  called  upon  the  President 
of  the  United  States — the  former  to  express  a wish  to  remove  to  Govern- 
ment lands  west  of  the  Mississippi.  On  July  8,  1817,  lands  were  ceded 
to  the  United  States  in  exchange  for  lands  on  the  Arkansas  and  White 
Rivers,  and  under  this  arrangement  3,000  moved  in  1818.  Then  followed 
the  treaty  of  1819,  after  which  the  Chei’okees  had  left  east  of  the  Missis- 
sippi River  about  8,000  square  miles  of  territory,  chiefly  in  the  State 
of  Georgia. 

The  last  treaty  made  with  the  Chickasaws  was  under  date  of  October 
19,  1818,  at  which  they  ceded  all  their  lands  north  of  Mississippi  be- 
tween the  Tennessee  and  Mississippi  Rivers,  for  certain  specified  annual 
payments,  the  Colberts,  influential  men  of  the  tribe,  aware  of  the  value 
of  the  lands,  securing  unusually  favorable  terms  for  the  Chickasaws.  By 
treaties  of  1832  and  1834  they  ceded  to  the  United  States  all  their  re- 
maining lands  east  of  the  Mississippi  River. 

It  is  difficult  to  obtain  accurate  statistics  with  regard  to  the  numbers 
of  the  various  Indian  tribes  residing  within  the  limits  of  Tennessee  at 
any  specified  period  previous  to  1860.  There  was  taken  no  valuable 
census  of  the  Indian  population  previous  to  1825,  and  then  it  was  taken 


108 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


with  inference  to  the  tribes  themselves  instead  of  with  reference  to 
States.  In  that  year  there  were  estimated  to  reside  in  the  States  of  North 
Carolina,  Georgia,  Alabama,  Mississippi  and  Tennessee,  53,625  Indians 
— Cherokees,  Creeks,  Chickasaws  and  Choctaws.  Of  the  Creeks  there 
were  about  20,000  residing  principally  in  eastern  Alabama.  Of  the 
Choctaws  there  were  about  20,000,  residing  principally  in  Mississippi. 
Of  the  Chickasaws  there  were  about  3,600,  residing  almost  wholly  in 
Mississippi,  the  rest  being  Cherokees  residing  in  North  Carolina,  Georgia, 
Alabama  and  Tennessee.  At  this  time  the  total  number  of  Indians  in 
Tennessee  was  about  1,000,  which  remained  the  Indian  population  of  the 
State  for  several  years,  but  the  number  was  gradually  reduced  until 
1860,  when  it  was  sixty;  in  1870  it  was  seventy. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Settlement  of  Tennessee— Early  Explorations— Ferdinand  De  Soto— 
Identity  of  Chisca  and  Memphis— Wood’s  Tour  of  Discovery— Settle- 
ments and  Intrigues  of  the  French— Spottsavood’s  Exploration — Con- 
flicting Designs  of  the  French  and  the  English — Construction  of 
Forts  Loudon  and  Patrick  Henry— Scotch  and  French  Traders— 
Walker’s  Discoveries— Daniel  Boone— The  Hunting  Expeditions— The 
Gradual  Appearance  of  Permanent  White  Settlers — Results  of  the 
Treaty  of  1763— Rapid  Increase  of  Pioneers— Watauga,  Carter’s  and 
Broavn’s  Settlements — Land  Cessions  and  Pre-emption  Grants — Acts 
of  the  Watauga  Association — The  Exploration  of  Cumberland  Val- 
ley—Donelson’s  Journal— Description  of  a Thrilling  Voyage— Gen- 
eral Observations 

THE  problem  of  who  were  the  first  inhabitants  of  the  immense,  diver- 
sified and  fertile  territory  now  organized  into  and  named  the  State 
of  Tennessee  will  doubtless  always  remain  unsolved.  The  present  limits 
of  the  State  were  certainly  entered  in  the  western  part,  and  possibly  in 
the  eastern  part  by  that  daring  explorer  and  intrepid  warrior,  Fernando 
De  Soto,  while  on  his  ill-starred  expedition  of  1510  and  1511.  The 
opinion  as  to  his  presence  in  East  Tennessee  rests  mainly  if  not  entirely 
upon  inferences  drawn  from  descriptions  of  localities,  rivers  and  islands, 
and  from  the  names  of  Indian  tribes  and  villages  contained  in  the  narra- 
tive of  the  Portuguese  historian  who  accompanied  De  Soto  in  his  final  and 
fatal  wanderings.  According  to  McCullough,  the  extreme  northern  point 
of  the  route  followed  by  De  Soto’s  army  was  at  Ohonalla,  near  the  thirty- 
fifth  parallel  of  latitude,  and  somewhere  among  the  sources  of  the  Coosa 
Elver.  And  Dr.  Kamsey  thinks  it  possible  that  Clionalla  was  identical 


HISTOBY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


LOS 


with  the  modern  Cherokee,  Cliilliowee,  as  the  description  by  the  Portu- 
guese gentlemen  of  the  country  around  Chonalla  applies  to  that  around 
Chilhowee.  “Canasaqua”  is  also  mentioned  in  the  Portuguese  narration, 
and  this  name  is  thought  to  have  been  changed  into  Canasauga,  which  is 
the  name  of  one  of  the  tributaries  of  the  Coosa,  and  it  is  also  the  name 
of  a small  town  in  the  southeast  corner  of  Polk  County.  Talise  and 
Sequatchie  are  also  mentioned,  which  seems  to  additionally  confirm  the 
theory  of  De  Soto's  presence  in  East  Tennessee.  In  1834  Col.  Petti- 
val  visited  two  forts  or  camps  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Tennessee  River, 
one  mile  above  Brown’s  Ferry,  below  the  Muscle  Shoals,  and  opposite  the 
mouth  of  Cedar  Creek,  which  he  was  certain  belonged  to  the  expedition 
of  Alphonso  De  Soto.”  This  fact,  if  established,  would  be  in  confirmation 
of  the  theory  that  De  Soto  crossed  the  Tennessee  River  to  the  northward, 
and  then  again  to  the  southward  on  his  march  into  what  are  now  Ala- 
bama and  Mississippi. 

But  whatever  may  be  the  fact  regarding  the  presence  of  De  Soto’s 
army  in  East  Tennessee,  there  is  no  reasonable  doubt  of  its  having  been  in 
West  Tennessee.  After  leaving  Talise,  De  Soto,  in  response  to  an  invi- 
tation from  Tuscaluza,  visited  the  residence  of  that  cazique  about  fifteen 
leagues  distant  from  Talise,  and  on  the  windings  of  the  river.  Contin- 
uing  his  march  he  arrived  at  Mauvilla,  October  18,  1540,  and  here  was 
compelled  to  fight  one  of  his  greatest  battles,  in  which  he  lost  eighty-two 
of  his  soldiers  and  inflicted  a loss  of  2,500  on  the  natives.  Proving  vic- 
torious he  rested  his  army  in  the  village  of  Mauvilla  until  November  18, 
when  he  started  northward.  After  five  days  marching  the  Spaniards 
entered  the  province  of  Chicaza  and  approached  the  village,  Cabusto, 
where  another  battle  was  fought  with  the  Indians,  and  after  winning  this 
battle  they  arrived  at  Chicaza  village  December  18.  Here,  as  at  Mau- 
villa, they  were  surprised  by  a well  concerted  night  attack  from  the  Indi- 
ans, but  were  again  victorious  and  resumed  their  march  to  Chiacilla. 
where  they  remained  the  rest  of  the  winter.  April  1,  1541,  they  marched 
four  leagues  and  encamped  beyond  the  boundaries  of  Chicaza.  At  Ali- 
bamo  they  fought  their  next  battle,  and  then  marched  northward  seven 
days  through  an  uninhabited  wilderness,  and  at  length  came  in  sight  of 
Cliisca,  seated  near  a wide  river,  the  largest  they  had  as  yet  discovered, 
and  which  they  named  the  Rio  Grande.  Juan  Coles,  one  of  the  followers 
of  De  Soto,  says  the  Indians  named  the  river  Chucaqua.  The  Portuguese 
narrator  says  that  in  one  place  it  was  named  Tomaliseu,  in  another  Tu- 
pata,  in  another  Mico,  and  where  it  enters  the  sea  Ri,  probably  different 
names  among  the  different  tribes.  The  Portuguese  gentlemen  called 
Chisca  by  the  name  of  Quizquiz.* 


*RamscY. 


no 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Cliisca  is  believed  to  liave  occupied  the  site  of  the  present  thriving 
city  of  Memphis.  On  the  morning  of  its  discovery  by  the  Spaniards 
they  rushed  into  it  in  a disorderly  manner,  pillaging  the  houses  and  tak- 
ing numerous  persons  of  both  sexes  prisoners.  Cliisca,  the  chief  of  the 
province,  though  ill,  was  exceedingly  enraged,  and  was  determined  to 
rush  forth  and  exterminate  all  who  had  thus  dared  to  enter  his  province 
without  permission.  But  he  was  restrained  by  his  women  and  attend- 
ants, and  after  a proffer  of  peace  by  De  Soto,  became  more  peaceable, 
granted  the  request,  and  De  Soto  went  into  camp.  The  next  morning 
some  of  the  natives  advanced  without  speaking,  turned  their  faces  toward 
the  east,  and  made  a profound  genuflection  to  the  sun ; then  turning  to 
the  west  they  made  the  same  obeisance  to  the  moon,  and  concluded  with 
a similar  but  less  profound  reverence  to  De  Soto.  They  then  said  they 
had  come  in  the  name  of  the  cazique,  Cliisca,  and  in  the  name  of  all  his 
subjects,  to  bid  them  welcome,  and  to  offer  their  friendship  and  services. 
They  also  said  they  were  desirous  of  seeing  what  kind  of  men  the  stran- 
gers were,  as  there  was  a tradition  handed  down  from  their  ancestors  that 
a white  people  would  come  and  conquer  their  country.* 

The  Spaniards  remained  at  Chisca  twenty  days,  at  the  end  of  which 
time,  having  built  four  piraguas,  they  were  ready  to  cross  the  great  river. 
About  three  hours  before  day  De  Soto  ordered  the  piraguas  to  be 
launched,  and  four  troopers  of  tried  courage  to  cross  in  each.  The  troop- 
'ers,  when  near  the  opposite  shore,  rushed  into  the  water,  and  meeting 
with  no  resistance  easily  effected  a landing,  and  were  thus  masters  of  the 
pass.  The  entire  army  was  over  the  river  two  hours  before  the  setting 
of  the  sun.  The  Mississippi  Biver  at  this  place,  according  to  the  Portu- 
guese narrator,  was  half  a league  across,  was  of  great  depth,  very  muddy, 
and  was  filled  with  trees  and  timber,  carried  along  by  the  rapidity  of  the 
current. 

According  to  Bancroft,  De  Soto  saw  the  Mississippi  Biver  for  the  first 
time  April  25,  1541,  being  guided  to  it  by  the  natives  at  one  of  their 
usual  crossing  places,  probably  the  lowest  Chickasaw  Bluff,  not  far  from 
the  thirty-fifth  parallel  of  latitude ; Belknap  says  within  the  thirty-fourth 
parallel;  Andrew  Elliott’s  journal  says  it  was  in  thirty-four  degrees  and 
ten  minutes ; “Martin’s  Louisiana”  says  a little  below  the  lowest  Chickasaw 
Bluff;  “Nuttall’s  Travels  in  Arkansas”  says  at  the  lowest  Chickasaw  Bluff, 
and  McCullough  says  twenty  or  thirty  miles  below  the  mouth  of  the  Ar- 
kansas Biver. 

From  the  time  of  De  Soto’s  departure  from  Chisca  there  appears  to 
have  been  no  attempt  at  exploration  within  the  present  limits  of  Tennessee 


*IrYing. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Ill 


until  the  year  1655,  when  Col.  Wood,  who  lived  at  the  falls  of  the  James 
Ptiver,  sent  suitable  persons  out  on  a tour  of  discovery  to  the  westward. 
These  parties  crossed  the  Alleghany  Mountains,  and  reached  the  Ohio 
and  other  rivers  flowing  into  the  Mississippi.  And  it  is  believed  possi- 
ble by  writers  on  this  department  of  literature  that  Col.  Wood’s  explorers 
followed  the  beautiful  valley  of  Virginia,  passed  through  the  upper  part 
of  East  Tennessee  and  the  Cumberland  Gap,  and  thus  were  the  pioneers 
of  that  vast  flood  of  immigration  which  but  little  more  than  a century  later 
poured  its  current  of  life  and  activity  into  Tennessee. 

Less  than  twenty  years  after  this  conjectural  tour  through  Tennessee 
of  Col.  Wood’s  adventurers  two  remarkable,  historical  personages  passed 
down  the  Mississippi,  and  found  between  the  thirty-fifth  and  thirty-sixth 
parallels  of  latitude,  on  the  eastern  bank  of  the  great  river,  densely  popu- 
lated Indian  villages.  These  celebrated  personages  were  Marquette  and 
Joliet,  and  these  discoveries  were  made  in  June,  1673.  In  the  map  pub- 
lished in  connection  with  Marquette’s  Journal,  in  1681.  highlands  corre- 
sponding to  the  first,  second  and  third  Chickasaw  Bluffs  are  delineated 
with  considerable  accuracy,  as  is  also  a large  island,  known  as  President’s 
Island.  lie  ports  of  these  visits  and  discoveries  circulated  in  Prance  ex- 
cited among  their  countrymen  brilliant  schemes  of  colonization  along  the 
banks  of  the  Mississippi,  and  La  Salle  was  commissioned  to  perfect  the 
exploration  of  the  great  river  and  its  immense  and  productive  valley.  In 
furtherance  of  this  object  La  Salle  descended  the  river  to  its  mouth  in 
1682,  and  planted  the  standard  of  France  near  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  claim- 
ing the  territory  for  that  power,  and  naming  it  “Louisiana,”  in  honor  of 
his  sovereign,  Emperor  Louis  XIV.  As  he  passed  down  the  river  he 
framed  a cabin  and  built  a fort  on  the  first  Chickasaw  Bluff,  naming  it 
Prud'homme.  Except  the  four  piraguas,  or  pirogues,  built  at  this  point 
by  the  Spanish  adventurer  De  Soto,  in  1541,  this  cabin  and  fort  built  by 
the  French  explorer  La  Salle,  in  1682,  was  the  first  handicraft  by  civilized, 
man  within  the  boundaries  of  Tennessee. 

While  at  this  fort  La  Salle  entered  into  friendly  arrangements  with  the 
Chickasaw  Indians  for  the  opening  of  trade,  and  established  a trading 
post,  which  he  hoped  would  serve  as  a rendezvous  for  traders  from  the 
Illinois  to  posts  which  might  afterward  be  established  below.  Since  the 
time  of  La  Salle  the  largest  commercial  city  of  Tennessee  has  been  estab- 
lished and  developed  very  near,  if  not  precisely  upon,  the  very  spot 
selected  by  him  for  his  trading  post.  But  this  State  was  not  to  be  settled 
from  the  West.  It  was  from  Virginia  and  North  Carolina  that  were  to 
come  the  hardy  sons  of  toil  and  courageous  pioneers  that  were  to  convert 
th e “howling  wilderness,”  which  Tennessee  had  been  for  centuries,  into 


/ 


112 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


a populous,  industrious  and  prosperous  commonwealth.  After  the  death 
of  Bacon  immigration  set  in  toward  the  west,  and  extended  into  the  beauti- 
ful valley  of  Virginia.  In  1690  the  settlements  reached  the  Blue  Ridge, 
and  explorations  of  the  great  AVest  were  soo:.  afterward  undertaken.  In 
1711,  according  to  Ramsey,  Col.  Alexander  bpottswood,  then  lieutenant- 
governor  of  Virginia,  passed,  and  was  the  first  to  pass  the  Great  Blue 
Hills,  and  his  attendants,  on  account  of  having  discovered  a liorse-pass, 
were  called  “Knights  of  the  Horse  Shoe.”  It  has  been  said  that  during 
this  tour  Gov.  Spottswood  passed  Cumberland  Gap,  and  conferred  this 
name  upon  the  gap,  the  mountains  and  the  river,  which  they  have  ever 
since  retained,  but  this  is  probably  an  error.  During  the  same  year 
(1714)  M.  Charleville,  a French  trader  from  Crozat’s  colony,  at  New  Or- 
leans, came  among  the  Sliawanees,  then  living  upon  the  Cumberland 
River,  and  opened  trade  with  them.  His  store  was  upon  a mound,  on 
the  present  site  of  Nashville,  west  of  the  Cumberland  River,  near  French 
Lick  Creek,  and  about  seventy  yards  from  each  stream.  But  it  is  thought 
M.  Charleville  could  not  have  remained  long,  for  about  this  time  the 
Cliickasaws  and  Cherokees  made  a combined  attack  upon  the  Sliawanees, 
and  drove  them  from  their  numerous  villages  along  the  lower  Cumber- 
land. 

Evidently  it  was  the  design  of  the  French  at  that  time  to  exclude  the 
English  from  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi  and  to  confine  their  colonies 
to  narrow  limits  along  the  Atlantic  coast.  In  order  to  accomplish  this 
purpose  they  endeavored  to  enlist  in  their  behalf  the  native  Indian 
tribes.  Traders  from  Carolina  having  ventured  to  the  countries  of  the 
Choctaws  and  Cliickasaws  had  been  driven  from  their  villages  through 
the  influence  of  Bienville,  France  claiming  the  entire  valley  of  the  Miss- 
issippi by  priority  of  discovery.  According  to  Adair  the  eastern  bound- 
aries of  the  territory  at  that  time  claimed  by  the  French  extended  to  the 
head  springs  of  the  Alleghany  and  Monongahela,  of  the  Kanawha  and  of 
the  Tennessee.  One  half  mile  from  the  head  of  the  Savannah  was 
“Herbert’s  Spring,”  the  water  from  which  flows  to  the  Mississippi,  and 
strangers  who  drank  of  it  would  say  they  had  tasted  “French  waters;” 
and  the  application  of  the  name  “French  Broad”  to  the  river  now 
known  by  that  name  is  thus  explained.  Traders  and  hunters  from  Caro- 
lina in  passing  from  the  head  waters  of  Broad  River,  and  falling  upon 
those  of  the  stream  with  which  they  inosculate  west  of  the  mountains, 
and  hearing  of  the  French  claim  would  naturally  call  the  newly  discov- 
ered stream  the  “French  Broad.”  Not  long  after  this  the  French  built 
and  garrisoned  Fort  Toulouse,  at  the  confluence  of  the  Coosa  and  Talla- 
poosa; Tombeckbee  in  the  Choctaw  country;  Assumption,  on  the  Chick- 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


113 


asaw  Bluff,  and  Paducah,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Cumberland,  and  numerous 
trading  posts  along  the  Tennessee,  indicative  of  their  intention  to  main- 
tain possession  of  the  country. 

To  counteract  the  influence  of  the  Trench  and  to  frustrate  their  de- 
signs the  English  sent  out  Sir  Alexander  Cumming  to  treat  with  the 
Cherokees,  who  at  that  time  occupied  the  country  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
source  of  the  Savannah  River  and  back  therefrom  to  and  beyond  the  Ap- 
palachian chain  of  mountains.  Summoning  the  Lower,  Middle  Valley 
and  Overhill  tribes,  Sir  Alexander  met  the  chiefs  of  the  Cherokee  towns 
at  Nequassa,  in  April,  1730,  informed  them  by  whom  he  was  sent  and 
demanded  of  them  obedience  to  King  George.  The  chiefs,  falling  upon 
their  knees,  solemnly  promised  what  was  demanded,  and  Sir  Alexander, 
with  their  unanimous  consent,  nominated  Moytoy,  of  Telliquo,*  com- 
mander-in-chief  of  the  Cherokee  nation.  The  crown  was  brought  from 

O 

Tenassee,  j-  their  chief  town,  which  together  with  five  eagle  feathers  and 
four  scalps,  taken  from  the  heads  of  their  enemies,  they  requested  Sir 
Alexander  to  lay  at  his  sovereign’s  feet. 

As  has  been  seen  above  it  was  the  policy  of  Erance  to  unite  the  ex- 
tremes of  her  North  American  possessions  by  a cordon  of  forts  along  the 
Mississippi  River;  but  the  Chickasaws  had  hitherto  formed  an  obstacle 
to  the  accomplishment  of  this  design.  This  tribe  of  Indians  was  con- 
sidered inimical  to  the  purposes  of  the  French,  and  hence  the  French 
resolved  upon  their  subjugation.  A joint  invasion  was  therefore  made 
into  their  country  by  Bienville  and  D’Artuquette,  which  resulted  dis- 
astrously to  the  invaders.  The  French,  however,  not  to  be  deterred  by 
disaster,  toward  the  last  of  June,  1739,  sent  an  army  of  1,200  white  men 
and  double  that  number  of  red  and  black  men,  who  took  up  their  quar- 
ters in  Fort  Assumption,  on  the  bluff  of  Memphis.  The  recruits  from 
Canada  sank  under  the  torridity  of  the  climate.  In  March,  1740,  the 
small  detachment  proceeded  to  the  Chickasaw  country.  They  were  met 
by  messengers  who  supplicated  for  peace,  and  Bienville  gladly  accepted 
the  calumet.  The  fort  at  Memphis  was  razed,  and  the  Chickasaws  re- 
mained the  undoubted  lords  of  the  country.^ 

Thus  did  the  present  territory  of  Tennessee  again  rid  itself  of  civil- 
ization, almost  precisely  two  centuries  after  De  Soto  built  his  piraguas 
near  the  site  of  the  razed  Fort  Assumption,  on  the  banks  of  the  Missis- 
sippi. But  civilization  can  not  be  restrained.  Settlements  were  gradu- 
ally extending  from  the  Atlantic  colonies  toward  Tennessee.  In  1740 

* Probably  the  modern  Tellico. 

t Tenassee  was  on  the  west  bank  of  the  present  Little  Tennessee  River,  a few  miles  above  the  mouth  of 
Tellico,  and  afterward  gave  its  name  to  Tennessee  River  and  the  State. 

^Bancroft 


114 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


there  was  a handsome  fort  at  Augusta  garrisoned  by  twelve  or  fifteen 
men,  besides  officers,  and  the  boundary  line  between  Virginia  and  North 
Carolina  was  extended  in  1749  by  commissioners  appointed  by  their  re- 
spective Legislatures  to  Holston  River,  directly  opposite  Steep  Rock. 
According  to  Haywood  the  Holston  River  was  discovered  by  and  settled 
upon  by  a man  of  that  name,  which  event  must  therefore  have  occurred 
previous  to  1749.  Fort  Dobbs  was  built  in  1756,  about  twenty  miles 
west  of  Salisbury,  in  accordance  with  the  terms  of  a treaty  between  Col. 
Waddle  and  Attakullakulla,  the  Little  Carpenter,  in  behalf  of  the  Chero- 
kees.  But  to  this  treaty  the  Indians  paid  little  attention,  and  hence  it 
became  necessary  for  Gov.  Glenn,  of  South  Carolina,  to  make  an  alliance 
with  the  Indians  for  the  purpose  of  securing  peace  and  protection  to  the 
frontier  settlements.  This  alliance  or  treaty  was  made  in  1755,  at 
which  a large  cession  of  territory  was  made  to  the  King  of  Great  Britain, 
whom  Gov.  Glenn  represented,  and  soon  afterward  Gov.  Glenn  built 
Fort  Prince  George  upon  and  near  the  source  of  the  Savannah  River, 
300  miles  from  Charleston,  and  in  the  immediate  proximity  of  an  Indian 
town  named  Keown. 

In  the  spring  of  1756  the  Earl  of  Loudon,  who  had  been  appointed 
commander  of  the  King’s  troops  in  America  and  governor  of  Virginia, 
sent  Andrew  Lewis  out  to  build  another  fort  on  the  southern  bank  of 
the  Little  Tennessee  River,  above  the  mouth  of  Tellico  River,  nearly 
opposite  the  spot  upon  which  Tellico  Block-house  was  afterward  erected 
and  about  thirty  miles  from  the  site  of  Knoxville.  Lewis  named  the 
structure  Fort’  Loudon,  in  honor  of  the  Earl.  This  fort  is  remarkable  as 
being  the  first  erected  in  Tennessee  by  the  English,  but  authorities 
differ  as  to  the  year  in  which  it  was  erected — some  say  in  1756,  others  in 
1757.  In  1758  Col.  Bird,  of  Virginia,  erected  Long  Island  Fort,  on  the 
north  bank  of  the  Holston,  nearly  opposite  the  upper  end  of  Long  Island. 
At  this  time  the  line  between  Virginia  and  North  Carolina  had  not  been 
extended  beyond  Steep  Rock  Creek,  and  this  fort  was  thought  to  be  in 
Virginia,  but  as  the  line  when  extended  passed  north  of  the  fort,  the 
Virginians  have  the  honor  of  having  erected  the  second  Anglo-American 
fort  within  the  limits  of  Tennessee. 

While  these  events  were  taking  place,  numerous  traders  were  making 
their  way  from  the  Atlantic  coast  to  the  south  and  west.  In  1690  Doherty, 
a trader  from  Virginia,  visited  the  Cherokees,  and  in  1730  Adair,  from 
South  Carolina,  extended  his  tour  through  the  towns  of  this  tribe.  In 
1740  other  traders  employed  a Mr.  Vaughn  as  packman  to  transport 
their  goods.  These  traders  passed  to  the  westward  along  the  Tennessee 
below  the  Muscle  Shoals,  and  there  came  in  competition  with  other  trad- 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


115 


ers  from  New  Orleans  and  Mobile.  Those  who  returned  to  northern 
markets  were  usually  heavily  laden  with  peltries  which  sold  at  highly  re- 
munerative prices.  A hatchet,  a pocket  looking-glass  or  a piece  of  scarlet 
cloth  and  other  articles  which  cost  but  little  and  were  of  but  little  intrin- 
sic value  would  command  among  the  Indians  on  the  Hiwassee  or  the 
Tennessee  peltries  which  could  be  sold  for  forty  times  their  original  cost 
in  Charleston  or  Philadelphia.  It  is  worthy  of  remark  that  most  of  these 
traders  were  Scotchmen  who  had  been  but  a short  time  in  the  country, 
who  were  thus  at  peace  ivith  the  Indians,  and  the  commerce  which  they 
carried  on  proved  a source  of  great  profit  and  was  with  them  for  a time 
a monopoly.  But  this  monopoly  was  not  to  be  permitted  long  to  continue. 
The  cupidity  of  frontier  hunters  became  excited  as  they  perceived  the 
heavily  laden  trader  or  packman  returning  from  the  far  Western  wilder- 
ness which  they  had  not  yet  ventured  to  penetrate;  and  as  game  became 
scarce  in  their  own  accustomed  haunts  east  of  the  mountains  they  soon 
began  to  accompany  the  traders  to  the  West  and  to  trap  and  hunt  on 
their  own  account. 

But  these  hunters  and  traders  can  scarcely  be  considered  the  precur- 
sors of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  Tennessee.  In  1748  Dr.  Thomas  Walker, 
of  Virginia,  in  company  with  Cols.  Wood,  Patton  and  Buchanan  and 
Capt.  Charles  Campbell,  made  an  exploring  tour  upon  the  Western  waters. 
Passing  Powell’s  Valley  he  gave  the  name  “ Cumberland  ” to  the  lofty 
range  of  mountains  on  the  west  of  the  valley.  Tracing  this  range  in  a 
southwest  direction  he  came  to  a remarkable  depression  in  the  chain. 
Through  this  depression  he  passed,  calling  it  “ Cumberland  Gap.  ” West 
of  the  range  of  mountains  he  found  a beautiful  mountain  stream  to  which 
he  gave  the  name  of  “ Cumberland  River,  ” all  in  honor  of  the  Duke  of 
Cumberland,  then  Prime  Minister  of  England.  The  Indian  name  of  the 
river  was  Warito.  On  account  of  the  supposition  that  the  Virginia  line, 
if  extended  westward,  would  run  south  of  its  present  location,  a grant  of 
land  was  made  by  the  authorities  in  Virginia  to  Edmund  Pendleton  of 
3,000  acres  lying  in  Augusta  County  on  a branch  of  the  middle  fork  of 
the  Indian  River,  called  West  Creek,  now  in  Sullivan  County,  Tenn. 
The  original  patent  was  signed  by  Gov.  Dinwiddie,  was  presented  to  Dr. 
Ramsey  by  T.  A.  R.  Nelson,  of  Jonesboro,  and  is  probably  the  oldest 
patent  in  the  State. 

In  1760  Dr.  Walker  again  passed  over  Clinch  and  Powell  Rivers  on 
a tour  of  exploration  into  Kentucky.  At  the  head  of  one  of  the  parties 
that  visited  the  West  in  1761  “ came  Daniel  Boone,  from  the  Vadkin  in 
North  Carolina,  and  traveled  with  them  as  low  as  the  place  where  Abing- 
don now  stands  and  there  left  them.”  This  is  the  first  time  the  name  of 


Ill) 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


Daniel  Boone  is  mentioned  by  historians  in  connection  with  explorations 
into  Tennessee,  but  there  is  evidence  that  he  was  in  the  State  at  least  a 
rear  earlier,  evidence  that  is  satisfactory  to  most  writers  on  the  subject. 
N.  Gammon,  formerly  of  Jonesboro,  and  later  of  Knoxville,  furnished 
to  Dr.  Ramsey  a copy  of  an  inscription  until  recently  to  be  seen  upon  a 
beech  tree  standing  in  the  Aralley  of  Boone’s  Creek,  a tributary  of  the 
Watauga,  which  is  here  presented: 


If  Daniel  Boone  wrote  or  rather  cut  this  inscription  on  the  tree,  as  is 
generally  believed  to  have  been  the  case,  it  is  not  improbable  that  he  ac- 
companied Dr.  Walker  on  his  second  tour  of  exploration,  which  was  made 
in  1760,  and  it  fixes  the  date  of  his  arrival  in  this  State.  But  this,  appar- 
ently,  is  not  demonstrable.  The  New  'American  Cyclopedia  says  in  ref- 
erence to  Daniel  Boone:  “When  he  was  about  eighteen  his  father  re- 

moved to  North  Carolina  and  settled  on  the  Yadkin.  Here  Daniel  mar- 
ried Rebecca  Bryan  and  for  some  years  followed  the  occupation  of  a far- 
mer, but  about  1761  we  find  that  his  passion  for  hunting  led  him  with 
a company  of  explorers  into  the  wilderness  at  the  head  waters  of  the 
Tennessee  river;”  and  Collins,  in  his  History  of  Kentucky,  writes  as 
though  Boone’s  knowledge  of  and  interest  in  the  wild -woods  of  Kentucky 
began  upon  hearing  reports  of  their  beauty  and  value  by  John  Findley, 
who  did  not  make  his  exploration  until  1767,  which  will  be  referred  to 
in  its  proper  chronological  connection.  However,  with  regard  to  the 
inscription  it  would  seem  legitimate  to  inquire  why  did  not  Boone  spell 
his  own  name  correctly  on  the  tree? 

In  this  same  year,  1761,  a company  of  about  twenty  hunters,  chiefly 
from  Virginia  came  into  what  is  now  Hawkins  County,  Tenn.,  and 
hunted  in  Carter’s  Valley  about  eighteen  months.  Their  names  have  not 
all  been  preserved;  a portion  of  them,  however,  were  Wallen,  Scaggs, 
Blevins  and  Cox.  Late  in  1762  this  party  came  again  and  hunted  on 
the  Clinch  and  other  rivers,  as  was  also  the  case  in  1763  when  they 
penetrated  further  into  the  interior,  passed  through  Cumberland  Gap, 
and  hunted  the  entire  season  upon  the  Cumberland  River.  In  1764 
Daniel  Boone,  now  in  the  employ  of  Henderson  & Co.,  came  again  to 
explore  the  country.  He  was  accompanied  this  time  by  Samuel  Calla- 
way, ancestor  of  the  Callaway  family  in  Tennessee,  Kentucky  and  Mis- 
souri. After  Boone  and  Callaway  came  Henry  Scaggins,  who  extended 
his  tour  to  the  lower  Cumberland  and  fixed  his  station  at  Mansker’s  Lick, 


D.  Boon 


Cilled 
on  Tree 
yeaR 
1760 


A 

in 


BAR 

the 


HISTORY  OR  TENNESSEE. 


117 


the  first  exploration  west  of  the  Cumberland  Mountains  by  an  Anglo- 
American.  In  June,  1766,  according  to  Haywood,  Col.  James  Smith  set 
out  to  explore  the  rich  lands  between  the  Ohio  and  Cherokee  Rivers, 
then  lately  ceded  to  Great  Britain.  Traveling  westwardly  from  the  Hol- 
ston  River,  in  company  with  Joshua  Horton,  Uriah  Stone  and  William 
Baker,  and  a slave  belonging  to  Horton,  they  explored  the  country  south 
of  Kentucky,  and  the  Cumberland  and  Tennessee  Rivers  from  Stone 
River,  which  they  named  after  Uriah  Stone,  down  to  the  Ohio.  Arriving 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Tennessee  Col.  Smith,  accompanied  by  Horton’s 
slave,  returned  to  Carolina  in  October.  The  rest  of  the  party  went  on  to 
Illinois. 

The  recital  by  Col.  Smith  of  what  he  had  seen  on  the  lower  Cumber- 
land, the  extraordinary  fertility  of  the  soil,  its  rich  flora,  its  exuberant 
pasture,  etc.,  excited  in  the  minds  of  the  people  in  the  Atlantic  States 
which  he  visited  an  ardent  and  irrepressible  desire  to  emigrate  to  that 
country.  In  1767  John  Findley,  accompanied  by  several  persons,  visited 
the  West.  Passing  through  Cumberland  Gap  he  explored  the  country 
as  far  as  the  Kentucky  River.  Upon  his  return  his  glowing  descriptions 
of  the  fertility  of  the  country  beyond  the  Cumberland  Mountains  excited 
the  curiosity  of  the  frontiersmen  of  North  Carolina  and  Virginia  no  less 
than  did  those  of  Col.  Smith.  With  reference  to  this  journey  of  Findley, 
Collins  says: 

“In  1767  the  return  of  Findley  from  his  adventurous  excursion  into 
the  unexplored  wilds  beyond  the  Cumberland  Mountains,  and  the  glow- 
ing account  he  gave  of  the  richness  and  fertility  of  the  new  country, 
excited  powerfully  the  curiosity  and  imagination  of  the  frontier-back- 
woodsmen of  Virginia  and  North  Carolina,  ever  on  the  watch  for  adven- 
ture, and  to  whom  the  lonely  wilderness  with  its  perils  presented  attrac- 
tions which  were  not  to  be  found  in  the  close  confinement  and  enervating 
inactivity  of  the  settlements.  To  a man  of  Boone’s  temperament  and 
tastes,  the  scenes  described  by  Findley  presented  charms  not  to  be 
resisted;  and  in  1769  he  left  his  family  upon  the  Yadkin,  and  in  company 
with  five  others,  of  whom  Findley  was  one,  he  started  to  explore  the  coun- 
try of  which  he  had  heard  so  favorable  an  account. 

“Having  reached  a stream  of  water  on  the  borders  of  the  present  State 
of  Kentucky,  called  Red  River,  they  built  a cabin  to  shelter  them  from 
the  inclemency  of  the  weather  (for  the  season  had  been  very  rainy),  and 
divided  their  time  between  hunting  and  the  chase,  killing  immense  quan- 
tities of  game.  Nothing  of  particular  interest  occurred  until  the  22d  of 
December,  1769,  when  Boone,  in  company  with  a man  named  Stuart, 
being  out  hunting,  was  surprised  and  captured  by  the  Indians.  They 


118 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


remained  with  tlieir  captors  seven  days,  till  having,  by  a rare  and  power- 
ful exertion  of  self-control,  suffering  no  signs  of  impatience  to  escape; 
them,  they  succeeded  in  disarming  the  suspicions  of  the  Indians,  effected 
their  escape  without  difficulty.  * * * Qn  regaining  their 

camp  they  found  it  dismantled  and  deserted;  the  fate  of  its  inmates  was. 
never  ascertained,  and  it  is  worthy  of  remark  that  this  is  the  last  and 
almost  only  glimpse  we  have  of  Findley,  the  first  pioneer.” 

Ramsey  says:  “ Of  Findley  nothing  more  is  known  than  that  he  was 

the  first  hunter  of  Kentucky  and  the  pilot  of  Boone  to  the  dark  and 
bloody  ground.”  He  also  says  that  in  December  of  that  year  (1769) 
John  Stewart  was  killed  by  the  Indians  (quoting  from  Butler)  “ the  first 
as  far  as  is  known  in  the  hecatombs  of  white  men,  offered  by  the  Indians 
to  the  god  of  battles  in  their  desperate  and  ruthless  contention  for  Ken- 
tucky.” Boone,  therefore,  except  possibly  Findley,  was  the  only  one  o£ 
this  party  of  six  who,  passing  through  East  Tennessee,  made  this  explor- 
ation into  Kentucky  and  returned. 

The  events  which  immediately  follow  the  above  in  chronological  suc- 
cession have  more  or  less  relation  to  the  Treaty  of  Paris,  or  the  Peace 
of  1763,  hence  a brief  account  of  that  treaty  is  appropriate  in  this  con- 
nection, and  also  from  the  fact  that  the  territory,  now  comprising  Ten- 
nessee, as  well  as  a large  amount  of  other  territory,  was  by  that  treaty 
ceded  by  France  to  England.  Of  the  effect  of  this  treaty  upon  England, 
Bancroft  says: 

“At  the  peace  of  1763  the  fame  of  England  was  exalted  in  Europe 
above  that  of  all  other  nations.  She  had  triumphed  over  those  whom  she 
called  her  hereditary  enemies,  and  retained  one-half  a continent  as  a 
monument  of  her  victories.  Her  American  dominions  extended  without 
dispute,  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Mississippi,  from  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  to 
Hudson’s  Bay,  and  in  her  older  possessions  that  dominion  was  rooted  as 
firmly  in  the  affections  of  the  colonists  as  in  their  institutions  and  laws. 
The  ambition  of  British  statesmen  might  well  be  inflamed  with  the  desire 
of  connecting  the  mother  country  and  her  trans- Atlantic  empire  by  indis- 
soluble bonds  of  mutual  interests  and  common  liberties.” 

But  this  treaty,  howsoever  great  may  have  been  its  effect  upon  the 
majesty  and  grandeur  of  the  English  Government,  and  howsoever  great 
may  have  been  the  relief  obtained  by  the  French  nation,  neither  French 
nor  English  appears  to  have  taken  into  account  the  rights  or  well-being 
of  the  independent  Indian  tribes,  the  real  owners  of  the  territory  ceded 
by  the  one  nation  to  the  other.  Not  having  been  consulted  by  the  great 
powers,  having  been  in  fact  entirely  ignored,  the  Indians  naturally 
refused  to  be  bound  by  the  transfer  of  their  country  by  the  French  to  the 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


119 


English,  and  hence  every  excursion  into  their  hunting  ground  was  looked 
upon  with  jealousy,  and  was  finally  met  with  resistance  as  an  invasion  of 
their  country,  and  an  unwarranted  encroachment  upon  their  rights.  The 
Indians  had  been,  in  the  years  of  their  alliance  with  the  French,  pre- 
pared for  this  attitude  toward  the  English,  by  the  efforts  of  the  people  of 
the  former  nation  to  excite  in  the  savage  tribes  fears  of  the  designs  of 
the  English  to  dispossess  them  of  their  entire  country.  For  the  purpose 
of  allaying  as  far  as  practicable,  or  removing  these  apprehensions, . King 
George,  on  the  7th  of  . October,  1763,  issued  his  proclamation  prohibiting 
the  provincial  governors  from  granting  lands  or  issuing  land  warrants  to 
be  located  west  of  the  mountains,  or  west  of  the  sources  of  those  streams 
flowing  into  the  Atlantic  Ocean.  And  all  private  persons  were  strictly 
enjoined  from  purchasing  any  lands  of  the  Indians,  such  purchases 
being  directed  to  be  made,  if  made  at  all,  at  a general  meeting  or  assem- 
bly of  the  Indians,  to  be  held  for  that  purpose  by  the  governor  or  com- 
mander-in-chief of  each  colony,  respectively. 

But  no  matter  what  may  have  been  the  intention  of  King  George,  of 
England,  in  the  issuance  of  this  proclamation,  its  effect  upon  the  west- 
ward tide  of  immigration  was  imperceptible.  The  contagious  spirit  of  ad- 
venture and  exploration  had  now  risen  to  the  dignity  of  an  epidemic.  An 
avalanche  of  population  was  being  precipitated  upon  these  fertile  valleys, 
hills  and  plains,  and  the  proclamation  of  the  King  had  no  more  effect 
upon  these  eager,  moving  masses  than  had  the  famous  fulmination  of  the 
Pope  against  the  comet.  And  the  proclamation  of  the  King  was  looked 
upon  even  by  “the  wise  and  virtuous  George  Washington  and  Chancellor 
Livingston  ” as  an  article  to  quiet  the  fears  of  the  Indians  while  the  oc- 
cupancy of  their  country  went  on  all  the  same.  In  addition  to  the  na- 
tural stimulus  to  this  tide  of  immigration,  of  the  immense  advantages  of 
the  soil  and  climate,  was  the  artificial  stimulus  of  special  grants  of  land 
by  the  provinces  of  Great  Britain,  with  the  approval  of  the  crown,  to  offi- 
cers and  soldiers  -who  had  ^rved  in  the  British  Army  against  the  French 
and  their  allies,  the  Indians.  Thus  the  King’s  proclamation  was  in  di- 
rect contravention  of  the  grants  authorized  by  a previous  proclamation 
of  the  King.  By  this  latter  mentioned,  but  earlier  issued  proclamation, 
officers  and  soldiers  were  granted  lands  as  follows:  Every  person  hav- 

ing the  rank  of  a field  officer,  5,000  acres;  every  captain,  3,000  acres; 
every  subaltern  or  staff  officer,  2,000  acres;  every  non-commissioned 
officer,  200  acres,  and  every  private  fifty  acres.  These  officers  and  sol- 
diers, with  scrip  and  military  warrants  in  their  hands,  were  constantly 
employed  in  selecting  and  locating  their  claims.  These  continued  en- 
croachments kept  the  Indian  tribes  in  a state  of  dissatisfaction  and 


120 


HISTOIiV  OF  TENNESSEE. 


alarm,  but  though  thus  exasperated  they  refrained  from  open  hostilities. 
Because  of  these  encroachments  and  alarms  the  royal  Government  in- 
structed the  superintendents  of  Indian  affairs  to  establish  boundary  lines 
between  the  whites  and  Indians,  and  to  purchase  from  the  Indians  the 
lands  already  occupied,  to  which  the  title  had  not  been  extinguished. 

Capt.  John  Stuart  was  at  this  time  superintendent  of  southern  In- 
dian affairs.  On  the  14th  of  October,  1768,  Capt.  Stuart  concluded  a 
treaty  with  the  Cherokees  at  Hard  Labour,  S.  C.,  by  which  the  south- 
western boundary  of  Virginia  was  fixed  as  follows:  “Extending  from  the 
point  where  the  northern  line  of  North  Carolina  intersects  the  Cherokee 
hunting  grounds,  about  thirty-six  miles  east  of  Long  Island,  in  the  Hol- 
ston  Biver;  thence  extending  in  a direct  course,  north  by  east,  to  Cliis- 
well’s  Mine  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Kanawha  River,  and  thence  down 
that  stream  to  its  junction  with  the  Ohio.” 

To  follow  the  instructions  of  the  royal  Government  in  regard  to  pur- 
chasing the  lands  already  occupied  by  the  Indians  was  not  easy  of  ac- 
complishment, because  of  the  uncertainty  as  to  which  Indian  tribe  or 
tribes  were  the  rightful  proprietors  of  the  soil.  At  the  time  of  its  ear- 
liest exploration  the  vast  extent  of  country  between  the  Ohio  and  Tennes- 
see Rivers  was  unoccupied  by  any  Indian  tribe.  Indian  settlements  ex- 
isted on  the  Scioto  and  Miami  Rivers  on  the  north,  and  on  the  Little 
Tennessee  on  the  south.  Between  these  limits  existed  a magnificent  for- 
est park,  abounding  in  a great  variety  of  game,  which  was  thus  the 
hunting  ground  of  the  Choctaws,  Cliickasaws  and  Cherokees  of  the 
south,  and  of  the  various  tribes  composing  the  Miami  Confederacy  of  the 
north.  It  also  served  as  a kind  of  central  theater  for  the  enactment  of 
desperate  conflicts  of  savage  warriors  and  deadly  enemies.  Why  this 
great  extent  of  valuable  country  was,  as  by  common  consent  of  all  the 
surrounding  Indian  tribes,  left  unoccupied  will  probably  always  remain 
unexplained  except  by  conjecture.  But  though  not  inhabited  by  any 
tribe  or  nation,  title  to  it  was  claimed  by  the  ■ nfederacy  of  the  Six  Na- 
tions, and  this  confederacy,  by  a deputation  3mit  to  the  superintendent 
of  Indian  affairs  in  the  north,  on  the  6th  of  May,  1768,  presented  a for- 
mal remonstrance  against  the  continued  encroachments  upon  these  lands. 
Upon  consideration  by  the  royal  government  of  this  remonstrance,  in- 
structions were  issued  to  Sir  William  Johnson,  superintendent,  to  con- 
vene the  chiefs  and  warriors  of  the  tribes  most  interested.  Accordingly 
this  convention  was  held  at  Fort  Stanwix,  N.  Y.,  October  24;  3,200 
Indians  of  seventeen  different  tribes  attended,  and  on  the  5th  of  Novem- 
ber a treaty  and  a deed  of  cession  to  the  King  were  signed.  In  this  the 
delegates  from  their  respective  nations  declared  themselves  to  be  “the 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


121 


true  and  absolute  proprietors  of  the  lands  thus  ceded,”  and  that  they  had 
“continued  the  line  south  to  the  Cherokee  or  Hogohegee  Eiver  because 
the  same  is  our  true  bounds  with  the  southern  Indians,  and  that  we  have 
an  undoubted  right  to  the  country  as  far  south  as  that  river.”  This  was 
the  first  deed  from  any  aboriginal  tribe  for  any  lands  within  the  present 
boundaries  of  Tennessee. 

The  Watauga  Settlement. — Dr.  Thomas  Walker  was  Virginia’s  com- 
missioner to  the  convention  at  Fort  Stanwix.  Upon  his  return  he  brought 
with  him  the  news  of  the  cession.  At  the  treaty  at  Hard  Labour  the  In- 
dians had  assented  to  an  expulsion  of  the  Holston  settlements,  and  as  a 
consequence  the  nucleus  was  formed  of  the  first  permanent  settlement 
within  the  limits  of  Tennessee,  in  the  latter  part  of  December,  1768,  and 
the  early  part  of  January,  1769.  It  was  merely  an  enlargement  of  the 
Virginia  settlements,  and  was  believed  to  be  in  Virginia — the  boundary 
line  between  Virginia  and  North  Carolina  not  having  been  established 
west  of  Steep  Rock.  The  settlers  were  principally  from  North  Carolina, 
and  some  of  them  had  been  among  the  troops  raised  by  that  province  and 
sent  in  1760  to  the  relief  of  Fort  Loudon,  and  others  had  wintered  in 
1758  at  Fort  Long  Island,  around  which  a temporary  settlement  had 
been  made  but  broken  up. 

About  the  time  of  the  incipiency  of  the  Watauga  settlement  Capt. 
William  Bean  came  from  Pittsylvania  County,  Va.,  and  settled  with  his 
family  on  Boone’s  Creek,  a tributary  of  the  Watauga.  His  son,  Russell 
Bean,  was  the  first  white  child  born  in  Tennessee.  Bean’s  Station  was 
named  after  him.  About  a month  after  Daniel  Boone  “ left  his  peaceful 
habitation  on  the  Yadkin  River,  in  quest  of  the  country  of  Kentucky,” 
a large  company  was  formed  for  the  purpose  of  exploring  and  hunting  in 
Middle  Tennessee.  Some  of  them  were  from  North  Carolina,  some  from 
the  vicinity  of  the  Natural  Bridge  and  others  from  Ingle’s  Ferry,  Va. 
Some  of  their  names  are  here  introduced:  John  Rains,  Casper  Mansker, 
Abraham  Bledsoe,  John  Baker,  Joseph  Drake,  Obadiali  Terrell,  Uriah 
Stone,  Henry  Smith,  Ned  Cowan  and  Robert  Crockett.  They  established 
a rendezvous  on  New  River,  eight  miles  below  Fort  Chissel,  and  passing 
through  Cumberland  Gap,  discovered  southern  Kentucky  and  fixed  a 
station  camp  at  what  has  since  been  known  as  Price’s  Meadow,  in  Wayne 
County.  Robert  Crockett  was  killed  near  the  head  waters  of  Roaring 
River,  and  after  hunting  eight  or  nine  months  the  rest  of  the  party 
returned  home  in  April,  1770.  After  their  return  a party  of  about  forty 
stout  hunters  was  formed  for  the  purpose  of  hunting  and  trapping  west 
of  the  Cumberland.  This  party  was  led  by  Col.  James  Knox,  who,  with 
nine  others,  reached  the  lower  Cumberland,  and  after  a long  absence,. 


122 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


having  made  an  extensive  tour,  returned  home  and  won  the  appellation 
of  the  “ Long  Hunters.” 

The  settlement  on  the  Watauga  continued  to  receive  considerable 
accessions  to  its  numbers,  both  from  North  and  South  Carolina  and  Vir- 
ginia. This  was  in  part  because  of  the  comparatively  unproductive  hills 
and  valleys  of  those  provinces  and  because  of  the  absence  of  courts  in 
South  Carolina  outside  of  the  capital  of  the  State  previous  to  1770.  In 
this  latter  province  the  people  felt  under  the  necessity  of  taking  the  law 
into  their  own  hands,  and  punished  offenders  by  organized  bodies  of 
regulators.  The  regulators  were  opposed  by  the  Scovilites,  so  named 
after  their  leader  Scovil,  who  was  commissioned  by  the  governor  to 
operate  against  the  regulators,  and  from  North  Carolina  the  inhabitants 
were  driven  in  part  by  the  determination  of  the  British  Government  to 
quarter  troops  in  America  at  the  expense  of  the  colonies  and  to  raise  a 
revenue  by  a general  stamp  duty.  After  the  defeat  of  the  regulators  by 
Gov.  Tryon  on  the  Alamance  May  16,  1771,  numbers  of  them  proceeded 
to  the  mountains  and  found  a cordial  welcome  in  Watauga,  remote  from 
official  power  and  oppression.  While  these  movements  were  in  progress 
the  settlements  were  spreading  beyond  the  limits  established  at  Hard 
Labour  and  a new  boundary  had  been  agreed  upon  by  a new  treaty  signed 
at  Lochaber  October  18,  1770.  The  new  line  extended  from  the  south 
branch  of  Holston  River,  six  miles  east  of  Long  Island,  to  the  mouth  of 
the  Great  Kanawha. 

At  that  time  the  Holston  River  was  considered  the  boundary  line 
between  Virginia  and  North  Carolina.  The  Legislature  of  Virginia 
passed  an  act  granting  to  every  actual  settler  having  a log  cabin  erected 
and  some  ground  cultivated  the  right  to  400  acres  of  land  so  located  as 
to  include  his  improvement,  and  subsequently  extended  the  right  to  each 
settler  to  purchase  1,000  acres  adjoining  at  a merely  nominal  cost.  This 
generous  action  on  the  part  of  the  Legislature  of  Virginia  greatly  stim- 
ulated immigration  to  the  West,  where  every  man  could  easily  secure  a 
valuable  estate.  Crowds  immediately  advanced  to  secure  the  proffered 
fortune,  and  afterward,  when  the  boundary  line  was  run,  they  found  them- 
selves in  North  Carolina.  But  most  of  the  new  arrivals  at  Watauga 
came  from  North  Carolina,  Among  those  who  came  about  this  time  was 
Daniel  Boone,  at  the  head  of  a party  of  immigrants,  he  acting  merely  as 
guide,  which  he  continued  to  do  until  his  death  in  1820  or  1822. 

Early  in  1770  came  James  Robertson,  from  Wake  County,  N.  C., 
who,  henceforth,  for  many  years  was  destined  to  be  one  of  the  most  use- 
ful and  prominent  of  the  pioneers  of  Tennessee.  He  visited  the  new 
settlements  forming  on  the  Watauga,  and  found  a settler  named  Honey- 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


123 


■cutt  living  in  a hut,  who  furnished  him  with  food.  On  his  return  home 
he  lost  his  way,  and  after  wandering  about  for  some  time,  nearly  starving 
to  death,  he  at  length  reached  home  in  safety  and  soon  afterward  settled 
on  the  Watauga.  During  this  same  year  hunting  was  carried  on  in  the 
lower  Cumberland  country  by  a party  composed  of  Mr.  Mansker,  Uriah 
Stone,  John  Baker,  Thomas  Gordon,  Humphrey  Hogan  and  Cadi  Brook 
and  four  others.  They  built  two  boats  and  two  trapping  canoes,  loaded 
them  with  the  results  of  their  hunting  and  descended  the  Cumberland, 
fhe  first  navigation  and  commerce  probably  carried  on  upon  that  stream. 
Where  Nashville  now  stands  they  discovered  the  French  Lick,  surrounded 
by  immense  numbers  of  buffalo  and  other  wild  game.  Near  the  lick  on 
a mound  they  found  a stock  fort,  built,  as  they  thought,  by  the  Clierokees 
on  their  retreat  from  the  battle  at  Chickasaw  Old  Fields.  The  party 
descended  the  Cumberland  to  the  Ohio,  met  John  Brown,  the  mountain 
leader,  marching  against  the  Senecas,  descended  the  Ohio,  meeting 
Frenchmen  trading  with  the  Illinois,  and  continued  their  voyage  to 
Natchez,  where  some  of  them  remained,  while  Mansker  and  Baker 
returned  to  New  River. 

In  the  autumn  of  1771  the  lower  Cumberland  was  further  explored 
by  Mansker,  John  Montgomery,  Isaac  Bledsoe,  Joseph  Drake,  Henry 
Suggs,  James  Knox,  William  and  David  Lynch,  Christopher  Stopli  and 
William  Allen.  The  names  of  most  of  this  company  are  now  connected 
with  different  natural  objects,  as  Mansker’s  Lick,  Drake’s  Pond,  Drake’s 
Lick,  Bledsoe’s  Lick,  etc.  After  hunting  some  time  and  exhausting 
their  ammunition  they  returned  to  the  settlements. 

In  the  meantime  the  Holston  and  Watauga  settlements  were  receiv- 
ing a steady  stream  of  emigration.  Most  of  those  who  came  were  honest, 
industrious  pioneers,  but  there  were  those  who  did  not  posess  these  char- 
acteristics. These  had  fled  from  justice,  hoping  that  in  the  almost  in- 
accessible retreats  of  the  frontiers  to  escape  the  punishment  due  them 
for  their  crimes.  Here,  from  the  necessities  of  their  surroundings,  they 
did  find  safety  from  prosecution  and  conviction.  The  inhabitants  north 
of  the  Holston  believing  themselves  to  be  in  Virginia,  agreed  to  be 
governed  by  the  laws  of  that  province.  South  of  Holston  was  admitted 
to  be  in  North  Carolina,  and  here  the  settlers  lived  without  law  or  pro- 
tection except  by  such  regulations  as  they  themselves  adopted.* 

In  1772  Virginia  made  a treaty  with  the  Clierokees  by  which  it  was 
decided  to  run  a boundary  line  ivest  from  White  Top  Mountain  in  latitude 
thirty-six  degrees  thirty  minutes.  Soon  after  a deputy  agent  for  the  Gov- 
ernment of  Great  Britain,  Alexander  Cameron,  resident  among  the  Cher- 


♦See  chapter  on  organization. 


124 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


okees,  ordered  the  settlers  on  the  Watauga  to  move  off.  But  some  of 
the  Cherokees  expressing  a wish  that  they  might  be  permitted  to  remain 
provided  no  further  encroachments  were  made,  the  necessity  for  their  re- 
moval was  avoided.  But  being  still  uneasy  the  settlers  deputed  James 
Bobertson  and  John  Boone  to  negotiate  with  the  Indians  for  a lease. 
The  deputies  succeeded  in  effecting  a lease  for  eight  years  for  about 
$5,000  worth  of  merchandise,  some  muskets  and  other  articles. 

About  this  time  the  Nollichucky  Valley  was  settled  by  Jacob  Brown 
and  one  or  two  others  upon  the  northern  bank  of  the  river.  These  fami- 
lies were  from  North  Carolina.  Brown  bought  a lease  of  a large  tract  of 
land  with  a small  quantity  of  goods  which  he  had  brought  from  his  for- 
mer home  on  his  pack  horse.  A little  before  Brown  made  his  settlement 
on  the  Nollichucky,  Carter’s  Valley  was  settled  by  Carter,  Parker  and 
others  from  Virginia,  Carter’s  Valley  being  north  of  the  Holston  was 
thought  to  be  in  Virginia.  Carter  & Parker  opened  a small  store  which 
was  soon  afterward  robbed  by  the  Indians,  it  was  supposed  by  the  Chero- 
kees, but  no  serious  consequences  followed.  But  the  wanton  killing  of 
an  Indian  at  the  time  of  the  execution  of  the  Watauga  lease,  came  near 
precipitating  a conflict  between  the  two  races,  which  might  have  entirely 
destroyed  the  frontier  settlements.  James  Robertson  came  to  their  re- 
lief and  by  his  wisdom  and  intrepidity  saved  them  from  extermination  by 
the  outraged  Cherokees.  Robertson  made  a journey  of  150  miles,  and  by 
his  courage,  calmness  and  fairness,  by  his  assurances  to  the  Indians  that 
the  white  men  intended  to  punish  the  murderer  as  soon  as  he  could  be 
found,  saved  the  settlers  from  the  fury  of  the  savages.  h r/(y, 

Two  important  events  followed,  viz. : The  battle  of  Point  Pleasanqand 
Henderson’s  Treaty.  Y (Por  account  of  these  events  see  elsewhere.)  By 
this  treaty  of  Henderson’  all  that  tract  of  country  lying  between  the 
Kentucky  and  Cumberland  Rivers  was  relinquished  to  Henderson  and 
his  associates.  This  purchase  was  named  Transylvania,  and  the  estab- 
lishment of  an  independent  government  was  at  first  contemplated.  Dur- 
ing the  progress  of  this  treaty  which  was  concluded  at  Sycamore  Shoals, 
Carter  & Parker  whose  store  had  been  robbed  by  Indians,  as  narrated 
above,  demanded,  in  compensation  for  the  loss  inflicted  upon  them,  Car- 
ter’s Valley,  to  extend  from  Cloud’s  Creek  to  the  Chimney  Top  Moun- 
tain of  Beech  Creek.  The  Indians  consented  to  this  upon  the  condition 
of  additional  consideration,  and  in  order  to  enable  them  to  advance  the 
price  Messrs.  Carter  & Parker  took  Robert  Lucas  into  partnership. 
These  lands  were  afterward  found  to  be  in  North  Carolina. 

The  Watauga  Association,  holding  their  lands  under  an  eight  years’ 
lease,  were  desirous  of  obtaining  a title  in  fee.  Two  days  after  the  Hen- 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


125 


clerson  purchase  they  succeeded  in  securing  a deed  of  conveyance  to 
Charles  Robertson  of  a large  extent  of  country.  It  was  made  March  19, 
1775,  and  is  recorded  in  the  register’s  office  of  Washington  County. 
This  deed  was  signed  by  Oconostota,  Attakullakulla,  Tenassee  War- 
rior and  Willinawaugh  in  presence  of  John  Sevier.  William  Bailey 
Smith,  Jesse  Benton,  Tillman  Dixon,  William  Blevins  and  Thomas 
Price,  and  conveyed  for  the  sum  of  £2,000  lawful  money  of  Great 
Britain,  all  that  tract  of  land,  including  all  the  waters  of  the  Watauga, 
part  of  the  waters  of  Holston  and  the  head  branches  of  New  River,  or 
Great  Kanawha.  These  lands  were  afterward  regularly  patented  to  the 
settlers,  the  first  patentee  being  Joshua  Haughton.  But  it  is  proper  here 
to  refer  to  a deed  to  Jacob  Brown  by  which  for  the  consideration  of  10 
shillings,  a “principality”  was  conveyed  to  him  embracing  much  of  the 
best  land  in  Washington  and  Greene  Counties.  This  deed  was  dated 
March  25,  1775. 

At  this  time  the  colonial  government  claimed  the  exclusive  right  to 
purchase  lands  of  the  Indians  as  one  of  the  prerogatives  of  sovereignty, 
and  Gov.  Martin  pronounced  the  purchase,  at  Watauga,  of  the  Cher- 
okee lands  illegal,  alleging  in  his  proclamation  against  it  that  it  was 
made  in  violation  of  the  king’s  proclamation  of  October  7,  1763,  the  effect 
of  which  proclamation  has  been  already  described  as  a brutum  fulmen. 
This  proclamation  of  Gov.  Martin  was  equally  harmless. 

The  Watauga  settlement  constantly  increased  in  numbers,  and  the 
tribunal  consisting  of  five  commissioners  chosen  by  themselves  settled 
all  controversies  arising  among  the  people.  Its  sessions  were  held  at 
regular  intervals,  and  its  business  increased  with  the  growth  of  the  colony. 
No  records  of  this  court  have  been  discovered,  but  while  searching  among 
the  public  papers  of  North  Carolina,  Dr.  Ramsey  found  a petition  from 
the  Watauga  settlement  praying  to  be  annexed  to  North  Carolina  as  a 
county,  as  a district,  or  as  some  other  division.  This  petition  is  without 
a date,  and  is  in  the  hand-writing  of  John  Sevier.  The  chairman  of  the 
meeting  which  adopted  it  was  John  Carter,  whose  grandson  was  chairman 
of  the  Constitutional  Convention  of  1831.  The  petition  was  received  by 
the  general  assembly  of  North  Carolina,  August  22,  1776,  and  was 
signed  by  112  persons.  It  commences  thus:  “The  humble  petition  of 
the  inhabitants  of  Washington  District,  including  the  River  Wataugah, 
Nonacliuckie,  etc.,  in  committee  assembled,  humbly  shewetb,  etc.”  The 
committee  who  drew  up  this  petition  were  as  follows : John  Carter, 

chairman;  Charles  Robertson,  James  Robertson,  Zachariali  Isbell,  John 
Sevier,  James  Smith,  Jacob  Brown,  William  Bean,  John  Jones,  George 
Russell,  Jacob  Womack  and  Robert  Lucas.  The  name  Washington  Dis- 


8 


12G 


HISTORY  OR  TENNESSEE. 


trict  is  believed  to  have  been  suggested  by  John  Sevier,  and  thus  the 
pioneers  of  Tennessee  were  probably  the  first  to  honor  Washington. 

The  Provincial  Congress  convened  at  Halifax,  November  12,  1776, 
and  continued  in  session  until  December  18.  From  “Washington  Dis- 
trict, Watauga  Settlement,”  were  present  John  Carter,  Charles  Robert- 
son, John  Haile  and  John  Sevier;  Jacob  Womack  was  elected,  but  did 
not  attend.  A bill  of  rights  and  a State  constitution  were  adopted,  in 
the  former  of  which  the  limits  of  the  State  are  made  to  extend  westward 
“so  far  as  is  mentioned  in  the  charter  of  King  Charles  the  Second,  to 
the  late  proprietors  of  Carolina.”  The  following  clause  is  also  in  the 
Declaration  of  Rights,  “That  it  shall  not  be  construed  so  as  to  prevent  the 
establishment  of  one  or  more  governments  westward  of  this  State,  by 
consent  of  the  Legislature.” 

While  these  events  were  in  progress,  other  events  were  either  tran- 
spiring or  in  embryo,  which  were  of  transcendent  importance  to  the 
three  centers  of  settlement — at  Carter’s  at  Watauga,  and  at  Brown’s. 
Difficulties  between  Great  Britain  and  her  American  colonies  had  already 
commenced,  the  dawn  of  the  American  Revolution  was  at  hand.  Every 
means  was  to  be  employed  by  the  mother  country  in  reducing  to  submis- 
sion her  refractory  subjects,  one  of  those  measures  being  to  arm  the 
neighboring  Indian  tribes  and  to  stimulate  them  to  fall  upon  and  destroy 
the  feeble  settlements  on  the  frontier. 

The  war  with  the  Cherokees  having  happily  come  to  an  end,  and 
prosperity  having  returned  to  A settlements,  a treaty  was  made  with 
them,  and  signed  July  20,  1 7 r.  7 . in  April  of  that  year  the  Legislature 
of  North  Carolina  passed  an  act  for  the  purpose  of  encouraging  the 
militia  and  volunteers  in  prosecuting  the  war  against  the  Cherokees. 

At  the  same  session  an  act  was  passed  establishing  Washington  Dis- 
trict, appointing  justices  of  the  peace,  and  establishing  courts  of  pleas 
and  quarter  sessions.  In  November  following,  Washington  County  was 
created,  to  which  was  assigned  the  entire  territory  of  the  present  State  of 
Tennessee.  A land  office  was  provided  for  in  Washington  County,  and 
each  head  of  a family  was  permitted  to  take  up  for  himself  640  acres  of 
land,  for  his  Avife  100  acres,  and  100  acres  for  each  of  his  children.  The 
ease  and  small  expense  with  which  land  entries  could  be  made,  led 
numerous  poor  men  westward,  for  without  a dollar  in  his  pocket  the 
immigrant,  upon  arriving  at  the  distant  frontier,  and  upon  selecting  a 
homestead,  at  once  became  a large  land-owner,  and  almost  instantaneously 
acquired  a competency  and  an  independency  for  himself  and  his  family. 
These  men  brought  no  wealth,  but  they  did  bring  what  was  of  more 
value — industry,  frugality,  hardihood,  courage,  economy  and  self-reli- 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


127 


ance — and  of  sucli  material  was  the  foundation  of  society  in  the  future 
great  State  of  Tennessee  composed.  During  this  year  a road  was  laid 
out  and  marked  from  the  court  house  in  Washington  County  to  the 
county  of  Burke ; and  the  first  house  covered  with  shingles  was  put  up  a 
few  miles  east  of  where  Jonesboro  now  stands.  In  1778  the  Warm 
Springs  on  the  French  Broad  were  accidentally  discovered  by  Henry 
Reynolds  and  Thomas  Morgan. 

By  the  treaty  made  at  Watauga  in  March,  1775,  which  has  been  al- 
ready alluded  to,  the  Cherokees  deeded  to  Henderson  & Co.  all  the  lands 
between  the  Kentucky  and  Cumberland  Rivers.  A portion  of  this  pur- 
chase was  within  the  supposed  boundary  of  North  Carolina,  and  numbers 
of  explorers  continued  to  pass  through  Cumberland  Gap  on  their  way  to 
Middle  Tennessee.  Among  them  Mansker  renewed  his  visits  in  Novem- 
ber, 1775,  and  accompanied  by  Bryant  and  others  encamped  at  Mansker 
Lick.  Mansker  and  three  others  remained  hunting  and  trapping  on  the 
Sulphur  Fork  of  Red  River.  Thomas  Sharp,  Holliday,  Spencer  and 
others  came  in  1776  to  the  Cumberland  and  built  a number  of  cabins. 
The  rest  returning,  Spencer  and  Holliday  remained  until  1779.  Capt. 
De  Munbreun  came  to  Middle  Tennessee  about  1775  and  established  his 
residence  at  Eaton’s  Station.  He  hunted  through  Montgomery  County, 
and  during  the  summer  of  1777  he  saw  some  parties  at  Deacon’s  Pond, 
near  the  present  site  of  Palmyra.  In  1778  a settlement  was  formed  near 
Bledsoe’s  Lick  in  the  heart  of  the  Chickasaw  Nation,  and  about  the  same 
time  a party  of  French  erected  a trading  post  at  “ The  Bluff,”  with  the 
approval  of  the  Chickasaws.  Other  parties  kept  coming  to  the  lower 
Cumberland.  Richard  Hogan,  Spencer,  Holliday  and  others  were  there, 
and  in  the  spring  of  1778  they  planted  a small  field  of  corn,  the  first 
plantation  in  Middle  Tennessee.  A large  hollow  tree  stood  near  Bled- 
soe’s Lick  in  which  Spencer  lived.  Holliday,  becoming  dissatisfied,  was 
determined  to  leave  the  country,  and  Spencer,  unable  to  dissuade  him 
from  his  purpose,  accompanied  him  to  the  barrens  of  Kentucky,  breaking 
and  giving  to  Holliday  one  half  of  his  own  knife,  and  returned  to  his 
hollow  tree,  Avhere  he  spent  the  remainder  of  the  winter.  Spencer  was 
a very  large  man,  and  one  morning,  having  passed  the  cabin  occupied  by 
one  of  De  Muubreun’s  hunters,  and  left  his  immense  tracks  in  the  rich 
alluvial  soil,  which  were  discovered  by  the  hunter  on  his  return,  the  hun- 
ter became  affrighted,  immediately  swam  the  Cumberland  and  wandered 
through  the  woods  until  he  reached  the  French  settlements  on  the  Wa- 
bash. 

In  1779  there  was  nothing  in  the  valley  of  the  lower  Cumberland, 
except  the  hunter’s  camp  and  the  lonely  log  habitation  of  Spencer.  But 


128 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


in  the  spring  of  that  year  a small  party  of  brave  pioneers  left  the  parent 
settlement  on  the  Watauga,  crossed  the  Cumberland  Mountains,  and,  ar- 
riving at  the  French  Lick,  pitched  their  tents  and  planted  a field  of  corn 
on  the  present  site  of  Nashville.  This  was  near  the  lower  ferry,  and  the 
party  consisted  of  Capt.  James  Robertson,  George  Freeland,  William 
Neely,  Edward  Swanson,  James  Hanly,  Mark  Robertson,  Zackariak 
White  and  William  Overall.  A number  of  others,  piloted  by  Mansker, 
soon  joined  this  party.  Having  put  in  their  crop  of  corn  White,  Swanson 
and  Overall  remained  to  care  for  it,  while  the  rest  returned  to  their 
families,  Capt.  Robertson  by  the  way  of  Illinois  to  see  Gen.  George 
Rogers  Clarke.  Upon  their  return  to  the  Watauga  John  Rains  and 
others  were  persuaded  to  accompany  Robertson  to  the  French  Lick. 
Other  companies  also  were  induced  to  join  them,  and  at  length  a party  of 
from  200  to  300  was  collected,  which  in  the  fall  started  to  the  new  settle- 
ment where  Nashville  now  stands.  Their  route  lay  through  Cumberland 
Gap  and  along  the  Kentucky  trace  to  Whitley’s  Station;  thence  to  Car- 
penter’s Station,  on  Green  River;  thence  to  Robertson’s  Fork;  thence 
down  Green  River  to  Pitman’s  Station;  thence  crossing  and  descending 
that  river  to  Little  Barren,  crossing  it  at  Elk  Lick ; thence  past  the  Blue 
and  Dripping  Springs  to  Big  Barren ; thence  up  Drake’s  Creek  to  a bitu- 
minous spring ; thence  to  the  Maple  Swamp ; thence  to  Red  River  at 
Kilgore’s  Station;  thence  to  Mansker’s  Creek  and  thence  to  the  French 
Lick.  The  time  consumed  in  this  journey  does  not  appear,  but  it  was 
longer  than  was  anticipated,  on  account  of  the  depth  of  the  snow  and  the 
inclemency  of  the  weather,  and  they  did  not  arrive  at  their  destination 
until  about  the  beginning  of  the  year  1780.  Some  of  them  remained  on 
the  north  side  of  the  Cumberland  and  settled  at  or  near  Eaton’s  Station, 
but  most  of  them,  immediately  after  their  arrival,  crossed  the  river  upon 
the  ice,  and  settled  where  Nashville  now  stands.  Both  parties,  those 
who  remained  on  the  north  side  of  the  river  and  those  who  crossed  over 
to  the  south  side,  built  block-houses,  connected  by  stockades,  as  a defense 
against  possible,  and  as  they  believed  probable,  future  attacks  upon  them 
by  the  Indians,  and  the  logic  of  events  proved  the  wisdom  of  their  course. 
Freeland’s  Station  was  established  about  this  time,  and  likewise  Dead- 
erick’s  Station  by  John  Rains. 

While  these  brave  and  hardy  adventurers  were  pursuing  their  peril- 
ous journey  through  the  wilderness  of  Kentucky  and  Tennessee,  several 
boat  loads  of  other  adventurers,  no  less  brave  and  no  less  hardy,  were 
pursuing  even  a still  more  perilous  journey  down  the  Tennessee,  up  the 
Ohio  and  up  the  Cumberland,  having  in  view  the  same  objective  point. 
This  latter  party  was  composed  of  friends  and  relatives  of  the  former  to 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


129 


a considerable  extent.  They  started  from  Fort  Patrick  Henry,  near 
Long  Island,  and  were  commanded  by  Col.  John  Donelson,  the  projector 
of  the  voyage.  Col.  Donelson  kept  a journal,  giving  full  particulars  of 
the  remarkable  adventure,  the  principal  parts  of  which  are  here  inserted: 
“ Journal  of  a voyage  intended,  by  God’s  permission,  in  the  good 
boat  ‘Adventure,’  from  Fort  Patrick  Henry  on  Holston  River  to  the  French 
Salt  Spring  on  Cumberland  River,  kept  by  John  Donaldson. 

“ December  22,  1779. — Took  our  departure  from  the  fort  and  fell 
down  the  river  to  the  mouth  of  Reedy  Creek,  where  we  were  stopped  by 
the. fall  of  water  and  most  excessive  hard  frost,  and  after  much  delay  and 
many  difficulties  we  arrived  at  the  mouth  of  Cloud’s  Creek  on  Sunday 
evening  the  20th  of  February,  1780,  where  we  lay  by  until  Sunday,  27th, 
when  we  took  our  departure  with  sundry  other  vessels,  bound  for  the 
same  voyage,  and  on  the  same  day  struck  the  Poor  Yalley  Shoal,  to- 
gether with  Mr.  Boyd  and  Mr.  Rounsifer,  on  which  shoal  we  lay  that 
afternoon  and  succeeding  night  in  great  distress. 

“Monday,  February  28,  1780. — In  the  morning,  the  water  rising,  we 
got  off  the  shoal,  after  landing  thirty  persons  to  lighten  the  boat.  In 
attempting  to  land  on  an  island  we  received  some  damage  and  lost  sundry 
articles,  and  came  to  camp  on  the  south  shore,  where  we  joined  sundry 
other  vessels,  also  bound  down.  * * * * * * * 

“March  2d. — Rain  about  half  the  day;  passed  the  mouth  of  French 
Broad  River,  and  about  12  o’clock,  Mr.  Henry’s  boat  being  driven  on  the 
point  of  an  island  by  the  force  of  the  current,  was  sunk,  the  whole  cargo 
much  damaged  and  the  crew’s  lives  much  endangered,  which  occasioned 
the  whole  fleet  to  put  on  shore  and  go  to  their  assistance,  but  with  much 
difficulty  bailed  her  in  order  to  take  in  her  cargo  again.  .The  same  af- 
ternoon Reuben  Harrison  went  out  a hunting  and  did  not  return  that 
night,  though  many  guns  were  fired  to  fetch  him  in. 

“March  3d. — Early  in  the  morning  fired  a four-pounder  for  the  lost 
man ; sent  out  sundry  persons  to  search  the  woods  for  him ; firing  many 
guns  that  day  and  the  succeeding  night,  but  all  without  success,  to  the 
great  grief  of  his  parents  and  fellow  travelers. 

“ Saturday  4th. — Proceeded  on  our  voyage,  leaving  old  Mr.  Harrison 
with  some  other  vessels  to  make  further  search  for  his  lost  son.  About  10 
o’clock  the  same  day,  found  him  a considerable  distance  down  the  river, 
where  Mr.  Benjamin  Belewtook  him  on  board  his  boat.  At  3 o’clock  P. 
M.,  passed  the  mouth  of  Tennessee  River,  and  camped  on  the  south  shore 
about  ten  miles  below  the  Tennessee. 

“ Sunday  5th. — Cast  off  and  got  under  way  before  sunrise;  12  o’clock 
passed  the  mouth  of  Clinch ; came  up  with  the  Clinch  River  Company, 
whom  he  joined  and  camped,  the  evening  proving  rainy. 


130 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


“ Monday  6th. — Got  under  way  before  sunrise.  * * * * 

Camped  on  the  north  shore  where  Capt.  Hutching’s  negro  man  died, 
being  much  frosted  in  his  feet  and  legs,  of  which  he  died. 

“ Tuesday  7th. — Got  under  way  very  early,  the  day  proving  very 
windy,  at  S.  S.  W.,  and  the  river  being  wide  occasioned  a high  sea,  inso- 
much that  some  of  the  smaller  crafts  were  in  danger ; therefore  came  to  at  the 
uppermost  Chickamauga  town,  which  was  then  evacuated,  where  we  lay  by 
that  afternoon  and  camped  that  night.  The  wife  of  Ephraim  was  here 
delivered  of  a child.  Mr.  Peyton  has  gone  through  by  land  with  Capt. 
Robertson. 

“Wednesday  8th. — Cast  off  at  10  o’clock  and  proceeded  down  to  an 
Indian  village,  which  was  inhabited,  on  the  south  side  of  the  river ; they 
insisted  on  us  to  ‘ come  ashore,’  called  us  brothers,  and  showed  other 
signs  of  friendship,  insomuch  that  Mr.  John  Caffrey  and  my  son  then 
on  board  took  a canoe,  which  I had  in  tow,  and  were  crossing  over  to 
them,  the  rest  of  the  fleet  having  landed  on  the  opposite  shore.  After  they 
had  gone  some  distance  a half-breed,  who  called  himself  Archy  Coody, 
with  several  other  Indians,  jumped  into  a canoe,  met  them,  and  advised 
them  to  return  to  the  boat,  which  they  did,  together  with  Coody  and  sev- 
eral canoes  which  left  the  shore  and  followed  directly  after  him.  They 
appeared  to  be  friendly.  After  distributing  some  presents  among  them, 
with  which  they  seemed  much  pleased,  we  observed  a number  of  Indians 
on  the  other  side  embarking  in  their  canoes,  armed  and  painted  in  red 
and  black.  Coody  immediately  made  signs  to  his  companions,  ordering 
them  to  quit  the  boat,  which  they  did;  himself  and  another  Indian  re- 
maining with  us,  and  telling  us  to  move  off  instantly.  We  had  not  gone 
far  before  we  discovered  a number  of  Indians  armed  and  painted,  pro- 
ceeding down  the  river  as  it  were  to  intercept  us.  Coody  the  half-breed 
and  his  companion  sailed  with  us  for  some  time,  and  telling  us  that  we 
had  passed  all  the  towns  and  were  out  of  danger,  left  us.  But  we  had 
not  gone  far  until  we  had  come  in  sight  of  another  town  situated  likewise 
on  the  south  side  of  the  river,  nearly  opposite  a small  island.  Here  they 
again  invited  us  to  come  on  shore,  called  us  brothers,  and  observing  the 
boats  standing  off  for  the  opposite  channel,  told  us  that  ‘ their  side  of  the 
river  was  better  for  the  boats  to  pass.’  And  here  we  must  regret  the 
unfortunate  death  -of  young  Mr.  Payne,  on  board  Capt.  Blackm ore’s 
boat,  who  was  mortally  wounded  by  reason  of  the  boat  running  too  near 
the  northern  shore  opposite  the  town,  where  some  of  the  enemies  lay  con- 
cealed, and  the  more  tragical  misfortune  of  poor  Stuart,  his  family  and 
friends,  to  the  number  of  twenty-eight  persons.  This  man  had  embarked 
with  us  for  the  western  country,  but  his  family  being  diseased  with  the 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


131 


small-pox,  it  was  agreed  upon  between  him  and  the  company  that  he 
should  keep  at  some  distance  in  the  rear,  for  fear  of  the  infection  spread- 
ing, and  he  was  warned  each  night  when  the  encampment  should  take 
place  by  the  sound  of  a horn.  After  we  had  passed  the  town,  the 
Indians,  having  now  collected  to  a considerable  number,  observing  his 
helpless  situation,  singled  olf  from  the  rest  of  the  fleet,  intercepted  him, 
and  killed  and  took  prisoners  the  whole  crew,  to  the  great  grief  of  the 
whole  company,  uncertain  how  soon  they  might  share  the  same  fate ; their 
cries  were  distinctly  heard  by  those  boats  in  the  rear. 

“We  still  perceived  them  marching  down  the  river  in  considerable 
bodies,  keeping  pace  with  us  until  the  Cumberland  Mountain  withdrew 
them  from  our  sight,  when  we  were  in  hopes  we  had  escaped  them.  We 
were  now  arrived  at  the  place  called  the  Whirl  or  Suck,  where  the  river  is 
compressed  within  less  than  half  its  common  width  above,  by  the  Cumber- 
land Mountain,  which  juts  in  on  both  sides.  In  passing  through  the  upper 
part  of  these  narrows,  at  a place  described  by  Goody,  which  he  termed 
the  “Boiling  Pot,”  a trivial  accident  had  nearly  ruined  the  expedition. 
One  of  the  company,  John  Cotton,  who  was  moving  down  in  a large 
canoe,  had  attached  it  to  Robert  Cartwright’s  boat,  into  which  he  and  his 
family  had  gone  for  safety.  The  canoe  was  here  overturned  and  the 
little  cargo  lost.  The  company,  pitying  his  distress,  concluded  to  halt 
and  assist  him  in  recovering  his  property.  They  had  landed  on  the 
northern  shore  at  a level  spot,  and  were  going  up  to  the  place,  wdien  the 
Indians,  to  our  astonishment,  appeared  immediately  over  us  on  the  oppo- 
site cliffs,  and  commenced  firing  down  upon  us,  which  occasioned  a 
precipitate  retreat  to  the  boats.  We  immediately  moved  off;  the  Indians 
lining  the  bluffs  along  continued  their  fire  from  the  heights  on  our  boats 
below,  without  doing  any  other  injury  than  wounding  four  slightly. 
Jennings’  boat  was  missing. 

“ We  have  now  passed  through  the  Whirl.  The  river  widens  with  a 
placid  and  gentle  current,  and  all  the  company  appear  to  be  in  safety 
except  the  family  of  Jonathan  Jennings,  whose  boat  ran  on  a large  rock 
projecting  out  from  the  noi’thern  shore,  and  was  partly  immersed  in  water 
immediately  at  the  Whirl,  where  we  were  compelled  to  leave  them, 
perhaps  to  be  slaughtered  by  their  merciless  enemies.  Continued  to  sail 
on  that  day  and  floated  throughout  the  following  night.  * * * 

“Friday  10th. — This  morning  about  1 o’clock  we  were  surprised  by 
the  cries  of  “ help  poor  Jennings  ” at  some  distance  in  the  rear.  He 
had  discovered  us  by  our  fires,  and  came  up  in  the  most  wretched  condi- 
tion. He  states  that  as  soon  as  the  Indians  discovered  his  situation  they 
turned  their  whole  attention  to  him,  and  kept  up  a most  galling  fire  at 


132 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


his  boat.  He  ordered  his  wife,  a son  nearly  grown,  a young  man  who 
accompanied  them,  and  his  negro  man  and  woman,  to  throw  all  his  goods 
into  the  river,  to  lighten  their  boat  for  the  purpose  of  getting  her  off, 
himself  returning  their  lire  as  well  as  he  could,  being  a good  soldier  and 
an  expert  marksman.  But  before  they  had  accomplished  their  object 
his  son,  the  young  man,  and  the  negro,  jumped  out  of  the  boat  and  left 
them.  Mr.  Jennings,  however,  and  the  negro  woman  succeeded  in 
unloading  the  boat,  but  chiefly  through  the  efforts  of  Mrs.  Jennings,  who 
got  out  of  the  boat  and  shoved  her  off , but  was  near  falling  a victim  to 
her  own  intrepidity  on  account  of  the  boat  starting  so  suddenly  as  soon 
as  loosened  from  the  rock.  Upon  examination  he  appears  to  have  made 
a wonderful  escape,  for  his  boat  is  pierced  in  numberless  places  with 
bullets.  It  is  to  be  remarked  that  Mrs.  Peyton,  who  was  the  night  before 
delivered  of  an  infant,  which  was  unfortunately  killed  upon  the  hurry 
and  confusion  consequent  upon  such  a disaster,  assisted  them,  being 
frequently  exposed  to  wet  and  cold  then  and  afterward,  and  that  her 
health  appears  to  be  good  at  this  time  and  I think  and  hope  she  will  do 
well.  Their  clothes  were  much  cut  with  bullets  especially  Mrs.  Jen- 
nings’. * * * * * * * * 

“Sunday  12th. — Set  out,  and  after  a few  hours’  sailing  heard  the 
crowing  of  cocks  and  soon  came  within  view  of  the  town ; here  they  fired 
on  us  again  without  doing  any  injury. 

“ After  running  until  about  10  o’clock  came  in  sight  of  the  Muscle 
Shoals.  Halted  on  the  northern  shore  at  the  appearance  of  the  shoals, 
to  search  for  the  signs  Capt.  James  Robertson  was  to  make  for  us  at  that 
place.  He  set  out  from  Holston  early  in  the  fall  of  1779,  was  to  proceed 
by  the  way  of  Kentucky  to  the  Big  Salt  Lick  on  Cumberland  River,  with 
several  others  in  company,  was  to  come  across  from  the  Big  Salt  Lick 
to  the  upper  end  of  the  shoals,  there  to  make  such  signs  that  we  might 
know  he  had  been  there  and  that  it  was  practicable  for  us  to  go  across 
by  land.  But  to  our  great  mortification  we  can  find  none — from  which 
we  conclude  that  it  would  not  be  prudent  to  make  the  attempt,  and  are 
determined,  knowing  ourselves  to  be  in  such  imminent  danger,  to  pursue 
our  journey  down  the  river.  After  trimming  our  boats  in  the  best 
manner  possible  we  ran  through  the  shoals  before  night.  * * * 

Our  boats  frequently  dragged  on  the  bottom ; * * * they 

warped  as  much  as  in  a rough  sea.  But  by  the  hand  of  Providence  we 
are  preserved  from  this  danger  also.  .1  know  not  the  length  of  this 
wonderful  shoal ; it  had  been  represented  to  me  to  be  twenty-five  or  thirty 
miles.  If  so  we  must  have  descended  very  rapidly,  as  indeed  we  did,  for 
we  passed  it  in  about  three  hours.  ****** 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


133 


“Wednesday  15th'. — Got  under  way  and  moved  on  peaceably  the  five 
following  days,  when  we  arrived  at  the  mouth  of  the  Tennessee  on  Mon- 
day, the  20tli,  and  landed  on  the  lower  point  immediately  on  the  bank  of 
the  Ohio.  Our  situation  here  is  truly  disagreeable.  The  river  is  very 
high  and  the  current  rapid,  our  boats  not  constructed  for  the  purpose  of 
stemming  a rapid  stream,  our  provisions  exhausted,  the  crews  almost 
worn  down  with  hunger  and  fatigue,  and  we  know  not  what  distance  we 
have  to  go,  or  what  time  it  will  take  us  to  reach  our  place  of  destination. 
The  scene  is  rendered  still  more  melancholy,  as  several  boats  will  not  attempt 
to  ascend  the  rapid  current.  Some  intend  to  descend  the  Mississippi  to 
Natchez,  others  are  bound  for  the  Illinois — among  the  rest  my  son-in-law 
and  daughter.  We  now  part  perhaps  to  meet  no  more,  for  I am  deter- 
mined to  pursue  my  course,  happen  what  will.  * * * * 

“ Friday  24th. — About  3 o’clock  came  to  the  mouth  of  a river  which 
I thought  was  the  Cumberland.  Some  of  the  company  declared  it  could 
not  be — it  was  so  much  smaller  than  was  expected.  But  I never  heard 
of  any  river  running  in  between  the  Cumberland  and  Tennessee.  We 
determined,  however,  to  make  the  trial,  pushed  up  some  distance  and 
encamped  for  the  night. 

“ Saturday,  25th. — To-day  we  are  much  encouraged.  The  river 
grows  wider;  the  current  is  gentle  and  we  are  now  convinced  it  is  the 
Cumberland.  ******* 

“Friday,  31st. — Set  out  this  day,  and  after  running  some  distance  met 
with  Col.  Richard  Henderson,  who  was  running  the  line  between  Virginia 
and  North  Carolina.  At  this  meeting  we  were  much  rejoiced.  * * * 

Camped  at  night  near  the  mouth  of  a little  river,  at  which  place  and  below 
there  is  a handsome  bottom  of  rich  land.  Here  we  found  a pair  of 
hewed  mill-stones,  set  up  for  grinding,  but  appearing  not  to  have  been 
used  for  a long  time. 

“Proceeded  on  quietly  until  the  12th  of  April,  at  which  time  we  came 
to  the  mouth  of  a little  river  running  in  on  the  north  side,  by  Moses  Ren- 
froe  and  his  company,  called  Red  River,  upon  which  they  intended  to  settle. 
Here  they  took  leave  of  us.  We  proceeded  up  the  Cumberland,  nothing- 
happening  material  until  the  23d,  when  we  reached  the  first  settlement  on 
the  north  side  of  the  river,  one  mile  and  a half  below  the  Big  Salt  Lick, 
and  called  Eaton’s  Station,  after  a man  of  that  name,  who  with  several 
other  families  came  through  Kentucky  and  settled  there. 

“Monday,  April  24tli. — This  day  we  arrived  at  our  journey’s  end,  at 
the  Big  Salt  Lick,  where  we  have  the  pleasure  of  finding  Capt.  Robertson 
and  his  company.  It  is  a source  of  satisfaction  to  us  to  be  enabled  to 
restore  to  him  and  others  their  families  and  friends,  who  were  intrusted 


134 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


to  our  care,  and  who  some  time  since,  perhaps,  they  despaired  of  ever 
meeting  again.  Though  our  prospects  at  present  are  dreary,  we  have 
found  a few  log  cabins,  which  have  been  built  on  a cedar  bluff  above 
the  Lick  by  Capt.  Robertson  and  his  company.” 

This  journal  here  presented  may  be  found  in  full  in  Ramsey.  In 
copying  out  of  his  work,  unimportant  portions  have  been  omitted  for  the 
sake  of  saving  space.  This  emigration  of  Col.  Donelson  ranks  as  one  of 
the  most  remarkable  achievements  in  the  settlement  of  the  West,  and  as 
the  names  of  the  participators  in  the  expedition  have  far  more  than  a 
local  interest,  they  are  here  inserted:  John  Donelson,  Sr.,  Thomas  Hutch- 
ings, John  Caffrey,  John  Donelson,  Jr.,  Mrs.  James  Robertson  and  five 
children,  Mrs.  Purnell,  M.  Rounsifer,  James  Cain,  Isaac  Neelly,  Jona- 
than Jennings,  Benjamin  Belew,  Peter  Looney,  Capt.  John  Blackmore, 
Moses  Renfroe,  William  Crutchfield,  James  Johns,  Hugh  Henry,  Sr., 
Benjamin  Porter,  Mrs.  Mary  Henry  (widow),  Frank  Armstrong,  Hugh 
Rogan,  Daniel  Chambers,  Robert  Cartwright,  Mr.  Stuart,  David  Gwinn, 
John  Boyd,  Reuben  Harrison,  Frank  Haney,  Mr.  Maxwell,  John  Mont- 
gomery, John  Cotton,  Thomas  Henry,  John  Cockrell,  John  White,  Sol- 
omon AVhite  and  Mr.  Payne.  The  above  list  of  names  is  copied  from 
Putnam.  Ramsey  gives  these  additional  ones:  Isaac  Lanier,  Daniel 
Dunham,  Joseph  and  James  Renfroe,  Solomon  Turpin  and  John  Gibson. 
There  were  other  persons,  men,  women  and  children,  whose  names  have 
not  been  preserved.  The  total  number  of  persons  in  this  expedition  is. 
not  known,  but  from  the  best  information  obtainable  there  were  at  least 
thirty  boats  in  the  entire  fleet,  no  one  of  which  contained  less  than  two 
families. 

With  reference  to  the  fate  of  the  three  young  men  who  ran  away  from 
Mr.  Jennings,  Avhen  his  boat  was  attacked,  as  narrated  in  Capt.  Donel- 
son’s  journal,  authorities  are  not  agreed.  Ramsey  and  John  Carr  agree 
in  stating  that  the  negro  man  was  drowned,  and  that  the  young  man,  whose 
name  is  not  given,  was  taken  to  Chickamauga  Town,  where  he  was  killed  and 
burned,  and  that  young  Jennings  was  ransomed  by  an  Indian  trader  named 
Rogers,  and  afterward  restored  to  his  parents.  Putnam,  however,  doubts, 
the  correctness  of  this  narration,  especially  so  far  as  it  refers  to  the  burn- 
ing of  the  young  man.  He  says  “such  cruelty  and  crime  have  not  been 
clearly  proven  against  them  (the  Indians).”  But  as  both  Ramsey  and 
Carr  say  “they  killed  and  burned  the  young  man,”  it  may  justly  be  inferred 
that  the  “burning  occurred  after  the  killing,”  or,  in  other  words,  they 
killed  and  then  burned  the  body  of  the  young  man,  and  thus  the  “cruelty 
and  crime”  would  consist  in  the  killing1  and  not  in  the  burning1. 

The  capture  of  Stuart’s  boat  and  crew,  among  whom  were  the  several 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


135 


cases  of  small-pox,  as  narrated  in  Capt.  Donelson’s  journal,  resulted  in 
great  mortality  among  the  Indians,  many  of  whom  were  attacked  by  the 
disease  with  fatal  results.  It  is  said  that  when  attacked  and  when  the 
fever  was  upon  them  they  took  a “heavy  sweat”  in  their  houses,  and  then 
leaped  into  the  river,  the  remedy  being  no  less  fatal  than  the  disease 
itself  Putnam  quotes  approvingly  from  the  “narrative  of  Col.  Joseph 
Brown,”  that  this  mortality  was  “ a judgment  upon  the  Indians,”  though 
just  how  it  can  have  been  a judgment  upon  the  Indians,  any  more  than  it 
and  the  capture  and  killing  of  so  many  of  Stuart’s  family  was  a judgment 
on  them,  is  not  easily  discernible. 


CHAPTER  V. 

Settlement  Concluded— Results  of  Donelson’s  Voyage — The  French  Lick 
—The  Establishment  of  Many  Block-houses,  Stations,  Etc. — The  Long 
Reign  of  Trying  Times— The  Military  Warrants  and  Grants— Pioneer 
Customs— Government  of  the  Cumberland  Colony— The  Emigrant 
Road— Col.  Brown’s  Disastrous  Voyage— North  Carolina’s  Neglect  of 
the  Colonies— Their  Isolation  and  Suffering— The  Tennessee  Land 
Company— National  Executive  Interference— Designs  of  the  Compa- 
nies Thwarted  by  the  Effective  Acts  of  the  Citizens  of  Georgia — 
Summary  of  Tennessee  Land  Grants — The  Western  Purchase— The 
Chickasaws— Entry  of  the  Whites  into  West  Tennessee — The  Bluffs— 
Permanent  Settlement — Incidents  and  Anecdotes. 

THE  principal  results  of  the  emigration  of  Col.  Donelson  to  Middle  Ten- 
nessee were  the  establishment  of  the  settlements  at  and  near  the 
Bluff  and  the  subsequent  formation  of  an  independent  government  May 
1,  1780,  a number  of  years  before  the  organization  of  the  State  of  Frank- 
lin. Some  of  these  early  settlers  plunged  at  once  into  the  adjoining  for- 
ests. Col.  Donelson  himself,  with  his  family,  being  one  of  the  number. 
He  went  up  the  Cumberland,  and  erected  a small  fort  at  a place  since 
called  Clover  Bottom,  near  Stone  River,  and  on  the  south  side  of  that 
stream.  Dr.  Walker,  Virginia’s  commissioner  for  running  the  boundary 
line  between  that  State  and  North  Carolina,  arrived  at  the  Bluff,  accom- 
panied by  Col.  Richard  Henderson  and  his  two  brothers,  Nathaniel  and 
Pleasant.  Col.  Henderson  erected  a station  on  Stone  River,  remained 
there  some  time,  and  sold  lands  under  the  deed  made  to  himself  and  part- 
ners at  Watauga  in  March,  1775,  by  the  Cherokees.  The  price  charged 
for  this  land  by  Col.  Henderson  was  $10  per  1,000  acres.  The  certifi- 
cate of  purchase  contained  a clause  by  which  it  was  set  forth  that  pay- 
ment for  the  land  was  conditioned  on  the  confirmation  of  the  Henderson 


HISTOKY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


136 

treaty  by  the  proper  authorities;  but  both  the  States  of  Virginia  and 
North  Carolina  annulled  his  title,  or  rather  declared  it  to  be  null  and 
void  ab  initio,  and  refused  to  recognize  the  sales  made  by  him  or  his  com- 
pany, and  purchasers  on  contracts  made  with  him  were  never  urged  to 
make  payment  for  their  lands.  But  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  the 
two  States  decided  that  the  Transylvania  Company  had  not  by  the  pur- 
chase acquired  any  title  to  the  lands,  on  the  ground  that  private  individ- 
uals had  no  power  or  right  to  make  treaties  with  Indian  tribes,  yet  they 
at  the  same  time  decided  that  the  Indians  had  divested  themselves  of 
their  title  to  them,  and  hence  Transylvania  became  divided  between  the 
two  States  of  North  Carolina  and  Virginia.  But  each  State,  on  account 
of  the  expenditures  of  the  company  and  the  labor  to  which  they  had  been 
and  the  interest  manifested  by  them  in  the  Avelfare  of  the  early  settlers, 
made  to  them  a grant  of  200,000  acres.  The  Virginia  grant  was  on 
the  Ohio  Biver  in  what  is  now  Henderson  County,  Ky.,  and  the  North 
Carolina  grant  was  bounded  as  follows:  “Beginning  at  the  old  Indian 

town  in  Powell’s  Valley,  running  down  Powell’s  Biver  not  less  than  four 
miles  in  width  on  one  or  both  sides  thereof  to  the  junction  of  Powell  and 
Clinch  Bivers ; then  down  Clinch  Biver  on  one  or  both  sides  not  less  than 
twelve  miles  in  width  for  the  aforesaid  complement  of  200,000  acres.” 
The  remaining  part  of  the  land  was  devoted  to  public  uses. 

The  little  band  of  immigrants  at  the  Bluff  were  in  the  midst  of  a vast 
extent  of  country  apparently  uninhabited  by  Indians,  Savage  tribes  were 
to  be  found  in  all  directions,  but  toward  the  south  none  were  known  to  be 
north  of  the  Tennessee,  and  toward  the  north  none  were  known  to  be 
south  of  the  Ohio.  Apparently  no  lands  within  or  near  the  new  settle- 
ments were  claimed  by  Creek  or  Cherokee,  Chickasaw  or  Choctaw;  hence 
a sense  of  safety  soon  manifested  itself  among  the  pioneers,  and  hence, 
also,  many  of  them  began  to  erect  cabins  for  individual  homes  in  the  wild 
woods,  on  the  barrens  or  on  the  prairie  where  no  pathway  or  trace  of 
animal  or  human  could  be  seen;  and  in  their  anxiety  to  make  improve- 
ments on  their  individual  claims  and  to  become  independent,  many  of 
the  more  thoughtless  of  them  were  reluctant  to  devote  much  of  their 
time  and  labor  to  the  erection  of  forts,  stockades  and  palisades  to  which 
all  could  retreat  for  mutual  defense  in  case  of  an  attack  by  the  now 
apparently  harmless  lords  of  the  soil.  But  this  desire,  laudable  though 
it  was  when  not  carried  to  the  extreme  of  imprudence,  was  by  the  wise 
and  experienced  among  them  sufficently  repressed  to  secure  an  agree- 
ment on  the  part  of  all  to  give  a portion  of  their  valuable  time  to  the 
erection  of  a few  forts  and  depositories  for  arms,  ammunition  and  pro- 
visions. 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


137 


The  fort  at  the  Bluffs,  called  Nashborough,  in  honor  of  Francis  Nash, 
of  North  Carolina,  a brigadier-general  in  the  Continental  Army,  was  to 
be  the  principal  fort  and  headquarters  for  all.  The  others  were  as  fol- 
lows: Freeland’s,  at  the  spring  in  North  Nashville;  Eaton’s,  upon  the 

east  side  of  the  river  upon  the  first  highland  at  the  river  bank;  Gasper’s, 
about  ten  miles  north  at  the  sulphur  spring  where  now  stands  the  town 
of  Goodlettsville ; Asher’s,  on  Station  Camp  Creek,  on  the  bluff,  about 
three  miles  from  Gallatin;  Bledsoe’s,  near  the  sulphur  spring  about  seven 
miles  from  Gallatin;  Donelson’s,  on  the  Clover  Bottom  where  the  pike 
passes,  and  Fort  Union,  at  the  bend  of  the  river  above  the  Bluffs,  where 
since  has  stood  the  town  of  Haysborough.  “ The  fort  at  Nashborough 
stood  upon  the  bluff  between  the  southeast  corner  of  the  public  square 
and  Spring  Street.  Like  the  other  forts  it  was  a two-story  log  building 
with  port  holes  and  lookout  station.  Other  log  houses  were  near  it  and 
palisades  were  thrown  entirely  around  the  whole,  the  upper  ends  of  the 
palisades  or  pickets  being  sharpened.  There  was  one  large  entrance  to 
the  enclosure.  The  view  toward  the  west  and  southwest  was  obstructed 
by  a thick  forest  of  cedars  and  a dense  undergrowth  of  privet  bushes. 
The  rich  bottom  lands  were  covered  with  cane  measuring  from  ten  to 
twenty  feet  in  height.  The  ancient  forest  trees  upon  the  rich  lands  in 
this  region  were  of  a most  majestic  growth;  all  the  elements  of  nature 
seem  to  have  combined  to  m'ake  them  what  they  were,  and  yet,  although 
many  of  the  loveliest  sites  for  country  residences  have  been  hastily  and 
unwisely  stripped  of  their  chief  ornament  and  charm,  and  civilized  man 
has  speedily  destroyed,  by  thousands  in  a year,  such  monarchs  of  the 
forest  as  a thousand  years  may  not  again  produce,  there  remain  here 
and  there  some  lovely  spots  and  glorious  oaks  not  wholly  dishonored  or 
abased  by  the  woodman’s  ax.  There  are  a few,  and  but  a few,  of  such 
native  woods  and  magnificent  trees  remaining  in  the  vicinity  of  the  capi- 
tal of  Tennessee.  ”* 

As  has  been  stated  above  the  winter  of  1779-80  was  unusually 
severe,  the  Cumberland  River  being  frozen  over  sufficiently  solid  to  per- 
mit Robertson’s  party  to  cross  upon  the  ice.  The  inclemency  of  the 
weather  was  such  as  to  cause  great  inconvenience  and  suffering  to  the 
early  settlers.  It  was  impossible  to  keep  warm  in  their  cabins,  necessar- 
ily loosely  constructed,  and  the  game  upon  which  they  depended  in  part 
for  food  was  in  an  impoverished  condition  and  poor.  But  while  these 
evils  resulted  from  this  cause,  there  were  also  benefits  enjoyed  uncon- 
sciously to  the  settlers  themselves.  The  Indians  were  themselves  in  as 
unsatisfactory  condition,  and  as  unprepared  to  make  an  attack  upon  the 


*Putnam. 


138 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


cabins  as  the  people  in  the  cabins  were  to  successfully  defend  them- 
selves against  an  attack;  and  during  this  interim  of  security  from  inva- 
sion by  the  savage  tribes,  which  lasted  until  some  time  in  May,  1780,  the 
forts  and  other  defenses  were  erected  and  strengthened,  and  numerous 
acquisitions  were  made  to  the  numbers  of  the  whites.  Immigration  had 
set  in  with  a new  impetus,  the  roads  and  traces  to  Kentucky  and  the 
Cumberland  country  being  crowded  with  adventurers  seeking  independ- 
ence and  fortune  in  the  new  Eldorado  of  the  West,  which  was  in  verity 
beautiful,  fertile  and  grand ; and  it  is  not  at  all  surprising  that  its  native 
proprietors  should  at  length  muster  all  their  strength,  their  wildest  ener- 
gies and  fiercest  passions,  to  dispossess  the  invaders  and  to  repossess 
themselves  of  their  own  fair,  delightful  paradise.  However,  the  attempt 
to  accomplish  this  design  soon  convinced  them  that  it  could  not  be  done 
by  force  of  arms,  the  settlers  being  too  strong,  too  resolute,  and  too  well- 
defended  ; the  only  recourse  therefore  had  was,  if  possible,  to  deprive  the 
whites  of  food  by  driving  away  and  dispersing  the  deer,  buffalo  and 
other  wild  game,  which  was  commenced  in  the  spring  of  1780,  and  con- 
tinued with  such  success  for  two  or  three  years  as  to  necessitate  adven- 
tures by  the  stationers  to  far-off  distances,  and  thus  expose  themselves  to 
the  dangers  of  ambush  and  attack  by  the  lurking  savage.  This  state  of 
things  rendered  life  at  the  Bluff  and  in  the  vicinity,  anything  but  pleas- 
ant. Numbers  wished  they  had  never  come,  or  that  they  had  gone  to 
other  settlements  where,  being  ignorant  of  the  actual  facts  connected 
therewith,  they  imagined  a greater  degree  of  security  and  plenty  reigned. 
But  here,  as  in  every  community,  there  were  a goodly  number  of  brave- 
hearted  men  and  women,  who,  having  suffered  in  getting  to  their  homes, 
put  their  trust  in  Providence  and  resolved  to  stay. 

One  of  the  causes  which  led  to  the  rapid  settlement  of  Tennessee, 
was  the  passage,  by  the  General  Assembly  of  North  Carolina,  of  an  “ act 
for  the  relief  of  the  officers  and  soldiers  in  the  Continental  line,  and  for 
other  purposes,”  which  was  as  follows:* 

Whereas,  The  officers  and  soldiers  of  the  Continental  line  of  this  State  have  suffered 
much  by  the  depreciation  of  paper  currency,  as  well  as  by  the  deficiency  of  clothing  and 
other  supplies  that  have  been  due  them  according  to  sundry  acts  and  resolves  of  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly,  and  whereas,  the  honorable,  the  Continental  Congress,  have  resolved  that 
the  deficiency  shall  be  made  good  to  the  18th  day  of  August,  1780,  according  to  a scale  of 
depreciation  established.  And 

* * * * * * * * * * ****** 

Whereas,  It  is  proper  that  some  effectual  and  permanent  reward  should  be  rendered 
ior  the  signal  bravery  and  persevering  zeal  of  the  Continental  officers  and  soldiers  in  the 
service  of  the  State.  Therefore 

Be  it  enacted,  etc.,  That  each  Continental  soldier  of  the  line  of  this  State  who  is  now 
in  service,  and  continues  to  the  end  of  the  war,  or  such  of  them  as  from  wounds  or  bodily 


*Laws  of  1782.  Chapter  III. 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


139 


Infirmity  have  been  or  shall  be  rendered  unfit  for  service,  which  shall  be  ascertained  by  a 
certificate  from  the  commanding  officer,  shall  have  six  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  land; 
every  officer  who  is  now  in  service,  and  shall  continue  in  service  until  the  end  of  the  war, 
as  well  as  those  officers  who  from  wounds  or  bodily  infirmity  have  left  or  may  be  obliged 
to  leave  the  service,  shall  have  a greater  quantity  according  to  his  pay  as  followeth:  Each 
non-commissioned  officer,  one  thousand  acres;  each  subaltern,  two-thousand  five  hundred 
and  sixty  acres;  each  captain,  three  thousand  eight  hundred  and  forty  acres;  each  major,  four 
thousand  eight  hundred  acres;  each  lieutenant-colonel,  five  thousand  seven  hundred  and 
sixty  acres;  each  lieutenant-colonel  commandant,  seven  thousand  two  hundred  acres;  each 
colonel,  seven  thousand  two  hundred  acres;  each  brigadier-general,  twelve  thousand 
acres;  each  chaplain,  six  thousand  two  hundred  acres;  each  surgeon,  four  thousand  eight 
hundred  acres;  each  surgeon’s  mate,  two  thousand  five  hundred  andsixty  acres;  and  where 
any  officer  or  soldier  has  fallen  or  shall  fall  in  the  defense  of  his  country,  his  heirs  or  assigns 
shall  have  the  same  quantity  of  land  that  the  officer  or  soldier  would  have  been  entitled  to 
had  they  served  during  the  war. 

According  to  the  next  section  of  this  act  any  family  that  had  settled 
on  the  tract  of  land  set  apart  to  be  divided  up  among  the  officers  and 
soldiers  should  be  entitled  to  640  acres,  provided  that  no  such  grant 
should  include  any  salt  lick  or  salt  spring  which  were  reserved  with  640 
acres  in  connection  with  each  lick  or  spring  for  public  purposes. 

By  the  eighth  section  Absalom  Tatom,  Isaac  Shelby  and  Anthony 
Bledsoe  were  appointed  commissioners  to  lay  off  the  land  and  they  were 
to  be  accompanied  by  a guard  of  not  more  than  100  men. 

By  the  tenth  section  Gen.  Nathaniel  Greene  was  allowed  25,000 
acres  of  land,  which  by  an  act  passed  in  1784  was  described  as  follows: 
“Beginning  on  the  south  bank  of  Duck  Biver,  on  a sycamore,  cherry  tree 
and  ash,  at  the  mouth  of  a small  branch,  running  thence  along  a line  of 
marked  trees  south  seven  miles  and  forty-eight  poles,  to  a Spanish  oak, 
a hickory  and  a sugar  sapling ; thence  east  six  miles  and  ninety  poles,  to 
a Spanish  oak  and  hackberry  tree ; thence  north  three  miles  and  300  poles, 
to  a sugar-tree  sapling,  and  two  white  oak  saplings  into  a clift  of  Duck 
River,  where  it  comes  from  the  northeast;  thence  down  Duck  River  ac- 
cording to  its  meanderings  to  the  beginning.” 

O O O o 

The  Revolutionary  war  came  to  an  end  in  November,  1782.  Capt. 
Robertson  anticipated  this  event  and  from  it  inferred  an  abatement  of 
Indian  hostilities.  It  was  soon  followed  by  the  arrival  from  North  Caro- 
lina of  quite  a number  of  persons,  who  gave  additional  strength  and  en- 
couragement to  the  settlements.  Early  in  1783  the  commissioners 
named  above  in  the  eighth  section  of  the  act  for  the  relief  of  the  officers 
and  soldiers  in  the  Continental  line  arrived  from  North  Carolina  accom- 
panied by  a guard  to  lay  off  the  lands  promised  as  bounties  to  the  officers 
and  soldiers  of  said  Continental  line.  These  commissioners  also  came  to 
examine  into  the  claims  of  those  persons  who  considered  themselves  en- 
titled to  pre-emption  rights  granted  to  settlers  on  the  Cumberland  pre- 
vious to  1780,  and  also  to  lay  off  the  lands  given  to  Gen.  Greene.  The 


140 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


settlers,  animated  with  new  hope  by  the  presence  of  all  these  additions  to 
their  numbers  and  strength,  entirely  abandoned  the  designs  they  had 
long  entertained  of  leaving  the  country. 

The  commissioners  and  guards,  with  some  of  the  inhabitants  in  com- 
pany, went  to  the  place  since  called  Latitude  Hill,  on  Elk  River,  to 
ascertain  the  thirty-fifth  degree  of  north  latitude,  and  there  made  obser- 
vations. They  then  went  north  to  Duck  River  to  the  second  creek  be- 
low Columbia  and  laid  off  Greene’s  25,000  acres,  and  then  fifty-five 
miles  from  the  southern  boundary  of  the  State,  and  parallel  thereto  rail 
a line  which  received  the  name  of  the  “Continental  line,”  because  it  was 
the  boundary  of  the  territory  allotted  to  the  officers  and  soldiers  of  North 
Carolina  in  the  Continental  Army.  But  upon  the  representation,  and  at 
the  request  of  the  officers  made  to  the  General  Assembly  at  the  session 
of  1783,  they  directed  it  to  be  laid  off  from  the  northern  boundary  fifty- 
five  miles  to  the  south:  Beginning  on  the  Virginia  line  Arliere  the  Cum- 
berland River  intersects  the  same;  thence  south  fifty-five  miles;  thence 
west  to  the  Tennessee  River;  thence  down  the  Tennessee  River  to  Vir- 
ginia line;  thence  with  the  said  Virginia  line  east  to  the  beginning.* 
This  line  was  run  by  Gen.  Rutherford,  in  1784,  and  named  the  “Com- 
missioner’s line.”  The  Continental  line  passed  the  Harpeth  River  about 
five  miles  above  the  town  of  Franklin.  The  Commissioner’s  line  in- 
cluded the  land  in  the  Great  Bend  of  Tennessee — all  lands  on  the  east 
side  of  the  Tennessee  to  the  present  Kentucky  line.  The  method  of 
running  it  was  as  follows:  Commencing  at  the  Kentucky  line  the  com- 
missioners ran  south  fifty-five  miles  to  Mount  Pisgah,  then  forming  them- 
selves into  two  parties,  one  party  ran  westward  to  the  Tennesssee  and  the 
other  eastward  to  the  Caney  Fork. 

Never  were  more  generous  bounties  given  to  more  deserving  patriots. 
The  war-worn  veteran  might  here  secure  a competency,  or  perhaps  even 
wealth  or  affluence  to  himself  and  children  after  the  storm  of  battle  had 
subsided,  in  the  enjoyment  of  which  he  might  pass  the  evening  of  life, 
serenely  contemplating  the  great  benefits  derived  and  to  be  derived  from 
the  sacrifices  himself  and  his  compatriots  had  made  in  the  establishment 
of  the  independence  of  the  American  nation.  A vast  emigration  from 
North  Carolina  was  the  direct  result  of  her  generous  action,  insomuch 
that  it  was  at  one  time  estimated  that  nine-tenths  of  the  population  of 
Tennessee  were  from  the  mother  State.  And  in  addition  to  the  bounties 
offered  to  the  officers  and  soldiers  of  the  Continental  line,  other  bounties 
were  offered  to  the  guards  of  the  commissioners  who  were  appointed  to 
lay  off  the  reservation  for  the  said  officers  and  soldiers.  These  bounties 

* Haywood. 


WEST  TENNESSEE  HOSPITAL  FOR  THE  INSANE. 


HISTOEY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


141 


were  named  “Guard  Rights,”  and  induced  numerous  individuals  to  be- 
come members  of  the  guard,  and  numerous  grants  were  located  and  set- 
tled upon  by  such  individuals.  After  running  the  line  as  authorized  by 
the  General  Assembly  of  North  Carolina,  the  commissioners  sat  at  the 
Bluff  to  examine  into  pre-emption  claims  and  issued  certificates  to  such 
as  were  entitled  thereto.  The  commission  then  dissolved  and  Isaac 
Shelby  removed  to  Kentucky,  thus  ceasing  to  be  a citizen  of  Tennessee. 
Of  Kentucky  he  became  the  first  governor,  and  died  suddenly  July  18, 
1826,  in  the  seventy-sixth  year  of  his  age. 

The  commissioners  having  come  and  gone  affairs  again  assumed  their 
usual  aspect  at  the  Bluff.  The  people  were  employed  in  their  ordinary 
labors,  doing  what  could  be  done  to  improve  their  condition.  Additions 
to  their  numbers  continued  to  be  made  from  North  Carolina,  and  they 
were  gratified  to  learn  that  even  much  larger  numbers  were  added  to  the 
settlements  in  Kentucky.  Goods  began  to  be  brought  in  by  boats  from 
the  Ohio  and  its  tributaries,  but  according  to  Putnam  the  first  store  at 
the  Falls  of  the  Ohio  was  supplied  from  Philadelphia,  and  the  supplies 
carried  on  pack-horses.  The  second  store  was  kept  at  Lexington  by  Col. 
(afterward  Gen.)  James  Wilkinson,  from  which  small  supplies  were  piir- 
chased  for  the  settlers  on  the  Cumberland.  Several  years  after  this  a 
small  store  was  opened  at  the  Bluff.  Gardner  Clark  was  the  first  mer- 
chant and  ordinary-keeper,  dealing  in  dry  goods,  thimbles  and  pins  for 
ladies;  dinners  and  liquors  for  men,  and  provender  for  horses.  As  one 
of  the  improvements  made  in  that  early  day  in  the  way  of  labor-saving 
machinery,  it  may  not  be  inappropriate  to  introduce  here  a description  of 
a hominy-mill  invented  and  constructed  by  a Mr.  Cartwright.  It  con- 
sisted mainly  of  a wheel,  upon  the  rim  of  which  he  fastened  a number  of 
cows’  horns,  in  such  position  that  as  each  horn  was  filled  with  water  its 
weight  would  cause  it  to  descend  and  thus  set  the  wheel  in  revolution. 
To  the  axle  of  this  wheel  was  attached  a crank,  and  to  the  crank  the 
apparatus  for  cracking  the  corn.  Thus  many  a little  blow  was  made  by 
the  little  pestle  upon  the  quart  of  corn  in  the  mortar.  This  mill  was 
owned  by  Heyden  and  James  Wells. 

As  to  the  general  condition  of  affairs  on  the  Cumberland  the  follow- 
ing description  from  Ramsey  is  probably  as  graphic  and  correct  as  can  be 
composed:  “As  on  the  Watauga  at  its  first  settlement,  so  now  here  the 

colonists  of  Robertson  were  without  any  regularly  organized  government. 
The  country  was  within  the  boundaries  of  Washington  County,  which 
extended  to  the  Mississippi,  perhaps  the  largest  extent  of  territory  ever 
embraced  in  a single  county.  But  even  here  in  the  wilds  of  the  Cum- 
berland, removed  more  than  600  miles  from  their  seat  of  government,  the 

9 


142 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


people  demonstrated  again  tlieir  adequacy  to  self-government.  Soon 
after  their  arrival  at  the  Bluff,  the  settlers  appointed  trustees,  and  signed 
a covenant  obliging  themselves  to  conform  to  the  judgments  and  decisions 
of  their  officers,  in  whom  they  had  invested  the  powers  of  government.* 
Those  who  signed  the  covenant  had  considerable  advantages  over  those 
who  did  not;  they  Avere  respectively  allowed  a tract  of  land,  the  quiet 
possession  of  which  was  guaranteed  by  the  colony.  Those  who  did  not 
sign  the  covenant  Avere  considered  as  having  no  right  to  their  lands,  and 
could  be  dispossessed  by  a signer  Avitliout  any  recourse.  To  the  trustees 
were  allowed  in  these  days  of  primitive  honesty  and  old-fashioned  public 
spirit  neither  salaries  nor  fees.  But  to  the  clerk  appointed  by  the  trus- 
tees Avere  given  small  perquisites  as  compensation  for  the  expense  of 
paper  and  stationery.  The  trustees  were  the  executive  of  the  colony, 
and  had  the  whole  government  in  their  own  hands;  acting  as  the  judi- 
ciary their  decisions  gave  general  satisfaction.  To  them  were  also  com- 
mitted the  functions  of  the  sacerdotal  office  in  the  celebration  of  the  rites 
of  matrimony.  The  founder  of  the  colony,  Capt.  James  Robertson,  as 
might  have  been  expected,  was  one  of  the  trustees  and  Avas  the  first  who 
married  a couple.  These  Avere  Capt.  Leiper  and  his  wife.  Mr.  James 
Shaw  was  also  a trustee,  and  married  Edward  Swanson  to  Mrs.  Carvin, 
James  Freeland  to  Mrs.  Maxwell,  Cornelius  Riddle  to  Miss  Jane  Mul- 
herrin  and  John  Tucker  to  Jenny  Herrod,  all  in  one  day.  The  first  child 
born  in  the  country  Avas  John  Saunders,  since  the  sheriff  of  Montgomery 
County,  and  afterward  killed  on  White  River,  Indiana,  by  the  Indians. 
The  second  was  Anna  Wells.  ***** 

“Under  the  patriarchal  form  of  government,  by  trustees  selected  on 
account  of  their  experience,  probity  and  firmness,  the  colony  was  planted, 
defended,  governed  and  provided  for  several  years,  and  the  administration 
of  justice  and  the  protection  of  rights,  though  simple  and  a little  irreg- 
ular, it  is  believed  Avas  as  perfect  and  satisfactory  as  at  any  subsequent 
period  in  its  history.” 

Approach  to  the  Cumberland  settlements  previous  to  1785  was  gen- 
erally through  the  wilderness  of  Kentucky,  but  at  the  November  session 
of  the  General  Assembly  of  North  Carolina  for  this  year,  it  enacted  a law 
providing  for  a force  of  300  men  to  protect  these  settlements,  and  it  was 
made  the  duty  of  these  soldiers  or  guards,  to  cut  and  clear  a road  from 
the  lower  end  of  Clinch  Mountain  to  Nashville  by  the  most  eligible 
route.  This  road  was  to  be  at  least  ten  feet  wide  and  fit  for  the  passage 
of  wagons  and  carts.  For  the  half  of  his  first  year’s  pay  each  private 
Avas  allowed  400  acres  of  land,  and  for  further  services  in  the  same  pro- 


See  chapter  on  Organization. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


143 


portion.  The  officers  were  to  be  paid  in  a similar  manner.  The  road 
was  opened  during  the  year,  after  which  the  route  was  more  direct,  and 
immense  numbers  of  the  more  wealthy  people  of  the  Atlantic  sections 
sought  the  Cumberland  over  it.  But  as  the  guards  were  overburdened  in 
protecting  the  settlements  from  Indian  incursions  and  attacks ; the  road 
cut  by  them  was  not  sufficient  for  the  purpose  of  the  vast  immigration 
now  pouring  into  the  country.  A wider  and  more  level  road  was  de- 
manded, hence  the  road  already  cut  was  widened  and  another  road  was 
cut  leading  into  it  from  Bledsoe’s  Lick.  The  field  officers  of  the  coun- 
ties were  authorized  and  directed,  when  informed  that  a number  of  fam- 
ilies were  at  Cumberland  Mountain  waiting  for  an  escort  to  conduct  them 
to  the  Cumberland  settlements,  toraise  militia  guards,  to  consist  of  notmore 
than  fifty  men  to  act  as  such  escort.  The  expenses  of  these  guards  were  to  be 
defrayed  by  a poll  tax  which  the  county  courts  were  authorized  to  levy. 
By  the  improvement  in  the  roads  and  the  protection  provided  for  emi- 
grants, great  accessions  were  constantly  made  to  the  Cumberland  settle- 
ments for  the  next -succeeding  years.  Large  numbers  of  families  would 
concentrate  on  the  banks  of  the  Clinch,  and  attended  by  the  guard  would 
pass  through  the  wilderness  with  little  apprehension  of  trouble  from  the 
Indians  on  the  way,  and  the  settlements  thus  constantly  strengthened 
soon  secured  a foretaste  of  that  final  triumph  over  discouragements  and 
disasters  by  which  they  had  so  long  been  enfeebled  and  depressed.  They 
became  better  prepared  to  repel  savage  aggressions,  and  at  length  able 
themselves  to  carry  on  an  offensive  warfare  against  the  Indians.  In  fact 
the  population  of  Davidson  County  increased  so  rapidly  that  for  the  con- 
venience of  the  inhabitants  living  remote  from  Nashville,  the  seat  of 
justice,  it  became  necessary  to  divide  the  county  and  form  a new  one 
named  Tennessee. 

The  records  of  Davidson  County  for  the  October  term  of  1787  con- 
tain a resolution  that  for  the  better  furnishing  of  the  troops  now  coming 
into  the  country  under  Maj.  Evans  with  provisions,  etc.,  one-fourth  of 
the  tax  of  the  county  should  be  paid  in  corn,  two-fourths  in  beef,  pork, 
bear  meat  and  venison,  one-eighth  in  salt,  and  one-eighth  in  money  to 
defray  the  expense  of  moving  the  provisions  from  the  place  of  collection 
to  the  troops.  It  was  also  provided  that  the  price  of  corn  should  be  4 
shillings  per  bushel,  beef  $5  per  hundred  weight,  pork  $8,  good  bear  meat 
(without  bones)  $8, venison  lOsliillings  per  hundred  weight,  and  salt  $16  per 
bushel.  With  reference  to  the  currency  the  court,  at  its  next  April  term, 
appointed  Robert  Hays,  Anthony  Hart  and  John  Hunter  a committee  of 
inspection,  with  authority  to  destroy  such  of  the  bills  as  they  believed  to 
be  counterfeit.  This  action  was  taken  subsequent  to  the  refusal  of  Jesse 


144 


HISTORY  OR  TENNESSEE. 


Gain  to  receive  the  currency  of  the  State,  for  which  he  was  indicted  by 
the  grand  jury  April  7,  1787,  but  not  punished.  It  will  be  noticed  that 
the  currency  of  the  Cumberland  was  something  to  eat,  while  that  of 
Franklin  was  something  to  wear. 

In  the  State  Gazette  of  North  Carolina,  under  date  of  November  28, 
1788,  Col.  Robertson  published  the  following  notice:  “The  new  road 
from  Campbell's  Station  to  Nashville  was  opened  on  the  25th  of  Septem- 
ber, and  the  guard  attended  at  that  time  to  escort  such  persons  as  were 
ready  to  proceed  to  Nashville;  that  about  sixty  families  had  gone  on, 
among  whom  were  the  widow  and  family  of  the  late  Gen.  Davidson,  and 
John  McNairy,  judge  of  the  Superior  Court;  and  that  on  the  1st  day  of 
October  next,  the  guard  would  attend  at  the  same  place  for  the  same 
purpose.” 

Not  long  after  this  the  General  Assembly  of  North  Carolina  estab- 
lished a provision  store  on  the  frontier  of  Hawkins  County  at  the  house 
of  John  Adair,  for  the  reception  of  beef,  pork,  flour  and  corn  for  the  use 
of  the  Cumberland  Guard  when  called  on  to  conduct  these  emigrant 
parties  through  the  wilderness,  and  John  Adair  was  appointed  a commis- 
sioner for  the  purchase  of  these  provisions.  In  payment  for  them  he  was 
authorized  to  issue  certificates  receivable  by  the  sheriff  in  the  District  of 
Washington  in  part  payment  of  the  public  taxes  in  the  counties  of  that 
district,  from  whom  they  were  to  be  received  by  the  treasurer  of  the 
State.  It  was  also  provided  that  when  any  person,  wounded  in  the  for- 
mation and  defense  of  the  Cumberland  settlements,  was  unable  to  pay  the 
expense  of  his  treatment,  the  county  courts  should  pass  the  accounts,  and 
that  accounts  so  passed  should  be  received  in  payment  of  public  taxes. 
The  courts  were  also  authorized  to  sell  the  several  salt  licks,  heretofore 
reserved,  at  which  salt  could  be  manufactured,  and  to  declare  the  others 
vacant  and  subject  to  entry  as  other  public  lands.  Two  of  the  licks  of 
the  first  description  were  to  be  retained  for  the  use  of  Davidson  Academy. 

The  year  1788  was  distinguished  by  the  deplorable  adventure  of  Col. 
James  Brown,  a Revolutionary  officer  in  the  North  Carolina  line.  He 
was  immigrating  to  the  Cumberland  to  take  possession  of  the  lands  al- 
lotted to  him  for  his  military  services  during  the  Revolution.  His  family 
consisted  of  himself,  wife,  five  sons,  four  daughters  and  several  negroes. 
Two  of  his  sons  were  young  men.  Besides  his  immediate  family,  Col. 
Brown’s  party  consisted  of  J.  Bays,  John  Flood,  John  and  William  Gen- 
try, and  John  Griffin.  Being  unwilling  to  expose  his  family  to  the  dan- 
gers of  an  overland  journey  to  the  Cumberland,  Col.  Brown  determined 
to  go  by  water,  following  the  famous  example  of  Col.  John  Donelson,  of 
eight  years  before.  His  boat  was  built  on  Holston,  a short  distance  be- 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


145 


low  Long  Island.  It  was  fortified  by  placing  two-inch  oak  plank  all 
around  above  the  gunwales.  These  were  pierced  with  port-holes  at  proper 
distances,  and  a swivel-gun  was  placed  in  the  stern  of  the  boat.  By  tak- 
ing these  precautions  he  hoped  to  make  the  journey  for  his  party  safe, 
easy  and  pleasant.  They  embarked  on  the  4th  of  May,  and  on  the  9th  the 
party  passed  the  Chickamauga  towns  about  daybreak,  and  the  Tuske- 
gee  Island  town  a little  after  sunrise.  At  this  place  the  head  man,  Cut- 
tey  Otoy,  and  three  other  warriors,  came  on  board  and  were  kindly  treated. 
Returning  to  the  shore,  they  sent  runners  to  Running  Water  Town  and 
Nickajack  to  raise  all  the  warriors  they  could  to  ascend  the  river  and 
meet  the  boat.  Not  long  after  they  had  left  the  boat,  Col.  Brown’s  party 
saw  a number  of  canoes  ascending  the  river,  evidently  prepared  to  do 
mischief,  if  that  were  their  intention.  One  of  their  number,  John  Vann, 
was  a half-breed,  and  could  speak  English  plainly.  By  pretending  to  be 
friendly,  the  Indians  in  the  canoes  came  alongside  Col.  Brown’s  boat, 
boarded  it,  forced  it  to  the  shore,  killed  Col.  Brown,  and  took  all  of  the 
others  prisoners.  All  of  the  men  of  the  party  were  killed.  Mrs.  Brown 
and  one  daughter  were  retained  prisoners  for  seventeen  months ; two  of 
the  daughters  and  one  son  were  released  about  eleven  months  after  their 
capture,  and  one  little  son  was  kept  five  years  among  the  Creeks,  at  the 
end  of  which  time  he  had  forgotten  the  few  English  words  he  had  learned 
at  the  time  of  his  capture.  The  son  of  Col.  Brown,  released  at  the  end  of 
eleven  months,  was  subsequently  Col.  Joseph  Brown,  of  Maury  County, 
Tenn.  After  his  release,  himself  and  other  members  of  the  family  made 
a successful  overland  journey  to  the  Cumberland,  and  settled  about  three 
miles  below  Nashville.  Mrs.  Brown  was  released  through  the  aid  of 
Col.  McGilvery,  the  head  man  of  the  Creek  nation,  as  was  also  one  of 
her  daughters.  Few  families  suffered  more  from  Indian  atrocities  than 
the  Browns;  Col.  Brown,  two  sons,  and  three  sons-in-law,  were  killed, 
another  was  shot  in  the  right  hand  and  cut  about  the  wrist;  another  son, 
Joseph,  and  two  daughters,  were  prisoners  nearly  a year;  Mrs.  Brown 
and  another  daughter  were  prisoners  seventeen  months,  the  former  being 
driven  on  foot  by  the  Creeks  200  miles,  her  feet  blistered  and  suppu- 
rating, not  being  allowed  time  to  take  the  gravel  from  her  shoes ; and  a 
younger  son  was  a prisoner  five  years.  Gen.  Sevier  was  at  this  time  act- 
ively engaged  in  suppressing  Indian  hostilities,  and  it  is  to  him  credit  is 
due  for  the  exchange  of  prisoners  effected.  A full  account  of  his  opera- 
tions will  be  found  in  the  chapter  on  Indian  history. 

Not  long  after  the  fall  of  the  Franklin  government  in  the  spring  of 
1788,  it  became  evident  that  North  Carolina,  although  opposed  to  the 
existence  of  that  anomaly,  was  at  the  same  time  exceedingly  economical 


140 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


in  the  adoption  of  measures  and  in  providing  means  for  the  welfare  and 
protection  of  her  western  counties.  This  disposition  on  the  part  of  the 
parent  State  soon  revived  the  discontents  and  complaints  of  the  western 
people,  especially  of  those  who  had  been  in  the  Franklin  revolt,  and  it 
soon  became  the  general  opinion  on  both  sides  of  the  Alleghany  Moun- 
tains that  a separation  was  not  only  the  best  policy  for  each  but  was  also 
for  the  interest  of  both.  The  General  Assembly  acting  upon  this  princi- 
ple passed  an  act  for  the  purpose  of  ceding  to  the  United  States  certain 
western  lands  therein  described,  and  in  conformity  with  one  of  the  pro- 
visions of  this  act,  North  Carolina’s  United  States  Senators,  Samuel 
Johnston  and  Benjamin  Hawkins,  on  the  25th  of  February,  1790,  exe- 
cuted a deed  of  the  territory  ceded  to  the  United  States.  On  the  2d  of 
the  following  April,  the  United  States  Congress  accepted  the  deed  and 
what  is  now  Tennessee  ceased  to  be  a part  of  North  Carolina. 

One  of  the  few  last  legislative  enactments  of  North  Carolina  respect- 
ing her  western  territory  was  one  establishing  Rogersville  in  Hawkins 
County,  in  1789.  This  was  the  last  town  established  by  North  Carolina 
in  Tennessee. 

Having  thus  traced  some  of  the  principal  events  in  settlements  of  the 
territory  now  comprising  the  State  of  Tennessee,  it  is  proper  to  pause 
and  consider  the  condition  of  things  at  the  time  the  final  cession  was 
made  to,  and  accepted  by,  the  Congress  of  the  United  States.  The  settle- 
ments were  comprised  in  two  bodies  or  communities.  That  in  East  Ten- 
nessee extended  from  the  Virginia  line  on  the  east,  southwest  to  the  wa- 
ters of  Little  Tennessee,  in  the  shape  of  a peninsula.  Its  length  was 
about  150  miles,  and  its  width  from  twenty-five  to  fifty.  This  narrow 
strip  of  inhabited  country  was  bounded  on  the  south  by  a constant  suc- 
cession of  mountains  claimed  and  in  part’occupied  by  the  Indians,  on  the 
west  by  territory  occupied  by  them,  and  on  the  north  and  northwest  by 
the  Clinch  and  Cumberland  Mountains.  And  the  settlements  within 
these  limits  were  confined  mainly  to  the  valleys  of  the  Holston,  Nolli- 
chucky  and  the  French  Broad  and  Little  Rivers  below  the  mountains. 
All  the  rest  of  East  Tennessee  was  occupied  by  Cherokee  villages  or  their 
hunting  grounds.  In  this  portion  of  the  State,  comprising  what  was  then 
Washington  District,  there  were  about  30,000  inhabitants. 

The  other  community  was  settled  along  the  Cumberland  River,  and 
was  almost  entirely  insulated  from  the  community  in  East  Tennessee. 
They  were  included  in  Mero  District,  and  numbered  about  7,000  inhabi- 
tants. The  counties  were  Davidson,  Tennessee  and  Sumner.  Between 
these  two  sections  thus  distant  from  each  other  there  was  no  direct  and 
easy  communication.  By  water  the  great  obstacles  were -the  rapids  and 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


147 


Muscle  Shoals  of  the  Tennessee  River,  and  the  ascent  of  the  Ohio  and 
Cumberland,  and  between  the  two  a mountain  chain  and  a wilderness 
intervened  which  could  not  well  be  traversed  without  a military  guard. 

West  of  the  Tennessee  River  lay  the  territory  claimed  but  unoccupied 
by  the  Chickasaws.  Much  of  it  was  covered  by  grants  from  North  Caro- 
lina but  as  yet  none  of  it  had  been  settled  by  white  people.  It  furnished 
a thoroughfare  through  which  intercommunication  was  continued  for  a 
considerable  period  between  northern  and  southern  tribes  of  Indians,  and 
foreign  emissaries  who  sought  to  involve  the  settlements  in  difficulties 
with  the  tribes.  Spaniards  were  also  residing  in  the  towns  of  the  Creeks 
and  Choctaws,  who  themselves  had  no  valid  claim  to  the  lands.  Such 
was  the  state  of  affairs  when  the  cession  was  made,  and  when  the  terri- 
tory of  the  United  States  south  of  the  Ohio  River  was  organized,  and 
when  that  accomplished  gentleman,  William  Blount,  of  North  Carolina, 
was  appointed  its  governor  by  the  President  of  the  United  States, 
George  Washington. . 

An  important  transaction  took  place  about  this  time  with  which  sev- 
eral prominent  citizens  of  Tennessee  were  connected  either  directly  or 
indirectly.  It  was  between  the  Legislature  of  the  State  of  Georgia  and 
the  Tennessee  Land  Company.  It  would  probably  be  very  difficult  to 
ascertain  the  names  of  all  the  members  of  this  company,  even  if  it  were 
desirable  so  to  do.  The  leading  spirit,  however,  in  the  enterprise,  was 
Zachariah  Cox.  Others  who  were  either  members  of  the  company  or  in- 
terested in  its  operations  were  Matthias  Maher,  William  Cox,  James 
Hubbard,  Peter  Bryant,  John  Ruddle,  Thomas  Gilbert,  John  Strother,  a 
Mr.  Williams  and  a Mr.  Gardiner,  Gen.  Sevier  and  Col.  Donelson. 
The  territory  of  Georgia  then  like  that  of  North  Carolina,  extended 
westward  to  the  Mississippi  River,  and  the  Legislature  of  that  State  con- 
sidering itself  authorized  by  the  constitution  so  to  do,  and  thinking  it 
would  be  to  the  interest  of  their  State,  sold  large  quantities  of  land  in  its 
western  territory  to  different  companies,  among  these  being  the  Tennes- 
see Land  Company.  The  tract  of  land  thus  purchased  by  this  company 
lay  upon  the  Great  Bend  of  the  Tennessee  River  and  was  bounded  as 
follows:  “Beginning  at  the  mouth  of  Bear  Creek,  on  the  south  bank  of 
the  Tennessee  River ; thence  up  the  said  creek  to  the  most  southern  source 
thereof ; thence  due  south  to  latitude  thirty-four  degrees  and  ten  minutes ; 
thence  a due  east  course  120  miles;  thence  a due  north  course  to  the 
great  Tennessee  River;  thence  up  the  middle  of  said  river  to  the  north- 
ern boundary  line  of  this  State ; thence  a due  west  course  along  the  said 
line  to  where  it  intersects  the  great  Tennessee  River  below  the  Muscle 
Shoals;  thence  up  the  said  river  to  the  place  of  beginning.”  Within 


148 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


these  limits  were  contained  3,500,000  acres  of  land,  and  the  stipulated 
price  was  $46,875.  The  act  of  the  Legislature  making  this  grant  was 
passed  December  21,  1789;  $12,000  was  to  be  paid  down,  and  242,000 
acres  were  to  be  reserved  to  the  citizens  of  Georgia.  Of  this  land  Gen. 
Sevier  had  “ten  or  twenty  thousand  acres  at  the  mouth  of  Blue  Water 
Creek,  which  empties  into  the  Tennessee  near  the  head  of  Muscle  Shoals, 
the  right  to  which  he  afterward  relinquished  to  the  United  States  for 
the  privilege  of  entering  5,000  acres  of  other  unappropriated  public 
lands.”  * 

In  view  of  the  course  taken  by  the  United  States  toward  those  who 
attempted  to  settle  upon  this  purchase,  this  statement  is  somewhat  con- 
fusing. Zachariah  Cos  and  Thomas  Carr,  as  agents  of  the  company,  soon 
took  measures  to  effect  this  settlement.  From  their  territory  they  issued 
a notice  September  2,  1790,  that  they  would  embark  a large  armed  force 
at  the  mouth  of  French  Broad.  But  little  attention  was  paid  to  them  by 
Gov.  Blount,  as  it  was  supposed  they  were  unable  to  start  the  expedition. 
But  about  January  10,  1791,  Cox  and  about  twenty-five  or  thirty  others 
arrived  at  the  place  of  embarkation,  and  began  to  make  preparations  in 
earnest  to  go  down  the  river.  The  President  of  the  United  States,  hear- 
ing of  the  purchase  and  intended  occupation  of  these  lands,  issued  a 
proclamation  forbidding  the  settlement,  and  declaring  those  who  made 
such  settlement  would  be  entirely  outside  the  protection  of  the  United 
States.  Upon  the  receipt  of  a letter  from  the  Secretary  of  War,  dated 
January  13,  1791,  Gov.  Blount  dispatched  Maj.  White,  of  Hawkins 
County,  to  make  known  to  the  company  the  tenor  of  the  proclamation, 
and  to  inform  them  that  if  they  went  to  the  Muscle  Shoals  the  Indians 
would  be  immediately  notified  of  it  and  be  at  liberty  to  act  toward  them 
as  they  might  think  proper,  without  offense  to  the  United  States;  and  to 
inform  them  also  that  if  the  Indians  would  permit  them  to  settle,  the 
United  States  would  not. 

This  communication  for  a time  intimidated  the  company,  but  upon 
considering  that  in  February  a force  of  about  300  men  from  Kentucky  in- 
tended to  make  a settlement  near  the  Yazoo,  upon  land  bought  by  the  Vir- 
ginia Yazoo  Company,  at  the  same  time  the  Tennessee  Company  purchased 
their  land,  they  determined  to  disregard  the  Federal  prohibition  and  pro- 
ceed with  their  enterprise.  Zachariah  Cox,  Col.  Hubbard,  Peter  Bryant 
and  about  fifteen  others  embarked  at  the  mouth  of  the  Dumplin  in  a small 
boat  and  two  canoes  for  the  purpose  of  taking  possession  of  the  Tennes- 
see grant.  With  such  a small  party  the  enterprise  of  sailing  down  the 
river  was  hazardous  in  the  extreme.  Remembering  the  sad  fate  of  Col. 


* PutDam. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


149 


Brown  three  years  before,  they  proceeded  down  the  river  with  the  utmost 
caution.  “ Below  the  Suck  a small  party  of  Indians  came  out  in  their 
canoes  and  hailed  them.  The  same  number  of  white  men  were  sent  out 
to  meet  them,  advancing  firmly  with  their  ritles  in  their  hands,  but  with 
orders  not  to  fire  till  the  last  extremity.  Their  canoe  floated  down  toward 
the  Indians,  who,  observing  their  preparation  for  attack,  withdrew  and 
disappeared.  A little  further  down  night  overtook  the  voyagers,  and, 
when,  from  the  dangers  of  navigation  at  night,  it  was  proposed  to  steer  to 
the  shore,  they  saw  upon  the  bank  a row  of  fires,  extending  along  the 
bottoms  as  far  as  they  could  see,  and  standing  around  them  armed  Indian 
warriors.  They  silenced  their  oars  by  pouring  water  upon  the  oar-pins, 
spoke  not  a word,  but  glided  by  as  quietly  as  possible.  * * * Sev- 

eral times  next  day  the  Indians  tried  by  various  artifices  to  decoy  them 
to  land.  On  one  occasion  three  of  them  insisted,  in  English,  to  come  and 
trade  with  them.  After  they  had  refused  and  passed  by,  300  warriors 
rose  out  of  ambush.  * * * For  three  days  and  nights  they  did  not 

land,  but  doubled  on  their  oars,  beating  to  the  south  side  at  night  and  to 
the  middle  of  the  river  by  day.* 

Arriving  at  the  Muscle  Shoals  Cox  and  his  party  built  a block-house 
and  other  works  of  defense  on  an  island.  The  Glass  with  about  sixty 
Indians  shortly  afterward  appeared,  and  informed  the  intruders  that  if 
they  did  not  peacefully  withdraw  he  would  put  them  to  death.  Upon 
considering  their  defenseless  condition  as  against  a much  superior  force, 
they  abandoned  their  works,  which  the  Indians  immediately  reduced  to 
ashes.  Returning  to  Knoxville  Cox  and  his  associates  were  arrested 
upon  a warrant  by  Judge  Campbell  to  answer  for  their  offense,  but  the 
indictments,  two  of  which  were  sent  to  the  grand  jury,  were  not  sustained 
as  true  bills.  Thus  Cox  and  his  twenty  young  men  from  Georgia  seemed 
to  triumph  over  the  Government,  and  were  thereby  encouraged  to  perse- 
vere in  their  attempt  to  settle  at  the  Muscle  Shoals.  They  soon  found 
purchasers  for  many  thousands  of  acres  of  land  and  made  public  declar- 
ation of  their  intention  to  make  another  attempt  at  settlement,  and  that 
they  would  do  so  with  a great  force  drawn  from  Maryland,  Virginia, 
North  Carolina,  South  Carolina  and  Georgia.  The  time  fixed  upon  for 
this  grand  movement  was  November,  1791,  or  as  soon  thereafter  as  their 
numbers  could  be  collected.  This  movement,  however,  appears  to  have 
failed,  and  the  failure  was  probably  on  account  of  the  company’s  failure 
to  comply  with  the  terms  of  their  purchase  of  the  lands  from  Georgia. 

For  two  or  three  years  the  matter  remained  in  abeyance,  but  in  1794 
the  Legislature  of  Georgia  passed  another  bill  for  the  sale  of  the  lands 

♦Ramsey. 


150 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


which  was  vetoed  by  the  Governor  in  December  of  that  year.  In  Janu- 
ary, 1795,  a bill  was  passed  which  received  the  Governor’s  signature  and 
became  a law.  Under  this  law  an  aggregate  of  35,000,000  acres  of 
land  was  sold  to  four  companies,  very  nearly  in  proportion  to  the  amounts 
paid  by  each  company.  The  Georgia  Company  paid  $250,000,  the 
Georgia-Mississippi  Company  paid  $155,000,  the  Upper  Mississippi 
Company  paid  $35,000  and  the  Tennessee  Land  Company  paid  $60,000, 
the  latter  company  receiving  the  same  amount  as  under  the  first  purchase 
in  1789.  In  August,  1795,  a report  ivas  circulated  that  Cox  and  his 
associates  intended  making  another  attempt  at  the  establishment  of  a 
settlement  on  the  lands  purchased  from  Georgia,  and  Gov.  Blount  recom- 
mended a regular  military  force  to  prevent  them.  In  January,  1796, 
some  individuals  arrived  from  Georgia  for  the  purpose  of  making  a pas- 
sage to  the  Muscle  Shoals  with  the  view  of  keeping  possession  there  until 
a settlement  could  be  established  by  the  Tennessee  Company.  They 
gave  out,  however,  that  they  were  going  to  Natchez,  and  it  was  some 
time  before  the  Governor  could  learn  their  true  designs.  On  the  18th  of 
February,  1796,  he  wrote  a letter  to  the  chiefs  of  Cherokees,  informing 
them  that  about  four  weeks  before  that  time  a boat  with  many  men  had 
left  Knoxville,  ostensibly  for  Natchez,  but  really  for  the  Muscle  Shoals 
with  the  view  of  settling  on  the  Great  Bend  of  the  Tennessee,  and  gave 
assurance  to  the  chiefs  that  if  such  were  the  fact  the  United  States  would 
remove  the  intruders  and  that  they,  the  Cherokees,  need  not  be  uneasy. 

But  the  settlement  under  all  of  these  purchases  was  effectually  pre- 
vented by  the  action  of  the  State  of  Georgia  with  reference  to  the  sale 
of  the  lands,  which  is  in  itself  a curious  and  interesting  study.  The 
entire  populace  of  that  State  became  intensely  excited  and  most  highly 
inflamed  against  the  Legislature  for  selling  the  lands,  and  in  1796  the 
act  by  which  the  sale  was  made  was  repealed  by  a new  Legislature 
elected  for  the  purpose,  by  an  overwhelming  vote,  on  the  ground  of 
unconstitutionality  and  fraud,  and  the  enrolled  bill,  passed  January  7, 
1795,  was  publicly  and  solemnly  burned  February  13,  1796,  together 
witli  such  portions  of  the  records  as  could  be  destroyed  without  destroy- 
ing other  and  valuable  portions.  And  it  is  matter  of  tradition  that  the 
fire  was  kindled  by  means  of  a sun  glass,  upon  the  theory  that  the  infamy 
sought  to  be  cast  upon  the  fair  fame  of  the  State  could  only  appropriately 
be  obliterated  by  fire  brought  down  from  heaven. 

The  following  table  shows  the  various  land  grants  or  appropriations 
by  the  State  of  North  Carolina,  within  her  western  territory,  now  the 
State  of  Tennessee: 


HISTORY  OR  TENNESSEE. 


151 


Acres.  Acres. 

Granted  to  claimants  in  the  counties  of  Washington, 

Sullivan,  Greene  and  Hawkins 879,262 

Granted  to  claimants  in  the  Eastern,  Middle  and  Wes- 
tern districts 1,271,280 


2,150,542 

Granted  to  the  settlers  on  the  Cumberland  pre-emp- 


tion   309,760 

Granted  to  Maj. -Gen.  Nathaniel  Greene 25,000 


Granted  to  the  officers  and  soldiers  in  the  Continen- 
tal line 1,239,498 

Granted  to  ditto  for  which  warrants  had  been 
granted,  but  for  which  grants  had  not  been 
issued 1,594,726 


2,834,224 

Granted  to  the  surveyor  of  the  military  lands  for 


his  services 30,203 

Granted  to  the  commissioners,  surveyors,  officers  and 
guards,  for  ascertaining  the  hounds  of  the  mil- 
itary lands 65,932 

Total  number  of  acres 5,415,661 


The  above  statement  was  certified  by  J.  Glasgow,  secretary  of  state 
for  North  Carolina,  July  30,  1791,  and  by  Alexander  Martin,  governor, 
August  10,  of  the  same  year. 

Settlement  of  West  Tennessee. — That  portion  of  Tennessee  lying 
west  of  the  Tennessee  River  was  not  settled — was  not  opened  for  settle- 
ment— until  long  after  Tennessee  became  a flourishing  and  wealthy  State. 
The  lands  in  this  section  were  owned  and  occupied  by  the  Chickasaw 
tribe  of  Indians  as  far  back  as  there  is  any  authentic  record.  Their  firm 
friendship  for  the  whites,  particularly  the  English,  was  something  rather 
remarkable.  They  were  first  met  by  De  Soto  in  his  tour  of  conquest  in 
1540,  a little  above  the  southern  boundary  of  the  State,  by  whom  he  was 
treated  with  remarkable  courtesy  until  he  demanded  of  them  200  of  their 
number  to  carry  his  baggage.  He  had  spent  the  winter  at  their  village, 
Chisca,  and  received  many  courtesies  from  them,  but  on  this  demand  they 
burned  their  village  and  flew  to  arms.  They  preferred  desolated  homes 
and  death  to  anything  like  slavery.  Whether  De  Soto  and  his  band 
marched  within  the  boundaries  of  this  State  is  questioned.  The  next 
white  man,  possibly  the  first,  was  the  J esuit  missionary,  Marquette,  who 
visited  the  borders  of  the  State  in  1673,  but  his  voyage  down  the  river 
was  one  of  exploration  and  discovery  rather  than  settlement.  He  found 
the  dusky  men  of  the  forest  armed  with  the  Aveapons  of  civilized  warfare, 
which  they  had  doubtless  obtained  from  traders  along  the  Atlantic  coast. 

In  1736  an  attempt  was  made  by  Bienville  from  the  south,  in  concert 


152 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


with  D’Artaguette  and  Vinsenne  from  the  north,  to  dispossess  the  Chick- 
asaws  of  their  lands.  The  attempt  was  a disastrous  failure,  the  two  forces 
not  acting  simultaneously;  the  former  was  compelled  to  beat  a hasty  re- 
treat, and  the  latter  two  were  captured  and  burned  at  the  stake.  In  1739 
the  French  again  attempted  to  possess  themselves  of  the  territory  of  the 
Chickasaws;  this  time  they  made  an  attack  upon  the  Indians  at  Chicka- 
saw Bluffs  (at  Memphis),  but  were  defeated  with  loss.  The  attempt 
was  renewed  at  the  same  place  in  1710  by  Bienville  and  De  Noailles,  who 
ascended  the  river  in  boats.  They  met  with  little  success  but  managed 
to  patch  up  a hollow  treaty.  A fort  was  built  by  them  at  Chickasaw* 
Bluff,  called  Prudliomme,  but  the  date  is  unknown.  Desultory  fighting 
was  kept  up  between  them  for  the  possession  of  this  territory  for  ten 
years  longer.  In  nearly  all  the  wars  of  the  United  States  and  while  the 
colonies  were  under  control  of  the  English  Government,  these  Indians 
sided  with  and  assisted  the  English.  In  consequence  of  which  they 
received  very  liberal  boundaries  at  the  treaty  of  Hopewell,  after  the  Rev- 
olutionary war.  Besides  lands  the  Government  courted  their  friendship 
by  large  donations  of  corn  and  other  supplies. 

In  1782  (December  11)  Gen.  Robertson  established  Chickasaw  Bluffs 
as  a depot  to  which  was  sent  the  supplies  given  to  the  Indians.  The 
Bluffs  thus  became  a kind  of  permanent  post  at  which  the  English  and 
Chickasaws  met,  from  time  to  time,  till  the  treaty  of  1818,  Avhen  the 
entire  western  portion  of  the  State  was  transferred  to  the  United  States. 

The  Spanish  seemed  anxious  to  obtain,  this  territory  whether  by  fail- 
means  or  foul.  The  Spanish  governor  of  Natchez,  Gayoso  by  name, 
appeared  at  the  Chickasaw  Bluffs  some  time  between  the  last  of  May  and 
the  9th  of  July,  with  the  intention  of  building  a fort  there.  He  took 
possession  of  the  bluff  on  the  east  side  of  the  river  within  the  territorial 
limits  of  the  United  States.  He  came  up  the  river  with  three  galleys 
which  anchored  on  the  side  opposite  the  bluffs,  until  the  materials  on  the 
west  side  were  prepared  for  the  erection  of  a block-house.  When  the 
material  was  ready  it  was  quickly  transferred  across  to  the  east  side,  and 
the  block-house  hastily  erected.  Complaint  was  made  to  Gov.  Blount  by 
the  Chickasaws  that  their  territorial  rights  had  been  invaded.  Novem- 
ber 9,  1795,  Gov.  Blount,  by  direction  of  the  President,  sent  a letter  to 
Gayoso,  by  Col.  McKee,  at  Fort  St.  Ferdinando,  near  the  Chickasaw  Bluff. 
This  letter  stated  that  the  United  States  considered  the  establishment  of 
a Spanish  fort  at  or  near  Chickasaw  Bluff  an  encroachment  not  only  upon 
the  territorial  rights  of  the  United  States  but  also  upon  the  rights  of  the 
Chickasaw  nation,  and  that  the  Government  of  the  United  States  expected 


*Haywood. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


153 


him  to  demolish  the  fort,  block-house  or  whatever  military  works  he  may 
have  erected,  and  to  withdraw  his  troops  from  its  limits.  The  Spanish 
officers  at  this  time  from  Fort  St.  Ferdinando  and  New  Madrid  below  and 
to  the  month  of  the  Ohio  above  allowed  no  boats  to  pass  without  reporting 
their  destination  and  cargo.  This  was  done  to  prevent  supplies  being 
sent  to  the  Chickasaws.  Col.  McKee  who  had  been  sent  to  Gayoso  did 
not  return  till  in  the  spring  of  1796,  when  it  was  learned  that  the  Gen- 
eral Government  had  made  a treaty  with  Spain  that  ended  all  grounds 
for  controversy. 

Y arious  treaties  were  made  with  the  Chickasaws  with  a view  to  obtain 
their  territory  in  the  State  for  settlement.  Among  these  treaties  were 
those  of  1806-07  by  which  they  relinquished  355,000  acres  for  settlement 
for  $22,000,  and  a large  amount  again  in  1816,  for  which  they  received 
$4,500  cash  and  $12,000  in  ten  annual  installments.  The  final  treaty  by 
which  they  relinquished  all  West  Tennessee  was  signed  October  19, 
1818,  by  Isaac  Shelby  and  Andrew  Jackson  on  the  part  of  President 
James  Monroe,  and  by  the  chiefs  on  the  part  of  the  Chicasaws.  The 
substance  of  this  treaty  is  here  given.  It  was  to  settle  all  territorial 
controversies  and  remove  all  grounds  of  complaint  or  dissatisfaction 
which  might  arise  to  interrupt  the  peace  and  harmony  so  long  and  so 
happily  existing  between  the  United  States  and  the  Chickasaw  nation  of 
Indians.  • It  ceded  all  lands  lying  north  of  the  southern  boundary  of  the 
State  (except  a small  tract  reserved  for  a special  purpose)  described  as 
follows:  “Beginning  on  the  Tennessee  River  about  thirty-five  miles  by 
water  below  Col.  George  Colbert’s  ferry,  where  the  thirty-fifth  degree  of 
north  latitude  strikes  the  same;  thence  due  west  with  said  parallel  to 
where  it  cuts  the  Mississippi  River  at  or  near  the  Chicasaw  Bluffs; 
thence  up  said  river  to  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio;  thence  up  the  Ohio  to 
the  mouth  of  the  Tennessee;  thence  up  the  Tennessee  to  the  place  of 
beginning.”* 

The  consideration  of  this  treaty  was  that  the  Chickasaws  were  to 
receive  $20,000  annually  for  fifteen  years  to  be  paid  to  the  chiefs  of  the 
nation;  also  a private  claim  of  Capt.  John  Gordon,  $1,115  due  him  by 
Gen.  William  Colbert  of  the  nation ; to  Capt.  David  Smith  $2,000,  for 
supplies  furnished  to  himself  and  forty-five  soldiers  in  assisting  the 
Chickasaws  in  a war  with  the  Creeks;  to  Oppassantubbee,  principal 
chief,  $500  for  a tract  of  land  two  miles  square,  reserved  for  him  in  the 
treaty  of  September  20,  1816;  to  John  Lewis  $25,  for  a saddle  lost  in 
the  service;  to  John  Colbert  $1,089,  stolen  from  him  at  a theater  in 
Baltimore;  also  reservations  to  Col.  George  Colbert,  May  Levi  Colbert 


*Land  Laws. 


154 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


and  John  McClisli,  who  had  married  a white  woman.  It  was  further 
ordered  that  the  boundary  line  on  the  south  should  be  marked  in  bold 
characters  by  commissioners  agreeable  to  both  the  President  and  the 
Chickasaws.  It  Avas  further  agreed,  in  consideration  of  the  faithfulness 
of  the  ChickasaAvs,  but  particularly  as  a “ manifestation  of  the  friendship 
and  liberality  of  the  President”  of  the  United  States,  that  the  commis- 
sioners pay  certain  sums  annually  to  the  leading  chiefs  of  the  tribe. 

To  the  time  of  the  above  treaty  little  effort  at  settlement  had  been 
made  in  West  Tennessee.  The  friendly  feeling  so  long  existing  between 
the  whites  and  the  ChickasaAvs,  and  the  determination  of  the  Government 
to  maintain  that  friendship  by  preventing  any  encroachment  upon  their 
territory,  prevented  a long  series  of  murders  and  Indian  massacres  so 
common  to  the  settlement  of  a new  country.  From  this  time  the  settle- 
ment became  rapid  and  soon  grew  to  vast  proportions,  owing  to  the  imfit- 
ing  lands  and  large  population  in  sections  so  near.  Before  any  settle- 
ments had  been  made  there  were  roads  or  traces  leading  through  the 
territory  on  Avliich  occasionally  there  was  a squatter.  One  of  these  roads 
or  traces,  known  as  the  “Massac  trace,”  entered  West  Tennessee  nearly 
south  of  Somerville  and  passed  a little  Avest  of  north  through  Haywood 
County  and  in  the  same  direction  to  Fort  Massac,  in  Illinois.  Another 
was  a United  States  road  that  entered  West  Tennessee  west  from 
Waverly,  and  passed  through  the  territory  in  a soutliAvesterly  direction. 
Along  the  southern  boundary  of  the  State  was  another  road  or  pathway. 
On  the  upper  courses  of  the  main  stream  of  the  Big  Hatchie  were  two  or 
three  rough  bridges.  These  roads  Avere  opened  about  the  beginning  of 
the  present  century.  Among  the  squatters  Avho  lived  on  these  roads  Avas 
John  Chambers  who  dwelt  on  the  road  leading  south  to  Natchez.  He 
raised  cattle  and  corn;  the  latter  he  sold  at  a very  high  price.  The  first 
settlers  in  the  northwest  part  of  the  State  AYere  Stephen  Mitchell,  eight 
miles  below  NeAv  Madrid,  at  Mitchell’s  Landing  on  the  Mississippi ; Enoch 
Walker,  at  Walker’s  Landing,  on  Reelfoot  Lake ; Evan  Shelby,  at  Shelby’s 
Landing,  also  on  Reelfoot  Lake,  and  the  Bone  family,  three  miles  beloAV 
Shelby’s.  All  these  were  between  1818  and  1820  and  were  in  Lake 
County. 

Others  in  the  same  county  and  about  the  same  time  were  Robert  and 
Jefferson  Nolen,  John  and  R.  J.  Rivers,  Reuben  and  Richard  Anderson, 
Michael  Peacock,  William  Box,  Henry  Walker,  Joe  Bone,  Robert  C. 
Nall,  Ezekiel  Williams,  Thomas  Wynn,  Robert  Thompson,  Richard  J. 
Hill,  James  Crockett,  John  Campbell,  E.  W.  Nevill,  Jesse  Gray,  Richard 
Sand,  J.  W.  Bradford,  C.  H.  Bird  and  B.  B.  Bird.  The  first  settlers  en- 
tered Obion  County  about  1821;  among  them  were  John  Cloy,  Valentine 


HISTOKY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


155 


Westerbrook,  Thornton  Edwards,  James  Hollowman,  Benjamin  Totten, 
Benjamin  and  David  Hubbard,  James  Collins,  John  Tarr,  James  Bedford, 
John  Clark,  O.  Roberts,  Fletcher  Edwards,  John  White,  Benjamin  Far- 
ris, William  Scott,  Col.  Lysander  Adams,  Gen.  George  Gibbs,  Hardin 
Talley,  Robert  Corwin,  John  Parkey,  William  Caldwell,  Alfred  McDan- 
iel and  Benjamin  Evans.  The  celebrated  Davy  Crockett  assisted  in  lay- 
ing off  the  town  of  Troy  in  1825,  and  later,  when  on  a tour,  canvassing 
for  Congress,  he  was  without  money,  and  Col.  William  M.  Wilson  came 
to  his  relief  and  paid  his  hotel  bill.  A nice  family  Bible  was  sent  to  Col. 
Wilson  from  Washington  by  Crockett,  as  a reward  for  his  kindness.  It 
is  needless  to  say  that  this  is  kept  as  a highly  prized  heirloom  by  the 
Wilson  family.  The  first  white  child  born  in  the  county  was  Thomas  D. 
Wilson,  son  of  Col.  William  M.  Wilson.  The  first  settlement  in  Weak- 
ley County  was  made  in  1819.  Those  settling  in  the  vicinity  of  Dresden 
were  John  Terrill,  Perry  Vincent,  Dr.  Jubilee  Rogers,  Benjamin  Bondu- 
rant,  Richard  Porter,  T.  and  A.  Gardner  and  Robert  Powell.  A few 
years  later  than  these  were  Vincent  Rust,  Claiborne  Stone,  Thomas  Par- 
ham and  John  H.  Reams.  Vincent  Rust  raised  the  first  hogshead  of 
tobacco  in  Weakley  County  in  1835.  This  was  hauled  by  Dr.  Reams  to 
Hickman,  Ky.,  and  sold  at  5 cents  per  pound.  Those  settling  northeast 
of  Dresden  were  Levi  Mizell,  Joe  Wilson,  John  Webb,  and  those  a little 
later  were  the  families  of  Ridgeway,  Buckley,  Killebrew  and  Kilgore. 
Those  on  the  northeast  between  the  middle  fork  of  Obion  and  the  Ken- 
tucky line  were  John  F.  Cavitt,  who  settled  there  March  20,  1820,  also 
John  Stevenson,  Isaac  and  William  Killingham,  who  had  preceded  Stev- 
enson a short  time  and  had  erected  a hut;  John  Rogers  moved  into  the 
cabin  with  Cavitt  above  mentioned  until  he  could  erect  a cabin  for  him- 
self. These  were  soon  followed  by  J.  B.  Davis,  Peter  Williams,  Marcus 
Austin,  L.  F.  Abernathy  and  Benjamin  Farmer.  The  latter  was  elected 
constable  and  was  given  an  execution  levying  on  a cow  and  calf,  to  serve 
on  a settler.  In  his  simplicity  he  ran  down  the  cow  and  rubbed  the 
execution  against  her,  but  was  unable  to  catch  the  calf;  he  shook  the  in- 
strument at  it  and  exclaimed:  “you  too,  calfy.”  Alexander  Paschall  was 
one  of  the  first  settlers  in  the  northeast  part  of  the  county ; he  came  there 
in  1824  from  Carroll  County,  N.  C.  As  evidence  of  the  sparsely  settled 
country,  Paschall,  in  building  his  house,  invited  all  persons  living  within 
a circuit  of  twelve  miles,  and  got  only  thirty-one  hands.  Other  settlers 
about  the  same  time  were  Daniel  Laswell,  Sr..  John  and  George  Harlin 
and  Peter  Mooney. 

It  is  said  the  first  preaching  in  that  vicinity  was  by  a colored  minis- 
ter. Everybody  was  anxious  to  go  to  church,  but  few  of  the  women  had 


150 


HISTORY  OT  TENNESSEE. 


a change  of  dresses.  Mrs.  Pascliall  having  seven,  loaned  six  to  her  less 
fortunate  sisters  and  thus  enabled  them  to  attend  the  first  preaching  in 
that  vicinity.  On  Mud  Creek  were  settled  Reuben  Edmunson,  Dudley 
Glass,  Sr.,  Levi  Clark  and  Israel  Jones.  Between  Mud  Creek  and  Mid- 
dle Fork  Avere  Owen  Parrish,  Thomas  Etheridge,  father  of  Hon.  Emerson 
Etheridge,  A.  Clemens,  J.  W.  Rogers  and  John  Jenkins.  Between 
Middle  and  South  Fork  Avere  Duke  Cantrell,  M.  H.  G.  Williams,  William 
Hills,  Alfred  Bethel,  F.  A.  Kemp  and  CalloAvay  Hardin.  Higher  up  the 
river  Avere  Robert  Mosely,  E.  D.  Dickson,  James  Hornback,  John  and 
G.  Bradshaw  and  Richard  Drewery.  Southeast  on  Upper  Spring  Creek 
were  Thomas  Osborne,  A.  Demming,  Isaac  CreAv,  Robert  Gilbert,  Jona- 
than Gilbert,  James  and  Alfred  Smith,  William  Hamilton,  Francis  Lid- 
dle,  John  O’Neal,  James  Kennedy  and  Tilghman  Johnson.  On  Thomp- 
son’s Creek  Avere  John  Thomas,  Daniel  Campbell,  Samuel  Morgan,  Elijah 
Stanley,  M.  Shaw,  William  Gay,  John  H.  Moore  and  Hayden  E.  Wells. 
On  LoAver  Cypress  were  Capt.  John  Rogers,  E.  P.  Latham,  the  Carneys, 
McLeans,  Scultzs  and  SteAvarts.  On  Upper  Cypress  were  the  Rosses, 
Thompsons,  Winsteads  and  Beadles.  Davy  Crockett  settled  near  the 
junction  of  South  and  Rutherford  Forks  of  Obion,  in  Weakley  County,  and 
was  elected  to  the  Legislature  the  same  year  on  a majority  of  247  votes. 
He  was  beaten  for  Congress  in  1825  and  1827  by  Hon.  A.  R.  Alexander 
on  a majority  of  only  two  votes  each  time.  He  was  elected  in  1829  by 
3,585  votes.  He  was  beaten  by  William  Fitzgerald  in  1831,  and  he  in 
turn  beat  Fitzgerald  in  1833  by  a good  majority.  Crockett  was  himself 
beaten  in  1835  by  Adam  Huntzman,  a Avooden -legged  lawyer.  Crockett 
was  in  Congress  the  author  of  the  “occupant’s  bill,”  a measure  to  give 
each  settler  200  acres  of  land.  Henry  Stunson,  avIio  was  born  in  1821, 
was  the  first  white  child  born  in  Weakley  County.  The  first  cabin  built 
by  a Avhite  man  was  erected  in  1819  by  John  BradshaAv. 

The  settlement  in  the  northeastern  part  of  the  western  section  of  the 
State  began  in  1819;  the  first  settlers  Avere  from  SteAvart  County:  they 
were  Joel  Ragler,  John  Studdart  and  James  Williams.  They  came  in 
wagons,  having  made  their  Avay  through  the  forest  and  settled  near  Man- 
leyville.  When  they  arrived  at  Big  Sandy  it  was  so  high  they  could  not 
cross.  After  Avaiting  tAvo  weeks  they  were  compelled  to  make  a canoe 
and  a raft.  When  these  were  completed  some  of  the  party  hesitated  to 
enter.  As  evidence  of  the  bold  spirit  of  those  pioneer  Avomen,  “Granny” 
Studdart,  on  seeing  the  hesitation  of  the  party,  said,  “I — I’ll  get  in.” 
She  did  so,  and  soon  all  were  landed  safely  on  the  other  shore.  Other 
settlers  near  Paris  Avere  James  Leiper,  Gen.  Richard  Porter,  John  Brown, 
J.  L.  Allen  and  Dr.  T.  K.  Allen.  A horse-mill  was  erected  by  John 


FROM  PROTO  ar  TRUSS  KOEUEIN  SO/FRS.  NASHVILLE 


David  Crockett 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE 


157 


Carter,  near  Springville,  in  1820,  and  a water-mill  in  the  northwest  part 
of  this  county  in  the  same  year  by  Thomas  James. 

Settlements  began  in  Dyer  County  in  1828.  William  Nash  settled 
between  the  forks  of  Forked  Deer  River;  John  Rutledge  at  Key  Corner, 
and  the  Dugan  family  on  Obion  Lake.  The  first  house  built  in  Dyers- 
burg  was  erected  by  Elias  Dement,  and  had  only  a dii’t  floor.  Among 
other  settlers  in  this  section  were  John  Rutherford,  Benjamin  Porter, 
John  Bowers,  William  Bowers  and  William  Martin.  Nathaniel  Benton, 
another  settler,  was  a brother  of  Thomas  H.  Benton,  who  moved  to  Dyer 
County  about  1818.  The  section  away  from  the  large  rivers — the  Ten- 
nessee and  Mississippi — was  not  settled  quite  so  early  as  those  along  the 
rivers.  In  what  is  now  Gibson  County  the  first  settlement  began  about 
1819.  Those  who  settled  in  that  year  were  Thomas  Fite,  John  Spencer 
and  J.  F.  Randolph.  This  settlement  was  made  about  eight  miles  east 
of  Trenton.  Other  settlers  followed  in  rapid  succession ; among  them 
were  Luke  and  Reuben  Biggs,  William  Holmes,  John  B.  Hogg,  David 
P.  Hamilton,  Col.  Thomas  Gibson,  John  Ford  and  W.  C.  Love.  That 
part  of  West  Tennessee  now  embraced  in  Carroll  County  was  settled  by 
Thomas  Hamilton  on  Cedar  Creek,  near  McKenzie;  John  Woods  on  Ruth- 
erford Fork  of  Obion;  Samuel  McKee,  Spencer  and  Nathaniel  Edwards 
on  the  Big  Sandy;  and  E.  C.  Daugherty  where  McLemoresville  now 
stands;  and  John  Blunt,  who  built  a mill  on  a branch  of  the  Big  Sandy 
in  1821-22.  Settlements  in  Benton  County  began  in  1819-20,  the  first 
settler  being  William  and  D.  Rushing,  on  Rushing  Creek,  sis  miles 
north  of  Camden;  the  next  was  by  Nicholas  and  Lewis  Browers  in  1820. 
on  Randall  Creek,  twelve  miles  from  Camden;  Thomas  and  AVilliam 
Minnis,  on  Bird  Song  Creek,  in  1820.  Lauderdale  County  was  first  set- 
tled by  Benjamin  Porter,  in  April,  1820.  He  moved  from  Reynolds- 
ville  by  way  of  the  Tennessee,  the  Ohio ; thence  down  the  Mississippi  to 
the  mouth  of  the  Forked  Deer ; thence  up  said  river  to  Key  Corner,  near 
which  place  he  settled  and  remained  till  his  death.  The  first  flat-boat 
on  Forked  Deer  River  brought  the  family,  household  goods  and  stock  of 
Henry  Benjamin  to  Lauderdale  County  in  1820.  One  of  the  first  cotton 
gins  in  West  Tennessee  is  said  to  have  been  built  at  Key  Corner  in  1827, 
by  John  Jordan  and  William  Chambers.  Capt.  Shock ey  ran  the  first 
steam-boat,  the  “Grey  Eagle,”  up  Forked  Deer  River  in  1830.  Capt. 
Thomas  Durham,  of  North  Carolina,  settled  at  what  is  now  Durhamville, 
in  1826.  A man  named  Vincent  settled  at  Fulton,  near  the  Chickasaw 
Bluffs,  on  the  Mississippi,  in  1819,  and  John  A.  Givens,  from  South 
Carolina,  one  and  one-half  miles  east  of  the  bluff  in  1820.  Other  set- 
tlers in  Lauderdale  were  Henry  and  John  Rutherford,  sons  of  Gen. 


G58 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


Griffith  Rutherford,  of  North  Carolina.  James  Sherman,  who  resided  in 
Lauderdale  for  a great  many  years,  was  once  on  a jury  which  was  trying 
4 man  for  his  life.  They  were  unable  to  agree,  and  stood  six  for  con- 
viction and  six  for  clearing  the  man.  The  judge  refused  to  release  the 
jmy  without  a verdict.  It  was  finally  agreed  to  leave  the  matter  to  a 
game  of  “seven-up.”  A deck  was  sent  for  and  the  champions  were 
ehosen.  The  game  was  hotly  contested,  but  by  the  fortunate  turn  of  a 
sard  the  game  was  decided  in  favor  of  the  defendant.  This  story,  though 
seemingly  incredible,  is  vouched  for  on  excellent  authority,  and  shows 
the  crude  idea  of  administering  justice  in  that  day. 

The  first  settlers  in  Tipton  County  were  from  Middle  Tennessee  and 
the  older  States.  Among  these  were  H.  Terrell,  E.  T.  Pope,  R.  W.  San- 
ford, Gen.  Jacob  Tipton,  Maj.  Lauderdale,  Capt.  Scurry,  Dr.  Hold, 
the  Durhams,  Mitchells,  Davises,  Pryors,  Hills,  Parrishes  and  Garlands. 
In  the  White  and  Archer  neighborhood  were  C.  C.  Archer,  George  Shark- 
j fey,  William  McGuire  and  the  Whites.  In  and  near  Randolph  were  K. 
H.  Douglass,  George  W.  Frazier,  Thomas  Robinson,  Jesse  Benton,  M. 
Phillips,  R.  H.  Munford,  A.  N.  McAllister,  W.  P.  Mills,  Anderson  Hunt, 
the  Simpsons  and  Clements.  On  Big  Creek  were  Dr.  R.  H.  Rose,  Henry 
Turnage,.  Capt  Joues,  Capt.  Newman,  Alfred  Hill  and  Maj.  Legrand.  The 
vicinity  of  Indian  Creek  was  settled  by  the  Smiths,  Owens,  Kellers, 
Kinneys  and  Walks.  “ Old  Uncle  Tommy”  Ralp  built  a horse-mill  one 
mile  from  Covington,  this  being  perhaps  the  first  in  the  county. 

The  portion  of  West  Tennessee  known  as  Crockett  County,  was  set- 
tled about  1823.  Among  the  first  in  this  section  were  John  B.  Boykin,  B. 
3L  Epperson,  Alexander  Avery,  David  Nann,  Isaac  Koonse,  Thomas  Thw- 
eatt,.  James  Friar  Randolph,  Anthony  Swift,  John  McFarland,  John 
Tancey,  Zepheniah  Porter,  Solomon  Rice,  Giles  Hawkins,  Joseph  Clay, 
John  Bowers,  E.  Williams,  Cornelius  Bunch  and  Robert  Johnson.  J. 
F.  Randolph,  above  mentioned,  moved  with  his  father  from  Alabama,  and 
settled  at  McMinnville,  Warren  County ; thence  to  West  Tennessee.  I 
M.  Johnson  was  a native  of  Rutherford  County,  and  settled  in  what  was 
then  Haywood,  now  Crockett,  in  1823. 

Into  Haywood  County  the  whites  began  to  enter  about  1820.  The 
■first  permanent  settler  is  believed  to  have  been  Col.  Richard  Nixon, 
in  1821,  who  was  born  October  26,  1769,  and  whose  father  was  a 
Revolutionary  soldier.  For  his  services  in  that  war  he  was  reward- 
ed by  a grant  of  3,600  acres  of  land.  The  grant  fell  in  Haywood 
County,  and  on  a portion  of  this  Col.  Nixon  settled.  His  place  of 
settlement  was  on  Nixon  Creek,  about  four  miles  from  Brownsville. 
Lawrence  McGuire,  David  Hay,  Sr.,  B.  H.  Sanders,  David  Jefferson,  N. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


159 


T.  Perkins,  David  Cherry  and  Joel  Estes,  were  among  those  who  found 
homes  on  the  north  side  of  the  river.  Those  settling  down  amidst  the 
virgin  forest  on  the  south  side  of  the  river  were  Oliver  Wood,  B.  G. 
Alexander,  Samuel  P.  Ashe  and  B-ev.  Thomas  P.  Neely.  The  latter  of 
these  came  between  1826  and  1828.  It  was  at  the  house  of  Col.  Nixon 
that  the  first  courts  were  established  in  1824.  As  rivers  were  about  the 
•only  means  of  egress  at  that  time  nearly  all  settlements  were  made  along 
the  river  courses. 

After  the  final  treaty  with  the  Chickasaws,  by  which  they  gave  up 
West  Tennessee,  the  inhabitants  from  East  and  Middle  Tennessee,  North 
and  South  Carolina  and  Virginia  began  to  pour  rapidly  into  those  un- 
occupied lands.  The  first  in  the  vicinity  of  Jackson  were  Adam  B. 
Alexander,  William  Doak  and  Lewis  Jones.  In  the  Wilson  neigh- 
borhood were  Theophilus  and  David  Launder,  and  Mr,  Lacy.  In  1820 
John  Hargrave  and  Duncan  Mclver  settled  in  the  vicinity  of  “ Old  Cot- 
ton Grove,”  and  a little  later  John  Bradley;  about  the  same  time  J.  Wad- 
dell settled  on  Spring  Creek.  The  city  of  Jackson  was  built  on  lands 
owned  by  B.  G.  Stewart,  Joseph  Lynn  and  James  Trousdale.  Dr.  Will- 
iam Butler  planted  cotton  in  1821,  in  this  county;  also  erected  a gin 
the  same  year,  which  was  brought  all  the  way  from  Davidson  County. 
Bernard  Mitchell  brought  a keel-boat  loaded  with  goods,  groceries  and 
whisky,  up  Forked  Deer,  and  landed  within  one  mile  and  a half  of  Jack- 
son;  this  was  the  first  to  vex  the  waters  of  that  stream. 

Pioneers  came  into  Henderson  County  in  1821 ; a few  came  earlier. 
Joseph  Beel  was  beyond  doubt  the  first  permanent  white  settler  in  the 
county.  He  came  to  the  place  in  1818,  and  settled  on  Beech  Biver,  about 
five  miles  east  of  the  present  site  of  Lexington.  His  sons  John  and  Will- 
iam remained  on  the  same  land  during  their  lifetime.  Abner  Taylor  set- 
tled near  the  site  of  Lexington;  Maj.  John  Harmon  near  the  headwaters 
of  the  Big  Sandy;  Jacob  Bartholomew  and  William  Hay  at  the  head  of 
Beech  Biver;  William  Cain  and  George  Powers  near  the  site  of  Pleas- 
ant Exchange;  William  Doffy  at  the  headwaters  of  the  south  branch  of 
Forked  Deer  Biver;  William  Dismukes  on  the  north  fork  of  Forked 
Deer,  and  Joseph  Beed  near  Pine  Knob.  This  county  developed  rapidly. 
A mill  was  built  on  Mud  Creek,  in  1821,  by  John  and  William  Brigham, 
and  one  on  Forked  Deer  about  the  same  time  by  Daniel  Barecroft.  A 
horse-mill  was  built  on  the  road  from  Lexington  to  Trenton  about  the 
same  time;  also  a cotton-gin  by  Maj.  John  Harmon,  on  Beech  Creek, 
in  1823.  The  first  legal  hanging  in  the  vicinity  was  the  execution  of 
a slave  woman  of  Dr.  John  A.  Wilson’s  for  the  willful  drowning  of  his 
daughter.  Willis  Dteden,  who  moved  into  this  county  from  North  Car- 


160 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


olina,  was  a man  remarkable  for  size;  his  weight  was  never  known,  but 
was  estimated  at  800  pounds. 

Samuel  Wilson  owned  the  land  on  which  the  city  of  Lexington  now 
stands;  this  was  set  apart  for  the  city  in  1822.  The  land  office  was 
established  at  the  house  of  Samuel  Wilson  in  the  same  year. 

The  rich  and  attractive  lands  on  the  Tennessee  in  the  southeastern 
portion  of  this  county  was  first  to  attract  immigrants.  Almost  as  soon  as 
the  Indian  title  was  extinguished,  1818,  immigrants  began  to  pour  into 
this  section  of  the  newly  acquired  territory.  That  portion  of  the  country 
known  as  Hardin  County  was  laid  off  in  1820  and  named  in  honor  of 
Capt.  John  Hardin,  of  Revolutionary  fame.  James  Hardin  settled  at  the 
mouth  of  Horse  Creek,  a tributary  entering  the  Tennessee  not  far  from 
Savannah,  in  1818  or  1819,  and  a horse-mill  was  erected  on  the  same 
stream  by  Charles  B.  Nelson  in  1819.  It  was  doubtless  from  this  source 
that  the  stream  got  its  name.  T.  C.  Johnson,  Lewis  Faulkner,  Samuel 
Faulkner  and  Daniel  Robinson  settled  on  Turkey  Creek  about  1820. 
Hiram  Boon  settled  on  a small  stream  that  was  afterward  called  Boon’s 
Creek.  J ames  White  gave  a name  to  a small  creek,  a tributary  of  Horse 
Creek.  Thomas  White  became  a resident  on  Flat  Gap  Creek  in  1819. 
Samuel  Parmley,  Thomas  Cherry  and  Samuel  Bruton  became  residents 
of  this  section  at  a little  later  period,  all  of  whom  were  on  the  east  side 
of  the  river.  On  the  west  side  of  the  river,  opposite  the  mouth  of  Horse 
Creek,  Simpson  Lee,  Nathaniel  Way  and  James  McMahan  took  claims 
in  1818  or  1819.  The  pioneers  were  compelled,  before  the  erection  of 
mills,  to  depend  upon  the  mortar  or  hand-mill  for  meal.  This  being 
rather  a slow  process  water  or  horse-mills  were  encouraged  and  liberally 
patronized.  A water-mill  was  built  by  Jesse  Lacewell,  on  Smith’s  Fork 
of  Indian  Creek,  in  1819,  and  another  about  the  same  time  and  near  the 
same  place  by  John  Williams.  Few  regular  ferries  were  to  be  found  at 
that  time.  The  Indian  with  his  light  or  birch-bark  canoe  was  enabled 
to  cross  the  stream  at  almost  any  time  as  he  could  carry  his  boat  with 
him.  It  was  not  till  after  his  white  brother  got  possession  of  the  country 
that  regular  ferries  were  established.  Among  the  first  of  these  was  one 
at  Rudd’s  Bluff,  just  above  where  Savannah  now  stands.  This  was  in 
1818.  Lewis  H.  Broyles  opened  a store  in  this  section  in  1819-20. 
His  goods  were  loaded  on  a flat-boat  in  East  Tennessee  and  floated 
down  the  Tennessee  to  the  place  of  landing.  The  first  marriage  cere- 
mony in  this  county  was  performed  by  Rev.  James  English  in  1818, 
the  contracting  parties  being  A.  B.  Gantt  and  Miss  M.  Boon.  All  the 
necessary  wants  of  a civilized  and  progressive  people  were  Soon  supplied 
to  these  people,  as  a school  was  being  taught  near  Hardinsville  in  1820, 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


161 


by  Nathaniel  Casey;  a church  of  the  Primitive  Baptists  was  built  on 
Turkey  Creek  in  1819-20,  with  Rev.  Charles  Riddle  as  pastor;  a cotton- 
gin  was  built  by  James  Boyd  on  Plorse  Creek  in  1822.  Courts  were 
established  in  January,  1820,  at  the  house  of  Col.  James  Hardin,  near 
the  mouth  of  Horse  Creek.  A small  log  court  house  was  soon  after 
erected,  having  a dirt  floor  and  dimensions  16x20  feet.  A large  hollow 
tree  sufficed  for  an  improvised  jail. 

Immediately  west  of  Hardeman  County  lies  McNairy;  this  county 
being  away  from  any  of  the  larger  streams  immigrants  did  not  reach  it 
quite  so  early  as  some  of  the  counties  whose  location  was  geographically 
more  favorable.  Among  the  pioneers  of  this  county  were  Abel  Oxford, 
who  settled  on  Oxford  Creek  below  the  mouth  of  Cypress;  also  Quincy 
Hodge  and  William  S.  Wisdom  with  their  families  settled  in  the  south- 
west  part  of  the  county.  Others  were  John  Shull,  Peter  Shull,  John 
Plunk,  John  Woodburn  and  Francis  Kirby,  whose  son,  Hugh  Kirby,  was 
the  first  white  child  born,  1821,  in  the  county.  James  Reed  and  Allen 
Sweat  came  from  North  Carolina  and  settled  in  McNairy  about  1824. 
John  Chambers  and  N.  Griffith  established  the  first  business  house  in 
the  county.  A water-mill  was  built  on  Cypress  Creek  in  1824,  by  Boyd 
.&  Barnesett. 

Lying  in  the  upper  valley  of  the  Big  Hatchie  is  Hardeman  County. 
Settlements  began  in  this  portion  of  West  Tennessee  in  1819-20. 
Among  the  first  and  for  whom  the  county  was  named  was  Col.  Thomas  J. 
Hardeman,  also  Col.  Ezekiel  Polk,  his  son  William  Polk  and  son-in-law 
Thomas  McNeal.  Before  permanent  settlements  began  a number  of  tran- 
sient persons  had  squatted  in  different  parts  of  the  county.  Among  them 
Avas  Joseph  Fowler,  who  settled  at  FoAvler’s  Ferry,  about  sixteen  miles 
south  of  Bolivar.  The  next  permanent  settlement  was  made  by  William 
Shinault  in  the  southwest  part  of  the  county,  not  far  from  Hickory  Val- 
ley. Jacob  Purtle  raised  a crop  of  corn  near  “Hatchie  Town,”  in  the 
neighborhood  ot  Thomas  McNeal’ s in  1821.  William  Polk  made  a crop 
the  same  year,  five  miles  north  of  Bolivar.  On  the  organization  of  the 
county  court,  in  1823,  he  was  made  chairman.  A mill  Avas  built  by  Sam- 
uel Polk  on  Pleasant  Run  Creek,  one  and  one-half  miles  east  of  the  pres- 
ent site  of  Bolivar,  about  1823;  a second  one  was  built  on  Mill  Creek 
about  six  miles  south  of  Bolivar,  in  the  same  year,  for  Col.  John  Murray 
by  John  Golden.  A school  was  taught  in  the  Shinault  neighborhood  in 
1823-24  by  Edwin  Crawford.  Maj.  John  H.  Bills  and  Prudence  McNeal 
were  the  first  couple  united  in  marriage  in  that  vicinity  by  the  laws  of 
civilization.  The  steam-boat  “Roer,”  commanded  by  Capt.  Newman, 
was  the  first  to  stem  the  waters  of  Hatchie  as  far  up  as  Bolivar. 


162 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Fayette  County  began  to  be  settled  about  1822-23.  Among  tbe  first 
was  Thomas  J.  Cocke,  who  came  from.  North  Carolina  and  settled  in  the 
northwest  part  of  the  county  in  1823.  R.  G.  Thornton  and  Joel  Lang- 
ham  followed  soon  after.  Where  Somerville  now  stands  the  lands  were 
entered  by  George  Bowers  and  James  Brown  some  time  before  1825. 
Bears  and  wolves  and  other  beasts  of  the  forest  were  then  holding 
almost  undisputed  sway  throughout  the  territory.  Joseph  Simpson 
claimed  to  have  killed  a bear,  near  where  the  court  house  of  the  county 
now  stands,  in  1824.  The  county  seat,  Somerville,  was  named  in  honor 
of  Lieut.  Robert  Somerville,  who  was  killed  at  Horseshoe  Bend  in  bat- 
tle with  the  Indians.  Other  settlers  were  David  Jornegan,  Thomas  Cook, 
Daniel  Head  (a  gunsmith),  Horace  Loomis,  Dr.  Smith,  Henry  Kirk, 
Henry  M.  Johnson,  William  Owen,  L.  G.  Evans,  William  Ramsey,  Daniel 
Cliff  and  John  T.  Patterson,  with  their  families. 

The  oldest  and  most  wealthly  division  in  West  Tennessee  is  Shelby 
County.  Could  the  rocks  and  rills  speak,  or  “the  books  in  running  brooks”' 
and  “the  tongues  in  trees”  tell  their  story  of  the  past,  volumes  of  un- 
told interest  would  be  revealed  to  us  which  must  forever  remain  hidden. 
It  is  problematical  whether  the  adventurous  Spaniard,  DeSoto,  in  the 
year  1540,  was  the  first  white  man  to  tread  the  soil  of  this  portion  of 
Tennessee  or  whether  it  was  left  to  the  French  Father  Marquette  or 
Bienville;  yet  this  much  is  certain,  it  is  historic  ground,  around  which 
cluster  many  events  having  great  weight  in  the  march  of  civilization. 
Known  as  it  was  for  more  than  200  years  with  its  inviting  prospects,  it 
seems  strange  that  the  polished  hand  of  civilization  should  have  been 
held  back  so  long.  The  Chickasaw  Bluffs  were  long  a place  of  getting 
or  receiving  supplies  between  the  whites  and  Indians ; it  did  not  become 
a place  of  permanent  abode  for  the  whites  till  about  1818-19.  Among 
the  first  settlers  in  Shelby  County  were  Joel  Kagler  and  James  Williams. 
Shelby  was  admitted  into  the  sisterhood  of  counties  on  November  24, 
1819,  although  the  first  court  was  not  held  until  May  1,  1824.  This  was 
opened  at  Chickasaw  Bluffs  on  the  above  date.  As  few  if  any  roads 
were  open  for  travel  through  the  county,  the  first  was  opened  from  Mem- 
phis to  the  Taylor  Mill  settlement  on  Forked  Deer  River.  Persons  con- 
nected with  road  officially  were  Thomas  H.  Persons,  John  Fletcher,  John 
C.  McLemore,  Marcus  B.  Winchester,  Charles  Holeman  and  William 
Erwin.  William  Irvine  was  the  legalized  ferryman  at  Memphis  in  1820. 
The  folloAving  were  the  rates  charged:  Each  man  and  horse,  $1;  each 

loose  horse,  50  cents;  each  hog  or  sheep,  25  cents;  each  four-wheeled 
carriage  drawn  by  four  horses,  the  wagon  being  empty,  $3;  the  same, 
loaded,  $5;  each  four-wheeled  vehicle  and  two>  horses,.  81.50;  the 


HISTOEY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


103 

same,  loaded,  $2.50.  The  first  ordinaries  or  houses  of  entertainment 
were  kept  in  the  city  of  Memphis  in  1820  by  Joseph  James  and  Patrick 
Meagher.  These  houses  were  regulated  by  law  as  to  charges,  board 
being  $2.50  to  $3.50  per  week  or  $1  per  day.  A horse  was  kept  at 
$2.50  a week  or  50  cents  per  day.  The  court  was  somewhat  itinerant  is 
its  nature  at  first,  having  been  changed  to  Raleigh  in  1827,  and  then  t® 
Colliersville  in  1837.  Peggy  Grace  is  said  to  have  purchased  the  first- 
lot  after  the  city  of  Memphis  was  laid  out.  Among  the  earliest  settlers 
in  the  county  were  W.  A.  Thorp,  who  owned  a grant  near  the  old  State 
line — a little  north  of  it — and  Peter  Adams,  who  settled  near  the  same 
place,  a little  south  of  the  old  line.  On  Big  Creek,  in  1820,  were  settled 
Jesse  Benton,  Charles  McDaniel,  D.  C.  Treadwell,  Samuel  Smith  and 
Joel  Crenshaw.  In  the  vicinity  of  Raleigh  were  Dr.  Benjamin  Hawkins, 
William  P.  Reaves,  Thomas  Taylor  and  William  Sanders.  The  first 
American  white  child  born  in  Shelby  County  was  John  W.  Williams,  in 
1822.  The  steam-boat,  “iEtna”  was  the  first  to  make  regular  trips  to 
the  wharf  at  Memphis  early  in  the  decade  of  the  twenties.  A brief 
retrospect  shows  that  in  a few  years  after  the  Indian  title  was  extin- 
guished in  West  Tennessee,  the  whole  country  was  changed  as  if  by 
magic  into  an  abode  of  civilization,  wealth  and  refinement.  In  less  than 
a decade  every  part  of  it  was  organized  into  counties,  having  their 
courts,  churches,  schools  and  accumulating  wealth. 


164 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


Organization— The  European  Charters— Proprietary  Grants— The  Bound- 
ary" Controversies— Causes  of  Dispute— Failure  of  Attempted  Set- 
tlement of  the  Question— Final  Establishment— New  Causes  for 
Dispute— Extension  of  the  Northern  Line— Tile  Walker  and  the 
Henderson  Surveys— The  Resulting  Confusion— Opinion  of  Gov. 
Blount — The  Demands  of  Kentucky— Negotiations— Illogical  Posi- 
tion of  Tennessee— The  Compromise  of  1820— The  Keadjustment  of  1860 
— Tile  Southern  Boundary  Established  in  1818  and  in  1821 — The 
Watauga  Association— Officers  and  Laws— The  Government  of  the 
Notables — The  “Compact”  or  “Agreement”— Laws — The  State  of 
Franklin— Causes  which  led  to  its  Formation— Form  of  Government 
—The  First  Legislative  Assembly— Interference  of  North  Carolina 
— Kesistance  of  Gov.  Sevier— Ratification  of  the  Constitution- 
Conflict  of  Authority-— Severe  Measures — Fall  of  the  State  of 
Franklin. 

HE  first  charter  granted  by  an  English  sovereign  to  an  English 


subject  to  lands  in  North  America,  was  by  Queen  Elizabeth  to  Sir 
Humphrey  Gilbert,  to  any  lands  he  might  discover  in  North  America. 
Its  date  was  about  June  11,  1578,  and  it  was  to  be  of  perpetual  efficacy 
provided  the  plantation  should  be  established  within  six  years.  After 
several  failures  Sir  Humphrey  made  a determined  effort  in  1583  to 
plant  a colony  on  the  island  of  Newfoundland,  which  resulted  fatally  to 
himself,  his  little  bark  of  ten  tons  going  down  in  a storm  with  himself 
and  all  on  board. 

The  second  grant  was  by  Queen  Elizabeth  to  Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  and 
was  dated  March  26,  1584.  It  Yvas  similar  in  its  provisions,  to  that 
granted  to  Sir  Humphrey  Gilbert,  and  as  Sir  Walter’s  patent  included 
what  is  now  Tennessee,  those  provisions  may  be  briefly  stated  in  this 
connection.  They  are  worthy  of  particular  attention,  as  they  unfold  the 
ideas  of  that  age  respecting  the  rights  of  “ Christian  rulers,”  to  countries 
inhabited  by  savage  nations,  or  those  Yvho  had  not  yet  been  brought 
under  the  benign  influences  of  the  gospel. 

Elizabeth  authorized  Sir  Walter  to  discover,  and  take  possession  of 
all  barbarous  lands  unoccupied  by  any  Christian  prince  or  people,  and 
vested  in  him,  his  heirs  and  assigns  forever,  the  right  of  property  in  the 
soil  of  those  countries  of  which  he  should  take  possession.  Permission 
was  given  such  of  the  Queen’s  subjects  as  were  willing  to  accompany  Sir 
Walter  to  go  and  settle  in  the  countries  which  he  might  plant,  and  he 
was  empowered,  as  were  also  his  heirs  and  assigns,  to  dispose  of  what- 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


105 


ever  portion  of  those  lands  he  or  they  should  judge  fit  to  persons  settling 
there  in  fee  simple  acecording  to  the  laws  of  England;  she  conferred 
upon  him,  his  heirs  and  assigns,  the  complete  jurisdiction  and  royalties, 
as  well  marine  as  other  within  the  said  lands  and  seas  thereunto  adjoin- 
ing, and  gave  him  full  power  to  convict,  punish,  pardon,  govern  and  rule 
in  causes  capital  and  criminal,  as  well  as  civil,  all  persons  who  should 
from  time  to  time  settle  in  these  countries,  according  to  such  laws  and 
ordinances,  as  should  by  him,  or  by  his  heirs  and  assigns,  be  devised 
and  established. 

Ealeigh,  one  of  the  most  enterprising,  accomplished  and  versatile  men 
of  his  time  was  eager  to  undertake  and  execute  the  scheme  of  settling  his 
grant,  and,  in  pursuit  of  this  design,  despatched  two  small  vessels  under 
command  of  Amadas  and  Barlow,  two  officers  of  trust,  to  visit  the  coun- 
try which  he  intended  to  settle.  In  order  to  avoid  the  serious  error  made 
by  Sir  Humphrey  Gilbert,  in  coasting  too  far  north,  Ealeigh’s  captains 
selected  the  course  by  the  Canary  and  West  India  Islands,  and  arrived 
on  the  American  coast  July  4,  1584,  landing  on  the  island  of  Wocoken. 
Ealeigh’s  grant  was  named  by  the  Queen  “ Virginia,”  in  commemoration 
of  her  state  of  life.  But  notwithstanding  the  precautions  of  the  captains, 
and  the  smiles  of  the  virgin  queen  upon  the  various  attempts  made  to 
settle  this  grant,  these  attempts  all  terminated  no  less  disastrously  than 
had  Sir  Gilbert’s,  and  at  the  end  of  Queen  Elizabeth’s  reign,  in  1603, 
not  a solitary  Englishman  had  effected  a permanent  settlement  on  North 
American  soil. 

In  1607,  however,  a more  successful  effort  was  made  to  form  a perma- 
nent English  colony  on  this  continent  at  Jamestown,  in  Virginia.  In 
1609  a second  charter  was  granted  to  this  colony,  investing  the  company 
with  the  election  of  a council,  and  the  exercise  of  legislative  power  inde- 
pendent of  the  crown.  In  1612  a third  patent  conferred  upon  the  com- 
pany a more  democratic  form  of  government,  and  in  1619  the  colonists 
were  themselves  allowed  a share  in  legislation.  In  1621  a written  con- 
stitution was  brought  out  by  Sir  Francis  Wyatt,  under  which  constitution 
each  colonist  became  a freeman  and  a citizen.  The  colony  prospered, 
and  extended  its  southern  boundaries  to  Albemarle  Sound,  upon  which 
the  first  permanent  settlers  of  North  Carolina  pitched  their  tents,  hav- 
ing been  attracted  in  this  direction  by  reports  of  an  adventurer  from 
Virginia,  who,  upon  returning  from  an  expedition  of  some  kind,  spoke  in 
the  most  glowing  terms  of  the  kindness  of  the  people,  of  the  excellence 
of  the  soil  and  of  the  salubrity  of  the  climate. 

Eepresentations  of  this  kind  reaching  England  had  the  effect  of 
stimulating  into  activity  the  ambition  and  cupidity  of  certain  English 


166 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


courtiers,  and  on  March  24,  1663,  Charles  II  made  a grant  to  Edward, 
Earl  of  Clarendon,  “hated  by  the  people,  faithful  to  the  king;”  Monk, 
“conspicuous  in  the  Restoration,  now  the  Duke  of  Albemarle;”  Lord 
Craven,  “brave  cavalier,  supposed  to  be  the  husband  of  the  Queen  of  Bo- 
hemia;” Lord  Ashley  Cooper,  afterward  Earl  of  Shaftesbury;  Sir  John 
Colleton;  Lord  John  Berkeley  and  his  younger  brother,  Sir  William 
Berkeley,  and  Sir  George  Carteret,  “passionate,  ignorant  and  not  too 
honest,”  the  grant  including  the  country  between  the  thirty-first  and 
thirty-sixth  parallels  of  latitude,  and  extending  from  the  Atlantic  to  the 
Pacific  Ocean. 

Notwithstanding  the  extent  of  this  grant  the  proprietaries  above 
named,  in  June,  1665,  secured  by  another  patent  its  enlargement  and  an 
enlargement  of  their  powers.  This  second  charter  granted  by  Xing 
Charles  II  was  in  part  as  follows: 

Charles  the  Second,  by  the  grace  of  God,  of  Great  Britain,  France  and 
Ireland,  king,  defender  of  the  faith,  etc. 

Whereas,  By  our  letters  patent,  bearing  date  the  24th  of  March,  in  the  fifteenth 
year  of  our  reign,  we  were  graciously  pleahed  to  grant  unto  our  right  trusty  and  right  well 
beloved  cousin  and  counsellor,  Edward,  Earl  of  Clarendon,  our  high  chancellor  of  Eng- 
land [here  follow  the  names  of  the  other  grantees  as  given  above]  all  that  province, 
territory  or  tract  of  ground  called  Carolina,  situate,  lying  and  being  within  our  dominions 
of  America,  extending  from  the  north  end  of  the  island  called  Luke  Island,  which  lieth  in 
the  southern  Virginia  seas,  and  within  thirty-six  degrees  of  north  latitude,  and  to  the  west 
as  far  as  the  South  seas,  and  so  south  respectively  as  far  as  the  river  Matthias,  which  bor- 
dereth  upon  the  coast  of  Florida  and  within  thirty-one  degrees  of  northern  latitude,  and 
so  west  in  a direct  line  as  far  as  the  South  seas  aforesaid. 

Know  ye,  that  at  the  humble  request  of  the  said  grantees,  we  are  graciously  pleased 
to  enlarge  our  said  grant  unto  them  according  to  the  bounds  and  limits  hereafter  specified, 
and  in  favor  of  the  pious  and  noble  purpose*  of  the  said  Edward,  Earl  of  Clarendon  [the 
names  of  the  other  proprietaries  here  follow],  their  heirs  and  assigns,  all  that  province, 
territory  or  tract  of  land,  situate,  lying  and  being  within  our  dominions  of  America  as 
aforesaid,  extending  north  and  eastward  as  far  as  the  north  end  of  Currituck  River  or  Inlet, 
upon  a straight  line  westerly  to  Wyonoak  Creek,  which  lies  within  or  about  the  degree  of 
thirty-six  and  thirty  minutes,  north  latitude,  and  so  west  in  a direct  line  as  far  as  the  South 
seas,  and  south  and  westward  as  far  as  the  degree  of  twenty-nine,  inclusive,  of  northern 
latitude,  and  so  west  in  a direct  line  as  far  as  the  South  seas,  together  with  all  and  singu- 
lar the  ports,  harbors,  bays,  rivers  and  inlets  belonging  unto  the  province  and  territory 
aforesaid. 

This  grant  was  made  June  30,  1665,  and  embraced  the  territory 
now  included  in  the  following  States:  North  and  South  Carolina,  Georgia, 
Tennessee,  Alabama,  Mississippi,  Louisiana  and  Arkansas,  and  parts  of 
Plorida,  Missouri,  Texas,  New  Mexico  and  California.  The  line  of  thirty- 
six  degrees  and  thirty  minutes  extending  from  the  top  of  the  Alleghany 
Mountains  to  the  eastern  bank  of  the  Tennessee  River,  separates  Virginia 
and  Kentucky  from  Tennessee.  The  powers  granted  to  the  lords,  pro- 
prietors of  this  immense  province,  were  those  of  dictating  constitutions 


*This  pious  and  noble  purpose  was  none  other  than  the  increase  of  their  own  worth  and  dignity. 


HISTOEY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


167 


and  laws  for  the  people  by  and  with  the  advice  and  assent  of  the  freemen 
thereof,  or  the  greater  part  of  them,  or  of  their  delegates  or  deputies, 
who  were  to  be  assembled  from  time  to  time  for  that  purpose. 

This  munificent  grant  was  surrendered  to  the  King  July  25,  1729. 
by  seven  of  the  eight  proprietors  under  authority  of  an  act  of  parliament 
(2nd  George,  2nd  ch.,  31),  each  of  the  seven  receiving  £2,500,  besides 
a small  sum  for  quit  rents.  The  eighth  proprietor,  Lord  Carteret,  after- 
ward Earl  Granville,  on  the  17th  of  September,  1714,  relinquished  his 
claim  to  the  right  of  government,  but  by  a commission  appointed,  jointly 
by  the  King  and  himself,  was  given  his  eighth  of  the  soil  granted  by  the 
charter,  bounded  as  follows:  “North  by  the  Virginia  line,  east  by  the 

Atlantic,  south  by  latitude  thirty-five  degrees  thirty-four  minutes  north, 
and  west  as  far  as  the  bounds  of  the  charter.”  Prior  to  this  the  govern- 
ment of  Carolina  had  been  proprietary;  but  now  (after  1729)  it  became 
regal,  and  the  province  was  divided  into  two  governments,  North  and 
South  Carolina,  in  1732.  The  Georgia  Charter,  issued  in  1732,  comprised 
much  of  the  Carolina  grant,  but  after  1752  the  proprietors  gave  up  the 
government,  which  also  then  became  regal.  Tennessee  from  this  time 
until  the  treaty  of  Paris,  in  1782,  continued  the  property  of  the  British 
Government,  when  all  right  to  it  was  relinquished  to  North  Carolina, 

It  may  be  interesting  to  the  general  reader  to  learn  that  the 
descendant  of  Lord  Carteret,  who  had  become  the  Earl  of  Granville 
before  the  Bevolutionary  war,  brought  suit  a short  time  before  the  war 
of  1812  in  the  Circuit  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the  district  of 
North  Carolina,  for  the  recovery  of  his  possessions.  The  case,  as  we 
learn  from  the  Hon.  W.  H.  Battle,  formerly  one  of  the  judges  of  the 
Supreme  Court  of  North  Carolina,  was  tried  before  C.  J.  Marshall,  and 
Judge  Potter,  who  was  then  the  district  judge,  and  resulted  in  a verdict  and 
judgment  against  the  plaintiff,  whereupon  he  appealed  to  the  Supreme 
Court  of  the  United  States.  Before  the  case  could  be  heard  in  that  court 
the  war  of  1812  came  on,  which  put  a stop  to  it  and  it  was  never  revived. 

William  Gaston  (afterward  Judge  Gaston),  then  a young  man, 
appeared  in  the  suit  for  the  plaintiff,  and  Messrs.  Cameron  (afterward 
Judge  Cameron),  Baker  (afterward  Judge  Baker)  and  Woods  appeared 
for  the  defendants.  The  question  was  whether  Lord  Granville’s  rights, 
which  had  been  confiscated  by  the  State  of  North  Carolina  during  the 
Bevolutionary  war,  had  been  restored  by  the  treaty  of  peace  between  the 
United  States  and  Great  Britain.  The  case  was  never  reported.  Thus 
passed  away  the  last  vestige  of  the  most  munificent  gift  of  which  history 
makes  mention.* 


*Killebrew's  Resources  of  Tennessee. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


168 

The  twenty-fifth  section  of  the  Declaration  of  Rights  of  North  Caro- 
lina at  the  time  of  the  adoption  of  her  constitution  in  December,  1776. 
so  far  as  it  relates  to  the  boundary  of  that  State,  is  as  follows: 

The  property  of  the  soil  in  a free  government  being  one  of  the  essential  rights  of  the 
collective  body  of  the  people,  it  is  necessary  in  order  to  avoid  future  disputes,  that  the 
limits  of  the  State  should  be  ascertained  with  precision;  and  as  the  former  temporary  line 
between  North  and  South  Carolina  was  confirmed  and  extended  by  commissioners  appoint- 
ed by  the  Legislatures  of  the  two  States  agreeable  to  the  order  of  the  late  King  George 
the  Second  in  Council,  that  line  and  that  only  should  be  esteemed  the  southern  boundary 
of  this  State  as  follows,  that  is  to  say:  Beginning  on  the  sea-side  at  a cedar  stake  at  or 
near  the  mouth  of  Little  River,  being  the  southern  extremity  of  Brunswick  County;  and 
runs  thence  a northwest  course  through  the  Boundary  House  which  stands  in  thirty-three 
degrees  and  fifty -six  minutes  to  thirty-five  degrees  north  latitude;  and  from  thence  a west 
course  so  far  as  is  mentioned  in  the  charter  of  King  Charles  the  Second  to  the  late  pro- 
prietors of  Carolina:  Thefefore  all  the  territories,  seas,  waters  and  harbors  with  their 
appurtenances,  lying  between  the  line  above  described  and  the  southern  line  of  the  State 
of  Virginia,  which  begins  on  the  sea  shore  in  thirty-six  degrees  and  thirty  minutes  north 
latitude;  and  from  thence  runs  west  agreeable  to  the  said  charter  of  King  Charles  I.,  the 
right  and  property  of  the  people  of  this  State  to  be  held  by  them  in  sovereignty,  any 
partial  line  without  the  consent  of  the  Legislature  of  this  State  at  any  time  thereafter 
directed  or  laid  out  in  any  wise  notwithstanding. 

A number  of  provisos  was  included  in  tfie  section,  the  last  being 
that  “nothing  herein  contained  shall  affect  the  title  or  possessions  of 
individuals  holding  or  claiming  under  the  laws  heretofore  in  force,  or 
grants  heretofore  made  by  the  late  King  George  the  Third,  or  his  pred- 
ecessors, or  the  late  lord  proprietors  or  any  of  them.” 

The  history  of  the  establishment  of  the  line — thirty-six  degrees  and 
thirty  minutes — as  the  northern  boundary  of  North  Carolina,  is  as  fol- 
lows: James  I,  King  of  England,  on  May  23,  1609,  made  a grant  to 

Robert,  Earl  of  Salisbury ; Thomas,  Earl  of  Suffolk,  and  numerous  other 
persons,  “of  all  those  countries  lying  in  that  part  of  America  called  Vir- 
ginia, from  the  point  of  land  called  Cape  or  Point  Comfort,  all  along  the 
sea-coast  to  the  northward  200  miles,  and  from  the  same  Point  Comfort 
all  along  the  sea-coast  to  the  southward  200  miles,  and  all  that  space  or 
circuit  of  land  throughout  from  sea  to  sea.”  The  above  was  the  enlarged 
grant  to  the  London  Company,  and  extended  along  the  Atlantic  coast 
from  Sandy  Hook  to  Cape  Fear,  and  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific 
Ocean.  In  1620  the  grant  to  the  Plymouth  Company  made  the  fortieth 
parallel  their  southern  limit,  and  established  that  parallel  as  the  northern 
boundary  of  Virginia.  On  March  24,  1662,  Charles  II  made  his  first 
grant  to  the  proprietors  of  Carolina  as  recited  above,  and  on  J une  30, 
1665,  Charles  II  enlarged  this  grant,  as  also  recited  above,  and  named  a 
line  destined  to  become  only  less  famous  in  the  history  of  the  United 
States  than  Mason  and  Dixon’s  line,  viz. : the  line  of  thirty-six  degrees 
and  thirtv  minutes  north  latitude.  The  language  of  this  second  charter 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


169 


of  Charles  II,  so  far  as  it  pertains  to  this  famous  line,  is  as  follows:  "Ail 
the  province,  etc.,  in  America,  extending  north  and  eastward  as  far  as  the 
north  end  of  Currituck  River  or  inlet,  upon  a straight  westerly  line  to 
Wyonoak  Creek,  which  lies  within  or  about  thirty-six  degrees  and  thirty 
minutes  northern  latitude,  and  so  west  on  a direct  line  at  far  as  the  South 
Seas.”  North  Carolina  was  called  “ Our  County  of  Albemarle,”  in  Caro- 
lina until  about  1700,  when  it  began  to  be  called  the  Colony  of  North 
Carolina.  The  boundary  line  between  North  Carolina  and  Virginia  soon 
began  to  be  the  source  of  considerable  altercation  between  the  two 
colonies,  for  the  reason  that  the  grant  of  Charles  I overlapped  the 
grant  of  his  grandfather,  James  I.  That  this  altercation  was  not  fol- 
lowed by  strife  and  bloodshed  was  due  in  part  to  the  necessity  of  mutual 
aid  and  defense  during  the  protracted  struggle  preceding  and  during  the 
Revolution.  But  notwithstanding  the  forbearance  thus  caused  and  mani- 
fested is  was  necessary  to  locate  this  unlocated  boundary  line,  for  Vir- 
ginians were  continually  claiming  lands  south  of  the  proper  line,  under 
what  they  supposed  to  be  titles  from  the  Crown,  and  North  Carolinians 
were  as  continually  entering  lands  to  the  north  of  the  proper  limits  under 
warrants  from  the  lord  proprietors  of  Carolina. 

The  London  Company  had  been  dissolved  by  James  I,  and  when  this 
dissolution  occurred  Virginia  became  a royal  province;  hence  the  settle- 
ment of  the  boundary  line  between  Virginia  and  Carolina  devolved  upon 
the  Crown  and  the  lord  proprietors.  Early  in  1710  commissioners 
representing  the  Crown  of  England,  met  similar  commissioners  represent- 
ing the  lord  proprietors,  having  for  their  object  the  settlement  of  this 
vexed  question.  But  upon  attempting  to  fix  upon  a starting  point,  they 
failed  to  agree  by  a difference  of  about  fifteen  miles ; hence  they  separa- 
ted without  having  accomplished  anything.  Against  the  Carolina  com- 
missioners serious  charges  were  made.  On  the  1st  of  March,  1710,  an 
order  of  council  was  issued,  from  which  the  following  is  extracted: 
“ The  commissioners  of  Carolina  are  both  persons  engaged  in  interest  to 
obstruct  the  settling  of  the  boundaries ; for  one  of  them  has  been  for  sev- 
eral years  surveyor  general  of  Carolina,  and  has  acquired  great  profit  to 
himself  by  surveying  lands  within  the  controverted  bounds,  and  has  taken 
up  several  tracts  of  land  in  his  own  name.  The  other  of  them  is  at  this 
time  surveyor  general,  and  hath  the  same  prospect  of  advantage  by 
making  future  surveys  within  the  same  bounds.”  The  conclusion  of  the 
order  is  as  follows:  “ Her  Majesty,  in  Council,  is  pleased  to  order  as  it 

is  hereby  ordered,  the  Right  Honorable,  the  Lord  Commissioners  for 
Trade  and  Plantations,  do  signify  her  Majesty’s  pleasure  herein  to  her 
Majesty’s  Governor  or  Commander-in-chief  of  Virginia  for  the  time 


170 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


being,  and  to  all  persons  to  whom  it  may  belong,  as  is  proposed  by  their 
Lordships  in  said  representation,  and  the  Eight  Honorable,  the  Lord 
Proprietors  of  Carolina  are  to  do  what  on  their  part  does  appertain.” 

In  January,  1711,  commissioners  Appointed  by  both  the  governors  of 
North  Carolina  and  Virginia  again  attempted  to  settle  the  question,  but 
failed  to  complete  their  task  for  want  of  money.  Great  inconvenience  to 
the  settlers  was  the  result  of  this  protracted  controversy,  and  a remedy 
was  sought  in  an  act,  the  preamble  of  which  was  as  follows : 

Whereas,  great  suit,  debate  and  controversy  hath  heretofore  been,  and  may  hereafter 
arise  by  means  of  ancient  titles  to  lands  derived  from  grants  and  patents  by  the  governor 
of  Virginia,  the  condition  of  which  patents  has  not  been  performed,  nor  quit-rents  paid, 
or  the  lands  have  been  deserted  by  the  first  patentees  or  from  or  by  reason  of  former  en- 
tries or  patents  or  grants  in  this  government,  etc.,  and  for  the  prevention  of  the  recur- 
rence of  such  troubles,  and  for  quieting  men’s  estates  an  act  was  passed. 

In  obedience  to  the  above  quoted  order  of  the  Queen  an  agreement 
was  entered  into  between  the  two  governors,  Charles  Eden  and  Alexan- 
der Spottswood,  which  was  transmitted  to  England  for  the  approbation 
of  the  King.  This  agreement  was  approved  by  the  King  in  council,  and 
also  by  the  lord  proprietors  and  returned  to  the  governors  to  be  exe- 
cuted. The  agreement  or  “convention,”  as  Haywood  calls  it,  was  as 
follows:  “That  from  the  mouth  of  Currituck  Eiver,  or  Inlet,  setting  the 
compass  on  the  north  shore  thereof,  a due  west  line  shall  be  run  and 
fairly  marked,  and  if  it  happen  to  cut  Chowan  Eiver  between  the  mouth 
of  Nottaway  Eiver  and  Wiccacon  Creek,  then  the  same  direct  course 
shall  be  continued  toward  the  mountains,  and  be  ever  deemed  the  divid- 
ing line  between  Virginia  and  North  Carolina.  But  if  the  said  west  line 
cuts  Chowan  Eiver  to  the  southward  of  Wiccacon  Creek,  then  from  that 
point  of  intersection  the  bouuds  shall  be  allowed  to  continue  up  the  mid- 
dle of  the  Chowan  Eiver  to  the  middle  of  the  entrance  into  said  Wicca- 
con Creek,  and  from  thence  a due  west  line  shall  divide  the  two  govern- 
ments. That  if  said  west  line  cuts  Blackwater  Eiver  to  the  northward  of 
Nottaway  Eiver,  then  from  the  point  of  intersection  the  bounds  shall  be 
allowed  to  be  continued  down  the  middle  of  said  Blackwater  Eiver  to  the 
middle  of  the  entrance  into  said  Nottaway  Eiver,  and  from  thence  a due 
west  line  shall  divide  the  two  governments,  etc.” 

Commissioners  were  appointed  to  carry  this  agreement  or  convention 
into  effect,  in  accordance  with  following  order:  “At  the  court  of  St. 

James,  the  28th  day  of  March,  1727.  Present  the  King’s  Most  Excel- 
lent Majesty  in  Council.  * * His  Majesty  is  hereupon  pleased 

with  the  advice  of  his  Privy  Council  to  approve  the  said  Proposals,  * 
* * and  to  order,  as  it  is  hereby  ordered,  that  the  Governor  or 

Commander-in-chief  of  our  Colony  in  Virginia  do  settle  the  said  bound- 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


171 


ai'ies  in  conjunction  witli  the  Governor  of  North  Carolina,  agreeable  to 
said  Proposals.”  The  royal  commission,  so  far  as  it  regards  Virginia, 
was  in  part  as  follows:  “George  II,  by  the  Grace  of  God  of  Great  Brit- 
ain, France  and  Ireland,  King,  Defender  of  the  Faith,  to  our  well- 
beloved  William  Byrd,  Bichard  Fitz  William  and  William  Dandridge, 
Esqrs.,  members  of  our  Council  of  the  Colony  and  Dominion  of  Virginia, 
Greeting.”  This  commission  was  dated  December  14,  1727.  The  Caro- 
lina commission  was  dated  February  21,  1728,  and  as  that  colony  was 
under  the  government  of  the  lord  proprietors,  the  commission  runs  in 
their  name:  “Sir  Bichard  Everard,  Baronet,  Governor,  Captain,  General 
and  Commander-in-chief  of  the  said  Province:  To  Christopher  Gale, 
Esqr.,  Chief  Justice;  John  Lovick,  Esqr.,  Secretary;  Edward  Mosely, 
Esqr.,  Surveyor  General,  and  William  Little,  Esqr.,  Attorney  General, 
Greeting:  * * I,  therefore,  reposing  especial  confidence  in 

you  * * to  be  Commissioners  on  the  part  of  the  true  and  absolute 

Lord  Proprietors.” 

The  commissioners  thus  appointed  met  at  Currituck  Inlet  March  6, 
1728,  and  after  some  disputes  placed  a cedar  post  on  the  north  shore  of 
Currituck  Inlet,  as  their  starting  point.  This  point  was  found  to  be  in 
north  latitude  thirty-six  degrees  and  thirty-one  minutes,  and  at  that 
point  the  variation  of  the  compass  was  found  to  be  very  nearly  three  de- 
grees, one  minute  and  two  seconds  west,  Allowing  for  this  variation 
they  ran,  as  they  supposed,  a due  west  line,  passing  through  the  Dismal 
Swamp,  and  acquired,  as  Col.  Byrd  expresses  it,  “immortal  reputation  by 
being  the  first  of  mankind  that  ever  ventured  through  the  Dismal 
Swamp.”  Upon  arriving  at  Buzzard  Creek  about  169  miles  westward 
from  the  Atlantic  coast,  the  Carolina  commissioners  abandoned  the  work, 
October  5,  1728.  Mr.  FitzWilliam  also  abandoned  the  work  at  the  same 
time.  Col.  Byrd  and  Mr.  Dandridge  continued  the  line  to  a point  on 
Peter’s  Creek,  a tributary  of  Dan  Biver,  near  the  Saura  Towns,  241  miles 
and  30  poles  from  the  coast,  and  there  marked  the  termination  of  their 
work  on  a red  oak  tree,  October  26,  1728.  Col.  Byrd  wrote  a delightful 
work  entitled:  “The  History  of  the  Dividing  Line,”  in  which  he  records 
his  disappointment  at  finding  that  the  people  along  the  border  were  de- 
sirous of  falling  on  the  Carolina  side  of  the  line,  and  though  disgusted 
and  indignant,  as  well  as  disappointed,  at  this  preference  of  the  people, 
yet  true  to  the  generosity  of  his  nature,  he  favored  their  wishes  as  far  as 
his  instructions  would  permit,  and  located  the  line  about  one  mile  north 
of  thirty-six  degrees  and  thirty-one  minutes.  In  his  history  he  says: 
“We  constantly  found  the  borderers  laid  it  to  heart,  if  their  land  was 
taken  into  Virginia.  They  chose  much  rather  to  belong  to  Carolina, 


172 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 

where  they  pay  no  tribute  to  God  or  Caesar.”  Col.  Byrd  closes  his  nar- 
rative in  the  following  language:  “Nor  can  we  by  any  means  reproach 

ourselves  of  having  put  the  Crown  to  any  exorbitant  expense  in  this 
difficult  affair,  the  whole  charge  from  beginning  to  end  amounting  to  no 
more  than  £1,000.  But  let  no  one  concerned  in  this  painful  Expedition 
complain  of  the  scantiness  of  his  pay,  so  long  as  his  Majesty  has  been 
graciously  pleased  to  add  to  our  reward  the  Honour  of  his  Boyal  appro- 
bation, and  to  declare,  notwithstanding  the  Desertion  of  the  Carolina 
Commissioners,  that  the  line  by  us  run  shall  hereafter  stand  as  the  true 
Boundary  betwixt  the  Governments  of  Virginia  and  North  Carolina.” 

The  next  step  in  the  history  of  this  line  was  taken  in  1749,  when  it 
was  extended  westward  from  Peter’s  Creek,  where  Col.  Byrd  terminated 
his  labors,  to  a point  on  Steep  Rock  Creek,  a distance  of  eighty-eight 
miles,  in  all  329  miles  from  the  coast.  In  this  extension  the  commis- 
sioners on  the  part  of  Virginia  were  Joshua  Fry,  professor  of  mathe- 
matics in  William  and  Mary  College,  and  Peter  Jefferson,  father  of 
Thomas  Jefferson,  afterward  President  of  the  United  States;  and  on  the 
part  of  North  Carolina  they  were  Daniel  Weldon  and  William  Churton. 

The  line  thus  extended  by  these  last  commissioners  was  satisfactory, 
and  remained  the  boundary  between  North  Carolina  and  Virginia;  and 
as  by  the  treaty  of  Paris  in  1703,  the  Mississippi  River  was  fixed  upon 
as  the  western  boundary  of  North  Carolina,  it  was  hoped  that  that  and 
the  northern  boundary  line  were  established — the  latter  at  thirty-six  de- 
grees and  thirty  minutes.  In  1779,  urged  by  the  necessities  of  the 
western  settlements,  the  Legislatures  of  Virginia  and  North  Carolina 
appointed  a joint  commission  to  extend  the  line  westward  between  their 
respective  territories.  The  commissioners  on  the  part  of  North  Carolina 
were  Col.  Richard  Henderson  and  William  B.  Smith;  and  on  the  part  of 
Virginia,  Dr.  Thomas  Walker  and  Daniel  Smith.  These  commissioners 
were  instructed  to  begin  the  extension  of  the  line  where  Fry  and  Jeffer- 
son, and  Weldon  and  Churton  ended  their  work;  and  if  that  were  found 
to  be  truly  in  latitude  thirty-six  degrees  and  thirty  minutes  north,  then 
to  run  due  west  from  that  point  to  the  Tennessee  or  the  Ohio  River.  If 
that  point  were  found  not  to  be  truly  in  said  latitude,  then  to  run  from 
the  said  place  due  north  or  due  south  into  the  said  latitude  and  thence 
due  west  to  the  said  Tennessee  or  Ohio  River,  correcting  said  course  at 
due  intervals  by  astronomical  observations. 

The  commissioners  met  early  in  September,  1779,  but  failed  to  find 
the  point  on  Steep  Rock  Creek  where  Fry  and  Jefferson,  and  Weldon 
and  Churton  ended  their  line.  The  point  of  observation  chosen,  according 
to  memoranda  of  agreement  entered  on  the  books  of  both  parties,  was  in 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


173 

north  latitude  thirty-six  degrees,  thirty-one  minutes  and  twenty-five 
seconds,  and  in  west  longitude  eighty-one  degrees  and  twelve  minutes. 
From  this  point  they  ran  due  south  one  mile,  to  a point  supposed  to  be 
in  latitude  thirty-six  degrees  and  thirty  minutes.  From  this  point  they 
ran  a line,  as  they  supposed,  due  west  about  forty-five  miles,  to  Carter’s 
Valley,  when  a disagreement  occurred,  and  the  two  commissions  separated. 
Each  commission  then  ran  a line  independent  of  the  other  as  far  west  as 
the  Cumberland  Mountain,  the  two  lines  being  parallel  with  each  other, 
and  about  two  miles  apart.  The  line  run  by  the  North  Carolina  commis- 
sioners, generally  known  as  Henderson’s  line,  was  north  of  that  run  by 
the  Virginia  commissioners,  likewise  generally  known  as  Walker’s  line. 
At  the  Cumberland  Mountain  the  North  Carolina  commissioners  aban- 
doned their  work  after  sending  in  a protest  against  Walker’s  line.  The 
Virginia  commissioners  continued  with  their  line  to  the  Tennessee  River, 
leaving,  however,  an  unsurveyed  gap  from  Deer  Fork  to  the  east  crossing 
of  Cumberland  Paver,  a distance  estimated  by  them  to  be  one  hundred 
and  nine  miles.  Although  not  authorized  to  do  so,  the  commissioners 
marked  the  termination  of  this  line  on  the  Mississippi  River,  but  did  not 
survey  the  intervening  distance.  The  total  length  of  the  line  thus  far 
surveyed  was  as  follows:  Bryd’s  line,  241  miles;  Fry  and  Jefferson’s 
line,  88  miles;  Walker’s  line — from  Steep  Rock  Creek  to  Deer  Fork — 
123|;  miles,  unsurveyed  line  (estimated)  109  miles;  from  the  east  to  the 
west  crossing  of  the  Cumberland,  131  miles;  and  from  the  Cumberland 
to  the  Tennessee  River,  9^  miles ; total  distance  from  the  Atlantic  Ocean 
to  the  Tennesse  River,  702  miles.  The  commissioners  were  at  Deer 
Fork  November  22,  1779;  at  the  east  crossing  of  the  Cumberland 
February  25,  1780;  and  at  the  Tennessee  River  March  23,  following. 

Considerable  disorder  followed  the  running  of  these  two  lines,  as  be- 
tween them  the  authority  of  neither  State  was  established;  the  validity 
of  process  from  neither  State  was  acknowledged;  entries  for  lands 
tween  the  lines  were  made  in  both  States ; and  both  States  issued  grants 
for  the  said  lands.  Crimes  committed  on  this  disputed  territory  could 
not  be  punished,  and  while  no  immediate  action  was  taken  by  the  two 
States,  yet  such  a condition  of  society  between  them  could  not  be  long  en- 
dured, especially  as  by  concert  of  action  a remedy  could  be  applied.  Upon 
this  subject  the  Governor  of  Virginia  addressed  a letter  to  the  Legisla- 
ture of  North  Carolina,  proposing  that  the  line  commonly  called  Walker’s 
line  be  established  as  the  boundary  between  the  States;  and  that  if  that 
proposition  were  not  satisfactory,  they  then  would  appoint  commissioners 
to  meet  commissioners  to  be  appointed  by  North  Carolina,  empowered  to' 
confer  on  the  propriety  of  establishing  either  Walker’s  or  Henderson’s 

" 


174 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


line,  and  to  report  tlie  result  of  their  conference  to  the  Legislatures  of 
their  respective  States.  This  letter  was  referred  by  the  Legislature  of 
North  Carolina  to  a committee  of  which  Gen.  Thomas  Person  was  chair- 
man, at  its  session  commencing  November  2,  and  ending  December  22, 
1789.  The  committee  reported  through  Gen.  Person  in  favor  of  the' pas- 
sage of  a law  confirming  and  establishing  Walker’s  line  as  the  boundary  be- 
tween the  two  States.  Doubts  arising  as  to  the  formality  and  sufficiency 
of  this  action  of  the  Legislature,  a second  report  was  made  by  the  Cai'olina 
committee  on  boundaries,  of  which  Gen.  Person  was  again  chairman,  again 
recommending  the  confirming  of  Walker’s  line  as  the  boundary  line. 
Dais  report  was  read  and  concurred  in  December  11,  1790,  by  both  the 
House  of  Commons  and  the  Senate.  Learning  of  this  action  on  the  part 
of  North  Carolina,  the  Legislature  of  Virginia  passed  an  act  on  the  7th 
of  December,  1791,  declaring  “That  the  line  commonly  called  and  known 
by  the  name  of  Walker’s  line  shall  be,  and  the  same  is  hereby  declared 
to  be  the  boundary  line  of  this  State,”  Thus  the  boundary  line,  which 
had  so  long  been  in  controversy,  was  regarded  by  both  States  as  being 
finally  settled. 

With  reference  to  the  direction  of  the  line  run  by  Mr.  Walker  and 
Mr.  Smith  it  may  here  be  stated  that  in  consequence  of  failure  to  make 
due  allowance  for  the  variation  of  the  needle,  this  line  continuously  de- 
flected toward  the  north.  This  deflection  was  caused  either  by  the  im- 
perfection of  their  instruments  or  by  the  failure  of  the  commissioner’s  to 
test  their  work  by  a sufficient  number  of  observations.  Upon  reaching 
the  Tennessee  Piiver  Walker’s  line  was  more  than  twelve  miles  too  far 
north  in  a direct  line,  being  near  latitude  thirty-six  degrees  and  forty 
minutes,  and  where  it  first  touched  the  State  of  Tennessee  it  was  near 
latitude  thirty-six  degrees  and  thirty-four  minutes. 

With  respect  to  the  date  of  the  first  resolution  confirming  Walker’s 
line,  it  should  here  be  noted  that  it  was  adopted  practically  on  the  2d 
of  November,  1789,  as  under  the  law  of  North  Carolina  all  acts  related 
to  the  first  day  of  the  session,  and  the  act  ceding  the  Western  Terri- 
tory to  the  United  States  was  passed  at  the  same  session  of  the  Legisla- 
ture, and  thus,  therefore,  on  the  same  day.  The  deed  executed  to  Con- 
gress, in  pursuance  of  the  cession  act,  was  dated  February  25,  1790,  and 
was  accepted  April  2,  1790.  The  second  resolution  confirmatory  of 
Walker’s  line  was  passed  December  11,  1790. 

In  1792  William  Blount,  territorial  governor  of  Tennessee,  insisted 
that  the  first  resolution  of  the  Carolina  Legislature,  referred  to  above, 
was  not  a legal  confirmation  of  Walker’s  line,  and  that  the  second  reso- 
lution adopted  December  11,  1790,  having  been  passed  many  months 


HISTOKY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


175 


after  tlie  acceptance  by  Congress  of  the  cession  of  the  Western  Terri- 
tory, was  invalid  as  to  the  United  States,  of  which  Tennessee  was  then 
a Territory.  Gov.  Blount  also  urged  that  for  ten  years  previous  to  the 
cession  North  Carolina  had  exercised  jurisdiction  to  Henderson’s  line, 
and  announced  his  intention  of  maintaining  that  jurisdiction.  A proc- 
lamation was  issued  by  Gov.  Blount  asserting  jurisdiction  to  Hender- 
son’s line,  and  a counter  proclamation  was  issued  by  Gov.  Lee,  of  Vir- 
ginia, asserting  jurisdiction  to  Walker’s  line.  Matters  remained  in  this 
rather  hostile  shape  until  1801,  when  a joint  commission  was  appointed 
to  determine  the  true  boundary  line. 

The  Legislature  of  Tennessee  passed  an  act  appointing  Moses  Fisk, 
Gen.  John  Sevier  and  Gen.  George  Butledge  her  commissioners  to  meet 
commissioners  appointed  by  Virginia  to  take  the  latitude  and  run  the 
line.  Virginia  appointed  Joseph  Martin,  Creed  Taylor  and  Peter  John- 
son. This  commission  met  at  Cumberland  Gap  December  18,  1802,  and 
failing  to  agree  in  the  result  of  their  astronomical  observations,  entered 
into  an  agreement,  which  they  reduced  to  writing,  signed  and  sealed, 
and  ran  the  line  in  accordance  therewith  parallel  to  the  two  lines  in 
dispute  and  about  midway  between  them,  and  about  one  mile  from  each. 
The  agreement  of  the  commissioners  and  the  certificate  of  the  surveyors 
who  ran  the  line  are  as  follows : 

The  commissioners  for  ascertaining  and  adjusting  the  boundary  line  between  the  two 
States  of  Virginia  and  Tennessee,  appointed  pursuant  to  the  public  authority  on  the  part 
of  each,  have  met  at  the  place  previously  appointed  for  the  purpose,  and  not  uniting  from 
the  general  result  of  their  astronomical  observations  to  establish  either  of  the  former  lines 
called  Walker’s  or  Henderson’s,  unanimously  agree,  in  order  to  end  the  controversy 
respecting  the  subject,  to  run  a due  west  line  equally  distant  from  both,  beginning  on  the 
summit  of  the  mountain  generally  known  by  the  name  of  White  Top  Mountain,  where 
the  northwest  corner  of  Tennessee  terminates,  to  the  top  of  the  Cumberland  Mountain, 
where  the  southwestern  corner  of  Virginia  terminates,  which  is  declared  hereby  to  be  the 
true  boundary  line  between  the  two  States,  and  has  been  accordingly  run  by  Brice  Martin 
and  Nathan  B.  Markland,  the  surveyors  duly  appointed  for  the  purpose,  and  marked 
under  the  direction  of  the  said  commissioners,  as  will  more  at  large  appear  by  the  report 
of  the  said  surveyors  hereto  annexed,  and  bearing  date  herewith.  The  commissioners 
do,  therefore,  unanimously  agree  to  recommend  to  their  respective  States  that  individuals 
having  claims  or  titles  to  lands  on  either  side  of  the  said  line  as  now  affixed  and  agreed 
upon  and  between  the  lines  aforesaid,  shall  not  in  consequence  thereof  in  any  wise  be 
prejudiced  or  affected  thereby,  and  that  the  Legislatures  of  their  respective  States  should 
pass  mutual  laws  to  render  all  such  claims  or  titles  secure  to  the  owners  thereof. 

Given  under  our  hands  and  seals  at  William  Robertson’s,  near  Cumberland  Gap,  the 
8th  day  of  December,  1802. 

The  certificate  of  the  surveyors  that  they  had  run  the  line  as  above 
described  was  dated  on  the  same  day,  and  signed  by  both.  This  agree- 
ment and  the  line  run  in  accordance  therewith  were  confirmed  by  the 
Legislatures  of  both  States,  by  Tennessee  November  3,  1803,  and  by 


176 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Virginia  in  the  same  year,  and  the  boundary  between  Virginia  and  Ten- 
nessee was  thus  finally  established  by  a compromise.  Although  subse- 
quent negotiations  have  occurred,  no  change  has  been  made,  but  in  1859 
the  line  was  re-marked  by  Samuel  Milligan  and  George  E.  McClellan, 
commissioners  for  Tennessee,  and  Leonidas  Baugh  and  James  C.  Black, 
commissioners  for  Virginia. 

While  this  compromise  line  midway  between  Walker’s  and  Hender- 
son’s lines  became  the  established  boundary  between  Tennessee  and  Vir- 
ginia, the  boundary  between  Tennessee  and  Kentucky  was  Walker’s  line. 
In  the  first  Carolina  resolution  confirming  the  Walker  line,  the  follow- 
ing language  was  used:  “Mr.  Walker  and  the  other  commissioners  from 
Virginia  extended  the  line  to  the  Tennessee  Eiver  and  marked  its  termi- 
nation on  the  Mississippi  from  observations,  leaving  the  line  from  the 
Tennessee  to  that  place  unsurveyed.”  The  second  resolution  reaffirmed 
the  first,  and  the  Legislatures  of  both  States  ratified  the  action  of  the 
commissioners,  thus  clearly  extending  the  line  to  the  Mississippi  Eiver. 
But  the  action  of  Tennessee  under  Gov.  Blount,  above  explained,  repudi- 
ating the  Carolina  and  Virginia  compact,  was  seized  upon  by  Kentucky 
in  later  years  to  reopen  the  boundary  question  as  between  her  and  Ten- 
nessee. As  stated  above  Kentucky  discovered  that  Walker’s  line  was 
several  miles  north  of  thirty-six  degrees  and  thirty  minutes ; the  parallel 
upon  which  it  was  designed  to  be  run,  and  was  desirous  of  readjusting  the 
boundary  on  that  parallel.  The  logic  of  her  argument  in  favor  of  this 
was  irresistible:  “Since  by  your  own  showing  the  confirmation  of  Walk- 
er’s line  by  Virginia  and  North  Carolina  is  invalid  as  to  us,  then  we  have 
no  dividing  line  except  the  imaginary  one  of  thirty-six  degrees  and  thirty 
minutes.  Let  us  move  down  south  and  locate  it.” 

In  1813  Kentucky  passed  an  act  in  the  preamble  to  which  she  inti- 
mates her  impatience  at  the  continuance  of  the  struggle,  and  her  deter- 
mination to  find  some  effectual  means  of  settling  it:  “Whereas  Tennes- 
see proposes  to  depart  from  the  true  line  of  separation  * * * 

to  be  ascertained  by  correct  and  scientific  observations,  etc.,  the  disa- 
greeable necessity  is  imposed  upon  Kentucky  of  having  the  long-con- 
tested question  finally  settled  by  the  means  pointed  out  by  the  Constitu- 
tion of  the  United  States.”  The  next  step  taken  by  Tennessee  was  No- 
vember 17,  1815,  when  an  act  was  passed  to  which  the  following  is  the 
preamble : 

Whereas,  Some  difficulty  has  existed  between  the  State  of  Kentucky  and  this  State, 
and  whereas  it  is  essential  to  the  harmony  and  interest  of  both  States  that  the  line  com- 
monly called  Walker’s  line  heretofore  considered  and  acted  on  as  the  boundary  between 
them  should  be  established  as  the  boundary  between  the  two  States,  therefore  be  it  en- 


HISTOBY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


177 


acted  that  the  line  commonly  called  Walker’s  line  he,  and  the  same  is  hereby  established 
and  confirmed  as  the  true  boundary  between  the  States  of  Kentucky  and  Tennessee.  ” 

* # * * * * * 

Sec.  5.  Be  it  enacted  that  if  the  Legislature  of  Kentucky  shall  refuse  to  pass  such 
an  act  as  the  above,  then  this  act  shall  cease  to  be  in  force,  etc. 

In  response  to  this  proposition  on  the  part  of  Tennessee,  Kentucky 
passed  an  act  on  the  10th  of  February,  1816,  in  which  she  declines  to 
accept  the  line  proposed,  but  offers  to  adopt  “Walker's  line  so  far  as  it 
was  originally  run  and  marked,  to  wit:  From  a point  near  the  mouth  of 
Obed’s,  alias  Obey’s  River  to  the  Tennessee  River,  as  the  true  jurisdictional 
line  between  this  State  and  the  State  of  Tennessee,  and  as  to  the  residue  of 
the  line  between  the  two  States,  the  following  shall  be  adopted  as  the  true 
position  thereof:  At  the  eastern  extremity  of  Walker’s  line  near  the  mouth 
■of  Obed’s  River  aforesaid,  a line  shall  be  run  at  right  angles  either 
north  or  south,  as  the  case  may  require,  till  it  reaches  the  true  chartered 
limits  of  the  two  States  in  the  latitude  of  thirty-six  degrees  and  thirty 
minutes  north,  and  from  that  point  the  line  shall  be  extended  to  the 
east,  still  keeping  the  same  latitude  till  it  reaches  the  eastern  boundary 
of  this  State;  and  at  the  west  extremity  of  Walker’s  line,  to  wit,  the  Ten- 
nessee River,  a line  shall  be  extended  up  or  down  the  said  river  as  the 
case  may  require  till  it  reaches  the  true  chartered  latitude  thirty-six  de- 
grees and  thirty  minutes  north,  and  from  that  point  the  line  shall  be  ex- 
tended due  west,  still  keeping  the  same  latitude  till  it  reaches  the  Missis- 
sippi River.” 

Had  this  proposition  been  accepted  by  Tennessee  about  180  miles 
of  the  boundary  line  would  have  been  placed  on  the  “ chartered  latitude,” 
thirty-six  degrees  and  thirty  minutes ; but  Tennessee  could  be  satisfied 
with  nothing  short  of  Walker’s  line,  or  at  least  with  very  little  less  than 
that  line  as  her  northern  boundary,  and  in  order  to  show  her  insistence 
on  that  line  passed  an  act,  after  reciting  the  customary  preamble,  “that 
the  line  commonly  called  Walker’s  line,  so  far  as  the  same  has  been  run 
and  marked,  shall  be  considered  and  taken  to  be  the  true  line  between 
the  States.” 

Sec.  2.  That  as  soon  as  the  State  of  Kentucky  shall  pass  a law  agreeing  thereto,  a 
■direct  line  from  the  eastern  extremity  of  the  line  called  Walker’s  line,  as  marked  at  Cum- 
berland River,  to  Walker’s  line  at  a place  called  Cumberland  Gap,  shall  be  considered 
and  taken  the  true  line  between  the  States. 

Sec.  3.  That  this  State  will,  provided  the  State  of  Kentucky  agree  thereto,  apply  to 
the  Executive  of  the  United  States  to  appoint  a commissioner  to  ascertain  the  true  point 
where  the  boundary  line  between  this  S’ate  and  the  State  of  Kentucky  will  strike  the  Ten- 
nessee River  on  the  western  bank  thereof,  and  that  from  that  point  a line  shall  be  run  di- 
rectly west  to  the  western  boundary  of  the  State  of  Tennessee,  which  shall  be  the  line 
bounding  the  two  States. 

This  persistence  on  the  part  of  Tennessee  in  affirming  what  she  con- 


178 


HISTOBY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


sidered  to  be  her  right,  considerably  nettled  her  sister  State,  who  re- 
plied to  this  proposal  on  January  30,  1818,  by  the  following  “spicy  en- 
actment.” 

Be  it  enacted  that  all  laws  heretofore  passed  by  the  General  Assembly  of  this  com- 
monwealth relative  to  the  boundary  line  between  this  State  and  Tennessee  shall  be,  and 
the  same  are  hereby  repealed. 

Sec.  2.  That  the  southern  boundary  line  of  this  State  shall  be  and  remain  on  a 
line  running  west  from  the  top  of  Cumberland  Mountain  to  the  Mississippi  River  in  36° 
30'  north  latitude,  anything  in  any  former  law  passed  by  this  State  to  the  contrary  not- 
withstanding. 

In  pursuance  of  this  enactment  Kentucky,  in  1819,  sent  her  surveyors 
Alexander  and  Munsell  to  run  and  mark  the  line  on  thirty-six  degrees 
and  thirty  minutes  between  the  Tennessee  and  Mississippi  Rivers,  and 
declared  this  to  be  the  true  boundary.  This  line  struck  the  Tennessee 
River  about  twelve  miles  in  a direct  line  south  of  Walker’s  line,  and  if 
it  had  been  continued  on  eastward  it  would  have  passed  about  two  miles 
to  the  south  of  Clarksville.  It  was  now  evident  to  Tennessee  that  her 
territorial  integrity  was  in  danger,  and  that  decided  steps  must  be  taken 
if  she  would  not  lose  to  a large  extent  in  property  and  population.  She 
realized  her  own  illogical  position  in  claiming  jurisdiction  to  a line  the 
validity  of  which  as  a boundary  she  had  solemnly  repudiated.  She  could 
not  rest  quietly  in  possession,  for  she  plainly  saw  that  Kentucky  intended 
to  have  the  boundary  question  settled,  and  to  extend  her  southern  line 
down  to  the  “chartered  limits”  of  the  State,  thirty-six  degrees  and  thirty 
minutes;  the  latitude  in  which  Walker’s  line  was  supposed  to  be  run. 
It  was  necessary  to  find  some  plea  by  which  she  could  still  plausibly 
maintain  her  right  to  Walker’s  line  as  actually  run  as  her  northern 
boundary.  This  plea  was  supplied  by  Gov.  Joseph  McMinn  in  his  mes- 
sage of  October  6,  1819,  and  it  was  the  only  plea  which  Tennessee  could 
bring  to  her  aid,  the  desire  of  the  people  residing  on  the  belt  of  territory 
between  the  “chartered  limits,”  and  Walker’s  line,  to  remain  under  the 
jurisdiction  of  Tennessee.  He  admitted  that  Alexander  & Munsell’ s line, 
if  it  were  in  fact  in  latitude  thirty-six  degrees  and  thirty  minutes,  should 
be  allowed  to  stand.  The  necessity  of  this  compromise  was  forced  upon 
Tennessee  by  her  being  estopped  from  pleading  the  confirming  of 
Walker’s  line  by  the  Virginia  and  Carolina  compact  which  under  Gov. 
William  Blount  she  had  repudiated. 

The  Legislature  of  Tennessee  having  thus  failed  to  establish  her 
claim  by  enactments  determined  to  send  commissioners  to  the  Kentucky 
Legislature  and  try  the  efficacy  of  a joint  commission.  Kentucky  though 
opposed  to  that  method  of  settling  the  question,  was  at  length  persuaded 
by  Tennessee’s  commissioners,  Felix  Grundy  and  William  L.  Brown,  to 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


179 


appoint  a commission,  selecting  John  J.  Crittenden  and  Robert  Trimble. 
Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  Kentucky’s  argument  as  to  abstract  title 
was  unanswerable,  yet  the  Tennessee  commissioners  successfully  urged 
actual  possession,  and  the  desires  of  the  people,  together  with  the  multi- 
tude of  hardships  that  must  necessarily  result  from  a change,  and  offered 
to  permit  all  the  lines  to  remain  as  then  located  including  Alexander  & 
Munsell’s  line.  The  compromise  was  accepted  by  Kentucky,  and  effected 
February  2,  1820.  According  to  this  compromise  the  boundary  line  was 
to  be  Walker’s  line  to  the  Tennessee  River;  thence  up  and  with  said 
river  to  Alexander  & Munsell’s  line;  thence  with  said  line  to  the  Missis- 
sippi River — the  treaty  to  be  valid  wdien  ratified  by  the  Legislature  of 
Kentucky.  Thus  the  main  points  were  finally  settled,  but  still  for  some 
years  numerous  inconveniences  continued  to  develop  from  the  loss  of 
some  of  the  landmarks  of  Walker’s  line,  the  uncertainty  regarding  others, 
and  the  unsurveyed  gap,  between  Deer  Fork  and  the  Cumberland  River. 
In  1821,  this  gap  unsurveyed  by  Walker,  was  surveyed  by  a joint  com- 
mission consisting  of  William  Steele,  on  the  part  of  Kentucky,  and  Ab- 
salom Looney,  on  th  e part  of  Tennessee,  and  they  extended  their  survey 
from  the  east  crossing  of  Cumberland  River  to  Cumberland  Gap.  On 
November  13,  1821,  Tennessee  passed  an  act  confirming  this  survey  as 
far  as  it  extended,  including  in  the  act  a minute  description  of  the  survey, 
and  on  the  22d  of  the  same  month  Kentucky  confirmed  this  line. 

In  1831  James  Bright,  commissioner  for  Tennessee,  and  Dr.  Mun- 
sell,  commissioner  for  Kentucky,  ran  and  marked  Walker’s  line  along 
the  southern  borders  of  Allen,  Simpson  and  Trigg  Counties  straight  from 
the  point  near  the  west  crossing  of  the  Cumberland  River  to  the  Tenn- 
essee. This  survey,  if  adopted,  would  have  thrown  into  Kentucky  a strip 
of  land  about  a mile  wide  which  is  now  a portion  of  Tennessee. 

In  1845  Gov.  James  C.  Jones  appointed,  as  commissioners  on  the 
part  of  Tennessee,  C.  W.  Nance  and  William  P.  McLain,  who  met  Messrs. 
Wilson  and  Duncan,  commissioners  from  Kentucky,  in  October  of  that 
year,  and  marked  a line  along  the  borders  of  Trigg  and  Christian  Coun- 
ties, and  along  that  portion  of  Fulton  County  west  of  Reelfoot  Lake. 
These  different  lines  were  all  readjusted  in  1859,  by  a joint  commission 
consisting  of  Benjamin  Peeples  and  O.  R.  Watkins,  commissioners;  O.  H. 
P.  Bennett,  engineer;  J.  Trafton,  L.  Burnett,  assistant  engineers,  and  J. 
M.  Nicholson,  surveyor,  on  the  part  of  Tennessee;  and  Austin  P.  Cox  and 
C.  M.  Driggs,  commissioners;  J.  Pillsburg,  engineer;  G.  Trafton,  G. 
Stealey  and  A.  Hensly,  assistant  engineers,  on  the  part  of  Kentucky. 
They  met  at  a place  called  Compromise,  on  the  Mississippi  River,  and 
having  improved  instruments  made  an  accurate  and  satisfactory  survey, 


180 


HISTOKY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


placing  the  stones  as  required  and  marking  the  line  on  permanent  trees 
with  four  chops  toward  the  east  and  toward  the  west. 

From  Compromise,  in  latitude  thirty-six  degrees,  twenty-nine  minutes 
and  fifty-five  and  seven  hundredths  seconds,  they  followed  very  nearly 
along  Alexander  and  Munsell’s  line  to  the  Tennessee,  in  latitude  thirty- 
six  degrees,  twenty-nine  minutes  and  fifty-four  seconds.  Thence  they 
ran  down  the  Tennessee  to  Walker’s  line,  which  is  very  nearly  in  latitude 
thirty-six  degrees,  forty  minutes  and  forty-five  seconds,  and  from  this 
point  they  followed  Walker’s  line  to  the  southeastern  corner  of  Kentucky, 
latitude  thirty-six  degrees,  thirty-four  minutes  and  fifty-three  and  forty- 
eight  hundredths  seconds.  From  this  point  they  ran  to  the  southwest 
corner  of  Virginia  in  latitude  thirty  six  degrees,  thirty-six  minutes  and 
ninety-two  hundredths  seconds.  This  survey  cost  Tennessee  $25,357, 
and  Kentucky  $22,630.07.  The  stone  posts  cost  $1,265.  Kentucky  ap- 
proved the  acts  of  this  joint  commission  February  28,  1860,  and  Ten- 
nessee March  21,  1860. 

Thus  after  a protracted,  and  in  many  instances  a vexatious  contro- 
versy, lasting  from  1792  to  1860,  Tennessee  finally  established  her  title, 
if  not  her  right,  to  that  strip  of  territory  extending  from  White  Top 
Mountain  to  the  Tennessee  Kiver.  That  portion  adjoining  Virginia  is 
about  110  miles  long,  and  averages  about  seven  miles  in  width,  while 
that  adjoining  Kentucky  is  about  215  miles  long,  and  about  five  and 
three-quarters  miles  wide  at  its  eastern  extremity,  gradually  increasing 
in  width  until  it  reaches  the  Tennessee,  where  it  is  about  twelve  and  one- 
half  miles  wide. 

For  this  acquisition  she  is  indebted  first  to  the  failure  of  the  Virginia 
and  Carolina  commissioners  to  make  due  allowance  for  the  variation  of 
the  needle;  second,  to  the  fidelity  and  ability  of  her  public  servants; 
third,  to  the  preference  of  the  people  along  the  border  to  remain  within 
her  jurisdiction,  and  fourth,  to  the  liberality  of  Kentucky  and  Virginia, 
which  led  them  to  respect  the  preferences  of  the  people.  And  for  the 
loss  of  the  strip  west  of  the  Tennessee  and  between  the  “chartered  limits” 
and  Walker’s  line,  she  is  indebted  to  the  repudiation  by  Grov.  Blount, 
of  the  Virginia  and  Carolina  compact.  And  yet,  although  this  struggle 
which  lasted  so  long  and  had  attracted  so  much  attention,  was  settled 
thus  in  1860,  her  constitution  of  1870  adheres  to  the  old  imaginary  lines, 
and  describes  her  northern  boundary  as  thirty-six  degrees  and  thirty 
minutes,  but  this  careless  description  is  well  guarded  by  the  following 
clause:  “Provided  that  the  limits  and  jurisdiction  of  this  State  shall  ex- 
tend to  any  other  land  and  territory  now  acquired  by  compact  or  agree- 
ment with  other  States  or  otherwise,  although  such  land  and  territory 
are  not  included  within  the  boundaries  hereinbefore  designated.' 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


181 


The  history  of  the  southern  boundary  line  of  this  State  is  not  of  such 
absorbing  interest,  nor  fortunately  so  long  as  that  above  detailed. 
Quoting  again  from  the  Declaration  of  Rights:  “That  line  and  that  only 
should  be  esteemed  the  southern  boundary  of  this  State  (North  Carolina) 
as  follows,  that  is  to  say:  Beginning  on  the  sea-side  at  a cedar  stake  at  or 
near  the  mouth  of  Little  River,  being  the  southern  extremity  of  Bruns- 
wick County  and  runs  thence  a northwest  course  through  the  Boundary 
Hous.e,  which  stands  in  thirty-three  degrees  and  fifty-six  minutes,  to 
thirty-five  degrees  north  latitude,  and  from  thence  a west  course,  so  far 
as  is  mentioned  in  the  charter  of  King  Charles  II  to  the  late  proprietors 
of  Carolina.”  This  declaration  was  adopted  in  December,  1776,  and 
shows  that  the  parallel  of  thirty-five  degrees  north  latitude  was  consid- 
ered as  the  established  southern  boundary  line  of  North  Carolina 
westward  from  the  point  where  the  line  “running  a northwest  course 
through  the  Boundary  House”  if  extended  would  intersect  that  parallel. 
To  establish  the  line  between  North  and  South  Carolina,  commissioners 
were  appointed  by  both  these  colonies  in  1737.  Those  of  the  former 
colony  were  Robert  Hilton,  Matthew  Rowan  and  Edward  Mosely. 
They  began  at  the  cedar  stake  on  the  sea  shore  by  the  mouth  of  Little 
River,  and  ran  the  line  until  they  arrived  at  the  thirty-fifth  degree.  At 
the  termination  of  the  northwest  line  they  erected  a light  wood  stake 
upon  a mound.  The  line  was  continued  by  private  parties  twenty  miles, 
and  in  1764  was  still  further  extended. 

In  1818  the  boundary  between  Tennessee  and  Georgia  was  estab- 
lished. The  commissioners  appointed  Joseph  Cobb  surveyor,  and  two 
chain  carriers  and  two  markers.  These  parties  arrived  at  Ross’  in  the 
Cherokee  nation  on  the  15th  of  May.  From  Ross’,  which  was  on  the 
Tennessee  River,  they  proceeded  to  Nickajack,  where  on  the  next  day 
they  met  the  commissioners  and  surveyor  appointed  by  Georgia.  The 
joint  commission  decided  that  the  thirty-fifth  degree  of  north  latitude 
was  one  mile  and  twenty-eight  poles  from  the  south  bank  of  the  Tennes- 
see, due  south  from  near  the  center  of  the  town  of  Nickajack.  This  point 
was  supposed  by  them  to  be  the  corner  of  the  States  of  Georgia  and  Ala- 
bama. At  this  point  they  caused  a rock  to  be  erected,  two  feet  high,  four 
inches  thick  and  fifteen  inches  broad,  engraved  on  the  north  side  “June 
1,  1818,  Var.  six  degrees  and  forty-five  minutes  east,”  and  on  the  south  side 
“Geo.  Lat.  thirty-five  degrees  north,  J.  Carmack.”  From  this  rock  they 
ran  the  line  due  east  to  the  top  of  the  Unaka  Mountains,  where  they 
closed  their  survey  with  a variation  of  the  compass  of  five  degrees  and 
thirty  minutes;  the  length  of  the  line  surveyed  being  nearly  110  miles. 
The  line  west  of  Nickajack  was  extended  in  part  by  Gen.  Coffee  and  the 


182 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


residue  by  Gen.  Winchester.  The  boundary  line  between  Tennessee  and 
Mississippi  was  also  run  by  John  Thompson,  and  his  line  was  adopted 
by  Tennessee  as  the  southern  boundary,  but  Mississippi  failed  to  adopt 
it.  The  question  was  finally  settled  by  Tennessee  November  9,  1837, 
and  by  Mississippi  February  8,  1838,  on  which  dates  the  two  States, 
respectively,  ratified  the  proceedings  of  a joint  commission  to  run  the 
true  boundary  line.  The  history  of  the  running  of  the  line  is  sufficiently 
shown  in  the  language  of  the  act  by  the  Tennessee  Legislature  above  re- 
ferred to  as  follows: 

Whereas  the  State  of  Tennessee  believing  the  southern  boundary  line  of  the  State 
dividing  Tennessee  from  Mississippi  was  not  correctly  run  by  the  commissioners  in  1810, 
with  the  thirty-fifth  parallel  of  north  latitude;  and  whereas  the  State  of  Tennessee,  by  an 
act  passed  November  29,  1833,  did  establish  what  is  known  as  Thompson’s  line  as  the 
southern  boundary  of  the  State,  which  act  did  not  receive  the  sanction  of  the  State  of 
Mississippi;  and  whereas  the  authorities  of  Tennessee  and  Mississippi  having  recently  by 
commissioners  on  the  part  of  the  two  States,  run  and  marked  another  line  which  is  agreed- 
upon  providing  they  ratify  the  same,  which  line  is  described  in  the  commissioners’  report 
as  follows-  Commencing  at  a point  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Tennessee  River,  sixty-four 
chains  south  or  above  the  mouth  of  Yellow  Creek  and  about  three-fourths  of  a mile  nortk 
of  the  line  known  as  Thompson’s  line,  and  twenty-six  chains  and  ten  links  north  of 
Thompson’s  line  at  the  basis  meridian  of  the  Chickasaw  surveys,  and  terminating  at  a 
point  in  the  east  bank  of  the  Mississippi  River,  opposite  Cow  Island,  sixteen  chains  north 
of  Thompson’s  line;  therefore 

Be  it  enacted,  etc.,  That  the  line  as  run  and  marked  between  this  State  and  Mississippi 
by  B.  A.  Ludlow, D.  W.  Connely  and  W.  Petrie  (commissioners  on  the  part  of  Mississippi), 
and  John  D.  Graham  and  Austin  Miller  (commissioners  on  the  part  of  Tennessee)  be  and 
the  same  is  hereby  declared  to  be  the  true  southern  boundary  of  the  State  of  Tennessee, 
being  35°  north  latitude,  and  that  the  jurisdiction  of  the  State  be  extended  to  that  line 
in  as  full  and  ample  a manner  as  the  same  was  extended  to  the  line  run  by  Winchester. 

TLe  eastern  boundary  line,  or  that  between  Tennessee  and  North  Car- 
olina, was  finally  established  by  an  act  passed  by  the  Legislature  of  the 
former  State  during  the  session  commencing  November  19,  1821,  the 
language  of  the  act  running  somewhat  as  follows:  That  the  dividing  line 
run  and  marked  by  Alexander  Smith,  Isaac  Allen  and  Simeon  Perry,  com- 
missioners on  the  part  of  Tennessee,  and  James  Mebane,  Montford  Stokes 
and  Robert  Love,  commissioners  from  North  Carolina,  which  line  begins 
at  a stone  set  up  on  the  north  side  of  the  Cataloochee  Turnpike  Road, 
and  marked  on  the  west  side  “ Tenn.  1821,”  and  on  the  east  side  “ N.  C. 
1821,”  and  running  along  the  summit  of  the  Great  Smoky  Mountains, 
etc.,  etc.,  and  striking  the  southern  boundary  line  twenty-three  poles 
west  of  a tree  in  said  line  marked  “72  M,”  where  was  set  up  by  said 
commissioners  a square  post,  marked  on  the  west  side  “Tenn.  1821,”  and 
on  the  east  side  “ N.  C.  1821  ” and  on  the  south  side  “ G.”  be  and  the 
same  is  hereby  ratified,  confirmed  and  established  as  the  true  boundary 
line  between  this  State  and  North  Carolina.  This  line  was  confirmed  by 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


183 


the  Legislature  of  North  Carolina  during  the  session  commencing  No- 
vember 19,  1821. 

THE  WATAUGA  ASSOCIATION. 

The  settlers  on  the  Watauga  and  Holston,  though  very  near  the 
boundaries  of  Virginia  and  North  Carolina,  and  though  most  of  them 
were,  emigrants  from  the  latter  State,  were  living  without  the  protection 
of  the  laws  of  either.  Being  thus  without  regular  government,  it  was 
necessary  for  them  to  adopt  for  themselves  rules  for  their  own  guidance. 
These  rules  were  adopted  in  1772,  and  are  believed  to  have  constituted 
the  first  written  compact  of  government  west  of  the  mountains.  The 
government  was  simple  and  moderate,  paternal  and  patriarchal,  summary 
and  firm.  The  settlers  elected  as  commissioners  thirteen  citizens,  as  fol- 
lows: John  Carter,  Charles  Bobertson,  James  Bobertson,  Zachariah  Is- 

bell, John  Sevier,  James  Smith,  Jacob  Brown,  William  Bean,  John 
Jones,  George  Bussell,  Jacob  Womack,  Bobert  Lucas  and  William 
Tatham.  Of  these  thirteen  commissioners  five  were  appointed  as  a 
court,  by  whom  all  matters  in  controversy  were  settled,  and  the  same  tri- 
bunal had  entire  control  of  everything  pertaining  to  the  public  good. 
This  court  was  composed,  it  is  believed,  of  the  following  persons:  John 
Carter,  Charles  Bobertson,  James  Bobertson,  Zachariah  Isbell  and 
John  Sevier,  with  William  Tatham  as  clerk.  For  a number  of  years  this 
form  of  government  performed  its  functions  with  success  and  satisfaction 
to  the  people.  But  at  length  dissensions  arose,  and  the  result  of  these 
various  views  and  desires  of  the  people  was  the  establishment  of  the  State 
of  Franklin,  as  detailed  later  in  this  chapter. 

After  the  establishment  of  the  Watauga  Association,  the  Govern- 
ment of  the  Notables  was  the  nest  in  the  order  of  time.  This  was  on 
the  banks  of  the  Cumberland,  as  that  was  on  the  banks  of  the  Watauga. 
It  grew  up  from  the  necessities  of  the  people,  far  removed  from  any  pro- 
tecting government.  Bobertson’ s principal  colony  arrived  at  the  French 
Lick  about  January  1,  1780 — Putnam  says  December  25,  1779.  John 
Donelson’s  party  arrived  April  24,  1780,  and  on  May  1 following,  the 
compact  of  government  or  articles  of  agreement  were  entered  into  by 
the  settlers  on  the  Cumberland.  It  was  stated  in  the  chapter  on  the  set- 
tlement of  the  territory,  that  in  the  vicinity  of  the  French  Lick  there 
were  eight  stations,  and  when  the  government  came  to  be  established, 
each  station  was  entitled  to  representatives  in  the  “ Tribunal  of  Nota- 


bles” as  follows: 

Nashborougli  (at  Nashville) 3 

Mansker’s  (Casper  Mansker’s  Lick) 2 

Bledsoe’s  (now  Castilian  Springs) 1 


184 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Aslier’s  (Station  Camp  Creek) 1 

Freeland's  (at  Dr.  McGavoek’s  or  Horticultural  Garden) 1 

Eaton’s  (now  Brooklyn) 2 

Fort  Union  (where  Haysborough  was) 1 

Stone’s  River  (west  of  the  Hermitage) 1 


These  representatives,  or  a majority  of  them,  after  being  bound  by 
the  solemnity  of  an  oath  to  do  equal  and  impartial  justice  between  all 
contending  parties,  were  empowered  and  made  competent  to  settle  all 
controversies  relative  to  location  and  improvements  of  lands;  all  other 
matters  and  questions  of  dispute  among  the  settlers;  protecting  the  rea- 
sonable claims  of  those  who  may  have  returned  for  their  families;  pro- 
viding implements  of  husbandry  and  food  for  such  as  might  arrive  with- 
out such  necessaries;  making  especial  provisions  for  widows  and  orphans 
whose  husbands  or  fathers  may  die  or  be  killed  by  the  Indians ; guaran- 
teeing equal  rights,  mutual  protection  and  impartial  justice;  pledging 
themselves  most  solemnly  and  sacredly  to  promote  the  peace,  happiness 
and  well  being  of  the  coinmunity,  to  suppress  vice  and  punish  crime. 

In  this  compact  one  of  the  principal  elements  of  popular  government  was 
expressly  set  forth,  viz. : the  right  of  the  people  at  the  various  stations  to 
remove  their  representative  or  judge,  or  other  officers,  for  misconduct  or 
unfaithfulness  in  the  discharge  of  their  duties,  and  to  elect  others  to  fill 
the  vacancies.  “This  tribunal  exercised  the  prerogatives  of  government 
to  their  fullest  extent,  with  the  exception  of  the  infliction  of  capital  pun- 
ishment. They  called  out  the  militia  of  the  stations  to  ‘repel  or  pursue 
the  enemy;’  impressed  horses  for  such  service  as  the  public  exigency 
might  demand;  levied  fines,  payable  in  money  or  provisions;  adjudicated 
causes;  entered  up  judgments  and  awarded  executions;  granted  letters  of 
administration  upon  estates  of  deceased  persons,  taking  bonds  ‘payable  to 
Col.  James  Robertson,  chairman  of  committee,’  ” etc. 

Following  are  the  articles  of  agreement,  or  compact  of  government, 
entered  into  by  the  settlers  on  the  Cumberland  River  May  1,  1780.  The 
first  page  is  lost  and  the  second  torn  and  defaced,  but  there  can  be  read 
distinctly  as  follows,  supplying  in  brackets  lost  words: 

* * property  of  right  shall  be  determined  as  soon  [as]  conveniently  may  be  in 

the  following  manner:  The  free  men  of  this  country  over  the  age  [of  twenty]  one  years 
shall  immediately, or  as  soon  as  may  [be  convenient] .proceed  to  elect  or  choose  twelve  con- 
scientious and  [deserving]  persons  from  or  out  of  the  different  sections,  that  is  [to]  say: 
From  Nashborough,  three;  Mansker’s.two;  Bledsoe’s,  one;  Asher’s,  one;  Stone’s  River, one; 
Freeland’s,  one;  Eaton’s,  two;  Fort  Union,  one.  Which  said  persons,  or  a majority  of 
them,  after  being  bound  by  the  solemnity  of  an  oath,  to  do  equal  and  impartial  justice  be- 
tween all  contending  parties,  according  to  their  best  skill  and  judgment,  having  due  regard 
to  the  regulations  of  the  land  office  herein  established,  shall  be  competent  judges  of  the 
matter,  and  *'  * hearing  the  allegations  of  both  parties  and  [their]  witnesses  as  to 

the  facts  alleged  or  otherwise  * * as  to  the  truth  of  the  case,  shall  have  [power]  to 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


185 


decide  controversies,  and  determine  who  is  of  right  entitled  to  an  entry  for  such  land  so  in 
dispute,  when  said  determination  or  decision  shall  be  forever  binding  against  the  future 
claim  of  the  party  against  whom  such  judgment  [shall  be  rendered].  And  the  entry  taker 
shall  make  a [record  thereof]  in  his  book  accordingly,  and  the  entry  * * tending 

party  so  cast  shall  he  * * * if  it  had  never  been  made,  and  the  land  in  dispute 

* * * to  the  person  in  whose  favor  such  judgment  shall  * * * * incase 

of  the  death,  removal,  or  absence  of  any  of  the  judges  so  to  be  chosen,  or  their  refusing  to 
act,  the  station  to  which  such  person  or  persons  belong,  or  was  chosen  from,  shall  proceed 
to  elect  another,  or  others,  in  his  or  their  stead,  which  person,  or  persons,  so  chosen,  after 
being  sworn,  as  aforesaid,  to  do  equal  and  impartial  justice,  shall  have  full  power  and  au- 
thority to  proceed  to  business,  and  act  in  all  disputes  respecting  the  premises  as  if  they 
had  been  originally  chosen  at  the  first  election. 

That  the  entry  book  shall  be  kept  fair  and  open  by  * * person  * * to  be 

appointed  by  said  Richard  Henderson  * * * chose,  and  every  entry  for  land  num- 
bered and  dated,  and  * * * order  without  leaving  any  blank  leaves  or  spaces 

* * * to  the  inspection  of  the  said  twelve  j udges,  or  * * of  them  at  all  times. 

That  many  persons  have  come  to  this  country  without  implements  of  husbandry,  and 

from  other  circumstances  are  obliged  to  return  without  making  a crop,  and  [intend]  re- 
moving out  this  fall,  or  early  next  spring,  and  it  * * reason  * * such  should 

have  the  pre-emption  * * * of  such  places  as  they  may  have  chosen.  * * the 

purpose  of  residence,  therefore  it  is  * * * be  taken  for  all  such,  for  as  much 

land  as  they  are  entitled  to  from  their  head-rights,  which  said  lands  shall  be  reserved  for 
the  particular  person  in  whose  name  they  shall  be  entered,  or  their  heirs,  provided  such 
persons  shall  remove  to  this  country  and  take  possession  of  the  respective  place  or  piece  of 
land  so  chosen  or  entered,  or  shall  send  a laborer,  or  laborers,  and  a white  person  in  his  or 
her  stead  to  perform  the  same,  on  or  before  the  first  day  of  May,  in  the  year  one  thousand 
seven  hundred  and  eighty-one;  and  also  provided  such  land  so  chosen  and  entered  for  is 
not  entered  and  claimed  by  some  person  who  is  an  inhabitant,  and  shall  raise  a crop  of 
corn  the  present  year  at  some  station  or  place  convenient  to  the  general  settlement  in  this 
country.  But  it  is  fully  to  be  understood  that  those  who  are  actually  at  this  time  inhab- 
itants of  this  country  shall  not  be  debarred  of  their  choice  or  claim  on  account  of  the  right 
of  any  such  absent  or  returning  person  or  persons.  It  is  further  proposed  and  agreed  that 
no  claim  or  title  to  any  lands  whatsoever  shall  be  set  up  by  any  person  in  consequence  of 
any  mark  or  former  improvement,  unless  the  same  be  entered  with  the  entry  taker  within 
twenty  days  from  the  date  of  this  association  and  agreement;  and  that  when  any  person 
hereafter  shall  mark  or  improve  land  or  lands  for  himself,  such  mark  or  improvement  shall 
not  avail  him  or  be  deemed  an  evidence  of  prior  right,  unless  the  same  be  entered  with  the 
entry  taker  in  thirty  days  * * from  the  time  of  such  mark  or  improvement,  but  no 

other  person  shall  be  entitled  to  such  lands  so  as  aforesaid  to  be  reserved  * * conse- 

quence of  any  purchase  gift,  or  otherwise. 

That  if  the  entry  taker  to  be  appointed  shall  neglect  or  refuse  to  perform  his  duty, 
or  be  found  by  said  judges,  or  a majority  of  them,  to  have  acted  fraudulently,  to  the  prej- 
udice of  any  person  whatsoever,  such  entry  taker  shall  be  immediately  removed  from  his 
office,  and  the  book  taken  out  of  his  possession  by  the  said  judges,  until  another  be  ap- 
pointed to  act  in  his  room. 

That  as  often  as  the  people  in  general  are  dissatisfied  with  the  doings  of  the  judges 
or  triers  so  to  be  chosen,  they  may  call  a new  election  at  any  of  the  said  stations  and  elect 
others  in  their  stead,  having  due  respect  to  the  number  now  to  be  elected  at  each  station, 
which  persons  so  to  be  chosen  shall  havo  the  same  power  with  those  in  whose  room  or 
place  they  shall  or  may  be  chosen  to  act. 

That  as  no  consideration  money  for  the  lands  on  Cumberland  River,  within  the 
claim  of  the  said  Richard  Henderson  and  Company,  and  which  is  the  subject  of  this  asso- 
ciation, is  demanded  or  expected  by  the  said  company,  until  a satisfactory  and  indisputa- 
ble title  can  be  made,  so  we  think  it  reasonable  and  just  that  the  £26,  13s.  4d.  current 
money  per  hundred  acres,  the  price  proposed  by  the  said  Richard  Henderson,  shall  be 


186 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


paid  according  to  the  value  of  money  on  the  first  day  of  January  last,  being  the  time 
when  the  price  was  made  public,  and  settlement  encouraged  thereon  by  said  Henderson, 
and  the  said  Richard  Henderson  on  his  part  does  hereby  agree  that  in  case  of  the  rise  or 
appreciation  of  money  from  that  * * * an  abatement  shall  be  made  in  the 

sum  according  to  its  raised  or  appreciated  value. 

That  where  any  person  shall  remove  to  this  country  with  intent  to  become  an  in- 
habitant and  depart  this  life,  either  by  violence  or  in  the  natural  way,  before  he  shall 
have  performed  the  requisites  necessary  to  obtain  lands,  the  child  or  children  of  such  de- 
ceased person  shall  be  entitled,  in  his  or  her  room,  to  such  quantity  of  land  as  such  person 
would  have  been  entitled  to  in  case  be  or  she  had  lived  to  obtain  a grant  in  their  own 
name;  and  if  such  death  be  occasioned  by  the  Indians  the  said  Henderson  doth  promise 
and  agree  that  the  child  or  children  shall  have  as  much  as  amounts  to  their  head-rights 
gratis , surveyor’s  and  other  incidental  fees  excepted, 

And  Whereas,  from  our  remote  situation  and  want  of  proper  offices  for  the  admin- 
istration of  justice,  no  regular  proceedings  at  law  can  be  had  for  the  punishment  of  of- 
fenses and  attainment  of  right,  it  is  therefore  agreed  that  until  we  can  be  relieved  by 
Government  from  the  many  evils  and  inconveniences  arising  therefrom,  the  judges  or 
triers  to  be  appointed  as  before  directed  when  qualified  shall  be  and  are  hereby  declared 
a proper  court  or  jurisdiction  for  the  recovery  of  any  debt  or  damages;  or  where  the  cause 
of  action  or  complaint  has  arisen,  or  hereafter  shall  commence  for  anything  done  or  to  be 
done  among  ourselves,  within  this  our  settlement  on  Cumberland  aforesaid,  or  in  our  pas- 
sage hither,  where  the  laws  of  our  country  could  not  be  executed,  or  damages  repaired  in  any 
other  way;  that  is  to  say,  in  all  cases  where  the  debt  or  damages  or  demand  does  or  shall 
not  exeeed  one  hundred  dollars,  any  three  of  the  said  judges  or  triers  shall  be  competent  to 
make  acourt,  and  finally  decide  the  matter  in  controversy;  but  if  for  a larger  sum,  andeither 
party  shall  be  dissatisfied  with  the  judgment  or  decision  of  such  court,  they  may  have  an 
appeal  to  the  whole  twelve  judges  or  triers,  in  which  case  nine  members  shall  be  deemed 
a full  court,  whose  decision,  if  seven  agree  in  one  opinion,  the  matter  in  dispute  shall  be 
final,  and  their  judgment  carried  into  execution  in  such  manner,  and  by  such  person  or 
persons  as  they  may  appoint,  and  the  said  courts,  respectively,  shall  have  full  power  to 
tax  such  costs  as  they  may  think  just  and  reasonable,  to  be  levied  and  collected  with  the 
debt  or  damages  so  to  be  awarded. 

And  it  is  further  agreed  that  a majority  of  said  judges,  or  triers,  or  general  arbitra- 
tors shall  have  power  to  punish  in  their  discretion,  having  respect  to  the  laws  of  our  coun- 
try, all  offenses  against  the  peace,  misdemeanors,  and  those  criminal  or  of  a capital  nature 
provided  such  court  does  not  proceed  with  execution  so  far  as  to  affect  life  or  member; 
and  in  case  any  should  be  brought  before  them  whose  crime  is  or  shall  be  dangerous  to 
the  State,  or  for  which  the  benefit  of  clergy  is  taken  away  by  law,  and  sufficient  evidence 
or  proof  of  the  fact  or  fafcts  can  probaoly  be  made,  such  courts,  or  a majority  of  the  mem- 
bers, shall  and  may  order  and  direct  him,  her,  or  them  to  be  safely  bound  and  sent  under 
a strong  guard  to  the  place  where  the  offense  was  or  shall  be  committed,  or  where  legal 
trial  of  such  offense  can  be  had,  which  shall  accordingly  be  done,  and  the  reasonable  ex- 
pense attending  the  discharge  of  this  duty  ascertained  by  the  court,  and  paid  by  the  in- 
habitants in  such  proportion  as  shall  be  hereafter  agreed  on  for  that  purpose. 

That  as  this  settlement  is  in  its  infancy,  unknown  to  government,  and  not  included 
in  any  county  within  North  Carolina,  the  State  to  which  it  belongs,  so  as  to  derive  the 
advantages  of  those  wholesome  and  salutary  laws  for  the  protection  and  benefits  of  its  cit- 
izens, we  find  ourselves  constrained  from  necessity  to  adopt  this  temporary  method  of 
restraining  the  licentious,  and  supplying,  by  unanimous  consent,  the  blessings  flowing 
from  a just  and  equitable  government,  declaring  and  promising  that  no  action  or  com- 
plaint shall  be  hereafter  instituted  or  lodged  in  any  court  of  record  within  this  State  or 
elsewhere,  for  anything  done  or  to  be  done  in  consequence  of  the  proceedings  of  the  said 
judges  or  general  arbitrators  so  to  be  chosen  and  established  by  this  our  association. 

That  the  well-being  of  this  country  entirely  depends,  under  Divine  Providence,  on 
unanimity  of  sentiment  and  concurrence  in  measures,  and  as  clashing  interests  and  opin- 


HISTORY  OT  TENNESSEE. 


187 


ions  without  being  under  some  restraint  will  most  certainly  produce  confusion,  discord 
and  almost  certain  ruin,  so  we  think  it  our  duty  to  associate  and  hereby  form  ourselves 
into  one  society  for  the  benefit  of  present  and  future  settlers,  and  until  the  full  and  proper 
exercise  of  the  laws  of  our  country  can  be  in  use,  and  the  powers  of  government  exerted 
among  us,  we  do  solemnly  and  sacredly  declare  and  promise  each  other  that  we  will  faith- 
fully and  punctually  adhere  to,  perform  and  abide  by  this  our  association,  and  at  all  times, 
if  need  be,  compel  by  our  united  force  a due  obedience  to  these  our  rules  and  regulations. 
In  testimony  whereof  we  have  hereunto  subscribed  our  names,  in  token  of  our  entire 
approbation  of  the  measures  adopted. 

The  following  additional  resolutions  were  adopted  and  entered  into  at 
Nasliborough,  May  31,  1780: 

That  all  young  men  over  the  age  of  sixteen  years,  and  able  to  perform  militia  duty, 
shall  be  considered  as  having  a full  right  to  enter  for  and  obtain  lands  in  their  own  names 
as  if  they  were  of  full  age;  and  in  that  case  not  be  reckoned  in  the  family  of  his  father, 
mother  or  master  so  as  to  avail  them  of  any  land  on  their  account. 

That  when  any  person  shall  mark  or  improve  land  or  lands,  with  intent  to  set  up  a 
claim  thereto,  such  person  shall  write  or  mark  in  legible  characters  the  initial  letters  of 
his  name  at  least,  together  with  the  day  of  the  month  and  year  on  which  he  marked  or 
improved  the  same  at  the  spring  or  most  notorious  part  of  the  land,  on  some  convenient 
tree  or  other  durable  substance,  in  order  to  notify  his  intention  to  all  such  as  may  inquire 
or  examine;  and  in  case  of  dispute  with  respect  to  priority  of  right,  proof  of  such  trans- 
action shall  be  made  by  the  oath  of  some  indifferent  witness,  or  no  advantage  or  benefit 
shall  be  derived  from  such  mark  or  improvement;  and  in  all  cases  where  priority  of  mark 
or  occupancy  cannot  be  ascertained  according  to  the  regulations  and  prescriptions  herein 
proposed  and  agreed  to,  the  oldest  or  first  entry  in  the  office  to  be  opened  in  consequence 
of  this  association  shall  have  the  preference,  and  the  lands  granted  accordingly. 

It  is  further  proposed  and  agreed  that  the  entry  office  shall  be  opened  at  Hash- 
borough  on  Friday,  the  19th  of  May,  instant,  and  kept  from  thenceforward  at  the  same 
place  unless  otherwise  directed  by  any  future  convention  of  the  people  in  general  or  their 
representatives. 

That  the  entry  taker  shall  and  may  demand  and  receive  twelve  dollars  for  each  entry 
to  be  made  in  his  book,  in  manner  before  directed,  and  shall  give  a certificate  thereof  if 
required;  and  also  may  take  the  same  fee  for  every  caveat  or  counter-claim  to  any  lands 
before  entered;  and  in  all  cases  where  a caveat  is  to  be  tried  in  manner  before  directed, 
the  entry  book  shall  be  laid  before  the  said  committee  of  judges,  triers,  or  general  arbi- 
trators, for  their  inspection  and  information,  and  their  judgment  upon  the  matter  in  dis- 
pute fairly  entered  as  before  directed;  which  said  court  or  committee  is  also  to  keep  a 
fair  and  distinct  journal  or  minutes  of  all  their  proceedings,  as  well  with  respect  to  lands 
as  other  matters  which  may  come  before  them  in  consequence  of  these  our  resolutions. 

It  is  also  firmly  agreed  and  resolved  that  no  person  shall  be  admitted  to  make  an  entry 
for  any  lands  with  the  said  entry  taker,  or  permitted  to  hold  the  same,  unless  such  person 
shall  subscribe  his  name  and  conform  to  this  our  Association,  Confederacy  and  General 
Government,  unless  it  be  for  persons  who  have  returned  home,  and  are  permitted  to  have 
lands  reserved  for  their  use  until  the  first  day  of  May  next,  in  which  case  entries  may  be 
made  for  such  absent  persons  according  to  the  true  meaning  of  this  writing,  without  their 
personal  presence,  but  shall  become  utterly  void  if  the  particular  person  or  persons  for 
whom  such  entry  shall  be  made  should  refuse  or  neglect  to  perform  the  same  as  soon  as 
conveniently  may  be  after  their  return,  and  before  the  said  first  day  of  May,  1781. 

Whereas,  The  frequent  and  dangerous  incursions  of  the  Indians  and  almost  daily  mas- 
sacre of  some  of  our  inhabitants  renders  it  absolutely  necessary  for  our  safety  and  defense 
that  due  obedience  be  paid  to  our  respective  officers  elected  and  to  be  elected  at  the  sev- 
eral stations  or  settlements  to  take  command  of  the  men  or  militia  at  such  fort  or  station, 
It  is  further  agreed  and  resolved  that  when  it  shall  be  adjudged  necessary  and  expe 
dient  by  such  commanding  officer  to  draw  out  the  militia  of  any  fort  or  station  to  pursue 


188 


HISTOKY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


or  repulse  the  enemy,  the  said  officer  shall  have  power  to  call  out  such  aud  so  many  of  his; 
men  as  he  may  judge  necessary,  and  in  case  of  disobedience  may  inflict  such  fine,  as  he  in 
his  discretion  shall  think  just  and  reasonable,  and  also  may  impress  the  horse  or  horses  of 
any  person  or  persons  whomsoever,  which,  if  lost  or  damaged  in  such  service,  shall  be 
paid  for  by  the  inhabitants  of  such  fort  or  station  in  such  manner  and  such  proportion  as 
the  Committee  hereby  appointed,  or  a majority  of  them,  shall  direct  and  order;  but  if  any 
person  shall  be  aggrieved,  or  think  himself  unjustly  vexed  and  injured  by  the  fine  or  fines 
so  imposed- by  his  officer  or  officers,  such  person  may  appeal  to  the  said  Judges  or  Com- 
mittee of  General  Arbitrators,  who,  or  a majority  of  them,  shall  have  power  to  examine 
the  matter  fully  and  make  such  order  therein  as  they  may  think  just  and  reasonable, 
which  decision  shall  be  conclusive  on  the  party  complaining  as  well  as  j;he  officer  or  officers 
inflicting  such  fine;  and  the  money  arising  from  such  fines  shall  be  carefully  applied  for 
the  benefit  of  such  fort  or  station  in  such  manner  as  the  said  Arbitrators  shall  hereafter 
direct. 

It  is  lastly  agreed  and  firmly  resolved  that  a dutiful  and  humble  address  or  petition  be 
presented  by  some  person  or  persons  to  be  chosen  by  the  inhabitants,  to  the  General  As- 
sembly, giving  the  fullest  assurance  of  the  fidelity  and  attachment  to  the  interest  of  our 
country  and  obedience  to  the  laws  and  Constitution  thereof;  setting  forth  that  we  are 
confident  our  settlement  is  not  within  the  boundaries  of  any  nation  or  tribe  of  Indians,  as 
some  of  us  know  and  all  believe  that  they  have  fairly  sold  and  received  satisfaction  for 
the  land  or  territories  whereon  we  reside,  and  therefore  we  hope  we  may  not  be  consid- 
ered as  acting  against  the  laws  of  our  country  or  the  mandates  of  government. 

That  we  do  not  desire  to  be  exempt  from  the  ratable  share  of  the  public  expense  of 
the  present  war,  or  other  contingent  charges  of  government.  That  we  are,  from  our 
remote  situation,  utterly  destitute  of  the  benefit  of  the  laws  of  our  country,  and  exposed 
to  the  depredations  of  the  Indians,  without  any  justifiable  or  effectual  means  of  embodying 
our  militia,  or  defending  ourselves  against  the  hostile  attempts  of  our  enemy;  praying  and 
imploring  the  immediate  aid  and  protection  of  government,  by  erecting  a county  to  in- 
clude our  settlements;  appointing  proper  officers  for  the  discharge  of  public  duty;  taking 
into  consideration  our  distressed  situation  with  respect  to  Indians,  and  granting  such  relief 
and  assistance  as  in  wisdom,  justice  and  humanity  may  be  thought  reasonable. 

Nashborough,  13th  May,  1780. 

To  these  articles  o£  agreement  250  persons  signed  their  names,  all  of 
whom  could  write  but  one,  James  Patrick,  who  made  his  mark.  No  rec- 
ords of  the  government  of  the  Notables  have  been  discovered  by  any  his- 
torian, for  the  reason,  doubtless,  that  few,  if  any,  were  made.  Putnam 
to  whom  this,  as  well  as  other  histories,  is  largely  indebted  for  its  account 
of  this  government  on  the  Cumberland  says  on  this  point:  “After  the 
organization  of  the  primitive  government  on  May-day,  1780,  down  to 
January,  1783,  we  have  no  records,  not  even  a fugitive  scrap  or  sheet,  of 
which  that  ready  clerk,  Andrew  Ewin,  was  usually  so  careful.  The  peo- 
ple were  so  greatly  exposed  and  kept  in  such  constant  alarm,  some  leav- 
ing, and  many  agitating  the  propriety  or  possibility  of  remaining,  all 
admitting  that  their  perils  were  imminent  and  were  likely  so  to  continue 
for  an  indefinite  period,  that  we  may  presume  there  were  no  regular- 
meetings  of  the  judges  and  no  regular  minutes  made.  * * * 

“Prom  our  researches  we  conclude  that  immediately  after  the  adop- 
tion of  the  articles,  an  election  was  held  at  the  stations,  and  that  then 
Robertson  was  chosen  colonel ; Donelson,  lieutenant-colonel;  Lucas,  major;, 


VIEW  ON  FALLS  CREEK,  NEAR  SMITHVILLE. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


189 


and  George  Freeland,  Mauldin,  Bledsoe  and  Blackmore,  captains.'" 
How  long  these  individuals  remained  in  office,  or  what  duties  they  per- 
formed, is  not  now  known.  But  in  1783  the  government  was  revived, 
as  the  following  extract  shows: 

North  Carolina,  Cumberland  River,  January  7,  1783 

The  manifold  sufferings  and  distresses  that  the  settlers  here  have  from  time  to  time 
undergone,  even  almost  from  our  first  settling,  with  the  desertion  of  the  greater  number 
of  the  first  adventurers,  being  so  discouraging  to  the  remaining  few  that  all  administration 
of  justice  seemed  to  cease  from  amongst  us,  which,  however  weak,  whether  iu  coar 
stitution,  administration  or  execution,  yet  has  been  construed  in  our  favor  against  those 
whose  malice  or  interest  would  insinuate  us  a people  fled  to  a hiding  place  from  justice, 
and  the  revival  of  them  again  earnestly  recommended.  It  appears  highly  necessary  that 
for  the  common  weal  of  the  whole,  the  securing  of  peace,  the  performance  of  contracts 
between  man  and  man,  together  with  the  suppression  of  vice,  again  to  revive  our  former 
manner  of  proceedings,  pursuant  to  the  plan  agreed  upon  at  our  first  settling  here,  and  to 
proceed  accordingly  until  such  times  as  it  shall  please  the  Legislature  to  grant  us  the  sal- 
utary benefits  of  the  law  duly  administered  amongst  us  by  their  authority. 

To  this  end,  previous  notice  having  been  given  to  the  several  stationers  to  elect 
twelve  men  of  their  several  stations,  whom  they  thought  most  proper  for  the  business,  and 
being  elected,  to  meet  at  Nashborough  on  the  7th  day  of  January,  1783. 

Accordingly  there  met  at  the  time  and  place  aforesaid  Col.  James  Robertson,  Capt- 
George  Freeland,  Thomas  Molloy,  Isaac  Lindsey,  David  Rounsevail,  Heydon  Wells,  James 
Maulding,  Ebenezer  Titus,  Samuel  Barton  and  Andrew  Ewin,  who  constituted  themselves 
into  a committee,  for  the  purposes  aforesaid,  by  voluntarily  taking  the  following  oath: 

I. , do  solemnly  swear  that  as  a member  of  the  committee,  I will  do  equal  right 

and  justice,  according  to  the  best  of  my  skill  and  judgment,  in  the  decision  of  all  causes 
that  shall  be  laid  before  me  without  fear,  favor  or  partiality.  So  help  me  God. 

The  committee  then  proceeded  to  elect  Col.  James  Robertson,  chair- 
man; John  Montgomery,  slier  ill,  and  Andrew  Ewin,  clerk,  and  to  fix  the 
clerk’s  fees.  From  this  time  to  the  organization  of  Davidson  County  in 
April,  1783,  the  committee  held  meetings  as  occasion  required,  accounts 
of  which  will  properly  be  introduced  as  a prelude  to  the  history  of  that 
organization.  And  in  this  way  the  government  of  the  Notables  served 
its  purpose  and  came  to  its  end.  It  was  wholly  unlike  that  other  anom- 
aly in  government,  the  State  of  Franklin,  in  not  aspiring  to  independent 
Statehood,  and  always  looking  steadily  to  North  Carolina  as  the  source 
of  proper  government  for  the  settlers  on  the  Cumberland.  Its  proceed- 
ings were  frequently  dated  “ North  Carolina,  Cumberland  District,”  and 
a part  of  the  time  “ Nashborough,”  and  were  continued  until  in  August, 
after  which  the  regular  authorities  of  Davidson  County,  the  act  for  the 
organization  of  which  was  approved  October  6,  1783,  assumed  authorita- 
tive control  of  public  affairs. 

THE  STATE  OF  FRANKLIN. 

The  Revolutionary  war  was  over  and  independence  won.  The  colonies 
and  their  dependencies  were  thrown  entirely  upon  their  own  resources.. 


12 


190 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Society  was  in  an  unsettled,  in  somewhat  of  a chaotic  condition,  but  it  is 
remarkable  that  there  was  very  little  of  the  spirit  of  insubordination  and 
anarchy.  The  main  reason  for  the  universal  disposition  to  maintain 
order  was  undoubtedly  the  financial  necessities  of  the  various  colonial 
governments,  as  well  as  those  of  the  Continental  Congress.  The  stabil- 
ity of  the  individual  States  and  of  the  General  Government  depended,  in 
large  measure,  upon  the  extinguishment  of  the  debts  that  had  been 
created  during  the  war  of  the  Revolution. 

One  of  the  expedients  for  improving  the  condition  of  things  resorted 
to  by  Congress,  was  its  suggestion  to  such  of  the  States  as  owned  vacant 
lands  to  throw  them  together,  establish  a joint  fund,  and  with  this  joint 
fund  pay  off  the  common  debt.  North  Carolina  owned  a large  amount 
of  territory,  extending  from  the  Alleghany  Mountains  to  the  Mississippi 
River,  and  among  the  measures  adopted  by  her  General  Assembly  was  the 
act  of  June,  1783,  ceding  to  Congress  the  lands  therein  described. 
According  to  this  act  the  authority  of  North  Carolina  was  to  extend  over 
this  territory  until  Congress  should  accept  the  cession.  The  members  to 
the  General  Assembly,  from  the  four  western  counties,  Washington,  Sulli- 
van, Greene  and  Davidson,  were  present  and  voted  for  the  cession. 

These  members  perceived  a disinclination  on  the  part  of  the  parent  State 
to  make  proper  provision  for  the  protection  of  the  people  in  the  western 
province.  Accounts  were  constantly  being  presented  to  the  General  . 
Assembly  for  the  defense  of  the  frontier  settlements  against  the  Indians. 
These  accounts  were  reluctantly  received,  cautiously  scrutinized  and 
grudgingly  paid.  Crimination  and  recrimination  were  mutually  indulged 
in  by  North  Carolina  and  her  western  counties,  and  it  was  even  intimated 
that  some  of  these  accounts,  or  portions  of  some  of  them,  were  fabricated 
or  invented.  The  inhabitants  of  these  western  counties,  whose  exposed 
situation  seemed  not  to  be  appreciated  and  whose  honor  seemed  thus  to 
be  impugned,  remembering  that  in  the  Bill  of  Rights  adopted  at  the  same 
time  with  the  State  Constitution,  a clause  had  been  inserted  authorizing 
the  formation  of  one  or  more  new  States  out  of  this  western  territory, 
and  entertaining  the  impression  that  Congress  would  not  accept  the 
cession  of  the  territory  within  the  two  year  limit,  and  feeling  that  the 
new  settlements  included  within  this  territory  would  be  practically 
excluded  from  the  protection  of  both  North  Carolina  and  Congress,  would 
in  fact  be  left  in  a state  of  anarchy,  unable  to  command  their  own  powers 
and  resources,  knowing  that  no  provision  had  been  made  for  the  estab- 
lishment of  superior  courts  west  of  the  mountains,  seeing  that  violations 
of  law  were  permitted  to  pass  unpunished  except  by  the  summary  process 
of  the  regulators  appointed  for  the  purpose  by  the  people  themselves, 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


191 


and  perceiving  also  that  the  military  organization  was  inadequate  to  the 
defense  of  the  inhabitants,  in  part  because  there  was  no  brigadier-general 
authorized  to  call  the  military  forces  into  active  service,  with  an  extensive 
frontier  constantly  exposed  to  and  suffering  from  the  ravages  of  the 
savages,  and  with  numerous  other  considerations  suggested  to  them  by 
their  anomalously  exposed  situation,  perceived  the  necessity  of  themselves 
devising  means  for  the  extrication  of  themselves  from  the  numerous, 
great  and  unexpected  difficulties  with  which  they  found  themselves  sur- 
rounded. 

For  the  purpose  of  an  attempt  at  extrication  it  was  proposed  that  each 
captain’s  company  elect  two  representatives,  and  that  these  representa- 
tives assemble  to  deliberate  upon  the  condition  of  affairs  and  if  possible 
devise  some  general  plan  adapted  to  the  emergency.  Accordingly  these 
representatives  met  August  23,  1783,  in  Jonesborough.  Following  are 
the  names  of  the  deputies  from  Washington  County:  John  Sevier, 

Charles  Robertson,  William  Trimble,  William  Cox,  Landon  Carter,  Hugh 
Henry,  Christopher  Taylor,  John  Christian,  Samuel  Doak,  William 
Campbell,  Benjamin  Holland,  John  Bean,  Samuel  Williams  and  Richard 
White.  Sullivan  County:  Joseph  Martin,  Gilbert  Christian,  William 
Cocke,  John  Manifee,  William  Wallace,  John  Hall,  Samuel  Wilson, 
Stockley  Donelson  and  William  Evans.  Greene  County:  Daniel  Ken- 
nedy, Alexander  Outlaw,  Joseph  Gist,  Samuel  Weir,  Asahel  Rawlings, 
Joseph  Bullard,  John  Managhan,  John  Murphey,  David  Campbell, 
Archibald  Stone,  Abraham  Denton,  Charles  Robinson  and  Elisha  Baker. 
Davidson  County  sent  no  delegates. 

John  Sevier  was  chosen  president  of  the  convention,  and  Landon 
Carter,  secretary.  A committee  was  appointed  to  deliberate  upon  the 
condition  of  affairs,  consisting  of  Cocke,  Outlaw,  Carter,  Campbell, 
Manifee,  Martin,  Robinson,  Houston,  Christian,  Kennedy  and  Wilson. 
After  deliberation  upon  and  discussion  of  the  objects  of  the  convention, 
during  which  the  Declaration  of  Independence  was  read,  and  the  inde- 
pendence of  the  three  counties  represented  suggested,  the  committee 
drew  up  and  presented  a report,  which  was  in  substance  as  follows:  That 
the  committee  was  of  the  opinion  that  they  had  the  right  to  petition  Con- 
gress to  accept  the  cession  of  North  Carolina  and  to  recognize  them  as  a 
separate  government;  that  if  any  contiguous  part  of  Virginia  should 
make  application  to  join  this  association,  after  being  permitted  to  make 
such  application  by  Virginia,  they  should  receive  and  enjoy  the  same 
privileges  that  they  themselves  enjoyed,  and  that  one  or  more  persons 
should  be  sent  to  represent  the  situation  of  things  to  Congress.  This 
report  was  adopted  by  the  following  vote : Yeas — Messrs.  Terrell,  Samms, 


192 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


North,  Taylor,  Anderson,  Houston,  Cox,  Talbot,  Joseph  Wilson,  Trim- 
ble, Reese,  John  Anderson,  Manifee,  Christian,  Carnes,  A.  Taylor,  Fitz- 
gerald, Cavit,  Looney,  Cocke,  B.  Gist,  Rawlings,  Bullard,  Joshua  Gist, 
Valentine  Sevier,  Robinson,  Evans  and  Managhan.  Nays — John  Tip- 
ton,  Joseph  Tipton,  Stuart,  Maxfield,  D.  Looney,  Vincent,  Cage,  Provine, 
Gammon,  Davis,  Kennedy,  Newman,  Weir,  James  Wilson  and  Campbell. 

It  is  thought  that  the  above  described  proceedings  were  had  at  the 
August  convention  of  1784,  which  may  account  for  the  discrepancy  in 
the  names  of  those  voting  as  compared  with  those  elected,  as  given  ear- 
lier.* The  plan  of  the  association  was  drawn  up  by  Messrs.  Cocke  and 
Hardin,  and  was  referred  next  day  to  the  convention.  This  plan  was  the 
formation  of  an  association  by  the  election  of  representatives  to  it,  to 
send  a suitable  person  to  Congress,  and  to  cultivate  public  spirit,  benev- 
olence and  virtue,  and  they  pledged  themselves  to  protect  the  association 
with  their  lives  and  fortunes,  faith  and  reputation. 

It  was  then  determined  that  each  county  should  elect  five  members  to 
a convention  to  adopt  a constitution  and  form  an  independent  State. 
This  convention  met  in  November  and  broke  up  in  great  confusion  upon 
the  plan  of  association,  and  besides  some  were  opposed  to  separation 
from  North  Carolina.  The  North  Carolina  General  Assembly  was  then  in 
session  at  Newbern,  and  repealed  the  act  of  cession  to  the  United  States, 
appointed  an  assistant  judge  and  an  attorney-general  for  the  superior 
court,  directed  the  superior  court  to  be  held  at  Jonesborough  and  also 
organized  the  militia  of  Washington  District  into  a brigade  and  ap- 
pointed John  Sevier  brigadier-general.  Gen.  Sevier  expressed  himself 
satisfied  with  the  action  of  North  Carolina,  and  advised  the  people  to 
proceed  no  further  in  their  determination  to  separate  from  the  parent 
State,  but  they  were  not  to  be  advised.  Proceeding  with  their  move- 
ment five  delegates  or  deputies  were  chosen  to  the  convention  from  each 
county  as  follows:  Washington  County — John  Sevier,  William  Cocke, 
John  Tipton,  Thomas  Stewart  and  Rev.  Samuel  Houston.  Sullivan 
County — David  Looney,  Richard  Gammon,  Moses  Looney,  William  Cage 
and  John  Long.  Greene  County — Daniel  Kennedy,  John  Newman, 
James  Roddy e and  Joseph  Hardin. 

Upon  assembling  John  Sevier  was  elected  president  of  the  conven- 
tion, and  F.  A.  Ramsey,  secretary.  Prayer  was  offered  by  the  Rev. 
Samuel  Houston.  A constitution  was  adopted  subject  to  the  ratification 
or  rejection  of  a future  convention  to  be  chosen  by  the  people.  This 
convention  met  at  the  appointed  time  and  place,  Greeneville,  November 
14,  1784,  the  first  legislative  assembly  that  ever  convened  in  Tennessee.- 


♦Ramsey. 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


193 


Landon  Carter  was  speaker  and  Thomas  Talbot  clerk  of  the  Senate; 
William  Cage,  speaker  and  Thomas  Chapman,  clerk  of  the  House  of 
Commons.  The  assembly,  after  being  organized,  elected  John  Sevier 
governor.  A judiciary  system  was  established,  and  David  Campbell 
elected  judge  of  the  superior  court,  and  Joshua  Gist  and  John  Anderson 
assistant  judges.  The  last  day  of  this  first  session  was  March  31.  1785. 
Numerous  acts  were  ratified,  among  them  one  for  the  promotion  of  learn- 
ing in  the  county  of  Washington.  Under  the  provisions  of  this  act 
Martin  Academy  was  founded,  and  Rev.  Samuel  Doak  became  its  presi- 
dent. Wayne  County  was  organized  out  of  a part  of  Washington  and 
Wilkes  Counties.  The  officers  of  this  new  State,  in  addition  to  those 
mentioned  above,  were  the  following:  State  senator,  Landon  Carter; 
treasurer,  William  Cage;  surveyor-general,  Stockley  Donelson;  briga- 
dier-generals of  the  militia,  Daniel  Kennedy  and  William  Cocke.  Gen. 
Cocke  was  chosen  delegate  to  Congress.  Council  of  State,  William  Cocke, 
Landon  Carter,  Francis  A.  Ramsey,  Judge  Campbell,  Gen.  Kennedy  and 
Col.  Taylor.  The  salaries  of  the  officers  were  fixed,  various  articles  were 
made  a legal  tender  in  the  payment  of  debts,  and  a treaty  was  made  with 
the  Cherokee  Indians.  The  boundary  line,  according  to  this  treaty, 
which  was  concluded  May  31,  1785,  was  the  ridge  dividing  the  Little 
River  and  the  Tennessee. 

Gov.  Martin,  of  North  Carolina,  hearing  of  the  organization  of 
the  State  of  Franklin,  addressed  Gov.  Sevier,  requesting  informa- 
tion regarding  the  movement.  In  response  to  this  request  a communi- 
cation was  sent  to  Gov.  Martin,  signed  by  Gov.  John  Sevier,  by  Landon 
Carter,  speaker  of  the  Senate,  and  by  William  Cage,  speaker  of  the  House 
of  Commons,  setting  forth  what  had  been  done  and  the  several  reasons 
therefor.  Thereupon  Gov.  Martin  called  together  the  Council  of  North 
Carolina,  April  22,  and  convened  the  Legislature  June  1,  and  on  the 
same  day  issued  an  elaborate  manifesto  to  the  inhabitants  in  the  revolted 
counties,  Washington,  Sullivan  and  Greene,  hoping  to  reclaim  them  to 
their  allegiance  to  North  Carolina,  and  warning  them  of  the  consequences 
of  their  action  in  adhering  to  the  State  of  Franklin.  A few  had,  from 
the  first,  opposed  the  organization  of  the  State.  The  repeal  of  the  cession 
act  had  increased  their  number,  but  no  one  seemed  to  desire  to  establish 
a permanent  connection  with  North  Carolina,  hence  a large  majority  of 
the  people  firmly  adhered  to  the  new  commonwealth. 

During  the  administration  of  Patrick  Henry  as  governor  of  Virginia, 
information  was  communicated  by  him  to  the  Legislature  of  that  State 
as  to  the  movement  of  Col.  Arthur  Campbell  and  others,  who  had  labored 
with  some  success  to  persuade  the  citizens  of  Washington  County  to  sever 


194 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


their  connection  from  the  old  government  of  Virginia,  and  attach  them- 
selves to  the  new  State  of  Franklin,  or  to  form  a new  one  distinct  from 
it.  It  was  proposed  by  Col.  Campbell  that  the  limits  of  the  new  State, 
which  he  was  in  favor  of  forming  and  naming  “ Franldand,”  should  be  as 
follows:  “ Beginning  at  a point  on  the  top  of  the  Alleghany  or  Appalach- 
ian Mountains,  so  as  a line  drawn  due  north  from  this  point  will  touch 
the  bank  of  the  New  River,  otherwise  called  Kanawha,  at  its  confluence 
with  Little  River,  which  is  about  one  mile  from  Ingle’s  Ferry,  down  the 
said  river  Kanawha  to  the  mouth  of  the  Rencovert,  or  Green  Briar  River ; 
a direct  line  from  thence  to  the  nearest  summit  of  the  Laurel  Mountains, 
and  along  the  highest  part  of  the  same  to  the  point  where  it  is  inter- 
cepted by  the  thirty-seventh  degree  of  north  latitude ; west  along  that  lati- 
tude to  a point  where  it  is  met  by  a meridian  line  that  passes  through  the 
lower  part  of  the  River  Ohio ; south  along  the  meridian  to  Elk  River,  a 
branch  of  the  Tennessee;  down  said  river  to  its  mouth,  and  down  the 
Tennessee  to  the  most  southwardly  part  or  bend  of  the  said  river ; a direct 
line  from  thence  to  that  branch  of  the  Mobile  called  Tombigbee;  down 
said  river  Tombigbee  to  its  junction  with  the  Coosawattee  River,  to  the 
mouth  of  that  branch  of  it  called  the  Hightower ; thence  south  to  the  top 
of  the  Appalachian  Mountains,  or  the  highest  land  that  divides  the  sources 
of  the  eastern  from  the  western  waters;  northwardly  along  the  middle  of 
said  heights  and  the  top  of  the  Appalachian  Mountains  to  the  beginning.” 

The  proposed  form  of  government  stated  that  the  inhabitants  within 
the  above  limits  agreed  with  each  other  to  form  themselves  into  a free 
and  independent  body  politic  or  State  by  the  name  of  the  “ Commonwealth 
of  Frankland.”  It  will  be  seen  that  the  people  who  proposed  to  estab- 
lish the  independent  State  of  Frankland  had  affixed  such  boundaries  to 
their  proposed  commonwealth  as  to  include  the  State  of  Franklin,  much 
of  the  territory  of  Virginia,  and  the  present  Kentucky,  and  of  Georgia 
and  Alabama.  This  magnificent  project  was  supported  by  but  few  men, 
and  was  soon  abandoned,  even  by  its  friends  and  projectors. 

The  people  who  had  revolted  from  North  Carolina,  however,  continued 
to  maintain  their  form  of  government,  but  it  still  remained  for  the  people 
in  convention  assembled  to  ratify,  amend  or  reject  the  constitution  pro- 
posed by  a former  convention.  The  convention  met,  but  a complete  list 
of  their  names  has  not  been  preserved.  The  following  is  a partial  list: 
David  Campbell,  Samuel  Houston,  John  Tipton,  John  Ward,  Robert  Love, 
William  Cox,  David  Craig,  James  Montgomery,  John  Strain,  Robert 
Allison,  David  Looney,  John  Blair,  James  White,  Samuel  Menece,  John 
Gilliland,  James  Stuart,  George  Maxwell,  Joseph  Tipton  and  Peter  Park- 
inson. The  Bill  of  Rights  and  Constitution  of  the  State  of  Frankland, 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


105 


were  proposed  for  adoption,  discussed  and  rejected  by  a small  majority. 
The  president  of  the  convention,  Gen.  John  Sevier,  then  presented  the 
constitution  of  North  Carolina  as  the  foundation  of  the  government  for 
the  new  State.  This  constitution,  modified  to  suit  the  views  of  the  mem- 
bers of  the  convention,  Was  adopted  by  a small  majority.  The  names 
“ Franklin,”  after  Dr.  Benjamin  Franklin,  of  Philadelphia,  and  “ Frank- 
land,”  meaning  the  land  of  freemen,  were  then  proposed,  and  the  name 
Franklin  chosen,  and  the  convention  appointed  Gen.  Cocke  to  present  the 
constitution  as  adopted  to  Congress,  with  a memorial  applying  for  admis- 
sion into  the  Union,  but  he  was  not  received  and  no  notice  was  taken  of 
his  mission. 

The  Franklin  government  had  now  got  under  way,  and  Greeneville 
became  the  permanent  capital  of  the  State.  Four  days  after  the  Greene- 
ville Convention  was  held  the  North  Carolina  Legislature  passed  an  act 
preceded  by  a preamble  in  which  were  recited  the  reasons  for  the  organ- 
ization of  the  State  of  Franklin,  that  the  citizens  thought  North  Carolina 
inattentive  to  their  welfare,  had  ceased  to  regard  them  as  citizens,  and 
had  made  an  absolute  cession  of  the  soil  and  jurisdiction  of  the  State  to 
Congress.  It  stated  that  this  opinion  was  ill-founded,  that  the  General 
Assembly  of  North  Carolina  had  been  and  continued  to  be  desirous  of 
extending  the  benefits  of  civil  government  over  them,  and  granted  par- 
don and  oblivion  for  all  that  had  been  done,  provided  they  would  return 
to  their  allegiance  to  North  Carolina.  It  appointed  officers  civil  and 
military  in  place  of  those  holding  office  under  the  State  of  Franklin,  and 
empowered  the  voters  of  Washington,  Sullivan  and  Greene  Counties  to 
elect  representatives  otherwise  than  by  the  methods  then  in  vogue. 
Dissatisfaction  with  the  Franklin  government  began  to  manifest  itself, 
and  in  Washington  County,  George  Mitchell,  as  sheriff,  issued  the  fol- 
lowing notice: 

July,  19tli  day,  1786. 

Advertisement — I hereby  give  Publick  Notice  that  there  will  be  an  election  held  the 
third  Friday  in  August  next  at  John  Rennoe’s  near  the  Sickamore  Sholes,  where  Charles 
Robinson  formerly  lived,  to  choose  members  to  represent  Washington  County  in  the 
General  Assembly  of  North  Carolina,  agreeable  to  an  act  of  Assembly  in  that  case  made 
and  provided,  where  due  attendance  will  be  given  pr  me. 

George  Mitchell,  Sheriff. 

The  election  was  held  on  Watauga  Biver.  Col.  John  Tipton  was 
chosen  senator  from  Washington  ’ County,  and  James  Stuart  and  Richard 
White  members  of  the  House  of  Commons.  Their  election  was,  and 
was  generally  perceived  to  be,  ominous  of  the  fate  of  the  State  of  Frank- 
lin, and  following  their  example  many  citizens  enrolled  their  names  in 
opposition  to  the  new  State.  From  this  time  resistance  to  its  authority 
assumed  a more  systematic  and  determined  form.  The  unusual  anomaly 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


I9t) 

was  exhibited  of  two  empires  holding  sway  at  one  and  the  same  time 
over  the  same  territory.  As  was  to  be  expected,  the  authority  of  the 
two  frequently  came  in  conflict  with  each  other.  The  county  courts  of 
the  one  were  broken  up  by  the  forces  of  the  other  and  vice  versa,  and  the 
justices  of  the  peace  turned  out  of  doors.  But  the  government  of 
Franklin  continued  to  exercise  its  authority  in  the  seven  counties  con- 
stituting its  sovereignty,  and  to  defend  its  citizens  from  the  encroach- 
ments of  the  Indians.  Gen.  Cocke  and  Judge  Campbell  were  appointed 
commissioners  to  negotiate  a separation  from  North  Carolina,  but  not- 
withstanding their  most  determined  and  persistent  efforts,  the  General 
Assembly  of  North  Carolina  disregarded  their  memorials  and  protests, 
and  continued  to  make  laws  for  the  government  of  the  people  of  the 
State  of  Franklin.  Commissioners  were  sent  to,  accepted,  and  acted 
under,  by  several  people  in  Washington,  Sullivan  and  Hawkins  Coun- 
ties as  justices  of  the  peace,  and  courts  were  held  by  them  as  if  the  State 
of  Franklin  did  not  exist.  Difficulties  between  the  two  States  continued, 
notwithstanding  efforts  on  the  part  of  the  people  to  adjust  them,  and 
trouble  with  the  Indians  could  not  be  avoided.  Negotiations  were  con- 
ducted with  Georgia  for  the  purpose  of  securing  mutual  assistance. 
Gov.  John  Sevier  was  elected  a member  ox  the  “Society  of  the  Cincin- 
nati.” Sevier  recruited  an  army  to  co-operate  with  Georgia  in  her  cam- 
paign against  the  Creek  Indians.  In  1787  there  remained  in  the  com- 
monwealth of  Franklin  scarcely  vitality  enough  to  confer  upon  it  a mere 
nominal  existence,  the  Legislature  itself  manifested  a strong  inclination 
to  dismemberment,  its  county  courts  were  discordant,  and  in  fact 
attempting  to  exercise  conflicting  authority.  An  unpleasant  clashing  of 
opinion  and  effort  to  administer  the  laws  was  the  necessary  result.  The 
county  court  of  Washington  County  held  its  session  at  Davis’,  under 
the  authority  of  North  Carolina,  while  that  under  Franklin  held  its  ses- 
sions at  Jonesborougli.  John  Tipton  was  clei’k  at  Davis’  and  the  fol- 
lowing extract  is  from  his  docket: 

1788,  February  term — Ordered,  that  the  Sheriff  take  into  custody  the  County  Court 
docket  of  said  county,  supposed  to  be  in  possession  of  John  Sevier,  Esq.,  and  the  same 
records  being  from  him  or  any  other  person  or  persons  in  whose  possession  they  may  be, 
•or  hereafter  shall  he,  and  the  same  return  to  this  or  some  succeeding  Court  for  said 
County. 

The  supremacy  of  the  new  and  old  governments  was  soon  after  this 
brought  to  a test.  A scire  facias  was  issued  in  the  latter  part  of  1787 
and  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  sheriff  to  be  executed  in  the  early  part  of 
1788  against  the  estate  of  Gov.  John  Sevier.  The  sheriff  of  North  Caro- 
lina seized  Gov.  Sevier’s  negroes  while  he  was  on  the  frontiers  of  Greene 
County  defending  the  inhabitants  against  the  Indians.  Hearing  of  this 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


197 


action  of  tlie  sheriff  Gov.  Sevier  immediately  resolved  to  suppress  all  op- 
position to  the  government  of  Franklin  and  to  punish  the  actors  for  their 
audacity.  Raising  150  men  he  inarched  directly  to  Col.  Tipton’s  house. 
Gov.  Sevier’s  indignation  had  also  been  aroused  by  a knowledge  of  the 
fact  that  Tipton  had  made  an  attempt  to  take  him  prisoner.  Upon  Sevier’s 
arrival  before  Tipton’s  house,  which  was  on  Sinking  Creek,  a branch  of 
Watauga  River,  about  eight  or  ten  miles  from  Jonesborough,  he  found 
it  defended  by  Col.  Tipton  and  fifteen  of  his  friends.  Though  he  had  a 
much  larger  force  than  Tipton  and  was  in  possession  of  a small  piece  of 
ordnance,  his  demand  for  an  unconditional  surrender  was  met  with  a flat 
refusal  and  the  daring  challenge  “to  fire  and  be  damned.”  But  Gov. 
Sevier  could  not  bring  himself  to  the  point  of  making  an  attack  upon 
men  who  were,  and  upon  whom  he  looked  as,  his  fellow  citizens.  Nego- 
tiations failed  to  effect  a surrender.  Gov.  Tipton  received  large  rein- 
forcements, and  after  the  siege  had  been  continued  a few  days  made  an 
attack  upon  the  Governor’s  forces,  who,  after  defending  themselves  in  a 
half-hearted  way  for  a short  time,  were  driven  off.  With  this  defeat  of 
Gov.  Sevier’s  troops  the  government  of  Franklin  practically  came  to  an  end. 
But  the  populace  was  greatly  excited.  Not  long  after  this  siege,  which 
terminated  about  February  28,  1788,  Bishop  Francis  Asbury  made  a 
visit  to  the  settlements  on  the  Watauga  and  held  a conference,  the  first 
west  of  the  mountains,  about  May  1,  1788.  His  calm  dignity  and  un- 
pretending simplicity  served  to  soothe  and  quiet  and  harmonize  the  ex- 
cited masses,  and  to  convert  partisans  and  factions  into  brothers  and 
friends. 

After  the  termination  of  the  siege  at  Tipton’s,  Gov.  Sevier,  now  a 
private  citizen,  was  engaged  in  defending  the  frontiers  against  the  In- 
dians. As  was  to  be  expected,  his  conduct  was  represented  to  the  Gov- 
ernor of  North  Carolina  as  embodying  under  the  form  of  a colonelcy  of 
an  Indian  expedition,  still  further  resistance  to  North  Carolina.  The 
consequence  was  that  Gov.  Johnston  issued  to  Judge  Campbell  the  fol- 
lowing instructions: 

Hillsborough,  29th  July,  1788. 

Sir:  It  has  been  represented  to  the  Executive  that  John  Sevier,  who  styles  himself 
captain-general  of  the  State  of  Franklin,  has  been  guilty  of  high  treason,  in  levying  troops 
to  oppose  the  laws  and  government  of  the  State,  and  has  with  an  armed  force  put  to  death 
several  good  citizens.  If  these  facts  shall  appear  to  you  by  the  affidavit  of  credible  per- 
sons, you  will  issue  your  warrant  to  apprehend  the  said  John  Sevier,  and  in  case  he  can 
not  be  sufficiently  secured  for  trial  in  the  District  of  Washington,  order  him  to  be  com- 
mitted to  the  public  gaol. 

Judge  Campbell,  either  from  unwillingness  or  incapacity  arising 
from  his  past  relations  with  Gov.  Sevier,  or  both,  failed  to  obey  the 
order  of  Gov.  Johnston;  but  Spencer,  one  of  the  judges  of  North  Caro- 


198 


HISTOKY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


lina,  held  a superior  court  at  Jonesboro  ugh  in  conjunction  with  Camp- 
bell, and  there  issued  the  warrant  against  Sevier  for  the  crime  of  high 
treason.  After  the  expiration  of  considerable  time  Sevier  was  arrested, 
handcuffed,  and  taken  as  a prisoner  to  Morganton  for  trial,  notwith- 
standing his  protest  against  being  taken  away  from  his  home  and  friends. 
After  being  in  Morganton  a few  days,  during  a part  of  which  time  he 
was  out  on  bail,  a small  party  of  men,  composed  of  two  sons  of  his 
(James  and  John  Sevier),  Dr.  James  Cozby,  Maj.  Evans,  Jesse  Greene 
and  John  Gibson  arrived  unnoticed  in  Morganton,  having  come  in  singly, 
and  at  night,  at  the  breaking  up  of  the  court  which  was  then  in  session, 
pushed  forward  toward  the  mountains  with  the  Governor  with  the  great- 
est rapidity,  and  before  morning  were  there  and  far  beyond  pursuit. 
This  rescue,  so  gallantly  made,  was  both  witnessed  and  connived  at  by 
citizens  of  Burke  County,  of  which  Morganton  was  the  county  seat, 
many  of  whom  were  friends  of  Sevier,  and  although  sensible  that  he  had 
been  guilty  of  a technical  violation  of  the  law,  were  yet  unwilling  to  see 
him  suffer  the  penalty  attached  by  the  law  to  such  violation.  His  cap- 
ture and  brief  expatriation  only  served  to  heighten,  among  the  citizens  of 
the  late  State  of  Franklin  whom  he  had  served  so  long  and  so  well,  their 
appreciation  of  his  services,  and  to  deepen  the  conviction  of  his  claims 
to  their  esteem  and  confidence,  and  when  the  General  Assembly,  which 
met  at  Fayetteville  November  21,  1788,  extended  the  act  of  pardon  to 
all  who  had  taken  part  in  the  Franklin  revolt  except  John  Sevier,  who 
was  debarred  from  the  enjoyment  of  any  office  of  profit,  of  honor  or  trust 
in  the  State  of  North  Carolina,  this  exception  was  seen  to  be  at  variance 
with  the  wishes  of  the  people,  and  at  the  annual  election  in  August  of 
the  next  year  the  people  of  Greene  County  elected  John  Sevier  to  repre- 
sent them  in  the  Senate  of  North  Carolina.  At  the  appointed  time,  No- 
vember 2,  1789,  he  was  at  Fayetteville,  but  on  account  of  disabilities  did 
not  attempt  to  take  his  seat  until  after  waiting  a few  days,  during  which 
time  the  Legislature  repealed  the  clause  above  mentioned  which  debarred 
him  from  office.  During  the  session  he  was  reinstated  as  brigader-gen- 
eral  for  the  western  counties.  In  apportioning  the  representatives  to 
Congress  from  North  Carolina  the  General  Assembly  divided  the  State 
into  four  Congressional  Districts,  the  westernmost  of  which  comprising 
all  the  territory  west  of  the  mountains.  From  this  district  John  Sevier 
was  elected,  and  was  thus  the  first  member  of  Congress  from  the  great 
Mississippi  Valley.  He  took  his  seat  Wednesday,  June  16,  1790. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


Organization  Concluded — Congressional  Action  for  the  Disposal  of  Un- 
appropriated Lands — The  Cession  Act  of  North  Carolina— The  Ac- 
ceptance by  Congress— The  Deed — Act  for  the  Government  of  the 
Territory— Offices  and  Commissions— Gubernatorial  Acts  and  Poli- 
cies—The  Spanish  and  the  Indian  Questions — Establishment  of  Coun- 
ties— The  Territorial  Assembly — The  Early  Laws  and  Taxes— Offi- 
cial Documents— Statistics— The  First  Constitutional  Convention- 
Debate  of  Forms  and  Provisions— The  Bill  of  Bights — Beal  Estate 
Taxation— Official  Qualifications — Other  Constitutional  Measures 
— Formation  of  the  State  Government — The  State  Assembly — John 
Sevier,  Governor — Legislative  Proceedings— Establishment  of  Courts 
— The  Second  Constitutional  Convention — Alterations,  etc— Amend- 
ments Before  and  Soon  After  the  Civil  War— The  Present  Constitu- 
tion—Its  General  Character  and  Worth. 

S was  stated  under  the  history  of  the  State  of  Franklin,  it  was  not 


long  after  the  dissolution  of  that  organization  before  it  became 
necessary  that  separation  should  occur  between  North  Carolina  and  her 
western  territory.  And  this  separation  was  effected  by  the  passage  by 
the  mother  State  of  her  second  cession  act,  dated  December,  1789.  This 
cession  was  in  accordance  with  the  following  resolution  adopted  by  the 
Congress  of  the  United  States,  October  10,  1780: 

Resolved:  That  the  unappropriated  lands  that  may  he  ceded  or  relinquished  to  the 
United  States  by  any  particular  State,  pursuant  to  the  recommendation  of  Congress  of  the 
6th  day  of  September  last,  shall  be  disposed  of  for  the  common  benefit  of  the  United  States 
and  be  settled  and  formed  into  distinct  republican  States,  which  shall  become  members  of 
the  Federal  Union  and  have  the  same  rights  of  sovereignty,  freedom  and  independence  as 
the  other  States;  that  each  State  which  shall  be  so  formed  shall  contain  a suitable  extent 
of  territory,  not  less  than  one  hundred  nor  more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  square, 
or  as  near  thereto  as  circumstances  will  admit;  that  the  necessary  and  reasonable  expenses 
which  any  particular  State  shall  have  incurred  since  the  commencement  of  the  present 
war,  in  subduing  any  British  posts  or  in  maintaining  forts  or  garrisons  within,  and  for 
the  defense,  or  in  acquiring  any  part  of  the  territory  that  may  be  ceded  or  relinquished  to- 
the  United  States,  shall  be  reimbursed;  that  the  said  lands  shall  be  granted  or  settled  at 
such  times  and  under  such  regulations  as  shall  hereafter  be  agreed  on  by  the  United 
States  in  Congress  assembled,  or  any  nine  or  more  of  them. — Journals  of  Congress,  October 
10,  1780. 

The  cession  act  of  North  Carolina  was  in  the  following  language: 

Whereas,  the  United  States  in  Congress  assembled,  have  repeatedly  and  earnestly 
recommended  to  the  respective  States  in  the  Union,  claiming  or  owning  vacant  western 
territory,  to  make  cession  of  part  of  the  same  as  a further  means,  as  well  of  hastening  the 
extinguishment  of  the  debts,  as  of  establishing  the  harmony  of  the  United  States;  and  the 


200 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


inhabitants  of  the  said  western  territory  being  also  desirous  that  such  cession  should  be 
made,  in  order  to  obtain  a more  ample  protection  than  they  have  heretofore  received; 

Now,  this  State,  being  ever  desirous  of  doing  ample  justice  to  the  public  creditors,  as 
well  as  the  establishing  the  harmony  of  the  United  States,  and  complying  with  the  rea- 
sonable desires  of  her  citizens: 

Be  it  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of  North  Carolina,  and  it  is  hereby 
enacted  by  the  authority  of  the  same,  That  the  senators  of  this  State,  in  the  Congress  of 
the  United  States,  or  one  of  the  senators  and  any  two  of  the  representatives  of  this  State, 
in  the  Congress  of  the  United  States,  are  hereby  authorized,  empowered  and  required  to 
execute  a deed  or  deeds  on  the  part  and  behalf  of  this  State,  conveying  to  the  United 
States  of  America  all  right,  title  and  claim  which  this  State  has  to  the  sovereignty  and 
territory  of  the  lands  situated  within  the  chartered  limits  of  this  State  west  of  a line  be- 
ginning on  the  extreme  height  of  the  Stone  Mountain,  at  a place  where  the  Virginia  line 
intersects  it;  running  thence  along  the  extreme  height  of  the  said  mountain  to  the  place 
where  Watauga  River  breaks  through  it;  thence  a direct  course  to  the  top  of  the  Yellow 
Mountain,  where  Bright's  road  crosses  the  same;  thence  along  the  ridge  of  said  mountain 
between  the  waters  of  Doe  River  and  the  waters  of  Rock  Creek  to  the  place  where  the 
road  crosses  the  Iron  Mountain;  from  thence  along  the  extreme  height  of  said  mountain 
to  where  Nolichueky  River  runs  through  the  same;  thence  to  the  top  of  the  BaldMountain; 
thence  along  the  extreme  height  of  the  said  mountain  to  the  Painted  Rock  on  French 
Broad  River;  thence  along  the  highest  ridge  of  the  said  mountain  to  the  place  where  it 
is  called  the  Great  Iron  or  Smoky  Mountain;  thence  along  the  extreme  height  of  the  said 
mountain  to  the  place  where  it  is  called  Unicoy  or  Unaka  Mountain,  between  the  Indian 
towns  of  Cowee  and  Old  Chota;  thence  along  the  main  ridge  of  the  said  mountain  to  the 
southern  boundary  of  this  State;  upon  the  following  express  conditions  and  subject  there- 
to: That  is  to  say: 

First.  That  neither  the  lands  nor  the  inhabitants  westward  of  the  said  mountain 
shall  be  estimated  after  the  cession  made  by  virtue  of  this  act  shall  be  accepted,  in  the  as- 
certaining the  proportion  of  this  State  with  the  United  States  in  the  common  expense 
occasioned  by  the  late  war. 

Secondly.  That  the  lands  laid  ofl:  or  directed  to  be  laid  off  by  an  act  or  acts  of  the 
General  Assembly  of  this  State  for  the  officers  and  soldiers  thereof,  their  heirs  and  assigns, 
respectively,  shall  be  and  inure  to  the  use  and  benefit  of  the  said  officers,  their  heirs  and 
assigns,  respectively;  and  if  the  bounds  of  the  lands  already  prescribed  for  the  officers  and 
soldiers  of  the  continental  line  of  this  State  shall  not  contain  a sufficient  quantity  of  land 
fit  for  cultivation,  to  make  good  the  several  provisions  intended  by  law,  that  such  officer  or 
soldier  or  his  assignee,  who  shall  fall  short  of  his  allotment  or  proportion  after  all  the 
lands  fit  for  cultivation  within  the  said  bounds  are  appropriated,  be  permitted  to  take  his 
quota,  or  such  part  thereof  as  may  be  deficient,  in  any  other  part  of  the  said  territory  in- 
tended to  be  ceded  by  virtue  of  this  act,  not  already  appropriated.  And  where  entries 
have  been  made  agreeable  to  law,  and  titles  under  them  not  perfected  by  grant  or  other- 
wise, then,  and  in  that  case,  the  governor  for  the  time  being  shall,  and  he  is  hereby  required 
to  perfect,  from  time  to  time,  such  titles,  in  such  manner  as  if  this  act  had  never  been 
passed.  And  that  all  entries  made  by,  or  grants  made  to,  all  and  every  person  or  persons 
whatsoever  agreeable  to  law  and  within  the  limits  hereby  intended  to  be  ceded  to  the 
United  States,  shall  have  the  same  force  and  effect  as  if  such  cession  had  not  been  made; 
and  that  all  and  every  right  of  occupancy  and  pre-emption  and  every  other  right  reserved 
by  any  act  or  acts  to  persons  settled  on  and  occupying  lands  within  the  limits  of  the  lands 
hereby  intended  to  be  ceded  as  aforesaid,  shall  continue  to  be  in  full  force  in  the  same 
manner  as  if  the  cession  had  not  been  made,  and  as  conditions  upon  which  the  said  lands 
are  ceded  to  the  United  States.  And  further,  it  shall  be  understood  that  if  any  person  or 
persons  shall  have  by  virtue  of  the  act  entitled  “An  act  for  opening  the  land  office  for  the 
redemption  of  specie  and  other  certificates  and  discharging  the  arrears  due  to  the  army,” 
passed  in  the  year  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  eighty-three,  made  his  or  their  entry 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


201 


in  the  office  usually  called  John  Armstrong’s  office  and  located  the  same  to  any  spot  or 
piece  of  ground  on  which  any  other  person  or  persons  shall  have  previously  located  any 
entry  or  entries,  and  then,  and  in  that  case,  the  person  or  persons  having  made  such  entry 
or  entries,  or  their  assignee  or  assignees,  shall  have  leave,  and  be  at  full  liberty  to  remove 
the  location  of  such  entry  or  entries,  to  any  land  on  which  no  entry  has  been  specially 
located  or  on  any  vacant  lands  included  within  the  limits  of  the  lands  hereby  intended  to 
be  ceded:  Provided,  That  nothing  herein  contained  shall  extend,  or  be  construed  to  ex- 
tend, to  the  making  good  of  any  entry  or  entries,  or  any  grant  or  grants  heretofore  de- 
clared void,  by  any  act  or  acts  of  the  General  Assembly  of  this  State. 

Thirdly.  That  all  the  lands  intended  to  be  ceded  by  virtue  of  this  act  to  the  United 
States  of  America,  and  not  appropriated  as  before  mentioned,  shall  be  considered  as  a 
common  fund  for  the  use  and  benefit  of  the  United  States  of  America,  North  Carolina  in- 
clusive, according  to  their  respective  and  usual  proportion  in  the  general  charge  and  ex- 
penditure, and  shall  be  faithfully  disposed  of  for  that  purpose  and  for  no  other  use  or 
purpose  whatever. 

Fourthly.  That  the  territory  so  ceded  shall  be  laid  out  and  formed  into  a State  or 
States,*  containing  a suitable  extent  of  territory,  the  inhabitants  of  which  shall  enjoy  all 
the  privileges,  benefits  and  advantages  set  forth  in  the  ordinance  of  the  late  Congress  for 
the  government  of  the  Western  Territory  of  the  United  States;  that  is  to  say:  Whenever 
the  Congress  of  the  United  States  shall  cause  to  be  officially  transmitted  to  the  executive 
authority  of  this  State,  an  authenticated  copy  of  the  act  to  be  passed  by  the  Congress  of 
the  United  States  accepting  the  cession  of  territory  made  by  virtue  of  this  act  under  the 
express  conditions  hereby  specified,  the  said  Congress  shall  at  the  same  time,  assume  the 
government  of  the  said  ceded  territory,  which  they  shall  execute  in  a similar  manner  f to 
that  which  they. support  in  the  territory  west  of  the  Ohio;  shall  protect  the  inhabitants 
against  enemies  and  shall  never  bar  nor  deprive  them  of  any  privileges  which  the  people 
in  the  territory  west  of  the  Ohio  enjoy:  Provided  always,  that  no  regulations  made  or  to 
be  made  by  Congress  shall  tend  to  emancipate  slaves. 

Fifthly.  That  the  inhabitants  of  the  said  ceded  territory  shall  be  liable  to  pay  such 
sums  of  money  as  may,  from  taking  their  census,  be  their  just  proportion  of  the  debt  of 
the  United  States,  and  the  arrears  of  the  requisitions  of  Congress  on  this  State. 

Sixthly.  That  all  persons  indebted  to  this  State  residing  in  the  territory  intended  to 
be  ceded  by  virtue  of  this  act  shall  be  held  and  deemed  liable  to  pay  such  debt  or  debts  in 
the  same  manner,  and  under  the  same  penalty  or  penalties,  as  if  this  act  had  never  been 
passed. 

Seventhly.  That  if  the  Congress  of  the  United  States  do  not  accept  the  cession 
hereby  intended  to  be  made,  in  due  form,  and  give  official  notice  thereof  to  the  executive 
of  this  State,  within  eighteen  months  from  the  passing  of  this  act,  then  this  act  shall  be 
of  no  force  or  effect  whatsoever. 

Eighthly.  That  the  laws  in  force  and  use  in  the  State  of  North  Carolina,  at  the  time 
of  passing  this  act  shall  be,  and  continue,  in  full  force  within  the  territory  hereby  ceded 
until  the  same  shall  be  repealed  or  otherwise  altered  by  the  Legislative  authority  of  the 
said  territory. 

Ninthly.  That  the  lands  of  non-resident  proprietors  within  the  said  ceded  territory- 
shall  not  be  taxed  higher  than  the  lands  of  residents. 

Tenthly.  That  this  act  shall  not  prevent  the  people  now  residing  south  of  French 
Broad,  between  the  rivers  Tennessee  and  Big  Pigeon,  from  entering  their  pre-emptions  in 
that  tract  should  an  office  be  opened  for  that  purpose  under  an  act  of  the  present  General 
Assembly.  And  be  it  further  enacted  by  the  authority  aforesaid,  That  the  sovereignty  and 
jurisdiction  of  this  State,  in  and  over  the  territory  aforesaid,  and  all  and  every  inhabitant 

* See  Act  of  Congress  of  June  1,  1796,  post;  also  resolution  of  Congress  of  October  10,  1780,  ante. 

f The  “ manner  ” of  government  here  referred  to  is  fully  set  forth  in  “An  Ordinance  for  the  Government 
of  the  Territory  of  the  United  States  Northwest  of  the  River  Ohio,”  passed  July  13, 1787.  The  “Territory  of 
the  United  States  south  of  the  River  Ohio  ” was,  for  the  purpose  of  temporary  government,  declared  to  be  one 
district  by  an  act  of  Congress  approved  May  26,  1790. 


. 202 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


thereof,  shall  be,  and  remain,  the  same,  in  all  respects,  until  the  Congress  of  the  United 
States  shall  accept  the  cession  to  he  made  by  virtue  of  this  act,  as  if  this  act  had  never 
passed. 

Read  three  times,  and  ratified  in  General  Assembly  the day  of  December,  A.  D. 

1789.  Chas.  Johnson,  Sp.  Sen. 

S.  Cabarrus,  Sp.  H.  U. 

Upon  the  presentation  of  this  cession  act  to  Congress,  that  body  passed 
the  following  act  accepting  the  cession: 

AN  ACT  TO  ACCEPT  A CESSION  OP  THE  CLAIMS  OP  THE  STATE  OP  NORTH  CAROLINA  TO  A 

CERTAIN  DISTRICT  OP  WESTERN  TERRITORY. 

A deed  of  cession  having  been  executed,  and,  in  the  Senate,  offered  for  acceptance  to 
the  United  States,  of  the  claims  of  the  State  of  North  Carolina  to  a district  or  territory 
therein  described,  which  deed  is  in  the  words  following,  viz. : 

To  all  who  shall  see  these  Presents. 

We,  the  underwritten  Samuel  Johnston  and  Benjamin  Hawkins,  Senators  in  the  Con- 
gress of  the  United  States  of  America,  duly  and  constitutionally  chosen  by  the  Legislature 
■ of  the  State  of  North  Carolina,  send  greeting. 

Whereas,  The  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of  North  Carolina  on  the day  of 

December,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  eighty-nine,  passed 
an  act  entitled  “an  act  for  the  purpose  of  ceding  to  the  United  States  of  America  certain 
western  lands  therein  described,”  in  the  words  following,  to  wit: 

(Here  was  recited  the  cession  act  of  North  Carolina.) 

Now,  therefore,  know  ye,  That  we,  Samuel  Johnston  and  Benjamin  Hawkins,  Sen- 
ators aforesaid,  by  virtue  of  the  power  and  authority  committed  to  us  by  the  said  act,  and 
in  the  name,  and  for  and  on  behalf  of  the  said  State,  do,  by  these  presents,  convey,  assign, 
transfer  and  set  over,  unto  the  United  States  of  America,  for  the  benefit  of  the  said  States, 
North  Carolina  inclusive,  all  right,  title  and  claim  which  the  said  State  hath  to  the  sover- 
eignty and  territory  of  the  lands  situated  within  the  chartered  limits  of  the  said  State,  as 
bounded  and  described  in  the  above  recited  act  of  the  General  Assembly,  to  and  for  the 
use  and  purposes,  and  on  the  conditions  mentioned  in  the  said  act. 

In  witness  whereof  we  have  hereunto  subscribed  our  names  and  affixed 
our  seals  in  the  Senate  chamber  at  New  York,  this  twenty-fifth  day  of  Febru- 
ary, in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  ninety,  and  in 
the  fourteenth  year  of  the  independence  of  the  United  States  of  America. 

Signed,  sealed  and  delivered  in  the  presence  of 

Sam.  A.  Otis  Sam.  Johnston, 

Benjamin  Hawkins. 

The  following  act  was  then  passed  by  Congress: 

Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United  States  of  Amer- 
ica in  Congress  assembled,  That  the  said  deed  be,  and  the  same  is  hereby  accepted. 

Frederick  Augustus  Muhlenberg, 

Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives. 

John  Adams, 

Vice-President  of  the  United  States  and  President  of  the  Senate. 

Approved  April  the  2d,  1790. 

George  Washington, 

President  of  the  United  States. 

The  cession  thus  being  accepted  and  approved,  Congress  soon  after- 
ward passed  a law  for  the  government  of  the  new  acquisition.  This  law 
was  in  the  following  language: 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


203 


.AN  ACT  FOR  THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  TERRITORY  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES,  SOUTH  OF  THE 

RIVER  OHIO. 

Section  1.  Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United 
State  of  America  in  Congress  assembled,  That  the  territory  of  the  United  States  south  of 
the  river  Ohio,  for  the  purposes  of  temporary  government,  shall  he  one  district,  the  inhab- 
itants of  which  shall  enjoy  all  the  privileges,  benefits  and  advantages,  set  forth  in  the 

• ordinance  of  the  late  Congress  for  the  government  of  the  territory  of  the  United  States 
northwest  of  the  river  the  Ohio.  And  the  government  of  the  said  territory  south  of  the  Ohio, 
.•shall  be  similar  to  that  which  is  now  exercised  in  the  territory  northwest  of  the  Ohio, 
except  so  far  as  is  otherwise  provided  in  the  conditions  expressed  in  an  act  of  Congress 

• of  the  present  session  entitled:  “An  act  to  accept  a cession  of  the  claims  of  the  State  of 
North  Carolina  to  a certain  district  of  western  territory.” 

Sec.  2.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  salaries  of  the  officers,  which  the  Pres- 
ident of  the  United  States  shall  nominate,  and  with  the  advice  and  consent  of  the  Senate 
: appoint,  by  virtue  of  this  act  shall  be  the  same  as  those,  by  law  established  of  similar  offi- 
cers in  the  government  northwest  of  the  river  Ohio.  And  the  powers,  duties  and  emol- 
uments of  a superintendent  of  Indian  affairs  for  the  Southern  Department  shall  be  united 
with  those  of  the  Governor. 

Approved  May  26,  1790. 

Congress  having  thus  made  provision  for  the  government  of  the  ter- 
ritory, the  duty  devolved  upon  President  George  Washington  to  appoint 
suitable  officers  to  carry  the  government  of  the  new  territory  into  oper- 
ation. As  is  usual  in  such  cases,  there  were  several  gentlemen  of 
acknowledged  capacity  and  worth  of  character,  who  through  their  friends 
were  candidates  for  the  office  of  governor.  Mr.  Mason  of  Virginia  was  pre- 
sented to  the  President  by  Patrick  Henry.  But  the  representatives  in  the 
North  Carolina  General  Assembly  from  Washington  and  Mero  Districts, 
had  frequently  met  in  the  Assembly  a North  Carolina  gentleman,  kindly 
and  sociable  indisposition,  of  graceful  and  accomplished  manner,  business- 
like in  his  habits,  and  of  extensive  information  respecting  Indian  affairs, 
and,  who  in  addition  to  these  qualifications  had  .manifested  many  proofs 
of  sympathy  and  interest  for  the  pioneers  of  the  territory  now  needing 
an  executive  head.  This  gentleman  was  William  Blount,  and  besides  his 
eminent  fitness  for  the  position ; there  was  an  evident  propriety  in  select- 
ing the  governor  from  the  State,  by  which  the  territory  had  been  ceded 
to  the  United  States.  President  Washington,  recognizing  the  validity 
and  force  of  these  considerations,  issued  to  him  a commission  as  gov- 
ernor, which  he  received  August  7,  1790.  On  the  10th  of  October  follow- 
ing, Gov.  Blount  reached  the  scene  of  his  new  and  important  public 
duties  on  the  frontier,  and  took  up  his  residence  at  the  house  of  William 
Cobb,  near  W ashington  Court  House,  in  the  fork  of  Holston  and  W atauga 
Piivers,  and  not  far  from  Watauga  Old  Fields.  Mr.  Cobb  was  a wealthy 
farmer,  an  emigrant  from  North  Carolina,  and  was  no  stranger  to  com- 
fort, taste  nor  style.  He  entertained  elegantly,  and  kept  horses,  dogs, 
rifles  and  even  traps  for  the  comfort  and  amusement  of  his  guests.  Thus 


204 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


surrounded,  Gov.  Blount  held  his  first  court.  The  President  had  ap- 
pointed as  judges  in  the  Territorial  Government  David  Campbell  and 
Joseph  Anderson.  David  Campbell  will  be  remembered  as  having  held 
a similar  position  under  the  State  of  Franklin,  and  subsequently  under 
the  appointment  of  North  Carolina.  Joseph  Anderson  had  been  an  offi- 
cer in  the  Continental  service  during  the  Revolutionary  war.  Gov. 
Blount  appointed  Daniel  Smith  Secretary  of  the  Territorial  Government, 
and  also  the  civil  and  military  officers  for  the  counties  forming  the  dis- 
trict of  Washington.  The  oath  of  office  was  administered  to  these  ap- 
pointees by  Judge  Campbell.  The  following  are  the  names  of  some  of 
the  officers:  Washington  County,  November  term,  1790 — magistrates, 

Charles  Robertson,  John  Campbell,  Edmond  Williams  and  John  Chis- 
holm; clerk,  James  Sevier.  Greene  County,  February  term,  1791 — 
magistrates,  Joseph  Hardin,  John  Newman,  William  Wilson,  John  Mc- 
Nabb  and  David  Rankin;  clerk,  David  Kennedy.  David  Allison  and 
William  Cocke  were  admitted  to  the  bar.  Hawkins  County,  December 
term,  1790,  clerk,  Richard  Mitchell. 

The  private  secretaries  of  the  Governor  were  Willie  Blount,  his  half- 
brother,  afterward  governor,  and  Hugh  Lawson  White,  afterward  Judge 
White,  and  candidate  for  the  presidency  of  the  United  States.  Having 
commissioned  the  necessary  officers  for  the  counties  of  Washington  Dis- 
trict, Gov.  Blount  set  out  for  Mero  District  on  the  27th  of  November. 
Mero  District  was  composed  of  Davidson,  Sumner  and  Tennessee  Coun- 
ties. Davidson  County — John  Donelson,  justice  of  the  peace,  and  Samp- 
son Williams  was  appointed  sheriff,  and  upon  the  presentation  of  his  com- 
mission from  the  governor,  was  appointed  by  the  court.  Sumner  County: 
Benjamin  Menees  was  appointed  justice  of  the  peace,  his  commission  be- 
ing dated  December  15,  1790,  as  were  also  George  Bell,  John  Philips 
and  Martin  Duncan.  Anthony  Crutcher  was  appointed  clerk,  and  James 
Boyd  sheriff.  At  the  April  term,  1791,  John  Montgomery  produced 
his  commission  from  Gov.  Blount  as  justice  of  the  peace.  In  all  the 
counties  the  Governor  had  appointed  military  officers  below  the  rank  of 
brigadier -general.  These  he  was  not  authorized  to  appoint,  but  recom- 
mended for  appointment  Col.  John  Sevier  for  Washington  District, 
and  Col.  James  Robertson  for  Mero  District.  These  commissions  were 
issued  in  February,  1791.  Following  is  the  commission  of  John  Don- 
elson : 

William  Blount,  Governor  in  and  over  the  Territory  of  the  United  States  of- 
America  south  of  the  River  Ohio. 

To  all  who  shall  see  these  Presents,  Greeting: 

Know  ye  that  I do  appoint  John  Donelson,  Esq.,  of  the  County  of  Davidson  in  the 
said  Territory,  a Justice  of  the  Peace  for  the  said  County,  and  do  authorize  and  empower 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


205 


Rim  to  execute  and  fulfill  the  duties  of  that  office  according  to  law,  and  to  have  and  to 
hold  the  said  office  during  his  good  Behavior,  or  during  the  existence  of  the  Temporary 
Government  of  said  Territory,  with  all  the  powers,  authorities  and  privileges  to  the  same 
of  right  appertaining. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  seal  in  the  said  Territory,  this  15th  day  of  December,  1790. 

By  the  Governor:  William  Blount. 

Daniel  Smith. 

In  his  tour  through  the  territory,  Gov.  Blount  endeavored  to  famil- 
iarize himself  -with  the  condition  and  necessities  of  the  inhabitants,  with 
the  view  of  becoming  better  prepared  to  discharge  his  official  duties.  His 
position  was  by  no  means  a sinecure,  for,  besides  the  ordinary  duties  of 
his  gubernatorial  office,  he  was  obliged  to  perform  those  pertaining  to 
that  of  superintendent  of  Indian  affairs,  having  been  also  appointed  to 
that  position  on  account  of  his  long  familiarity  with  the  Indian  tribes, 
with  whom  the  people  of  his  territory  were  necessarily  immediately  in 
contact.  It  was  and  is  believed  that  no  man  could  have  been  selected 
better  qualified  than  he  to  reconcile  the  two  classes  of  citizens  more  or 
less  estranged  by  the  setting  up,  continuing  in  existence  and  dissolution 
of  the  anomalous  government  of  the  State  of  Franklin,  and  to  regulate 
affairs  between  the  people  of  the  territory,  the  Indians,  and  the  govern- 
ment of  the  United  States.  His  superintendency  of  Indian  affairs  in- 
cluded the  four  southern  tribes — the  Creeks,  the  Cherokees,  the  Chicka- 
saws  and  Choctaws.  All  of  these  tribes  either  resided  within  or  claimed 
hunting  grounds  within  his  own  territory,  and  the  collisions  continually 
occurring  between  some  of  these  Indians  and  the  settlers  caused  a con- 
stant complaint  to  be  addressed  to  the  Governor  for  redress  or  mitigation. 
One  reason  of  these  conflicts  was,  that  in  all  of  the  tribes  there  were  sev- 
eral distinct  parties  swayed  by  opposing  influences  and  motives.  Some 
adhered  and  favored  adherence  to  the  United  States;  others  adhered  to 
the  Spanish  authorities,  who  still  held  possessions  with  military  and  trad- 
ing posts  in  Florida,  and  also  similar  posts  within  the  limits  of  the  United 
States  east  of  the  Mississippi.  The  Spaniards,  notwithstanding  treaties 
of  peace  and  professions  of  friendship,  by  artful  persuasions  and  tawdry 
presents,  incited  and  inflamed  the  savages  to  robbery,  pillage  and  mur- 
der. To  reconcile  all  these  animosities,  and  to  protect  the  people  from 
their  naturally  injurious  effects,  frequent  conferences  and  an  extensive 
correspondence  were  required,  as  also  was  required  a high  degree  of  ad- 
ministrative and  diplomatic  ability.  The  difficulties  of  his  position  were 
enhanced  by  the  policy  of  the  Government  of  the  United  States,  which 
was  to  avoid  offensive  measures,  and  rely  upon  conciliation  and  defense 
with  the  view  of  the  establishment  of  peace  between  the  various  Indian 
tribes  and  the  settlements,  and  the  neutralization  of  the  influence  of  the 

13 


206 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Spaniards.  Under  these  circumstances,  Gov.  Blount  found  it  impossible 
to  afford  protection  to  settlers  upon  the  frontier,  aggressions  upon  whom 
Avere  numerous  and  of  several  years’  continuance.  The  settlers  them- 
selves, whose  property  was  being  destroyed  and  whose  friends  and  rela- 
tives were  being  barbarously  murdered,  could  not  appreciate  this  inof- 
fensive policy,  but  burned  with  the  desire  to  retaliate  in  kind  upon  their 
savage  foe,  and,  as  Avas  perfectly  natural,  heaped  upon  the  head  of  Gov. 
Blount  unstinted  censure.  Neither  were  they  any  better  satisfied  Avith 
the  treaty  concluded  August  17,  1790,  betAveen  the  Government  of  the 
United  States  and  the  Creek  nation  of  Indians,  by  which  a large  territory 
was  restored  to  that  nation.  The  treaties,  however,  were  not  observed  by 
the  Indians,  and,  consequently,  not  by  the  white  people,  who  complained 
against  the  Governor  for  not  adopting  vigorous  measures  of  offense.  The 
Indians  complained  that  such  measures  were  adopted,  and  the  United 
States  Government  complained  that  the  expense  of  protecting  the  frontier 
accumulated  so  rapidly.  Thus  Gov.  Blount  was  the  center  of  a steady 
fire  of  complaint  from  at  least  three  different  sources.  But  like  the  mar- 
tyrs of  old,  the  Governor  bore  these  complaints  with  equanimity,  and  at 
length  the  people,  ascertaining  that  the  fault  was  not  Avith  him,  withdrew 
their  complaints,  and  very  generally  sustained  his  authority. 

Besides  difficulties  with  the  Indians  the  duty  devolved  upon  the  Gov- 
ernor of  preventing  the  settlement  by  the  Tennessee  Company  of  their 
immense  purchase  in  the  Great  Bend  of  the  Tennessee  River,  which  was 
at  length  effectually  prevented  by  the  State  of  Georgia  annulling  the 
sale.  He  had  also  to  raise  a force  of  332  men  in  the  district  of  Wash- 
ington for  service  under  Gen.  St.  Clair  at  Fort  Washington.  These 
duties,  however,  he  was  obliged  to  permit  to  fall  on  Gen.  Sevier,  his  own 
time  being  so  fully  engrossed  Avith  his  Indian  superintendency,  in  which 
capacity  he  made  a treaty  with  the  Cherokees  on  the  Holston  July  2, 
1791.  Indian  hostilities,  however,  continued,  notwithstanding  the  treaty 
of  Holston,  and  numerous  people  Avere  killed  for  a number  of  years. 
During  the  next  year  the  Governor  held  another  conference  Avith  the  In- 
dians, this  time  at  Nashville  Avith  the  Chickasaws  and  Choctaws,  and  in 
company  Avith  Gen.  Pickens,  who  attended  the  conference  at  the  request 
of  the  Secrerary  of  War.  There  was  a large  delegation  of  chiefs  in 
attendance;  goods  were  distributed  among  them,  which  gave  renewed 
assurances  of  peace.  A brief  account  of  this  conference  was  written  by 
the  Governor  to  the  Secretary  of  War  under  date  of  August  31,  1792,  as 
follows: 

On  the  10th  inst.  the  conference  with  the  Chickasaws  and  Choctaws  ended;  there  was 
a very  full  representation  of  the  former,  hut  not  of  the  latter,  owing,  there  is  reason  to 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


believe,  to  the  Spanish  influences.  During  the  conference  Gen.  Pickens  and  myself  re- 
ceived the  strongest  assurances  of  peace  and  friendship  for  the  United  States  from  these 
nations,  and  I believe  they  were  made  with  great  sincerity. 

In  this  way  was  the  Governor  engaged  for  the  first  two  years  of  his 
term.  In  1792  he  turned  his  attention  to  civil  government,  and  on  the 
lltli  of  June,  1792,  he  issued  an  ordinance  circumscribing  the  lim- 
its of  Greene  and  Hawkins  Counties,  and  creating  Knox  and  Jefferson 
Counties.  This  ordinance  fixed  the  time  for  holding  courts  of  pleas  and 
quarter  sessions  in  these  two  new  counties.  A number  of  acts  were  also 
passed  by  the  Governor  and  his  two  judges,  David  Campbell  and  Joseph 
Anderson,  the  first  one  being  passed  November  20,  1792.  This  act  au- 
thorized the  levying  of  a tax  for  building  or  repairing  court  houses, 
prisons  and  stocks  in  the  respective  counties,  limiting  the  tax  to  50  cents 
on  each  poll,  and  to  17  cents  on  each  100  acres  of  land. 

According  to  the  congressional  ordinance  for  the  government  of  the 
territory  of  the  United  States  south  of  the  Ohio  River,  the  governor  and 
the  judges,  or  a majority  of  them,  were  authorized  to  adopt  and  publish 
such  laws,  criminal  and  civil,  as  might  be  necessary  and  best  suited  to 
the  circumstances  of  the  district,  which,  being  from  time  to  time  report- 
ed to  Congress  and  by  that  body  approved,  were  to  be  the  law  of  the  Ter- 
ritory until  the  organization  of  the  General  Assembly,  but  afterward  the 
General  Assembly  was  to  have  the  power  to  alter  them  as  they  might  see 
proper.  According  to  this  ordinance  the  Territorial  Legislature  was  to 
consist  of  the  governor,  Legislative  Council  and  the  House  of  Represent- 
atives. The  General  Assembly  met  at-  Knoxville,  August  25,  1794,  the 
Legislative  Council  being  composed  as  follows:  The  Hon.  Griffith  Ruth- 
erford, the  Hon.  John  Sevier,  the  Hon.  James  Winchester,  the  Hon. 
Stockley  Donelson  and  the  Hon.  Parmenas  Taylor.  The  Hon.  Griffith 
Rutherford  was  unanimously  elected  president ; George  Roulstone,  clerk 
and  Christopher  Shoat,  door-keeper.  The  House  of  Representatives  was 
composed  as  follows:  David  Wilson,  James  White,  James  Ford,  William 
Cocke,  Joseph  McMinn,  George  Rutledge,  Joseph  Hardin,  George  Doher- 
ty, Samuel  Wear,  Alexander  Kelly  and  John  Baird.  A message  was  sent 
by  the  house  to  the  council,  and  also  one  to  the  governor,  notifying  each 
respectively  of  its  readiness  to  proceed  to  business.  The  next  day  they 
adopted  rules  of  decorum  and  also  rules  to  be  observed  in  the  transaction 
of  business,  prepared  by  a joint  committee  of  the  two  houses.  When  all 
the  preliminaries  had  been  arranged  the  following  bills  were  reported: 
An  act  to  regulate  the  military  of  this  Territory ; an  act  to  establish  the 
judicial  courts  and  to  regulate  the  proceedings  thereof;  an  act  making 
provision  for  the  poor;  an  act  to  enable  executors  and  administrators  to 


208 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


make  rights  for  lands  due  upon  bonds  of  persons  deceased;  an  act  de- 
claring what  property  is  to  be  taxable,  and  for  collecting  the  tax  thereon ; 
an  act  to  levy  a tax  for  the  support  of  the  Government  of  1794,  and  an 
act  to  provide  relief  for  such  of  the  military  as  have  been  wounded  by 
the  Indians  in  the  late  invasion. 

By  the  ordinance  for  the  government  of  the  Territory  it  was  provided 
that  as  soon  as  a Legislature  shall  be  formed  in  the  district,  the  council 
and  house,  assembled  in  one  room,  shall  have  authority,  by  joint  ballot, 
to  elect  a delegate  to  Congress.  Under  this  authority  the  two  houses 
met  September  3,  1794,  at  the  courthouse  and  balloted  for  a delegate 
to  Congress.  The  joint  committee  to  superintend  the  balloting  was  com- 
posed of  Parmenas  Taylor,  from  the  council,  and  George  Doherty  and 
Leroy  Taylor  on  the  part  of  the  house,  and  the  result  of  the  balloting  was 
the  election  of  James  White  as  delegate  to  Congress.  On  the  next  day 
a resolution  was  adopted  by  the  council  requesting  the  concurrence  of 
the  house  to  the  taking  of  a new  census  of  the  people,  to  be  made  on  the 
last  Saturday  of  July,  1795. 

Toward  the  latter  part  of  the  session  the  two  houses  had  considerable 
difficulty  in  arranging  the  details  of  the  Tax  Bill.  Amendments  were 
proposed  by  the  one  house  and  uniformly  rejected  by  the  other.  During 
this  discussion  the  council  submitted  to  the  house  the  following  estimate 
to  show  that  its  own  schedule  of  taxation  was  ample  in  its  provisions  for 
the  raising  of  revenue.  The  following  is  the  estimate  of  the  contingent 
fund:  10,000  white  polls  at  12^  cents,  $1,250;  1,100  black  polls  at  50 
cents,  $550;  100  stud  horses  at  $4,  $400;  200  town  lots  at  $1,  $200; 
taxes  of  law  proceedings,  grants,  deeds,  etc.,  $750;  1,000,000  acres  of 
land  at  12  J cents,  $1,250;  total  $4,400.  This  was  while  the  council 
was  insisting  that  a tax  ’of  124  cents  on  each  100  acres  of  land  was 
sufficient,  while  the  house  insisted  that  the  tax  on  land  should  be 
25  cents  on  each  100  acres.  Failing  to  agree  on  Saturday,  September 
27,  the  two  houses  adjourned  until  Monday,  the  29th,  and  on  that 
day,  after  an  attempt  at  compromise  by  fixing  the  land  tax  at  18  cents 
on  each  100  acres,  the  council  at  length  yielded  and  sent  the  house 
the  following  message:  “The  council  accede  to  your  proposition  in  tax- 
ing land  at  25  cents  per  100  acres;  you  will,  therefore,  send  two  of  your 
members  to  see  the  amendments  made  accordingly.”  Following  is  the 
resolution  of  the  house  fixing  the  pay  of  the  members  of  both  houses: 
“ Resolved , that  the  wages  of  the  members,  clerks  and  door-keepers  of 
both  houses  be  estimated  as  follows:  For  each  member  per  day, 
$2.50;  for  each  clerk  per  day,  $2.50;  for  each  clerk  for  stationery 
$25;  for  each  door-keeper  per  day,  $1.75;  each  member,  clerk  and 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE 


209 


door-keeper  to  be  allowed  for  ferriages ; every  twenty- five  miles,  riding 
to  and  from  the  assembly,  $2.50.”  On  the  last  day  of  the  session,  Sep- 
tember 30,  among  other  joint  resolutions  the  following  was  passed: 
“That  the  thanks  of  this  General  Assembly  be  presented  to  Gov. 
Blount  for  the  application  of  his  abilities  and  attention  in  forwarding 
their  business  as  representatives;  more  especially  in  compiling  and  ar- 
ranging the  system  of  court  law,  and  that  as  there  appears  to  be  no  more 
business  before  this  assembly  his  excellency  is  requested  to  prorogue 
the  same  to  the  first  Monday  in  October,  1795.”  The  Governor  after 
acknowledging  that  the.  laws  presented  for  his  approval  were  essential  to 
the  public  happiness,  and  that  no  law  of  importance  was  omitted,  sent  the 
following  prorogation : 

William  Blount,  Governor  in  and  over  the  Territory  of  the  United  States  of 

America,  south  of  the  River  Ohio. 

To  the  President  and  Gentlemen  of  the  Legislative  Council , and  the  Speaker  and  Gentlemen 

of  the  House  of  Representatives. 

The  session  of  the  General  Assembly  is  prorogued  until  the  first  Monday  in  the  month 
of  October,  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  ninety-five,  then  to  commence  at  this  place. 

Given  under  my  hand  at  Knoxville,  September  30,  1794. 

By  the  Governor,  Daniel  Smith.  William  Blount 

The  expense  of  the  Legislative  Council  for  the  August  and  September 
session,  1791,  amounted  to  $970.7T§,  and  of  the  House  of  Representatives 
for  the  same  session,  $1,700.16§.  The  Territorial  Assembly,  although 
prorogued  as  above  narrated,  was  convened  by  the  Governor  on  June  29, 
1795.  In  his  message  the  Governor  said:  “The  principal  object  for 
which  I have  called  you  together  at  an  earlier  period  than  that  to  which 
the  General  Assembly  stood  prorogued,  is  to  afford  an  opportunity  to  in- 
quire whether  it  is  as  I have  been  taught  to  believe,  the  wish  of  the 
majority  of  the  people  that  this  Territory  should  become  a State,  when 
by  taking  the  enumeration  there  should  prove  to  be  60,000  free  inhabit- 
ants therein,  or  at  such  earlier  period  as  Congress  shall  pass  an  act  for  its 
admission,  and  if  it  is  to  take  such  measures  as  may  be  proper  to  effect 
the  desired  change  of  the  form  of  government  as  early  as  practicable.” 
On  the  7th  of  July,  following,  John  Sevier  from  the  joint  committee  ap- 
pointed for  the  purpose  offered  the  following  address  to  the  Governor: 

Sir: — The  members  of  the  Legislative  Council,  and  of  the  House  of  Representatives 
beg  leave  to  express  to  your  Excellency  their  approbation  of  the  object  for  which  they 
were  principally  called  together;  and  feeling  convinced  that  the  great  body  of  our  con- 
stituents are  sensible  of  the  many  defects  of  our  present  mode  of  government,  and  of  the 
great  and  permanent  advantages  to  be  derived  from  a change  and  speedy  representation 
in  Congress;  the  General  Assembly  of  this  Territory  will  during  the  present  session,  en- 
deavor to  devise  such  means  as  may  have  a tendency  to  effect  that  desirable  object,  and 
in  doing  so  we  shall  be  happy  in  meeting  with  your  Excellency’s  concurrence. 


210 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


The  treasurer  of  Washington  and  Hamilton  Districts  submitted  his 
report  at  this  session  of  the  Legislature.  A joint  committee,  to  whom  it 
was  referred,  in  the  conclusion  of  their  report  used  the  following  lan- 
guage: “Your  committee  beg  leave  to  observe  that  the  moneys  arising 

from  the  tax  levied  by  the  last  General  Assembly  very  much  exceed  their 
most  sanguine  expectations,  and  that  such  will  be  the  state  of  the  treas- 
ary  department,  that  the  next  tax  to  be  levied  may  be  very  much  lessened 
and  then  be  fully  commensurate  and  adequate  to  defray  every  expendi- 
ture and  necessary  contingency  of  our  government.”  It  is  believed  that 
ibis  flattering  condition  of  the  treasury  had  its  influence  in  determining 
public  sentiment  more  strongly  in  favor  of  the  change  in  the  form  of 
government  from  a Territory  to  a State.  The  preference  of  the  people 
of  the  Territory  for  a State  form  of  government  was  recognized  by  the 
Legislature,  which  passed  an  act  for  the  enumeration  of  the  inhabitants 
of  the  Territory,  in  which  it  was  provided  that  “if  it  shall  appear  that 
there  are  00,000  inhabitants  therein,  the  governor  be  authorized  and 
requested  to  recommend  to  the  people  of  the  respective  counties,  to  elect 
five  persons  of  each  county  to  represent  them  in  convention  to  meet  at 
Knoxville  at  such  time  as  he  shall  judge  proper  for  the  purpose  of  form- 
ing a constitution  or  form  of  government  for  the  permanent  government 
for  the  people  who  are  or  shall  become  residents  upon  the  lands  by  the 
State  of  North  Carolina  ceded  to  the  United  States.”  So  general  had 
become  the  conviction  that  the  territorial  would  soon  be  superseded  by  a 
State  government,  that  this  session  of  the  Territorial  General  Assembly 
was  of  but  short  duration — thirteen  days — -and  its  work,  other  than  that 
outlined  above,  comparatively  unimportant,  and  in  accordance  with  a con- 
current request  of  the  two  houses,  the  Governor  sent  the  following 
message: 

William  Blount,  Governor  in  and  over  the  Territory  of  the  United  States  of 

America,  south  of  the  River  Ohio. 

To  the  President  and  Gentlemen  of  the  Legislative  Council  and  the  Speaker  and  Gentle- 
men of  the  House  of  Representatives. 

The  business  of  this  session  being  completed  the  General  Assembly  is  prorogued  sine 
die. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  seal  at  Knoxville,  July  11,  1795. 

W illiam  Blount. 

By  the  Governor, 

Thomas  H.  Williams,  Pro.  Sec’y. 

The  results  of  the  enumeration  of  the  people  under  the  act  passed  as 
above  recited  were  as  follows: 

Territory  of  the  United  States  of  America,  South  of  the  River  Ohio. 

Schedule  of  the  aggregate  amount  of  each  description  of  persons,  taken  agreeably  to 
“ An  act  providing  for  the  enumeration  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  Territory  of  the  United 
States  of  America  south  of  the  River  Ohio,”  passed  July  11,  1795. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


211 


COUNTIES. 

Free  while  males, 
16  years  and  up- 
ward, including 
heads  of  families. 

Free  white  males 
under  1G  years. 

Free  white  fe- 
males, including 
heads  of  families. 

All  other  free  per- 
sons. 

Slaves. 

Total 

Popula- 

tion. 

Yeas. 

Nays. 

Jefferson 

1706 

2225 

3021 

112 

776 

7840 

714 

316 

Hawkins 

2666 

3279 

4767 

147 

2472 

13331 

1651 

534 

Greene  

1567 

2203 

3350 

52 

446 

7638 

560 

495 

Knox 

2721 

2723 

3664 

100 

2365 

11573 

1100 

128 

Washington 

2013 

2578 

4311 

225 

978 

10105 

873 

145 

Sullivan 

1803 

2340 

3499 

38 

777 

8457 

715 

125 

Sevier 

628 

1045 

1503 

273 

129 

. 3578 

261 

55 

Blount 

585 

817 

1231 

183 

2816 

476 

16 

Davidson 

728 

695 

1192 

6 

992 

3613 

96 

517 

Sumner 

1382 

1595 

2316 

1 

1076 

6370 

Tennessee 

380 

444 

700 

19 

398 

1941 

58 

231 

Totals 

16179 

19994 

29554 

973 

10613 

77262 

6504 

2562 

I,  William  Blount,  Governor  in  and  over  the  Territory  of  the  United  States  of  Amer- 
ica, south  of  the  River  Ohio,  do  certify  that  the  schedule  is  made  in  conformity  with  the 
schedules  of  the  sheriffs  of  the  respective  counties  in  the  said  Territory,  and  that  the 
schedules  of  the  said  sheriffs  are  lodged  in  my  office. 

Given  under  my  hand  at  Knoxville  November  28,  1795. 

William  Blount. 

The  Territory  being  thus  found  to  contain  more  than  the  number  of 
inhabitants  required  by  the  ordinance  to  authorize  the  formation  of  a 
State  government,  Gov.  Blount  issued  the  following  proclamation : 

William  Blount,  Governor  in  and  over  the  Territory  of  the  United  States  of  America,  south 

of  the  River  Ohio,  to  the  people  thereof: 

Whereas  by  an  act  passed  on  the  11th  of  July  last, entitled  “ An  act  providing  for  the 
enumeration  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  Territory  of  the  United  States  of  America  south  of 
the  River  Ohio,”  it  is  enacted  “that  if  upon  taking  the  enumeration  of  the  people  in  the 
said  Territory  as  by  that  directed,  it  shall  appear  that  there  are  60,000  inhabitants  therein, 
counting  the  whole  of  the  free  persons,  including  those  bound  to  service  for  a term  of  years 
and  excluding  Indians  not  taxed  and  adding  three-fifths  of  all  other  persons,  the  Governor 
be  authorized  and  requested  to  recommend  to  the  people  of  the  respective  counties  to  elect 
five  persons  for  each  county,  to  represent  them  in  convention  to  meet  at  Knoxville  at  such 
time  as  he  shall  judge  proper  for  the  purpose  of  forming  a constitution  or  permanent  form 
of  government.” 

And,  Whereas,  upon  taking  the  enumeration  of  the  inhabitants  of  said  Territory,  as 
by  the  act  directed,  it  does  appear  that  there  are  60,000  free  inhabitants  therein  and  more, 
besides  other  persons;  now  I,  the  said  William  Blount,  Governor,  etc.,  do  recommend  to 
the  people  of  the  respective  counties  to  elect  five  persons  for  each  county,  on  the  18th  and 
19th  days  of  December  next,  to  represent  them  in  a convention  to  meet  at  Knoxville  on 
the  11th  day  of  January  next,  for  the  purpose  of  forming  a constitution  or  permanent 
form  of  government. 

And  to  the  end  that  a perfect  uniformity  in  the  election  of  the  members  of  the  conven- 
tion may  take  place  in  the  respective  counties,  I,  the  said  William  Blount,  Governor, etc,, 
do  further  recommend  to  the  sheriffs  or  their  deputies,  respectively,  to  open  and  hold 
polls  of  election  for  members  of  convention,  on  the  18th  and  19th  days  of  December,  as 
aforesaid,  in  the  same  manner  as  polls  of  election  have  heretofore  been  held  for  members 


212 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


of  the  Genei’al  Assembly;  and  that  all  free  males  twenty  one  years  of  age  and  upward,  be 
considered  entitled  to  vote  by  ballot  for  five  persons  for  members  of  convention,  and  that 
the  sheriffs  or  their  deputies  holding  such  polls  of  election  give  certificates  to  the  five 
persons  in  each  county  having  the  greatest  Humber  of  votes,  of  their  being  duly  elected 
members  of  convention. 

And  I,  the  said  William  Blount,  Governor,  etc.,  think  proper  here  to  declare  that  this 
recommendation  is  not  intended  to  have,  nor  ought  to  have,  any  effect  whatever  upon  the 
present  temporary  form  of  government;  and  that  the  present  temporary  form  will  con- 
tinue to  be  exercised  in  the  same  manner  as  if  it  had  never  been  issued,  until  the  conven- 
tion shall  have  formed  and  published  a constitution  or  permanent  form  of  government. 

Done  at  Knoxville  November  28,  1795. 

William  Blount. 

By  the  Governor,  Willie  Blount,  Pro.  Secretary. 

In  accordance  with  the  suggestions  of  this  proclamation,  elections 
were  held  in  each  of  the  eleven  counties  in  the  Territory,  for  five  mem- 
bers of  the  convention  from  each  county.  These  members  met  at  Knox- 
ville, January  11,  1796.  Following  are  the  names  of  the  members  who 
appeared,  produced  their  credentials  and  took  their  seats: 

Jefferson  County — Joseph  Anderson,  George  Doherty,  Alexander 
Outlaw,  William  Roddye,  Archibald  Roane.  Hawkins  County — James 
Berry,  William  Cocke,  Thomas  Henderson,  Joseph  McMinn,  Richard 
Mitchell.  Greene  County — Elisha  Baker,  Stephen  Brooks,  Samuel  Fra- 
zier, John  Galbreath,  William  Rankin.  Knox  County — John  Adair,  Will- 
iam Blount,  John  Crawford,  Charles  McClung,  James  White.  Wash- 
ington County — Landon  Carter,  Samuel  Handley,  James  Stuart,  Leroy 
Taylor,  John  Tipton.  Sullivan  County — -William  C.  C.  Claiborne,  Rich- 
ard Gammon,  George  Rutledge,  John  Rhea,  John  Shelby,  Jr.  Sevier 
County — Peter  Bryan,  Thomas  Buckingham,  John  Clack,  Samuel  Wear, 
Spencer  Clack.  Blount  County — Joseph  Black,  David  Craig,  Samuel 
Glass,  James  Greenaway,  James  Houston.  Davidson  County — Thomas 
Hardeman,  Andrew  Jackson,  Joel  Lewis,  John  McNairy,  James  Robert- 
son. Sumner  County — Edward  Douglass,  W.  Douglass,  Daniel  Smith, 
D.  Shelby,  Isaac  Walton.  Tennessee  County — James  Ford,  William 
Fort,  Robert  Prince,  William  Prince,  Thomas  Johnson. 

The  convention  was  organized  by  the  election  of  William  Blount,  pres- 
ident; William  Maclin,  secretary,  and  John  Sevier,  Jr.,  reading  and  en- 
grossing clerk.  John  Rhea  was  appointed  door-keeper.  On  motion  of 
Mr.  White,  seconded  by  Mr.  Roddye,  it  was  ordered  that  the  next  morn- 
ing’s session  commence  with  prayer,  and  that  a sermon  be  delivered  by 
Rev.  Mr.  Carrick.  In  the  act  providing  for  the  enumeration  of  the  in- 
habitants of  the  Territory,  it  was  provided  that  each  member  of  the  con- 
vention should  be  entitled  to  receive  the  same  wages  as  a member  of  that 
session  of  the  Assembly — -$2.50  per  day.  The  convention  on  the  second 
day  of  its  session  adopted  the  following  resolutions : 


HISTOEY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


21a 

Resolved,  That  economy  is  an  admirable  trait  in  any  government  and  that,  in  fixing 
the  salaries  of  the  officers  thereof,  the  situation  and  resources  of  the  country  should  be 
attended  to. 

Resolved,  That  ten  shillings  and  sixpence,  Virginia  currency,  per  day  to  every  member 
is  a sufficient  compensation  for  his  services  in  the  Convention,  and  one  dollar  for  every 
thirty  miles  they  travel  in  coming  to  and  returning  from  the  Convention,  and  that  the 
members  pledge  themselves  each  one  to  the  other  that  they  will  not  draw  a greater  sum 
out  of  the  public  treasury. 

After  substituting  $1.50  for  10s.  6d.  in  the  second  resolution,  both 
resolutions  were  unanimously  adopted.  It  was  then  resolved  that  the  con- 
vention appoint  two  members  from  each  county  to  draft  a constitution, 
and  that  each  county  name  its  members,  and  accordingly  the  following 
individuals  were  named  as  members  of  the  committee. 

Blount  County — -Daniel  Craig  and  Joseph  Black.  Davidson  County 
— Andrew  Jackson  and  John  McNairy.  Greene  County — Samuel  Fra- 
zier and  William  Rankin.  Hawkins  County — Thomas  Henderson  and 
William  Cocke.  Jefferson  County — -Joseph  Anderson  and  William 
Roddye.  Knox  County — William  Blount  and  Charles  McClung.  Sulli- 
van County — William  C.  C.  Claiborne  and  John  Rhea.  Sumner  County 
: — D.  Shelby  and  Daniel  Smith.  Sevier  County — John  Clack  and  Sam- 
uel Wear.  Tennessee  County — -Thomas  Johnson  and  William  Fort. 
Washington  County — John  Tipton  and  James  Stuart.  On  motion  of  Mr. 
McMinn,  the  sense  of  the  convention  was  taken  as  to  whether  a declara- 
tion of  rights  be  prefixed  to  the  constitution,  which  being  decided  in 
the  affirmative  the  committee  was  directed  to  present  as  early  as  practic- 
able a declaration  or  bill  of  rights  to  be  thus  prefixed.  A bill  of 
rights  was  consequently  prepared,  but  later  in  the  session  it  was  decided 
by  the  convention  to  affix  it  to  the  constitution  as  the  eleventh  arti- 
cle thereof. 

On  the  18th  of  January  an  important  question  was  presented  to  the 
convention  by  Mr.  Outlaw,  as  to  whether  the  Legislature  should  consist 
of  two  houses.  This  question  being  decided  in  the  affirmative,  another 
question  was  raised  by  Mr.  McNairy  as  to  whether  the  two  houses  in  the 
Legislature  should  be  of  equal  numbers  and  of  equal  powers.  This  ques- 
tion, being  decided  in  the  affirmative,  was  the  next  day  reconsidered  on 
motion  of  Mr.  McNairy,  and  amended  so  as  to  read  as  follows:  In  lieu 

of  the  words  “two  houses,”  insert  “one  House  of  Representatives,”  and 
that  no  bill  or  resolution  shall  be  passed  unless  by  two  thirds  of  the 
whole  number  of  members  present.  This  proposed  form  of  the  legisla- 
tive branch  of  the  government  was,  upon  reflection,  no  more  satisfactory 
than  “two  houses  of  equal  numbers  and  powers,”  and  on  the  20th  of  Jan- 
uary the  convention  again  resolved  itself  into  committee  of  the  whole  on 
this  question;  and  Mr.  Robertson,  chairman  of  the  committee,  reported 


'214 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


that  “the  Legislature  shall  consist  of  two  branches,  a Senate  and  a House 
of  Represenatives,  organized  on  the  principles  of  the  constitution  of  North 
Carolina,  to  be  elected  once  in  two  years;  and  that  the  members  of  each 
house  be  elected  by  the  same  electors,  and  that  the  qualifications  of  the 
members  of  each  house  be  the  same,  until  the  next  enumeration  of  the 
people  of  the  United  States,  and  then  to  be  represented  by  members,  re- 
taining the  principle  of  two  representatives  to  one  senator ; provided  the 
ratio  shall  be  such  as  that  both  shall  not  exceed  forty  until  the  number 
of  the  people  exceed  200,000,  and  that  the  number  shall  never  exceed 
sixty.” 

Although  in  the  report  of  the  proceedings  of  the  convention  no  further 
reference  is  made  to  discussions  upon  this  part  of  the  constitution,  yet  on 
January  30,  when  the  draft  of  the  constitution  was  considered  in  com- 
mittee of  the  whole,  this  clause  is  found  to  have  undergone  considerable 
change.  It  was  then  provided  that  the  General  Assembly  should  consist 
of  a Senate  and  a House  of  Representatives,  the  former  to  consist  of  one 
and  the  latter  of  two  members  from  each  county,  to  continue  thus  for 
sixteen  years  from  the  commencement  of  the  second  session,  and  after 
that  representation  should  be  apportioned  according  to  numbers  in  such 
manner  that  the  whole  number  of  senators  and  representatives  should  not 
exceed  thirty-nine  until  the  number  of  free  white  persons  should  be 
200,000,  and  after  that  (preserving  the  same  ratio  of  two  representatives 
to  one  senator)  the  entire  number  of  senators  and  representatives  should 
never  exceed  sixty.  As  finally  adopted  on  February  4,  1796,  this  portion 
of  the  constitution  assumed  the  following  form: 

ARTICLE  I. 

Section  1.  Tlie  legislative  authority  of  this  State  shall  be  vested  in  a General  As- 
sembly, which  shall  consist  of  a Senate  and  House  of  Representatives,  both  dependent  on 
the  people. 

Sec.  2.  Within  three  years  after  the  first  meeting  of  the  General  Assembly,  and  with- 
in every  subsequent  term  of  seven  years,  an  enumeration  of  the  taxable  inhabitants  shall 
be  made  in  such  manner  as  shall  be  directed  by  law.  The  number  of  representatives  shall 
at  the  several  periods  of  making  such  enumeration  be  fixed  by  the  Legislature,  and  appor- 
tioned among  the  several  counties  according  to  the  number  of  taxable  inhabitants  in  each, 
and  shall  never  be  less  than  twenty-two,  nor  greater  than  twenty-six,  until  the  number  of 
taxable  inhabitants  shall  be  40,000;  and  after  that  event  at  such  ratio  that  the  whole  num- 
ber of  representatives  shall  never  exceed  forty. 

Sec.  3.  The  number  of  senators  shall  at  the  several  periods  of  making  the  enumera- 
tion before  mentioned  be  fixed  by  the  Legislature,  and  apportioned  among  the  districts, 
formed  as  hereinafter  directed,  according  to  the  number  of  taxable  inhabitants  in  each, 
and  shall  never  be  less  than  one-third,  nor  more  than  one-half  of  the  number  of  representa- 
tives. 

Sec.  4.  The  senators  shall  be  chosen  by  districts,  to  be  formed  by  the  Legislature, 
each  district  containing  such  a number  of  taxable  inhabitants  as  shall  be  entitled  to  elect 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


215 


not  more  than  three  senators.  When  a district  shall  be  composed  of  two  or  more  counties 
they  shall  be  adjoining,  and  no  county  shall  be  divided  in  forming  a district. 

Thus  was  concluded  perhaps  the  most  important  part  of  the  work  of 
the  convention.  It  is  doubtless  more  curious  than  profitable  to  reflect 
upon  what  would  have  been  the  consequences  to  the  people  of  the  State 
had  either  of  the  earlier  propositions  been  adopted — to  form  a Legislature 
consisting  of  two  houses  of  equal  power  and  numbers,  or  of  “one  House 
of  Representatives.”  It  is  an  interesting  study,  however,  to  note  the 
varying  forms  this  subject  assumed  in  the  minds  of  those  primitive  con- 
stitution builders,  illustrating  as  it  does  the  general  principle  that  the 
wisest  form  or  course  is  seldom  that  first  suggested  to  the  mind.  There 
are  other  features  in  this  constitution,  declared  by  Jefferson  to  be  the 
“least  imperfect  and  most  republican”  of  the  systems  of  government 
adopted  by  any  of  the  American  States,  worthy  of  especial  comment. 
Several  of  its  features  or  principles  had  previously  been  enacted  into  laws 
by  North  Carolina.  So  far  as  those  laws  are  concerned  these  principles 
had  their  origin  in  the  demands  of  the  times,  or  the  necessities  of  the 
people;  and  experience,  that  great  teacher  of  the  wise  legislator,  had  de- 
termined their  wisdom  by  demonstrating  their  adaptability  to  the  ends 
they  were  designed  to  subserve.  This  adaptability  being  thus  clearly 
proven  by  experience,  the  principles  were  embodied  in  the  constitution 
for  the  purpose  of  conferring  upon  the  people  with  certainty  the  benefits 
to  be  derived  from  tlieir  operation,  and  of  placing  them  beyond  the  power 
and  caprice  of  Legislatures;  for  it  is  worthy  of  remark  that  the  present, 
no  matter  how  much  confidence  it  may  possess  in  its  own  wisdom  and  in 
that  of  the  past,  has  very  little  respect  for  that  of  the  future.  One  of 
these  principles  was  enacted  into  a law,  in  1777,  by  the  Legislature  of 
North  Carolina,  as  follows:  “That  every  county  court  shall  annually  se- 
lect and  nominate  a freeholder,  of  sufficient  circumstances,  to  execute  the* 
•office  of  sheriff,  who  shall  thereupon  be  commissioned  by  the  governor, 
or  commander-in-chief,  to  execute  that  office  for  one  year.”  The  Con- 
stitution of  Tennessee,  Article  YI,  Section  1,  reads  as  follows:  “There 

shall  be  appointed  in  each  county,  by  the  county  court,  one  sheriff,  one 
coroner,  one  trustee,  and  a sufficient  number  of  constables,  who  shall  hold 
their  offices  for  two  years.  They  shall  also  have  power  to  appoint  one 
register  and  one  ranger  for  the  county,  who  shall  hold  their  offices  during 
good  behavior.  The  sheriff  and  coroner  shall  be  commissioned  by  the 
governor.”  In  1784  the  Legislature  of  North  Carolina  passed  the  fol- 
lowing law: 

Whereas,  It  is  contrary  to  the  spirit  of  the  constitution  and  the  principles  of  a gen- 
uine republic  that  any  person  possessing  a lucrative  office  should  hold  a seat  in  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly; 


216 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


Therefore , be  it  enacted,  etc.,  That  from  and  after  the  present  session  of  the  General  As- 
sembly, every  person  holding  a public  office  of  profit,  either  by  stated  salary  or  commis- 
sions, shall  be  and  they  are  hereby  declared  to  be  incapable  of  being  elected  a member  to 
serve  in  the  General  Assembly,  or  to  enjoy  seats  therein.” 

This  principle  was  embodied  in  the  constitution  of  Tennessee  in  the 
following  form:  “No  person,  who  heretofore  hath  been  or  hereafter  may 
be  a collector  or  holder  of  public  monies,  shall  have  a seat  in  either  house 
of  the  General  Assembly.”  The  next  section  was  of  similar  import.  In 
the  year  1785  North  Carolina  passed  the  following  law:  “That  from  and 
after  passing  of  this  act  the  several  county  courts  of  pleas  and  quarter- 
sessions  within  this  State  shall  have,  hold  and  exercise  jurisdiction  in  all 
actions  of  trespass  in  ejectment,  formedon  in  descender,  remainder  and 
reverter,  dower  and  partition,  and  of  trespass  quare  clausum  fregit,  any 
law  to  the  contrary  notwithstanding,”  etc. 

The  constitution  of  Tennessee,  Article  Y,  Section  7,  provides  that  “the 
judges  or  justices  of  the  inferior  courts  of  law  shall  have  power  in  all  civil 
cases,  to  issue  writs  of  certiorari,  to  remove  any  cause  or  a transcript 
thereof  from  any  inferior  jurisdiction  into  their  court,  on  sufficient  cause 
supported  by  oath  of  affirmation.”  North  Carolina  enacted  in  1786  that 
the  public  tax  on  each  and  every  poll  should  equal  the  public  tax  on  300 
acres  of  land.  The  constitution  of  Tennesee,  Article  I,  Section  26,  pro- 
vides that  “no  freeman  shall  be  taxed  higher  than  100  acres  of  land,  and 
no  slave  higher  than  200  acres  on  each  poll.”  But  perhaps  the  most  re- 
markable feature  of  this  constitution  was  that  respecting  the  tax  to  be 
levied  on  land,  in  the  following  language:  “All  lands  liable  to  taxation 
in  this  State,  held  by  deed,  entry  or  grant,  shall  be  taxed  equally  and 
uniformly  in  such  manner  that  no  100  acres  shall  be  taxed  higher  than 
another,  except  town  lots,”  etc. 

It  is  not  certain  whence  this  idea  was  derived.  It  is  not  to  be  found 
dn  the  constitution  of  North  Carolina,  nor  in  that  of  any  of  the  other 
States.  It  probably  originated  in  the  Territorial  Legislature  of  1794,  in 
which,  as  will  be  seen  by  reference  to  the  preceding  pages,  the  most  se- 
rious contest  occurred  over  the  question  of  what  the  tax  should  be  upon 
each  100  acres  of  land,  whether  12^  cents,  18  or  25  cents,  the  decision 
being  finally  in  favor  of  25  cents.  The  idea  of  taxing  lands  according  to 
quantity  instead  of  according  to  value  was  probably  derived  from  the 
fact  of  the  equal  value  of  the  lands  at  that  time,  and  was  suggested  to 
the  constitutional  convention  of  1796  by  the  course  pursued  by  the  Ter- 
ritorial Legislature  of  1794.  At  any  rate  it  was  embodied  in  the  first 
constitution  of  this  State,  Avliere  it  remained  an  anomalous  feature,  work- 
ing greater  and  greater  injustice,  as  lands  became  more  and  more  un- 
equal in  value,  until  the  adoption  of  the  constitution  of  1834,  when  the 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


217 


principle  was  adopted  of  taxing  lands  as  well  as  other  property  according 
do  their  value. 

With  reference  to  the  qualifications  of  electors  the  constitution  of 
Tennessee  provided  that  “Every  freeman  of  the  age  of  twenty-one  years 
and  upwards  possessing  a freehold  in  the  county  wherein  he  may  vote, 
and  being  an  inhabitant  of  this  State,  and  every  freeman  being  an  in- 
habitant of  any  one  county  in  this  State  six  months  immediately  pre- 
ceding the  election,  shall  be  entitled  to  vote  for  members  of  the  Gen- 
eral  Assembly  for  the  county  in  which  he  may  reside.”  This  was  a step 
considerably  in  advance  of  the  provisions  of  the  North  Carolina  constitu- 
tion, which  required  an  elector  to  be  a freeman,  a resident  of  the  county 
twelve  months,  and  to  be  possessed  of  a freehold  of  fifty  acres  in  the 
county  in  which  he  resided,  to  qualify  him  to  vote  for  senator.  To  be 
qualified  to  vote  for  representative  he  was  required  to  have  been  a resi- 
dent of  his  county  twelve  months,  and  to  have  paid  public  taxes.  But  it 
will  be  observed  that  under  both  these  constitutions  colored  men,  if  free, 
could  vote. 

Then  in  reference  to  the  qualifications  of  office-holders,  the  constitu- 
tion of  Tennessee  provided,  like  that  of  North  Carolina,  that  no  clergy- 
man or  preacher  of  the  gospel  should  be  eligible  to  a seat  in  either  house 
of  the  General  Assembly.  With  regard  to  the  religious  qualification  of 
office-holders  in  general,  it  is  interesting  to  note  the  advance  made  in 
public  opinion  during  the  twenty  years  from  1776  to  1796.  In  the  North 
Carolina  constitution  it  was  provided  that  “No  person  who  shall  deny 
the  being  of  God,  or  the  truth  of  the  Protestant  religion,  or  the  divine 
authority  of  either  the  Old  or  New  Testament,  or  who  shall  hold  religious 
principles  incompatible  with  the  freedom  or  safety  of  the  State,  shall  be 
capable  of  holding  any  office  or  place  of  trust  or  profit  in  the  civil  de- 
partment of  this  State.”  The  constitutional  convention  of  Tennessee, 
when  discussing  this  question,  evidently  had  the  constitution  of  North 
Carolina  before  them,  and  were  determined  to  improve  upon  that  instru- 
ment. When  the  first  draft  of  the  constitution  was  presented,  January 
30,  1796,  no  reference  was  made  to  religious  qualifications  for  office- 
holders ; but  on  February  2,  Mr.  Doherty  moved,  and  Mr.  Roan  seconded 
the  motion,  that  the  following  be  inserted  as  a section  in  the  constitution : 
“No  person  who  publicly  denies  the  being  of  God,  and  future  rewards 
and  punishments,  or  the  divine  authority  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments, 
shall  hold  any  office  in  the  civil  department  in  this  State ;”  which  was 
agreed  to.  Mr.  Carter  then  moved,  and  Mr.  Mitchell  seconded  the  motion, 
that  the  words  “or  the  divine  authority  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments” 
be  struck  out,  which  being  objected  to.  the  yeas  and  nays  were  called  for, 


218 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


and  resulted  in  an  affirmative  victory  by  a vote  of  twenty-seven  votes  to 
twenty-six.  Afterward  tlie  word  “ publicly  ” was  struck  out,  and  this 
section  of  the  constitution  was  adopted  in  the  following  form:  “No  person 
who  denies  the  being  of  God,  or  a future  state  of  rewards  and  punish- 
ments, shall  hold  any  office  in  the  civil  department  of  this  State.” 

One  or  two  features  of  the  bill  of  rights  are  deemed  worthy  of  notice 
in  this  connection.  The  twenty-ninth  section,  adopted  through  the 
efforts  of  William  Blount,  was  as  follows:  “That  an  equal  participation 
of  the  free  navigation  of  the  Mississippi  is  one  of  the  inherent  rights  of 
the  citizens  of  this  State ; it  cannot,  therefore,  be  conceded  to  any  prince, 
potentate,  power,  person  or  persons  whatever.”  Section  31  was  as 
follows:  “ That  the  people  residing  south  of  French  Broad  and  Hols- 
ton,  between  the  rivers  Tennessee  and  Big  Pigeon,  are  entitled  to  the 
right  of  pre-emption  and  occupation  in  that  tract.”  It  is  stated  that  the 
name  “Tennessee”  was  suggested  as  the  name  of  the  State  by  Andrew 
Jackson,  the  members  from  the  county  of  Tennessee  consenting  to  the 
loss  of  that  name  by  their  county,  on  condition  that  it  be  assumed  by 
the  State. 

The  president  of  the  convention  was  instructed  to  take  the  constitu- 
tion into  his  safe  keeping  until  a secretary  of  State  should  be  appointed 
under  it,  and  then  to  deliver  it  to  him.  The  president  was  also  instructed 
to  send  a copy  of  the  constitution  to  the  Secretary  of  State  of  the  United 
States;  and  he  was  also  instructed  to  “issue  writs  of  election  to  the 
sheriffs  of  the  several  counties,  for  holding  the  first  election  of 
members  of  the  General  Assembly  and  a governor,  under  the  au- 
thority of  the  constitution  of  Tennessee,  to  bear  teste  of  this  date.” 
(February  6,  1790.)  On  the  9th  of  February  a copy  of  the  constitution 
was  forwarded  to  the  Secretary  of  State,  Mr.  Pickering,  by  Joseph 
McMinn,  who  was  instructed  to  remain  at  the  seat  of  the  Federal  Gov- 
ernment long  enough  to  ascertain  whether  members  of  Congress  from 
Tennessee  would  be  permitted  to  take  their  seats  in  Congress.  Mr. 
White,  who  was  then  territorial  delegate  in  that  body,  was  urged  by 
Mr.  McMinn  to  apply  for  the  admission  of  Tennessee  into  the  Union. 
In  response  to  the  application  of  Mr.  White,  Congress  at  length  passed 
the  following  act,  receiving  the  State  of  Tennessee  into  the  Union: 

Whereas,  By  the  acceptance  of  the  deed  of  cession  of  the  State  of  North  Carolina, 
Congress  are  bound  to  lay  out  into  one  or  more  States  the  territory  thereby  ceded  to  the 
United  States. 

Be  it  enacted,  etc.,  That  the  whole  of  the  territory  ceded  to  the  United  States  by  the 
State  of  North  Carolina  shall  be  one  State,  and  the  same  is  hereby  declared  to  be  one  of 
the  United  States  of  America,  on  an  equal  footing  with  the  original  States,  in  all  respects 
whatever,  by  the  name  and  title  of  the  State  of  Tennessee.  That  until  the  next  general 
census  the  said  State  of  Tennessee  shall  be  entitled  to  one  representative  in  the  House  of 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


21& 


Representatives  of  the  United  States;  and  in  all  other  respects  as  far  as  they  may  be 
applicable,  the  laws  of  the  United  States  shall  extend  to  and  have  force  in  the  State  of 
Tennessee,  in  the  same  manner  as  if  that  State  had  originally  been  one  of  the  United 
States. 

Approved  June  the  1st,  1796.  Jonathan  Dayton, 

George  Washington,  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives. 

President  of  the  United  States.  Samuel  Livermore, 

President  of  the  Senate,  pro.  tem. 

AYrits  of  election  were  issued  by  the  president  of  the  convention  to 
the  sheriffs  of  the  several  counties,  requiring  them  to  hold  the  first  elec- 
tion of  members  of  the  General  Assembly,  and  governor  of  the  State. 
The  Legislature  thus  elected  assembled  at  Knoxville  March  28.  The 
Senate  was  constituted  as  follows:  From  Tennessee  County,  James  Ford; 
from  Sumner  County,  James  AY in  Chester;  from  Knox  County,  James 
AYhite;  from  Jefferson  County,  George  Doherty;  from  Greene  County, 
Samuel  Frazier;  from  AYashington  County,  John  Tipton;  from  Sullivan 
County,  George  Rutledge;  from  Sevier  County,  John  Clack;  from  Blount 
County,  Alexander  Kelly;  from  Davidson  County,  Joel  Lewis;  from 
Hawkins  County,  Joseph  McMinn. 

The  Senate  was  organized  by  the  election  of  James  AYinchester,. 
speaker;  Francis  A.  Ramsey,  clerk;  Nathaniel  Buckingham,  assistant 
clerk ; Thomas  Bounds,  door-keeper.  The  House  of  Representatives  was 
composed  of  the  following  gentlemen:  Blount  County,  Joseph  Black  and 
James  Houston;  Davidson  County,  Seth  Lewis  and  Robert  AYeakley; 
Greene  County,  Joseph  Conway  and  John  Gass;  Hawkins  County,  John 
Cocke  and  Thomas  Henderson;  Jefferson  County,  Alexander  Outlaw  and 
Adam  Peck;  Knox  County,  John  Crawford  and  John  Manifee;  Sullivan 
County,  David  Looney  and  John  Rhea;  Sevier  County,  Spencer . Clack 
and  Samuel  Newell ; Sumner  County,  Stephen  Cantrell  and  AVilliam  Mont- 
gomery; Tennessee  County,  AYilliam  Fort  and  Thomas  Johnson;  AYash- 
ington County,  John  Blair  and  James  Stuart.  James  Stuart  was  chosen 
speaker;  Thomas  H.  AYilliams,  clerk;  John  Sevier,  Jr.,  assistant  clerk, 
and  John  Rhea,  door-keeper. 

The  two  houses  being  thus  organized  met  in  the  representatives 
chamber,  to  open  and  publish  the  returns  of  the  election  in  the  several 
counties  for  governor.  From  these  returns  it  appeared  that  “citizen 
John  Sevier  is  duly  and  constitutionally  elected  governor  of  this  State, 
which  was  accordingly  announced  by  the  speaker  of  the  Senate,  in  pres- 
ence of  both  houses  of  the  General. Assembly.  On  the  same  day  a joint 
committee  was  appointed  “to  wait  on  his  Excellency,  John  Sevier,  and 
request  his  attendance  in  the  House  of  Representatives,  to-morrow,  at  12 
o’clock,  to  be  qualified  agreeably  to  the  constitution  of  the  State  of  Tennes- 


220 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


see.”  Gov.  William  Blount  was  requested  to  be  present  at  the  quali- 
fication of  the  governor  elect,  and  on  March  30,  “both  houses  having 
convened  in  the  representative  chamber,  the  several  oaths  prescribed 
for  the  qualification  of  the  governor  were  duly  administered  to  him 
by  the  honorable  Joseph  Anderson.”  After  his  inauguration  Gov. 
Sevier  presented  the  following  address: 

Gentlemen  of  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives: 

The  high  and  honorable  appointment  conferred  upon  me  by  the  free  suffrage  of  my 
countrymen,  fills  my  breast  with  gratitude,  which,  I trust,  my  future  life  will  manifest. 
I take  this  early  opportunity  to  express,  through  you,  my  thanks  in  the  strongest  terms  of 
acknowledgment.  I shall  labor  to  discharge  with  fidelity  the  trust  reposed  in  me;  and  if 
such  my  exertions  should  prove  satisfactory,  the  first  wish  of  my  heart  will  be  gratified. 
Gentlemen,  accept  of  my  best  wishes  for  your  individual  and  public  happiness;  and,  rely- 
ing upon  your  wisdom  and  patriotism,  I have  no  doubt  but  the  result  of  your  deliberations 
will  give  permanency  and  success  to  our  new  system  of  government,  so  wisely  calculated  to 
secure  the  liberty  and  advance  the  happiness  and  prosperity  of  our  fellow  citizens. 

John  Sevier. 

The  duty  of  electing  United  States  Senators  for  Tennessee  still  re- 
mained unperformed.  The  mode  adopted  at  that  time  was  as  follows: 
The  following  message  was  sent  by  the  House  to  the  Senate:  “This 
House  propose  to  proceed  to  the  election  of  two  senators  to  represent  this 
State  in  the  Congress  of  the  United  States;  and  that  the  Senate  and 
House  of  Representatives  do  convene  in  the  House  of  Representatives 
for  that  purpose  to-morrow  at  10  o’clock;  and  do  propose  Mr.  William 
Blount,  Mr.  William  Cocke  and  Mr.  Joseph  Anderson,  as  candidates  for 
the  Senate.”  The  Senate  replied  by  the  following  message:  “We 
concur  with  your  message  as  to  the  time  and  place  for  the  election  by 
you  proposed,  and  propose  Dr.  James  White  to  be  added  to  the  nomin- 
ation of  candidates  for  the  Senate.”  On  the  next  day  the  names  of  Jo- 
seph Anderson  and  James  White  were  withdrawn,  leaving  only  William 
Blount  and  William  Cocke  as  candidates,  who  were  thereupon  duly  and 
constitutionally  elected  the  first  United  States  senators  from  Tennessee. 
Addresses  were  prepared  by  committees  appointed  for  that  purpose  to 
William  Blount  as  retiring  governor,  and  as  senator  elect,  and  to  William 
Cocke  as  senator  elect,  to  which  both  these  gentlemen  appropriately  replied. 
William  Maclin  was  elected  Secretary  of  State;  Landon  Carter,  treasurer 
of  the  districts  of  Washington  and  Hamilton,  and  William  Black,  treasurer 
of  the  district  of  Mero.  John  McNairy,  Archibald  Roane  and  Willie 
Blount,  were  elected  judges  of  superior  courts  of  law  and  equity.  This 
election  occurred  April  10.  John  McNairy  and  Willie  Blount  declined 
the  appointment,  and  Howell  Tatum  and  W.  C.  C.  Claiborne  were  com- 
missioned in  their  places  respectively.  John  C.  Hamilton  was  appointed 
attorney  for  the  State,  in  place  of  Howell  Tatum,  appointed  judge. 


John  Sevier 


£ 


. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


221 


On  tlie  14th  of  April  a curious  piece  of  legislation  was  attempted  is 
the  House  of  Representatives:  “The  bill  to  preclude  persons  of  a certain 
description  from  being  admitted  as  witnesses,  etc.,  was  then  taken  up,  to 
which  Mr.  Gass  proposed  the  following  amendment:  ‘That  from  and 

after  the  passing  of  this  act,  if  any  person  in  this  State  shall  publicly 
deny  the  being  of  a God  and  a future  state  of  rewards  and  punishments, 
or  shall  publicly  deny  the  divine  authority  of  the  Old  and  New  Testa- 
ments, on  being  convicted  thereof,  by  the  testimony  of  two  witnesses, 

shall  forfeit  and  pay  the  sum  of dollars  for  every  such  offense,  etc.' 

The  foregoing  amendment  being  received  the  question  was  taken  on  the 
amended  bill  which  was  carried.  Whereupon  the  yeas  and  nays  were 
called  upon  by  Mr.  Johnson  and  Mr.  Gass,  which  stood  as  follows: 
Yeas:  Messrs.  Blair,  Black,  Conway,  Clack,  Crawford.  Gass,  Houston, 
Johnson,  Looney,  Montgomery,  Newell,  Outlaw,  Peck  and  Weakly — 14. 
Nays:  Messrs.  Cantrell,  Cocke,  Fort,  Henderson,  Lewis.  Manifee,  Rhea 
— 7.  Mr.  Lewis  entered  the  following  protest:  “To  this  question  we 

enter  our  dissent,  as  we  conceive  the  law  to  be  an  inferior  species  of  per- 
secution, w 4ch  is  always  a violation  of  the  law  of  nature,  and  also  that 
it  is  a violation  of  our  constitution.  Seth  Lewis,  John  Cocke,  William 
Fort,  John  Rhea,  Stephen  Cantrell,  John  Manifee,  Thomas  Henderson.” 
On  the  16th  of  April  this  question  came  up  in  the  Senate,  where  the 
following  proceedings  were  had:  “Ordered  that  this  bill  be  read,  which 
being  read  was  on  motion  rejected.”  On  the  22d  of  April,  both  houses 
of  the  General  Assembly  being  convened  in  the  representatives’  chamber, 
proceeded  to  ballot  for  four  electors  to  elect  a President  and  Vice-Pres- 
ident of  the  United  States,  when  the  following  gentlemen  were  chosen: 
Daniel  Smith,  Joseph  Greer,  Hugh  Neilson  and  Joseph  Anderson.  Attor- 
neys-general  were  also  similarly  elected  on  the  same  day;  for  Washing- 
ton District,  Hopkins  Lacey;  Hamilton  District,  John  Lowrey;  Mero 
District,  Howell  Tatum. 

The  above  mentioned  action  of  the  General  Assembly,  in  electing  four 
electors,  was  in  accordance  with  a law  passed  by  which  it  was  provided 
that  the  General  Assembly  should,  from  time  to  time,  by  joint  ballot, 
elect  the  number  of  electors  required  by  the  constitution  of  the  United 
States.  The  error  was  in  supposing  that  the  State  was  entitled  to  two 
representatives  in  Congress  as  well  as  two  Senators,  and  in  accordance 
with  this  supposition  an  act  was  passed  April  20,  1796,  dividing  the 
State  in  two  divisions,  the  first  to  be  called  the  Holston  Division,  and  to 
be  composed  of  the  districts  of  Washington  and  Hamilton;  the  second  to 
be  called  Cumberland  Division,  to  be  composed  of  Mero  District ; each  of 
which  divisions  should  be  entitled  to  elect  one  representative  to  Congress. 


222 


HIST  OK  Y OF  TENNESSEE. 


When  it  was  learned  that  Tennessee  was  entitled  to  only  one  representa- 
tive in  Congress,  Gov.  Sevier  convened  the  Legislature  in  extra  session 
to  meet  on  the  30tli  of  July  for  the  purpose  of  making  an  alteration  in 
the  act  directing  the  mode  of  electing  representatives  to  Congress;  “for 
by  a late  act  of  Congress  the  intended  number  of  our  representatives  is 
diminished,  of  course  it  proportionably  lessens  our  number  of  electors  for 
President  and  Vice-President  of  the  United  States.”  In  accordance  with 
the  necessities  of  the  situation  and  the  recommendations  of  the  governor, 
the  Legislature  on  the  3d  of  August,  passed  the  following  law: 

“Be  it  enacted , etc. : That  an  election  shall  be  held  at  the  respective  court  houses  in  each 
county  in  this  State  on  the  first  Tuesday  in  October  next  and  on  the  day  next  succeeding, 
to  elect  one  representative  to  represent  this  State  in  the  Congress  of  the  United  States.” 

In  an  act  passed  October  8 provision  was  made  for  the  election  of  elec- 
tors for  the  districts  of  Washington,  Hamilton  and  Mero,  one  for  each  dis- 
trict. William  Blount  and  William  Cocke  were  again  elected  senators 
to  Congress,  and  under  the  act  providing  for  the  election  of  electors  of 
President  and  Vice-President,  the  State  was  divided  into  three  districts, 
Washington,  Hamilton  and  Mero,  and  three  persons  from  each  county  in 
each  district  were  named  to  elect  the  elector  for  their  respective  districts. 
The  electors  named  in  the  act  were  to  meet  at  Jonesborough,  Knoxville, 
and  Nashville,  and  elect  an  elector  for  each  district,  and  the  three  elec- 
tors thus  elected  were  to  meet  at  Knoxville  on  the  first  Wednesday  in 
December,  “to  elect  a President  and  Vice-President  of  the  United 
States,  pursuant  to  an  act  of  Congress.  Andrew  Jackson  was  elected 
representative  from  Tennessee  to  the  Congress  of  the  United  States,  and 
when  that  body  assembled  at  Philadelphia,  December  5,  1799,  Mr.  Jack- 
son  appeared  and  took  his  seat. 

On  the  31st  of  January,  1797,  an  act  was  passed  by  Congress  giving 
effect  to  the  laws  of  the  United  States  within  the  State  of  Tennessee. 
By  the  second  section  of  this  act  the  State  was  made  one  district,  the 
district  court  therein  to  consist  of  one  judge  who  was  required  to  hold 
four  sessions  annually,  three  months  apart,  and  the  first  to  be  held  on 
the  first  Monday  of  April,  the  sessions  to  be  held  alternately  at  Knox- 
ville and  Nashville.  This  judge  was  to  receive  an  annual  compensation 
of  $800.  By  the  fourth  section  of  this  act,  the  entire  State  of  Tennessee 
was  made  one  collection  district,  the  collector  to  reside  at  Palmyra, 
“which  shall  be  the  only  port  of  entry  or  delivery  within  the  said  district 
of  any  goods,  wares  and  merchandise,  not  the  growth  or  manufacture  of 
the  United  States;  and  the  said  collector  shall  have  and  exercise  all  the 
powers  which  any  other  collector  hath,  or  may  legally  exercise  for  col- 
lecting the  duties  aforesaid;  and  in  addition  to  the  fees  by  law  provided, 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


223 


shall  be  paid  the  yearly  compensation  of  one  hundred  dollars.”  At  the 
election  of  August,  1797,  John  Sevier  was  again  elected  governor;  and 
a Legislature,  consisting-  of  eleven  senators  and  twenty-two  representa- 
tives from  the  thirteen  counties  then  in  existence,  was  chosen.  Grainger 
and  Hawkins  sent  Joseph  McMinn,  Senator,  and  Robertson  and  Mont- 
gomery sent  James  Ford.  James  White  was  elected  speaker  of  the  Sen- 
ate; George  Ron] stone,  principal  clerk;  and  N.  Buckingham,  assistant 
clerk;  James  Stuart  was  elected  speaker  of  the  House;  Thomas  H.  Will- 
iams, clerk;  Jesse  Wharton,  assistant  clerk,  and  John  Rhea,  door-keeper. 

On  the  3d  of  December,  1798,  the  second  session  of  the  Second  Gen- 
eral Assembly  convened  at  Knoxville.  James  Robertson  was  elected 
senator  in  place  of  Thomas  Hardeman,  who  had  resigned.  William 
Blount  appeared  from  Knox  County  in  place  of  James  White,  resigned. 
William  Blount  was  elected  speaker  of  the  Senate,  George  Roulstone, 
clerk,  and  N.  Buckingham  assistant  clerk.  It  was  at  this  session  of  the 
Legislature  that  the  number  of  senators  was  increased  to  twelve  and  the 
number  of  representatives  to  twenty-four  by  a law  passed  January  5, 
1799.  Section  2 of  the  act  provided  that  there  should  be  four  sen- 
ators and  eight  representatives  from  Washington  District.  Washington 
and  Carter  Counties  were  made  one  senatorial  district,  and  Sullivan, 
Greene  and  Hawkins  Counties  each  had  one  senator,  while  Carter  and 
Hawkins  Counties  each  had  one  representative,  and  Washington,  Sulli- 
van and  Greene  each  had  two.  Hamilton  District  was  divided  as  fol- 
lows : Knox  and  Grainger  each  had  one  senator,  Blount  and  Sevier  had 
one,  and  Jefferson  and  Cocke  one;  Knox  and  Grainger  had  two  representa- 
tives each,  while  the  other  counties  in  the  district  had  one  each.  Mero 
District — Davidson  County  had  two  senators  and  three  representatives; 
Sumner  County  one  senator  and  three  representatives;  and  Robertson 
and  Montgomery  Counties  one  senator  from  both  counties  and  one  rep- 
resentative from  each.  The  first  session  of  the  General  Assembly  elected 
according  to  the  provisions  of  this  act  began  at  Knoxville,  September  16, 
1799.  Alexander  Outlaw  was  chosen  speaker  of  the  Senate,  and  John 
Kennedy,  clerk.  William  Dickson  was  chosen  speaker  of  the  House,  and 
Edward  Scott,  clerk. 

The  first  constitution  of  Tennessee  had  been  so  wisely  constructed  as 
to  subserve  its  purpose  for  forty  years  without  urgent  necessity  being 
felt  for  its  revision.  But  in  1833,  in  response  to  a demand  in  various 
directions,  for  its  amendment,  the  Legislature  passed  an  act,  under  date 
of  November  27,  providing  for  the  calling  of  a convention.  The  act  pro- 
vided that  the  convention  should  consist  of  sixty  members,  who  should 
be  elected  on  the  first  Thursday  and  Friday  of  March  following,  and  that 


224 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


it  should  meet  at  Nashville  on  the  third  Monday  of  May.  The  conven- 
tion having  assembled  May  19,  1834,  Willie  Blount,  of  Montgomery 
County,  was  made  temporary  chairman,  and  immediately  afterward  Will- 
iam B.  Carter,  the  delegate  from  Carter  County,  was  elected  president. 
Mr.  Carter,  in  the  course  of  his  speech  acknowledging  the  honor  con- 
ferred upon  him,  said  “the  great  principle  which  should  actuate  each  indi- 
vidual in  this  convention  is  to  touch  the  constitution  with  a cautious  and 
circumspect  hand,  and  to  deface  that  instrument,  formed  with  so  much 
wisdom  and  foresight  by  our  ancestors,  as  little  as  possible,  and  should 
there  be  in  that  sacred  charter  of  liberty  some  articles  or  features  of 
doubtful  policy,  prudence  requires  that  we  should  better  let  it  remain 
than  to  launch  it  into  a sea  of  uncertainty  when  we  cannot  perhaps  better 
its  condition.”  The  Rev.  James  C.  Smith,  of  the  Cumberland  Presby- 
terian Church  of  Nashville,  pronounced  a solemn  and  appropriate  prayer. 
William  K.  Hill  was  made  secretary  of  the  convention,  and  William  I.  I. 
Morrow  assistant  secretary,  the  latter  by  a yea  and  nay  vote  of  fifty -one 
to  nine.  Ministers  of  the  gospel  and  editors  of  Tennessee  newspapers 
were  admitted  to  seats  within  the  bar  of  the  house.  Various  committees 
were  appointed,  each  committee  to  bring  forward  amendments  on  some 
specific  department  of  the  constitution — the  first  the  Bill  of  Rights,  the 
second  the  Judicial  Department,  the  third  the  Legislature,  etc.  The 
Bill  of  Rights  in  the  new  constitution  remained  substantially  the  same 
as  in  the  old.  Its  position  was  changed  from  that  of  the  eleventh  article 
to  that  of  the  first,  and  the  first  change  was  in  the  seventeenth  section, 
from  which  is  the  following  sentence:  “Suits  may  be  brought  against 
the  State  in  such  manner  and  in  such  courts  as  the  -Legislature  may  by 
law  direct,  provided  the  right  of  bringing  suit  be  limited  to  citizens  of 
this  State,”  the  proviso  being  omitted.  In  the  nineteenth  section  the 
sentence  “ and  in  all  indictments  for  libels  the  jury  shall  have  a right  to 
determine  the  law  and  the  facts,  under  the  direction  of  the  court,  as  in 
other  cases,”  the  word  “ criminal  ” was  inserted  in  the  last  phrase,  so 
as  to  cause  it  to  read  “as  in  other  criminal  cases.”  Section  26, 
reading  that  “the  freemen  of  this  State  shall  have  a right  to  keep  and 
bear  arms  for  the  common  defense,”  was  changed  so  as  to  read  that 
“the  free  white  men,”  etc.  Section  31,  describing  the  boundaries 
of  the  State,  was  amended  by  the  following  additional  words:  “And 
provided  also  that  the  limits  and  jurisdiction  of  this  State  shall  extend 
to  any  other  lands  and  territory  now  acquired  or  that  may  hereafter  be 
acquired  by  compact  or  agreement  with  other  States  or  otherwise,  al- 
though the  land  and  territory  are  not  included  within  the  boundaries 
hereinbefore  designated.” 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


225 

In  the  constitution  proper,  Article  I in  the  old  constitution  became 
Article  II  in  the  new,  and  two  new  sections  were  prefixed  thereto. 
These  new  sections  provided  that  the  government  should  be  divided  into 
three  distinct  departments,  Legislative,  Executive  and  Judicial,  and  that 
no  person  belonging  to  one  of  these  departments  should  exercise  any  of 
the  powers  belonging  to  either  of  the  others  except  in  certain  specified 
cases.  Section  4 of  this  second  article  provides  that  an  enumeration 
of  the  qualified  voters  should  be  made  every  ten  years,  commencing  in 
1841,  instead  of  an  enumeration  of  the  taxable  inhabitants  every  seven 
years,  and  Section  5 provides  that  representatives  shall  be  appointed 
according  to  the  number  of  qualified  voters  instead  of  the  taxable  inhabi- 
tants, and  the  number  of  representatives  was  limited  to  seventy-five  until 
the  population  of  the  State  became  1,500,000,  and  after  that  event  the 
number  should  never  exceed  ninety-nine,  and  the  number  of  senators 
was  limited  to  one-third  of  the  number  of  representatives.  Under  the 
old  constitution  no  man  was  eligible  to  a seat  in  the  General  Assem- 
bly unless  he  possessed,  in  his  own  right,  at  least  200  acres  of  land. 
From  the  new  constitution  this  requirement  was  omitted.  Section  20, 
Article  I,  of  the  old  constitution  limited  the  pay  of  legislators  to  $1.75 
per  day,  and  no  more  than  that  sum  for  every  twenty-five  miles  of  travel 
to  and  from  the  place  of  meeting^  This  was  changed  in  the  new  consti- 
tution so  that  each  member  was  allowed  $4  per  day,  and  $4  for 
every  twenty-five  miles  of  travel  to  and  from  the  seat  of  government. 

In  the  old  constitution  the  governor  was  required  to  possess  a free- 
hold estate  of  500  acres  of  land,  and  to  have  been  a citizen  of  the  State 
four  years.  In  the  new  constitution  he  was  required  to  be  at  least  thirty 
years  of  age,  to  be  a citizen  of  the  United  States,  and  to  have  been  a 
citizen  of  Tennessee  at  least  seven  years  next  preceding  the  election,  the 
property  qualification  being  omitted.  The  article  on  the  qualifications 
of  electors  was  changed  so  as  to  read  “every  free  white  man  of  the  age 

of  twenty-one  years,  being  a citizen  of  the  United  States,  and  of  the 

county  wherein  he  may  offer  to  vote  six  months  next  preceding  the  day 
of  election,  shall  be  entitled  to  vote  for  members  of  the  General  Assem- 
bly and  other  civil  officers  for  the  county  or  district  in  which  he  may  re- 
side ; provided  that  no  person  shall  be  disqualified  from  voting  at  any 
election  on  account  of  color  who  is  now  by  the  laws  of  this  State  a com- 
petent witness  in  the  courts  of  justice  against  a white  man.  A free  man 

of  color  shall  be  exempt  from  military  duty  in  time  of  peace,  and  also 

from  paying  a free  poll  tax.”  Section  3 of  article  IX  was  entirely 
new,  and  read:  “Any  person  who  shall  fight  a duel,  or  knowingly  be  the 
bearer  of  a challenge  to  fight  a duel,  or  send  or  accept  a challenge  for 


226 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


that  purpose,  or  be  an  aider  and  abettor  in  fighting  a duel,  shall  be  de- 
prived of  the  right  to  hold  any  office  of  honor  or  profit  in  this  State.” 
The  new  constitution  established  a supreme  court  for  the  State,  and  pro- 
vided that  this  court  should  consist  of  three  judges,  one  of  whom  should 
reside  in  each  of  the  three  grand  divisions  of  the  State,  the  concurrence 
of  two  of  whom  was  necessary  in  every  case  to  a decision.  It  also  pro- 
vided for  their  term  of  office  and  salary. 

The  above  are  the  principal  changes  made  in  the  old  constitution  by 
the  convention  of  1834.  Its  labors  terminated  August  30,  after  passing- 
an  ordinance  for  an  election  to  be  held  on  the  first  Thursday  and  Friday 
of  March,  1835,  on  the  question  of  adopting  the  constitution  it  had  pre- 
pared. A curious  provision  of  this  ordinance  was  as  follows:  “That  no 
person  shall  be  deemed  a qualified  voter  in  said  election  except  such  as. 
are  included  within  the  provisions  of  the  first  section  of  the  fourth  arti- 
cle of  the  amended  constitution,”  according  to  which  only  free  white 
men  were  allowed  to  vote.  Thus  the  convention  itself  assumed  the  right 
and  exercised  the  power  of  adopting  for  the  people  a portion  of  the  con- 
stitution, the  whole  of  which  it  was  preparing  to  submit  to  them  for  their 
ratification  or  rejection.  This  proceeding  was  doubtless  extra-judicial, 
but  was  defensible,  if  at  all,  on  the  ground  that  the  free  colored  men 
who  had  hitherto  exercised  the  right  of  suffrage,  would  most  probably 
vote  against  their  own  disfranchisement,  and  thus,  perhaps,  render 
doubtful  the  fate  of  the  constitution.  The  amended  constitution  was 
submitted  to  the  people  March  5 and  6,  and  was  ratified  by  them  by  a 
vote  of  42,666  for  the  constitution  to  17,691  against  it.  According  to 
the  census  of  1830  there  were  then  in  the  State  4,511  free  colored  per- 
sons, or  about  900  who,  under  the  old  constitution,  were  entitled  to  vote, 
which  number  had  probably  increased  to  1,000  at  the  time  of  the  adop- 
tion of  the  amended  constitution. 

The  session  of  the  convention  lasted  about  three  months  and  its  delib- 
erations were  characterized  by  great  earnestness,  patriotism  and  intelli- 
gence. The  future  good  of  the  State  was  kept  constantly  in  view,  and 
the  care  and  caution  and  even  jealousy  with  which  proposed  changes 
were  scrutinized  are  sufficiently  indicated  by  the  method  adopted  in  their 
discussion — each  section  being  read,  considered  and  voted  upon  four 
times  before  finally  disposed  of.  But  its  crowning  work  was  its  estimate 
placed  upon  the  value  of  education,  and  provision  made  for  the  perpetu- 
ity of  the  fund  for  the  support  of  common  schools.  This  estimate  is 
clearly  and  forcibly  expressed  in  the  following  language:  “Knowledge, 

learning  and  virtue  being  essential  to  the  preservation  of  Republican 
institutions,  and  the  diffusion  of  the  opportunities  and  advantages  of 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


227 


education  throughout  the  different  portions  of  the  State  being  highly 
conducive  to  the  promotion  of  this  end,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly  in  all  future  periods  of  this  Government  to  cherish  litera- 
ture and  science.”  The  provision  made  for  the  perpetuity  of  the  common 
school  fund,  and  the  development  of  the  educational  facilities  under  the 
new  constitution  are  discussed  and  set  forth  in  the  chapter  on  education. 

In  1853  this  constitution  was  so  amended  as  to  provide  for  the  elec- 
tion of  the  judges  of  the  supreme  court  by  the  qualified  voters  of  the 
State  at  large,  and  of  the  judges  of  the  inferior  courts  by  the  qualified 
voters  of  the  district  to  which  such  judges  were  assigned.  An  attorney  - 
general  for  the  State  and  attorney  for  the  districts  and  circuits  were  to 
be  elected  in  the  same  manner  instead  of  by  the  Legislature.  Before 
the  conclusion  of  the  civil  war,  a convention  met  at  Nashville,  January 
9,  1865,  and  completed  its  labors  on  the  26th  of  the  same  month.  By 
this  convention  the  following  amendments  were  framed  and  submitted  to 
the  people 

That  slavery  and  involuntary  servitude,  except  as  a punishment  for  crime,  whereof 
the  party  shall  have  been  duly  convicted,  are  hereby  forever  abolished  and  prohibited 
throughout  this  State. 

The  Legislature  shall  make  no  law  recognizing  the  right  of  property  in  man. 

Other  amendments  were  made  abrogating  certain  features  of  the 
constitution  of  1834,  so  as  to  make  it  consistent  with  the  above  amend- 
ments, and  also  declaring  treasonable,  unconstitutional,  null  and  void, 
the  declaration  of  independence  of  Tennessee,  and  the  ordinance  dis- 
solving the  Federal  relations  between  Tennessee  and  the  United  States 
of  America,  passed  and  promulgated  May  6,  1861. 

The  present  constitution  was  prepared  by  a convention  held  in  Nash- 
ville January,  1870,  and  which  ended  its  labors  February  23,  1870. 
The  first  change  made  was  in  Article  I,  Section  4,  which  in  the  constitu- 
tion of  1834  reads:  “No  religious  test  shall  ever  be  required  as  a qualifi- 
cation to  any  office  or  public  trust  under  this  State.”  In  the  constitution 
of  1870  this  section  reads,  “No  political  or  religious  test,  other  than  an 
oath  to  support  the  constitution  of  the  United  States  and  of  this  State, 
shall  ever  be  required  as  a qualification  to  any  office  or  public  trust 
under  this  State.”  Section  5 of  this  article,  “That  elections  shall  be 
free  and  equal,”  was  amended  by  adding  the  following  words:  “And  the 
right  of  suffrage,  as  heretofore  declared,  shall  never  be  denied  to  any  per- 
son entitled  thereto,  except  upon  conviction  by  a jury  of  some  infamous 
crime,  previously  ascertained  and  declared  by  law  and  judgment  thereon 
by  a court  of  competent  jurisdiction.”  Section  6,  reading  “That  the 
right  of  trial  by  jury  shall  remain  inviolate,”  was  amended  by  adding 


228 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


“and  no  religious  or  political  test  shall  ever  be  required  as  a qualifica- 
tion for  “jurors.”  Section  8,  “That  no  free  man  shall  be  taken  ox- 
imprisoned  or  disseized  of  his  freehold,  liberties  or  pi'ivileges,”  etc.,  was 
amended  by  omitting  the  word  “free.”  Section  18  was  amended  so  as 
to  read-.  “The  Legislature  shall  pass  no  law  authorizing  imprisonment  for 
debt  in  civil  eases.” 

In  the  legislative  department  of  the  constitution,  important  changes 
were  made.  Counties  and  incorporated  towns  were  forbidden  to  lend 
their  credit  to,  or  to  become  stockholders  in,  any  incorporation,  except  upon 
a three-fourths  majority  of  the  vote  cast  at  an  election  upon  the  question, 
and  the  credit  of  the  State  was  forbidden  to  be  given  to  any  company, 
incorporation  or  municipality.  No  bonds  of  the  State  can  be  issued  to 
any  railroad  company,  which  at  the  time  of  its  application  for  the  same  is 
in  default  in  payment  of  interest  upon  the  State  bonds  previously  loaned 
to  it,  or  that  previously  to  such  application  shall  have  sold  any  State 
bonds  loaned  to  it  at  less  than  par.  In  the  executive  department  the 
principal  change  made  was  in  conferring  upon  the  governor  the  veto 
power.  The  qualifications  of  electors  were  so  changed  as  to  confer  the 
suffrage  on  every  male  person  of  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  resident  in 
the  State  one  year  and  in  the  county  six  months  who  had  paid  his  poll 
fax.  The  supreme  court  was  changed  so  as  to  consist  of  five  judges 
instead  of  three,  of  whom  not  more  than  two  may  reside  in  any  one  of 
the  grand  divisions  of  the  State.  The  judges  themselves  are  required  to 
elect  one  of  their  own  number  chief  justice. 

One  of  the  miscellaneous  provisions  of  the  present  constitution  is  as 
follows:  “The  Legislature  shall  have  no  power  to  authorize  lotteries 

for  any  purpose,  and  shall  pass  laws  to  prohibit  the  sale  of  lottex-y  tick- 
ets within  this  State.”  A provision  was  also  inserted  under  which  each 
head  of  a family  is  entitled  to  a homestead  of  the  value  of  $1,000,  ex- 
empt from  sale  for  debt,  except  for  public  taxes  and  the  purchase  price 
of  the  homestead,  which  may  be  retained  by  the  widow  and  minor  chil- 
dren so  long  as  occupied  by  them.  The  intermarriage  of  white  persons 
with  negroes  or  mulattoes,  or  persons  of  mixed  blood  descending  from  a 
negro  to  the  third  generation  inclusive,  is  prohibited  under  this  consti- 
tution. The  vote  on  the  ratification  of  this  new  constitution  was  taken 
March  26,  1870,  and  resulted  as  follows:  For  the  constitution,  98,128; 

against  it,  33,872.  In  East  Tennessee,  15,678;  against  it,  17,155.  Middle 
Tennessee,  48,503;  against  it,  7,190.  West  Tennessee,  33,947 ; against  it, 
9.527. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


229 


CHAPTER  VIII  * 


Growth  and  Development— Imperfect  Agricultural  Methods— Produc- 
tions for  Market— Supply  for  Home  Consumption— Adoption  of  Im- 
proved Agricultural  Implements— Comparison  of  the  Three  Grand 
Divisions  of  the  State  in  Crops  and  Progress — The  Staple  Products — 
The  Great  Range  of  Productions  and  the  Reason— Fruit,  Grain,  To- 
bacco, Cotton,  Peanuts,  Hay,  Hemp,  Flax,  Sorghum,  Live-Stock  and 
Miscellaneous  Products — Introduction  of  the  Cotton-Gin — Purchase 
of  the  Patent  by  the  Legislature— The  Labor  Question  and  the  cost 
of  Production — Fertilization  and  Statistics. 

ENNESSEE  is  so  happily  situated  geographically  and  topographic- 


ally that  her  fields  yield  in  greater  or  less  abundance  nearly  every 
product  o£  the  temperate  zones,  and  it  is  doubtful  if  any  other  State  in 
the  Union  possesses  equal  agricultural  resources.  Yet  the  condition  of 
agriculture  in  the  State  has  not  been  so  prosperous  as  the  nature  of  the 
soil,  the  variety  of  the  products  and  the  salubrity  of  the  climate  should 
insure.  This  is  due  partly  to  the  agricultural  methods,  which  have  been 
in  the  main  quite  primitive,  and  partly  to  the  fact  that  in  Middle  and 
"West  Tennessee  especially,  the  attention  of  farmers  has  been  directed  to 
one  or  two  crops  to  the  almost  utter  exclusion  of  all  others.  It  is  true 
that  before  the  war  these  farmers  were  the  most  thriving  in  the  State  and 
that  many  of  their  farms  were  in  a high  state  of  cultivation  and  improve- 
ment, but  this  mode  of  agriculture  could  succeed  and  prove  profitable 
only  under  a well  regulated  and  well  disciplined  system  of  slave  labor. 
The  great  civil  convulsion  which  overturned  the  social  system  of  the 
South  wrought  most  disastrous  changes  among  the  land  owners  and 
farmers,  and  many  years  have  been  required  for  them  to  recover  from  the 
effects,  and  to  adapt  themselves  to  the  new  condition  of  society. 

There  is  a widely  marked  and  striking  difference  in  the  three  divis- 
ions of  the  State  in  the  economical  management  of  the  farmers.  The 
most  distinguishing  characteristic  of  the  average  farmer  in  East  Tennes- 
see is  the  effort  which  he  makes  to  supply  what  may  be  required  for  his 
own  consumption.  It  is  not  uncommon  on  a small  farm  to  see  a patch  of 
cotton,  which  the  women  of  the  household  work  up  into  cloth ; a spot 
given  to  tobacco  for  home  consumption;  a field  of  sorghum,  from  which 

♦Compiled  from  Killebrew’s  “Resources  of  Tennessee,”  “Revised  Hand  Book  of  Tennessee/' census  and 
other  reports,  and  collected  by  the  writer  from  numerous  original  aQd  reliable  sources. 


230 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


syrup  is  made  for  domestic  use ; a few  acres  of  wheat  are  raised  for  flour ;; 
corn  and  oats  or  hay  to  feed  the  stock,  which  usually  consist  of  a few 
sheep,  to  supply  wool  for  winter  clothes;  cows,  from  which  a consider- 
able revenue  is  derived  by  the  manufacture  of  butter,  and  a brood-mare 
or  two,  from  which  the  farmer  rears  his  mules  and  horses  for  farm  use. 
Besides  these  an  abundance  of  the  staple  vegetables  and  of  all  kinds  of 
poultry  are  raised.  A few  bee-hives  and  an  apple  and  peach  orchard  are 
the  necessary  adjunct  to  nine-tenths  of  the  farms  in  East  Tennessee. 
The  most  striking  fact  in  the  farming  operations  of  that  division  is  that 
no  money  crop  is  raised.  Tobacco,  cotton,  corn  and  hay  are  all  grown  in 
small  quantities,  not  so  much  for  sale  as  for  use.  The  amount  of  money 
realized  by  the  average  farmer  of  East  Tennessee  is  exceedingly  small, 
and  yet  the  people  in  no  portion  of  the  State  live  so  well  or  have  their 
tables  so  bountifully  furnished.  Many  a farmer,  who  lives  like  a lord  at 
his  table,  does  not  realize  $200  in  money  from  his  farm  in  a year,  and 
this  comes  mainly  from  the  sale  of  feathers,  chickens,  eggs,  dried  fruit 
and  occasionally  a few  cattle  or  mules.  Indeed,  with  their  strict  habits 
of  economy,  they  have  but  little  use  for  money.  The  wool  and  cotton,  by 
the  patient  industry  of  the  female  members  of  the  family,  are  wrought 
into  cloth.  A few  hides  from  the  beeves  are  tanned  and  made  into 
shoes.  Salt,  coffee  and  sugar  comprise  almost  the  sum  total  of  pur- 
chases, while  a few  dollars  are  required  to  meet  the  demands  of  the  tax- 
gatherer. 

The  use  of  improved  machinery,  except  in  the  valley  lands,  is  impos- 
sible on  the  farms  in  East  Tennessee;  consequently  the  implements  are 
very  inexpensive,  and  are  frequently  made  at  the  neighboring  blacksmith 
shop.  The  valley  farms,  however,  are  usually  supplied  with  all  the  ma- 
chinery to  be  found  upon  the  best  farms  in  the  other  portions  of  the- 
State.  The  groAving  of  corn  and  wheat  for  a long  period  in  East  Tennes- 
see, without  proper  rotation,  resting  or  clovering,  has  greatly  impaired 
the  fertility  of  the  soil ; yet  there  is  no  better  land  anywhere  for  clover, 
and  the  rich,  red  ferruginous  subsoils,  resting  in  the  valleys  on  the  lime- 
stone rock,  are  susceptible  of  being  kept  up  to  a high  point  of  fertility 
if  properly  managed.  Although  a small  minority  of  the  farmers  are- 
content  to  plant,  work  and  gather  their  crops  just  as  did  their  fathers 
and  grandfathers  before  them,  under  the  lead  of  a few  intelligent  farm- 
ers, and  the  inspiration  of  the  East  Tennessee  Farmers’  Convention,  great 
changes  for  the  better  have  been  wrought  within  the  past  few  years. 
Improved  breeds  of  cattle,  sheep  and  hogs,  and  better  methods  of  cultiva- 
tion have  been  pretty  generally  introduced.  When  this  spirit  of  progress 
and  improvement  shall  have  become  general,  East  Tennessee  Avill  rival 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


231 


any  other  portion  of  the  Union  in  the  variety  and  wealth  of  its  agricult- 
ural products. 

Unlike  his  brother  in  East  Tennessee,  the  farmer  of  the  middle 
division,  especially  in  the  Central  Basin  and  the  richer  portions  of  the 
Highlands,  aims  to  have  in  addition  to  the  food  crops,  a “money  crop” 
of  either  tobacco,  cotton  or  peanuts.  His  anxiety  is  greater  to  secure  the 
former  than  the  latter,  for  his  domestic  habits  are  not  such  as  to  enable 
him  to  dispense  with  money  to  the  same  extent  as  the  farmer  of  East 
Tennessee.  As  a usual  rule,  except  in  places  remote  from  town,  he  does 
not  manufacture  his  clothes  at  home,  but  buys  them.  He  does  not  pay 
as  much  attention  to  the  smaller  industries,  nor  is  his  every  day  table 
supplied  with  such  a variety  of  food.  Milk  and  butter  he  usually  pro- 
duces in  abundance  for  home  consumption,  but  unless  in  the  dairy  busi- 
ness he  does  not  aim  to  produce  a surplus  for  market.  While  his 
orchards  may  cover  more  acres,  his  orchard  products  are  less  remunera- 
tive. Fowls  are  raised  in  large  quantities,  but  the  money  for  them 
belongs  to  the  housewife,  and  does  not  enter  into  his  bills  receivable. 
His  thoughts  center  in  his  money  crops,  and  everything,  even  the  appear- 
ance of  his  farm,  must  yield  to  the  imperative  demands  of  such  crops. 
He  feels  no  disappointment  at  having  no  corn  or  pork  to  sell.  He  aims 
to  make  a supply.  If  there  is  a surplus  he  rejoices,  if  not,  he  remains 
contented.  He  knows  and  appreciates  the  value  of  labor-saving  machinery, 
and  his  farm  is  usually  well  supplied  with  the  best  of  implements.  His 
work-stock  are  the  best  his  purse  will  enable  him  to  buy.  He  also 
inherits  a love  for  a good  saddle  horse.  He  rejoices  in  a good  cotton- 
gin,  or  tobacco  screw,  gin  house  or  tobacco  barn,  and  will  take  infinitely 
more  pains  to  exhibit  these  than  he  will  his  dwelling,  although  his 
dwelling  may  be  tasteful  and  elegant  in  its  surroundings.  He  is  fond 
too  of  a good  stable,  with  a bounteous  supply  of  provender,  though 
stables  and  everything  else  must  yield  to  the  exactions  of  his  “money 
crop.”  If  a stock  raiser,  everything  is  subordinated  to  that,  it  being  the 
“money  crop.”  The  possession  of  a heavy  purse  once  a year  is  the 
dream  of  his  existence.  Energetic,  thoughtful,  intelligent  and  pains- 
taking, he  prospered  under  a different  condition  of  things.  He  prospers 
yet,  when  able  to  take  the  front  row  or  to  carry  on  his  farm  in  a system- 
atic and  orderly  manner.  He  is  not  so  careful  of  his  land  now  as  before 
the  war ; he  does  not  value  it  so  highly.  He  can  be  tempted  to  rent  out 
fields  that  in  the  regular  order  should  be  rested.  Sometimes  his  clover 
seed  runs  short,  and  he  prefers  to  let  the  unsown  fields  lie  fallow  rather  than 
to  incur  further  expense.  He  is  not  so  particular  about  having  his  fence 
corners  clean  as  formerly.  He  is  in  a manner  disheartened  because  he- 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


232 

can  rely  upon  no  regular  supply  of  labor.  His  enthusiasm  is  greatly 
chilled  by  the  course  of  events,  and  yet  he  will  confess  that  in  a good 
season  with  good  hands  his  profits  are  as  great  and  as  satisfactory  as 
ever. 

The  farms  in  Middle  Tennessee,  as  a general  thing,  are  much  better 
improved  than  in  the  other  divisions.  The  dwelling  houses  are  good, 
many  of  them  elegant,  some  of  them  princely.  Stock  raising  and  cotton 
growing  in  this  central  basin  are  the  favorite  branches  of  industry.  Fine 
stock,  horses,  cattle,  hogs  and  sheep  of  the  most  approved  breeds  are  to 
be  found  in  every  county.  On  the  Highlands  surrounding  the  basin,  j. 
peanuts,  tobacco,  wheat  and  fruits  are  the  favorite  crops.  The  average 
farmer  of  lower  West  Tennessee  aspires  to  be  a planter.  He  loves  to 
see  many  broad  acres  in  cultivation.  He  is  ambitious,  industrious,  care-  ;j 
less  and  energetic.  He  cares  for  nothing  so  much  as  to  see  his  cotton 
fields  flourishing.  He  does  not  try  to  raise  his  supplies,  but  stoutly 
maintains  that  he  can  buy  them  cheaper  than  he  can  make  them.  Debt  j 
has  no  such  terrors  for  him  as  for  the  East  Tennessee  farmer.  He  will 
stake  his  all  upon  the  prospects  for  cotton;  chicken,  eggs,  butter,  corn,  j: 
wheat,  hay,  meat — all  these  are  little  things  and  cotton  will  buy  them. 
Cotton  is  the  great  mogul  of  all  the  crops.  It  controls  all  and  buys  all. 
Land,  teams,  tools  are  as  nothing,  compared  with  the  lordly  bales  rolled 
out  from  the  gin  house.  Gullies  may  wash,  fences  may  rot,  houses  may  I 
fall  to  decay,  but  cotton  must  be  raised.  A big  crop  of  cotton  will  buy 
fresh  fields  with  virgin  soil  elsewhere.  Taking  care  of  land  and  resting  i 
it  may  do  for  the  farmer  elsewhere,  but  time  is  too  valuable  to  be  wasted 
in  this  way  by  the  average  West  Tennessee  farmer.  He  can  and  does 
spend  money  for  fertilizers,  and  they  are  used  where  the  cotton  crop  will 
get  the  full  benefit.  He  will  crop  out  his  land,  or  rent  it  out,  payable  in 
cotton,  but  rarely  in  money.  He  is  inclined  to  be  more  cosmopolitan 
than  his  brothers  of  the  other  divisions,  yet  he  cherishes  a high  regard 
for  his  State,  but  would  cherish  it  still  more,  if  it  would  produce  more 
cotton. 

In  the  more  northern  counties  of  West  Tennessee,  however,  the 
average  farmer  is  very  much  like  the  Middle  Tennessee  farmer.  Tie  has  ; 
his  money  crop,  but  he  takes  an  interest  in  working  supplies  enough  for 
home  consumption.  He  is  careful  of  his  soil,  and  feeds  and  nurses  it 
with  clover.  He  takes  great  delight  in  his  corn  crop  until  his  tobacco 
plants  begin  to  press  him,  then  the  corn  must  stand  second  in  his  affec-  ' 
tions.  He  loves  his  hay  fields,  but  his  tobacco  fields  better.  He  is  fond 
of  rich  soil  and  studies  the  aptitudes  and  capacities  of  the  different  vari-  j 
eties,  and  plants  his  various  crops  so  that  each  may  have  the  most  con- 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


233 


genial  soil.  There  is  no  better  farmer  in  the  State  than  the  farther  of 

c* 

northern  West  Tennessee.  He  raises  a surplus  of  all  food  crops,  but 
pays  little  attention  to  the  smaller  industries.  He  is  fond  of  good  stock, 
especially  good  hogs,  which  his  magnificent  corn  crops  enable  him  to 
rear  in  great  quantities.  He  keeps  up  his  improvements  and  has  a 
lively  faith  in  the  future  of  the  State. 

The  many  varieties  of  soil  and  the  difference  of  elevation  give  to  Ten- 
nessee a very  wide  range  in  its  agricultural  products.  Assuming  that 
an  elevation  of  333  feet  is  equivalent,  so  far  as  temperature  is  concerned 
to  one  degree  of  latitude,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  highest  clime  of  the 
Unakas  in  the  East  differ  from  the  low  lands  of  the  Mississippi  by  near- 
ly fifteen  degrees  of  latitude ; the  one  having  a semi-tropical  climate  and 
the  other  that  of  Canada.  The  soils  do  not  differ  less  than  the  climate. 
Upon  them  can  be  grown  the  sweet  potato  of  the  South  and  the  Irish 
potato  of  the  North,  both  in  remunerative  quantities,  and  of  excellent 
quality.  Peaches  that  attain  their  luscious  sweetness  in  a sunny  climate 
find  in  the  State  a congenial  home,  where  they  are  brought  to  their  high- 
est perfection.  Apples,  upon  the  elevated  lands,  bear  as  profusely  and 
ripen  as  deliciously  as  in  the  great  apple  growing  region  of  Ohio  or 
Michigan.  Grapes  of  many  varieties  bear  in  unsurpassed  luxuriance  up- 
on the  sunny  slopes  and  rich  hills  in  every  part  of  the  State.  Plums, 
apricots,  pears,  nectarines  and  cherries  flourish  and  yield  in  pro- 
fusion. Even  the  fig,  in  sheltered  places,  may  be  brought  to  maturity 
in  the  open  air.  Those  more  common,  but  not  less  useful  fruits,  the 
blackberry,  raspberry  and  the  dewberry  are  indigenous  throughout  the 
State.  In  the  woods  and  in  the  fields,  on  poor  soil  and  on  rich,  covering 
the  mountain  tops  and  flourishing  in  the  alluvial  bottoms,  the  blackber- 
ry bush  supplies  a rich,  healthy  and  delicious  fruit,  and  in  quantities 
sufficient  to  supply  ten  times  the  present  population.  So  numerous  and 
so  excellent  are  the  berries,  that  pickers  are  sent  out  from  Cincinnati 
and  from  other  northern  towns  to  gather  and  ship  the  fruit.  The  rasp- 
berry and  dewberry  grow  wild,  and  yield  abundantly.  The  cranberry 
grows  wild  in  the  elevated  swampy  places  of  Johnson  County,  and  but 
for  want  of  facilities  for  transportation  could  be  made  a source  of  great 
profit.  Of  the  great  staple  products,  corn  should,  perhaps,  be  ranked 
first,  although  as  a “money  crop”  it  is  subordinate  to  both  cotton  and 
tobacco.  Tennessee  now  ranks  ninth  as  a corn  growing  State.  In  1840 
she  stood  first.  The  average  annual  production  of  this  cereal  is  not  far 
from  50,000,000  bushels.  The  great  central  basin  of  Middle  Tennessee, 
the  rich  valleys  of  East,  and  the  low  lands  of  West  Tennessee  raise  enor- 
mous crops  of  this  grain  and  the  quality  is  greatly  superior  to  that  grown 


234 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


in  higher  or  lower  latitude.  The  grain  matures  earlier  than  in  the  North 
and  dries  thoroughly,  fitting  it  to  make  a superior  quality  of  meal,  and 
it  is  noted  for  its  freedom  from  rot.  The  average  yield  per  acre  for  the 
State  is  about  twenty-three  bushels ; but  this  average  is  low,  due  to  the 
pernicious  habit  in  some  parts  of  the  State  of  planting  the  same  land 
year  after  year  in  this  exhaustive  crop  without  manure.  Among  the 
best  farmers,  those  who  practice  rotation  and  clovering,  the  average  yield 
is  not  far  from  forty  bushels.  The  rent  paid  for  some  of  the  bottom 
lands  on  the  upper  Tennessee,  is  twenty  and  sometimes  thirty  bushels  of 
corn  per  acre,  and  the  yield  often  reaches  seventy-five,  and  in  some  rare 
instances,  100  bushels  per  acre. 

Of  the  cereals,  wheat  ranks  next  in  importance  to  corn.  The  usual 
quantity  of  wheat  raised  varies  from  5,000,000  to  10,000,000  bushels, 
with  a large  average  yield  per  acre.  About  1,000,000  acres  are  sown 
annually.  The  best  wheat  growing  portions  of  the  State  are  to  be  found 
in  the  upper  counties  of  the  valley  of  East  Tennessee,  the  counties  ly- 
ing on  the  north  side  of  the  Highland  Rim,  the  northern  counties  of  West 
Tennessee,  and  the  rolling  lands  of  the  central  basin.  The  average  yield 
in  these  regions  is  not  far  from  fifteen  bushels.  Though  the  yield  of  wheat 
is  far  from  being  what  a thorough  preparation  of  the  land  and  early 
seeding  could  make  it,  yet  the  excellence  of  the  berry  compensates  in 
some  degree  for  the  scantiness  in  the  yield.  The  flour  made  of  Tennes- 
see wheat  commands  in  every  market  a superior  price.  It  has  been  esti- 
mated that  at  least  one-half  of  the  flour  exported  to  Brazil  and  other 
inter-tropical  countries  is  manufactured  from  wheat  grown  south  of  the 
Ohio  and  Susquehanna  Rivers.  There  is  a peculiarity  in  the  flour 
which  enables  it  to  resist  damp,  and  it  remains  fresh  and  sweet  when 
flour  made  from  wheat  grown  in  high  latitudes  becomes  sour  and  worth- 
less. It  also  has  the  capacity  of  absorbing  more  water,  and  retaining  it 
in  the  baking  process,  giving  a greater  number  of  pounds  of  bread  for  a 
given  number  of  pounds  of  flour.  All  the  nutritive  elements  are  fully 
developed  in  the  wheat  of  Tennessee,  and,  maturing  a month  earlier  than 
the  wheat  crop  of  New  York,  it  commands  a ready  market  at  good  prices. 

The  annual  production  of  oats  in  Tennessee  amounts  to  about  5,000,- 
000  bushels.  The  best  authorities  put  the  yield  at  sixteen  bushels  per 
acre,  but  the  primitive  methods  employed  in  separating  the  straw  from 
the  grain  leave  a large  portion  of  the  latter  adhering  to  the  straw. 
Twenty-five  bushels  per  acre  can  be  grown  upon  any  soils  in  any  portion 
of  the  State  that  have  not  been  impoverished  by  bad  tillage.  Even  upon 
the  thin,  barren,  flat  lands  that  are  found  in  some  portions  of  Lewis, 
Lawrence,  Coffee  and  other  counties,  oats  grow  with  a prodigal  luxuri- 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


235 


ance,  as  also  upon  the  sand-stone  soils  of  the  Cumberland  Table-land. 
Upon  the  richer  valley  and  bottom  lands  fifty  bushels  per  acre  are  not  an 
extraordinary  yield,  and  seventy-five  have  been  made.  Greene,  Hawkins, 
Knox,  Sullivan,  Koane,  Washington  and  Blount  Counties  in  East  Ten- 
nessee ; Davidson,  Wilson,  Montgomery  and  Sumner  in  the  middle  divis- 
ion, and  Obion,  Dyer  and  Gibson  in  West  Tennessee  furnish  the  best 
soils  for  oats. 

While  the  number  of  acres  devoted  to  barley  in  the  State  does  not 
exceed  5,000,  it  is  yet  one  of  the  most  profitable  crops  grown  by  the 
farmer.  The  average  yield  per  acre  is  about  eighteen  bushels.  About 
one-third  of  all  that  is  grown  in  the  State  is  raised  in  Davidson  County. 
It  flourishes  well  in  the  high  valleys  and  coves  in  Johnson  and  Carter 
Counties,  and  would  grow  well  in  all  the  rich  valley  lands  of  East  Ten- 
nessee. The  black  lands  of  the  central  basin  yield  very  large  crops, 
twenty-five  to  thirty-five  bushels  being  quite  common. 

Rye  is  not  considered  a productive  crop  in  Tennessee.  Farmers 
rarely  sow  it,  except  for  winter  or  early  spring  grazing,  a use  to  which  it 
is  admirably  adapted.  It  is  used  also  to  some  extent  as  a fertilizer,  and 
as  it  grows  with  vigor  where  corn,  oats  and  wheat  fail,  it  supplies  a great 
want  upon  the  thin  and  worked  soils.  The  amount  of  land  in  the  State 
devoted  to  rye  is  about  25,000  acres,  which  gives  a yield  of  about 
220,000  bushels,  or  about  nine  bushels  per  acre.  This  yield  is  doubtless 
largely  diminished  in  consequence  of  the  excessive  grazing  to  which  it  is 
subjected.  The  largest  rye-growing  counties  are  Marshall,  Lincoln, 
Rutherford,  Bedford  and  Davidson  in  Middle  Tennessee,  and  Johnson 
and  Carter  in  East  Tennessee.  West  Tennessee  raises  but  little  rye,  yet 
its  soil  and  climate  would  insure  an  abundant  yield. 

Only  a small  amount  of  buckwheat  is  grown  by  the  farmers  of  Ten- 
nessee. About  60,000  bushels  is  the  average  crop  of  the  State,  grown 
principally  in  Johnson,  Carter,  Washington  and  Perry  Counties.  It  is 
not  a remunerative  crop,  yielding  only  about  seven  bushels  per  acre. 

From  the  early  settlement  to  the  present  time,  sweet  potatoes  have 
formed  one  of  the  leading  articles  of  food.  They  grow  well  in  all 
thoroughly  drained  soils  of  the  State,  and  where  the  land  is  friable  and 
moderately  fertile.  Bottom  lands  are  not  usually  the  best  for  the  growth 
of  this  vegetable;  the  tendency  of  such  places  is  to  produce  an  enormous 
growth  of  vines  at  the  expense  of  the  tubers ; nor  does  cold,  clayey  land 
suit  them.  The  flavor  is  greatly  improved  in  a soil  with  a small  admix- 
ture of  sand  or  fine  gravel.  When  grown  upon  very  rich  land  they  are 
apt  to  be  sappy  and  insipid.  The  annual  yield  is  about  1,200,000 
bushels,  or  100  bushels  per  acre.  The  counties  raising  the  greatest 


236 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


quantities  are  Shelby,  Obion  and  Gibson  in  West  Tennessee;  Davidson, 
Wilson  and  Montgomery  in  the  Middle  Division;  and  Knox,  Bradley  and 
Anderson  in  East  Tennessee. 

Irish  potatoes  are  not  grown  in  sufficient  quantities  in  the  State  to 
supply  the  home  demand,  although  when  planted  upon  suitable  soils  and 
well  worked,  the  yield  is  prolific.  Upon  land  moderately  fresh  and  well 
fertilized,  the  yield  can  be  brought  up  to  400  bushels  per  acre.  Yet  the 
statistics  of  this  crop  shows  an  average  yield  of  only  seventy-seven 
bushels,  and  the  entire  production  1,122,000  bushels.  This  vegetable 
grows  well  in.  every  division  of  the  State,  and  especially  is  it  brought  to 
perfection  in  the  more  elevated  portions.  Even  the  Cumberland  Table- 
land, though  yielding  sparsely  of  the  leading  crops,  produces  the  Irish 
potato  in  profusion. 

Of  the  “money  crops,”  perhaps  the  most  important  is  tobacco.  In 
the  production  of  this  plant  Tennessee  stands  third  among  the  States, 
Kentucky  being  first  and  Virginia  second.  The  average  yield  per  acre  is 
between  700  and  800  pounds,  although  as  much  as  1,200  and  even  as 
high  as  1,800  can  be  grown  on  the  best  soils  in  favorable  seasons.  Grown 
in  some  of  the  soils  of  Kentucky  and  Tennessee,  it  acquires  a peculiar 
richness.  Tough,  thick,  gummy  and  leathery  in  its  character,  it  has  the 
capacity  of  absorbing  water,  which  makes  it  peculiarly  adapted  to  the 
manufacture  of  strips  for  the  English  market;  the  tobacco  known  as  the 
“ Clarksville  tobacco,”  and  which  grows  on  the  rich  red  soils  of  Stewart, 
Montgomery,  Bobertson,  Cheatham  and  Dickson  Counties,  is  capable  of 
absorbing  33  per  cent  of  its  weight  in  water.  It  is  prepared  for  the 
English  market  by  pulling  out  the  main  stem  and  packing  it  in  hogs- 
heads as  dry  as  possible.  These  “strips”  are  watered  after  reaching  the 
English  market,  and  inasmuch  as  the  duty  on  tobacco  is  about  72 
cents  per  pound,  every  pound  of  water  absorbed  by  the  strips  is 
72  cents  in  the  pocket  of  the  importer,  and  he  is  thus  enabled  to  sell 
per  pound  at  the  same  price  at  which  he  buys  and  still  make  a handsome 
profit.  It  is  this  peculiar  property  that  gives  the  Clarksville  tobacco  such 
a high  rank  among  the  English  dealers.  The  upper  parts  of  Sumner, 
Trousdale  and  Smith,  all  of  Macon,  Clay  and  Jackson,  and  parts  of 
Overton,  Putnam,  Wilson  and  DeKalb,  raise  a kind  of  tobacco  not  well 
suited  for  the  manufacturer.  It  is  large,  leafy,  coarser  than  the  Clarks- 
ville tobacco,  and  is  deficient  in  the  active  principle.  It  is  principally 
consumed  in  the  French  and  Spanish  markets,  a small  quantity  going  to 
Italy  and  Germany.  Obion,  Dyer,  Henry,  Weakley  and  Benton  Counties 
raise  a very  fine  manufacturing  leaf.  It  is,  indeed,  the  finest  article  for  ] 
that  purpose  grown  west  of  the  Alleghany  Mountains.  It  is  rich,  silky,. 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


237 


mild,  of  a light  color,  and  some  of  it  rivalling  the  brilliant  colors  of  the 
fading  hickory  leaf.  It  is  especially  valued  for  bright  and  mottled 
wrappers.  All  of  this  tobacco  is  consumed  in  the  United  States,  none 
being  exported  on  account  of  its  high  price  and  scarcity.  This  tobacco 
is  not  well  adapted  for  stemming  purposes,  and  even  if  it  were,  the  price 
is  too  high  to  make  its  use  in  this  manner  profitable.  Coffee,  Warren, 
Moore,  Lewis,  Lawrence,  Wayne,  Hickman,  Humphreys  and  Dickson, 
raise  small  quantities  of  light,  mild  tobacco.  Nearly  every  county  in 
East  Tennessee  grows  enough  for  home  consumption,  and  but  little  more. 
The  quality  of  tobacco  differs  widely  from  that  grown  in  the  other  divis- 
ions of  the  State.  It  is  smaller  and  lighter,  and  not  so  rich  in  nicotine. 
The  stronger  tobaccos  of  Middle  and  West  Tennessee  contain  as  high  as 
six  per  cent  of  that  alkaloid,  while  that  grown  in  East  Tennessee  does 
not  contain  above  three  per  cent.  It,  however,  is  preferred  by  many  on 
this  account,  being  milder,  pleasanter  and  more  agreeable. 

The  history  of  tobacco  cultivation  in  Tennessee  dates  back  to  its  ear- 
liest settlement.  The  pioneers  who  settled  in  the  fertile  valleys  of  the 
Watauga,  Nollichucky,  and  Holston  Livers,  raised  tobacco  for  their  own 
consumption;  and  those  who  planted  colonies  on  the  Cumberland  during 
the  last  two  decades  of  the  eighteenth  century  brought  seed  from  North 
Carolina  and  Virginia,  and  began  its  culture.  Although  grown  for  many 
years  in  a small  way,  it  was  not  until  about  1810  that  tobacco  began  to 
form  one  of  the  great  staples  of  the  State.  By  1820  7,000  hogsheads 
were  annually  sent  in  flat-boats  to  New  Orleans  and  exchanged  for  coffee, 
sugar,  salt  and  other  commodities.  The  extinguishment  of  Indian  titles 
in  West  Tennessee,  in  1818,  added  immensely  to  the  available  area  for 
cultivation.  Prices  were  generally  low,  but  the  cost  of  production  was 
scarcely  appreciable.  It  is  estimated  that  during  the  decade  from  1820 
to  1830,  the  actual  cost  of  growing  tobacco  did  not  exceed  $1  per  100 
pounds.  From  1830  to  1840  the  culture  was  widely  extended.  In  the 
latter  year  Henry  County,  in  West  Tennessee,  heads  the  list,  reporting  a 
yield  of  9,479,065  pounds,  over  1,000,000  pounds  more  than  any  county 
at  the  present  time  produces.  Smith  County  came  next,  with  3,017,012 
pounds ; Sumner,  2,615,000;  Montgomery,  2,549,984;  Wilson,  2,313,000; 
Robertson,  1,168,833;  Williamson,  1,126,982;  Rutherford,  1,084,000; 
and  Stewart,  Jackson  and  Davidson,  993,495,  859,336,  and  334,394 
pounds,  respectively.  The  entire  yield  for  the  State  in  that  year  was  29,- 
550,442  pounds,  nearly  200,000  pounds  more  than  was  reported  in  the 
census  of  1880.  The  prices  which  prevailed  in  1837  were  very  low,  and 
many  planters  shipping  to  New  Orleans  were  brought  into  debt  for  freight 
and  charges.  During  the  next  two  years  the  prices  increased,  and  from  4 to 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


•138 


10  cents  per  pound  was  frequently  paid.  In  1839  tlie  prices  were  higher 
than  for  several  succeeding  years.  From  1841  to  1846  the  prices  ranged 
from  2 to  8 cents,  but  in  the  latter  year,  on  account  of  the  Mexican  war, 
the  price  fell  to  from  1 to  3 cents.  In  1850  fair  prices  again  prevailed. 
About  1834  dealers  began  to  put  up  factories  in  Clarksville,  and  to  pur- 
chase leaf  tobacco.  Several  establishments  for  making  “ strips  ” sprang 
up  shortly  thereafter,  and  in  1840  the  number  of  stemmeries  had  consid- 
erably increased.  This  gave  renewed  animation  to  the  industry,  millions 
pounds  of  tobacco  being  annually  bought  in  Clarksville,  and  prepared 
for  the  English  trade. 

The  first  effort  to  establish  a market  for  the  sale  of  tobacco  in  Clarks- 
ville was  made  in  1842,  but  it  was  difficult  to  persuade  such  planters  as 
still  adhered  to  the  practice  of  pressing  the  tobacco  and  shipping  it  to 
Sew  Orleans,  to  consent  to  sell  in  Clarksville.  It  was  not  until  Febru- 
ary, 1845,  that  warehouses  for  the  inspection  and  sale  of  tobacco  in  casks 
were  erected,  and  for  the  year  ending  September  1,  1845,  900  hogsheads 
were  reported  sold.  Three  or  four  warehouses  were  opened  in  1846,  and 
since  that  time  they  have  been  increased  both  in  size  and  number.  With 
the-  exception  of  Louisville,  Clarksville  opened  the  first  inspection  ware- 
louse  in  the  West. 

Nashville  also  was  a point  where  some  business  was  done  in  tobacco 
as  early  as  1835.  In  1840  the  receipts  amounted  to  4,000  hogsheads, 
and  for  the  next  ten  years  remained  stationary,  varying  from  4,000  to 
5,000  hogsheads  annually.  About  1850  two  tobacco  stemmeries  were 
put  up,  which  prepared  from  125  to  150  hogsheads  of  strips;  considerable 
leaf  tobacco  was  also  shipped  to  the  New  Orleans  market.  From  1850 
to- 1860  the  trade  increased  somewhat,  reaching  from  7,000  to  8,000  hogs- 
heads, the  weight  of  the  hogshead  being  increased  about  twenty  per  cent. 
During  the  war  the  tobacco  trade  in  Nashville  was  suspended,  and  did 
not  greatly  revive  until  1872.  Paris,  Henry  County,  is  also  a tobacco 
market  of  some  importance.  In  1880  it  contained  six  factories,  only 
three  of  which  were  in  operation.  These  factories  during  that  year  put 
up  about  208,000  pounds. 

In  Clarksville,  while  the  amount  of  sales  varies  somewhat  with  the 
success  or  partial  failure  of  each  crop,  there  is  always  a considerable 
amount  sold  loose  to  the  factories  for  the  manufacture  of  strips.  In  1879 
the  number  of  hogsheads  of  strips  was  less  than  for  many  years.  In  that 
year  five  factories  in  operation  reported  an  aggregate  production  of 
544  hogsheads  or  680,000  pounds  of  strips,  although  the  usual  amount 
ranges  from  800  to  2,000  hogsheads.  Springfield,  in  Robertson  County, 
does  a considerable  business  in  stemming,  and  also  in  the  manufacture  of 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


239 


plug  tobaccos.  Nearly  every  town  in  the  tobacco-growing  region,  espe- 
cially if  it  be  on  the  railroad,  contains  one  or  more  dealers  who  buy  leaf 
tobacco,  put  it  into  hogsheads,  and  ship  it  to  Clarksville,  Nashville  or 
Louisville. 


Cotton  is  another  of  the  great  staple  products  of  Tennessee.  Its  cult- 
ivation, however,  is  mainly  restricted  to  a comparatively  small  area, 
eighty-four  per  cent  of  the  entire  amount  being  produced  in  West  Ten- 
nessee, and  only  one  per  cent  of  it  in  that  portion  of  the  State  east  of 
the  Central  Basin.  In  1879  the  county  in  the  State  -having  the  highest 
total  production  was  Shelby,  with  46,388  bales.  The  county  having  the 
highest  average  production  per  acre  was  Lake,  with  1,059  pounds  of  seed 
cotton.  These  counties  of  West  Tennessee  produce  the  best  cotton  grown 
in  the  State,  and  the  farmers  give  to  this  staple  almost  their  entire  atten- 
tion. The  uplands  yield  a very  desirable  article  much  sought  after  by 
the  spinners  of  Npw  England  and  Great  Britain  on  account  of  its  clean- 
ness. At  the  London  exposition  in  1851,  the  cotton  raised  by  Col.  John 
Pope,  of  Shelby  County,  received  the  medal  as  the  best  cotton  known  to 
the  world.  Lincoln,  Butherford,  Giles,  Williamson  and  Maury  are  the 
principal  cotton-growing  counties  of  Middle  Tennessee,  although  it  is 
produced  to  some  extent  in  the  whole,  of  the  Central  Basin.  The  five 
counties  mentioned  in  1879  produced  over  43,000  bales. 

The  following  are  the  counties  of  Tennessee  producing  the  greatest 
quantity  of  this  staple,  together  with  the  number  of  bales  and  the  average 
yield  per  acre  for  1879  the  weight  of  the  bales  averaging  about  475 
pounds : 


Shelby 

Fayette 

Tipton 

Haywood. . 
Gibson 
•Madison. . . 
Hardeman.  . 
Lauderdale  . 

Giles 

Rutherford 

Carroll 

Henderson. 
McNairy. . . 
Crockett. . . 
Maury  .... 

Dyer 

Weakley. . . 

Henry 

Hardin  .... 
Williamson 


Production  Average  bales 


in  bales. 

per  acre. 

.46,388 

.50 

.39,221 

.43 

.21,415 

.56 

.23,092 

.46 

.19,372 

.52 

.19,257 

.42 

.18,937 

.42 

.13,250 

.50 

.13,802 

.44 

.12,414 

.38 

.11,505 

.43 

. 9,469 

.42 

. 9,419 

.41 

. 9,320 

.52 

. 8,912 

.41 

. 8,564 

.59 

. 7,576 

.49 

. 5,516 

.42 

. 5,345 

.42 

. 4,538 

.38 

240 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Obion  . . . 
Lincoln. . 

Lake 

Decatur  . 
Benton . . 
Marshall. 
Davidson 
Hickman 
Wilson  . . 
Wayne  . . 


4,225 

.58 

3,486 

.39 

2,412 

.74 

2,169 

.39 

1,801 

.37 

1,721 

.37 

1,333 

.41 

1,302 

.42 

1,272 

.40 

1,207 

.37 

The  remaining  counties  each  produced  less  than  1,000  bales.  Al- 
though the  average  yield  per  acre  is  one-half  greater  than  that  of  Ala- 
bama, and  equal  even  to  that  of  Mississippi,  it  could  be  greatly  increased 
with  proper  management.  The  estimated  cost  of  production  per  acre,  as- 
furnished  by  eleven  cotton  growers  in  as  many  different  counties,  varies 
from  $4.05  to  $16.90  with  an  average  of  $11.43.  This  cost  can  be  ma- 
terially reduced  by  cultivating  less  land  and  cultivating  it  better,  employ- 
ing less  labor  and  thus  increasing  its  efficiency,  restoring  the  exhausted 
elements  to  the  soil  and  thus  keeping  up  its  fertility,  and  by  producing 
home  supplies. 

It  is  probable  that  the  cultivation  of  cotton  for  home  consumption 
was  begun  with  the  first  settlement  of  the  State,  but  the  amount  raised 
must  have  been  quite  small.  The  first  cotton  grown  west  of  the  moun- 
tains by  American  settlers  was  planted  by  Col.  John  Donelson  in  1780, 
on  the  east  side  of  Stone’s  River,  opposite  Clover  Bottom.  Before  the* 
close  of  the  Indian  war  fields  of  half  an  acre  or  an  acre  of  cotton  were  to 
be  seen  at  most  of  the  “improvements”  or  settlements.  The  entire  care 
of  this  crop  at  that  time,  from  the  planting  of  the  seed  to  the  slow  and 
laborious  process  of  seeding  the  cotton,  devolved  upon  the  women  and 
children  of  the  household. 

The  invention  of  the  gin  by  Whitney,  in  1793,  added  impetus  to  the 
culture  of  cotton,  although  it  was  not  until  some  time  after  that  the 
machines  came  into  general  use.  On  October  22,  1803,  the  General  Assem- 
bly of  Tennessee  passed  an  act,  of  which  the  following  is  the  preamble : 


Whereas,  It  is  proposed  by  Russell  Goodrich,  the  agent  of  Elijah  Whitney,  the  in- 
ventor and  patentee  of  a machine  for  the  cleaning  of  cotton  from  the  seeds,  commonly 
called  the  saw-gin,  and  Phineas  Miller,  the  assignee  of  one  moiety  of  the  patent  right  to 
said  machine,  to  sell  to  the  State  of  Tennessee,  the  sole  and  exclusive  right  of  making, 
using  and  vending  the  said  machine  within  the  limits  of  this  State,  and 

Whereas  the  culture  of  cotton  is  increasing  in  this  State,  and,  from  the  invention  < 
and  use  of  said  machine,  likely  to  become  a valuable  staple  article  of  exportation,  it  is 
expedient  that  the  State  of  Tennessee  do  purchase  from  the  said  Miller  and  Whitney 
their  patent  right  to  the  making,  using  and  vending  of  the  said  new  invention  on  the 
terms  and  conditions  hereinafter  mentioned,  that  is  to  say,  that  there  shall  be  levied  and 
collected  by  the  State  of  Tennessee  on  each  and  every  said  gin  which  shall  be  used  in  the 
State  from  the  passing  of  this  act,  thirty-seven  and  one-half  cents  upon  each  and  every 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


241 


-.saw  or  circular  row  of  teeth,  which  shall  be  used  in  said  gins  in  each  and  every  year,  for 
the  term  of  four  years,  which  tax,  when  collected,  is  to  be  paid  to  the  said  Miller  and 
Whitney  or  their  order,  first  deducting  the  sheriff’s  usual  commission  of  six  per  cent  for 
collecting  from  year  to  year  for  the  term  aforesaid.  The  first  payment  to  be  made  on  the 
first  day  of  November,  1804,  and  the  last  payment  on  the  first  day  of  November,  1807. 

The  total  amount  paid  by  the  State  for  the  use  of  the  gin  in  the 
counties  of  Middle  Tennessee,  or  Mero  District,  was  $4,517.49,  after 
deducting  the  sheriff’s  commission  of  $288.35.  Gins  were  used  in  ten 
counties  as  follows:  Davidson,  twenty-four;  Sumner,  nine;  Williamson, 
six;  Montgomery,  five;  Robertson,  five;  Smith,  five;  Stewart,  one; 
Dickson,  one;  Wilson,  four,  and  Rutherford,  four.  The  following  statis- 
tics show  the  rapid  increase  in  the  production  of  cotton  in  Tennessee  from 
the  beginning  of  the  century:  The  crop  for  the  year  1801  was  estimated 
at  1,000,000  pounds,  and  for  1811,  at  3,000,000  pounds.  Ten  years  later 
it  had  increased  20,000,000  pounds;  in  1828,  to  45,000,000  pounds,  and 
in  1833,  to  50,000,000  pounds.  These  amounts  were  only  estimated  how- 
ever, and  for  the  last  two  or  three  periods,  were  undoubtedly  placed  too 
high,  as  the  census  of  1840  reports  the  crop  for  the  previous  year  at  27,- 
701,277  pounds.  The  crop  for  the  next  four  decennial  years  was  as 
follows:  1849,  194,532  bales;  1859,  296,464  bales ; 1869,  181,842  bales, 
and  for  1879,  330,621  bales. 

The  great  peanut  growing  region  of  the  State  embraces  the  counties 
of  Perry,  Hickman  and  Humphreys,  and  portions  of  Dickson  and  Lewis. 
The  cultivation  of  this  crop  was  introduced  into  this  section  by  Jesse 
George,  of  Hickman  County.  The  seeds  came  from  North  Carolina, 
and  were  given  to  him  by  some  relatives,  who  were  passing  through 
the  county  on  their  way  W est.  These  he  planted,  and  finding  the  county 
so  well  adapted  to  their  growth  he  ventured  to  raise  peanuts  for  market. 
Obtaining  a good  price  for  these  he  was  stimulated  to  a larger  planting. 
His  neighbors  caught  the  infection  and  Humphreys  soon  became  famous 
for  the  richness  and  superiority  of  its  peanuts.  The  entire  production 
of  this  crop  in  the  region  mentioned  above  reached,  in  the  year  1872, 

680.000  bushels;  of  these  Hickman  raised  200,000;  Humphreys,  250,000; 
Perry,  200,000,  and  Dickson,  30,000.  The  excessive  production  of  that 
year  reduced  the  price  so  low  that  the  crop  in  1873  was  diminished  to 

110.000  bushels.  The  prices  paid  the  Nashville  and  Cincinnati  markets 
vary  from  60  cents  to  $2.25  per  bushel,  according  to  production  and 
demand.  The  average  yield  is  about  forty  bushels  per  acre.  The  best 
soils  for  peanuts  are  those  which  are  well  drained,  and  have  a large  quan- 
tity of  intermingling  gravel. 

One  of  the  most  important  crops  of  Tennessee,  and  one  to  which  it  is 
peculiarly  adapted,  is  that  of  hay.  Although  its  production  is  small  in 


242 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


comparison  with  its  value  to  the  farmer,  it  lias  steadily  increased  for  the' 
past  fifty  years,  as  is  evidenced  by  the  following  figures  taken  from  the 
census  reports:  In  1839  there  were  produced  31,233  tons;  in  1849,  74,- 
091  tons;  in  1859,  143,499  tons;  in  1869,  116,582  tons,  and  in  1879, 
186,698  tons.  The  average  yield  per  acre  is  not  far  from  one  and  one-fourth 
tons.  No  State  is  more  abundantly  supplied  with  water-courses,  and  the 
hay  crop  of  Tennessee  might  be  made  to  rival  that  of  any  other  State  in 
the  Union.  But  the  hay  growing  regions  are  not  confined  to  the  low  land 
bordering  the  streams;  on  the  northern  slopes  of  the  ridges  of  East  Ten- 
nessee and  on  the  rolling  lands  of  the  Central  Basin,  timothy  grows  with 
a surprising  luxuriance,  and  upon  the  flat  lands  of  the  Highland  Itiver 
and  in  the  sandy  lands  of  West  Tennessee,  herd  grass  finds  a fitting  soil 
and  grows  to  a height  almost  incredible.  Knox,  Greene,  Sullivan,  Wash- 
ington and  Davidson  are  among  the  best  hay  growing  counties  in  the 
State,  Greene  ranking  first  and  Davidson  second.  While  the  average 
yield  of  hay  for  the  State  is  small,  instances  are  given  where  meadows 
favorably  located  have  yielded,  for  a period  of  ten  years  in  succession, 
from  two  to  three  tons  per  acre.  Of  the  many  varieties  of  grasspg  there 
is  scarcely  one  but  that  in  some  portion  of  the  State  can  be  grown  with 
profit.  Timothy  is  the  best  grass  for  hay  making,  and  it  improves  all 
pastures  when  it  is  mixed  with  other  grasses.  It  does  best  in  limestone 
land,  in  which  the  crop  often  amounts  to  two  tons  of  hay  per  acre,  which 
rarely  sells  for  less  than  $20  per  ton. 

Blue-grass  is  a perennial,  and  is  essentially  a pasture  grass.  It 
grows  but  on  limestone  lands,  and  to  it  Kentucky  and  several  other 
States  owe  a large  portion  of  their  wealth.  Much  of  the  lands  of  East- 
ern and  Middle  Tennessee  produce  as  fine  blue-grass  as  can  be  grown, 
anywhere,  and  it  will  ultimately  cover  all  the  limestone  hills  of  the 
State.  Several  of  the  counties  of  West  Tennessee  will  also  produce  good 
blue-grass.  Indeed  but  little  land  exists  in  the  State  Avhich,  under 
proper  management,  will  not  grow  this  grass  profitably,  and  there  is  no 
reason  why  Tennessee  should  not  rival  Kentucky  in  its  production. 

Herd’s-grass,  or  red  top,  is  a hardy  perennial,  and  is  devoted  to  bothi 
pasture  and  meadow.  Eor  making  meadow  in  swampy  land  it  is  regarded 
as  superior  to  any  other  grass.  It  produces  a deep,  tough  sod  of  roots- 
that  make  a firm  surface,  even  in  muddy  places,  and  yields  a ton  and  a 
half  of  hay  of  good  quality  per  acre.  In  well 'drained  upland  it  yields 
fair  crops  of  hay,  but  is  not  equal  to  clover  and  timothy.  This  grass 
finds  a most  congenial  soil  throughout  West  Tennessee,  in  many  places 
attaining  the  height  of  five  feet.  It  is  probably  better  adapted  to  all  the 
soils  of  the  State  than  any  other  grass.  It  flourishes  upon  the  slopes 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


243 


and  in  the  valleys  of  East  Tennessee,  and  yields  abundantly  upon  the 
sandstone  soils  of  the  Cumberland  Table-land,  as  well  as  on  the  rolling 
surface  of  the  Highland  River.  In  the  Central  Basin,  too,  it  is  second 
only  to  red  clover  and  timothy  as  a meadow  grass. 

Orchard-grass,  also  a perennial,  makes  hay  and  pasture  of  the  best 
quality.  It  grows  best  on  limestone  lands,  but  makes  good  meadows  on 
any  rich  soil.  It  is  difficult,  however,  to  get  this  grass  well  sodded  and 
to  keep  it  in  full  possession  of  the  ground.  Some  of  the  good  points  of 
this  grass  are  its  adaptability  to  every  variety  of  soil,  its  rapid  growth, 
its  ability  to  resist  drought  and  its  power  to  grow  in  the  shade. 

Red  clover  is  the  most  valuable  of  all  the  grasses.  It  not  only  makes 
excellent  hay  and  pasturage,  but  is,  also,  the  great  fertilizer  of  land.  It 
grows  best  on  rich  limestone  lands,  but  may  be  made  to  prosper  on  any 
land  which  is  not  extremely  sandy.  It  finds  a congenial  soil  in  the  clayey 
lands  of  the  valleys  of  East  Tennessee,  on  the  red  soils  of  the  Highland 
Rim  and  on  the  limestone  loams  of  the  Central  Basin.  Probably  three- 
fourths  of  the  land  in  the  State  will  grow  clover  remuneratively. 

Besides  the  common  red  clover  several  other  species  are  grown  with  suc- 
cess, the  two  most  important  of  which  are  alsike  clover  and  crimson  clover. 
The  former  is  a perennial  and  is  hardier  than  red  clover,  but  its  yield  is 
less.  The  latter  is  an  annual,  and  is  chiefly  valuable  as  a green  food.  Of 
the  annual  grasses  cultivated  in  Tennessee  the  most  important  is  millet, 
of  which  there  are  many  varieties.  The  first  millet  cultivated  in  the 
State  was  of  the  kind  commonly  termed  Tennessee  Millet.  In  a few 
years  the  Hungarian  grass  became  popular,  and  later  the  Missouri  millet 
became  the  favorite.  At  the  close  of  the  war  the  German  variety  was 
introduced,  and  soon  superseded  all  others.  These  grasses  all  grow  best- 
in  limestone  soils,  but  prosper  on  any  soil  that  is  rich  enough,  and  there 
is  probably  more  hay  made  from  them  in  Tennessee  than  from  any  other 
kind  of  grass.  There  are  many  other  valuable  grasses  which  could  be 
profitably  grown  in  the  State,  but  which  have  not  been  very  generally 
introduced.  Several  wild  or  indigenous  grasses  grow  spontaneously,  one 
of  which  is  the  barren,  or  prairie  grass.  It  covered  all  the  prairie  lands 
when  the  country  was  first  settled  by  white  people.  It  springs  up  about 
the  1st  of  April,  grows  to  the  height  of  two  feet,  and  affords  good  pas- 
turage from  April  to  the  1st  of  August,  when  it  becomes  hard  and 
woody  so  that  stock  refuse  to  eat  it.  Wherever  the  forest  is  not  so  dense 
as  to  exclude  the  light  and  heat  of  the  sun,  on  the  streams  and  table- 
lands of  the  Cumberland  Mountains  and  on  the  sandy,  flinty  and  siliceous 
“flat  woods”  of  the  whole  State,  this  grass  still  holds  possession,  and  is 
a blessing  to  the  inhabitants  of  all  lands  which  are  deficient  in  lime . 


244 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


Another  indigeneous  perennial  grass  is  known  as  nimble  will.  On 
limestone  lands  where  the  forest  has  been  thinned  ont,  it  grows  np  to  the 
height  of  about  fifteen  inches  and  forms  a dense  mat,  affording  good 
pasturage  for  five  or  six  months  in  the  year. 

White  clover  is  a spontaneous  growth  over  nearly  the  entire  State, 
and  is  luxuriant  in  limestone  soils.  Next  to  blue-grass  it  is  one  of  the 
most  valuable  grazing  plants,  and  is  to  the  pasture  what  red  clover  is  to 
the  meadow.  It  is  a hardy  perennial,  and  withstands  drouth  and  con- 
stant grazing. 

Crab-grass  is  an  annual  of  some  value  for  fall  pasturage,  but  is  a 
troublesome  pest  among  growing  crops,  especially  during  wet  seasons. 
When  the  farm  is  kept  under  a rotation  of  crops,  however,  and  tilled  only 
once  in  four  or  five  years,  the  crab-grass  is  soon  exterminated  and  better 
grasses  take  its  place. 

In  addition  to  the  crops  already  mentioned  there  are  grown  in  partic- 
ular localities  hemp,  broom  corn,  flax,  sorghum  and  rice.  All  the  garden 
vegetables  are  raised  in  abundance.  Peas,  beans,  onions,  lettuce,  cab- 
bage, turnips,  radishes,  salsify,  celery,  cucumbers,  butterbeans,  toma- 
toes, squashes,  melons,  carrots,  beets,  egg-plant,  asparagus  and  many  oth- 
ers are  found  in  almost  every  garden. 

The  cultivation  of  hemp  is  chiefly  confined  to  the  counties  of  East 
Tennessee.  The  total  crop  in  the  State  for  1859  was  2,243  tons,  of  which 
Claiborne  County  produced  nearly  one-lialf.  The  other  counties  produc- 
ing it  in  any  considerable  quantities  during  that  year  were  Greene,  Haw- 
kins, Cannon  and  Anderson.  In  1869  Hancock  County  ranked  first  and 
Johnson  second,  the  crops  for  these  counties  being  290  and  207  tons 
respectively.  The  census  reports  for  1880  show  no  return  from  the  hemp 
crop  in  Tennessee. 

The  raising  of  flax  is  also  confined  mainly  to  East  Tennessee,  and  its 
production  in  that  locality  is  somewhat  decreased.  In  1859  the  State 
produced  164,294  pounds  of  fibre  and  '9, 362  bushels  of  seed.  The  reports 
for  1879  show  a total  production  of  only  19,601  pounds  of  fibre,  and  787 
bushels  of  seed,  Claiborne  County  ranking  first,  having  produced  nearly 
one-fourth  of  the  entire  amount. 

Sorghum  is  now  grown  in  considerable  quantities  in  every  county  of 
the  State.  Since  its  introduction  about  thirty  years  ago,  the  production 
of  the  staple  has  steadily  and  rapidly  increased,  and  it  is  now  one  of  the 
most  valuable  crops  raised.  The  entire  production  of  sorghum  for  1859 
amounted  to  706,663  gallons.  The  counties  producing  the  greatest 
quantities  were  Knox,  51.027  gallons;  Blount,  38,594;  McMinn,  27,252, 
and  Washington,  26,898.  In  1879  the  State  produced  3,776,212  gallons. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


2+5 


ILincdln  County  ranked  first  with  a production  o£  142,357  gallons,  and 
Maury  County  second,  with  a production  of  137,195  gallons.  Wilson, 
Giles  and  Rutherford  each  produced  more  than  100,000  gallons. 

Some  maple  sugar  is  also  produced  in  many  counties  of  the  State, 
although  the  bulk  of  it  is  furnished  by  East  Tennessee.  In  1859  there 
was  produced  115,620  pounds  of  sugar  and  74,372  gallons  of  molasses,  of 
which  latter  article  Sevier  County  produced  more  than  one-half. 

In  1879  only  31,296  pounds  of  sugar  and  3,688  gallons  of  molasses 
were  produced,  Grainger  County  ranking  first  and  Fentress  County  sec- 
ond in  sugar  with  a production  of  3,040  and  2,415  pounds  respectively. 
Wilson  County  ranked  first,  and  Sullivan  County  second,  in  the  produc- 
tion of  molasses. 

There  has  never  been  sufficient  attention  paid  by  the  farmers  of  Ten- 
nessee to  the  preservation  of  the  fertility  of  the  soil.  Land  has,  hith- 
erto, been  so  easily  obtained  that,  leaving  the  future  out  of  consideration, 
it  has  been  cheaper  to  buy  new  land  than  to  preserve  the  old.  But  the 
spirit  of  improvement  which,  during  the  past  twenty  years,  has  man- 
ifested itself  in  every  industry  in  the  South,  has  developed  better  systems 
of  cultivation,  and  a more  intelligent  appreciation  of  the  value  of  fertil- 
izers. All  the  stable  manure  and  other  refuse  matter  upon  the  farm  is 
now  carefully  saved  by  the  best  farmers,  and  is  returned  to  the  field  for 
the  benefit  of  the  future  crops.  On  account  of  the  small  amount  of  stock 
Lept  upon  the  average  farm,  the  supply  of  stable  manure  is  insufficient, 
and  recourse  to  other  fertilizers  becomes  necessary.  Of  the  green  crops 
used  for  this  purpose,  here  as  nearly  everywhere  else,  clover  holds  the 
leading  place.  As  there  is  but  little  land  in  the  State  that  will  not  pro- 
duce clover,  no  difficulty  is  experienced  in  preserving  the  fertility  of  the 
:soil,  and  in  restoring  fertility  where  it  has  already  been  impaired.  The 
native  or  southern  pea  is  also  used  to  some  extent  as  a fertilizer. 
Recentlv  the  use  of  artificial  or  commercial  fertilizers  has  been  intro- 
duced, and  is  rapidly  becoming  general.  They  are  more  largely  used 
in  the  cultivation  of  tobacco  and  wheat  than  any  other  crop.  The  amount 
of  these  fertilizers  used  in  the  State  in  1885  was  estimated  at  from 
10,000  to  12,000  tons,  as  against  about  3,000  tons  in  1882.  The  most 
•extensive  fertilizer  manufactory  in  the  State  is  the  National  Fertilizer 
■Company,  with  headquarters  at  Nashville.  The  company  was  organized 
in  1882  with  D.  C.  Scales  as  president,  and  W.  G.  Sadler  as  secretary 
end  superintendent.  Their  factory  is  located  about  three  miles  from  the 
town,  and  has  a capacity  of  10,000  tons  per  annum.  About  25  per  cent 
of  these  products  are  sold  in  Tennessee,  the  remainder  being  distributed 
among  the  other  Southern  States.  The  bone  phosphate  which  forms  the 


246 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


base  of  their  fertilizer  is  obtained  from  the  phosphate  rock  beds  of  South 
Carolina.  The  chemical  substances,  with  the  exception  of  sulphuric  acid,, 
are  imported  from  Europe.  The  company  manufacture  all  of  the  latter 
substance  which  they  use.  It  is  generated  by  the  action  of  acids  upon 
what  is  commonly  known  as  “iron  pyrites,”  which  contains  about  45  per 
cent  of  sulphur.  The  rock  containing  the  pyrites  is  obtained  in  quantities 
of  several  hundred  tons  at  a time,  from  the  quarries  of  Georgia,  Illinois 
and  Wisconsin.  The  Memphis  Fertilizer  Company  utilizes  the  refuse 
from  the  cotton-seed  oil  mills  as  cotton-seed  hull  ashes  and  cotton-seed 
meal,  which,  when  mixed  with  acid  phosphates,  make  an  excellent  fertil- 
izer, especially  for  cotton.  There  are  also  two  or  three  firms  in  the  State 
engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  pure  bone  dust. 

Tennessee,  taking  the  twelfth  rank  in  the  sisterhood  of  States  in  the 
number  of  her  population,  aggregating  1,542,359,  according  to  the  last 
census,  takes  the  thirteenth  position  in  point  of  the  value  of  her  live- 
stock upon  farms,  aggregating  in  value  $43,651,470.  With  only 
8,496,556  acres  of  improved  land,  there  is  about  one-third  of  the  area  of' 
the  entire  State,  or  a little  more  than  five  acres  to  each  inhabitant,  actu- 
ally available  and  employed.  According  to  the  tenth  census  there  are 
for  each  100  acres  eighty  so  employed;  only  three  horses,  three  and  sixth- 
tenths  milch  cows,  five  and  six- tenths  of  all  other  cattle,  eight  sheep  and 
twenty-five  swine.  Considering  the  vast  area  unemployed  and  unre- 
claimed, embracing  as  it  does  much  of  the  best  lands  of  the  State  for  the 
production  of  the  cereals  and  cultivated  grasses,  together  with  the  magnifi- 
cent climate  and  admirably  watered  valleys,  so  well  adapted  to  stock- 
growing,  notwithstanding  the  aggregate  value  of  live-stock  making 
a large  item  in  the  wealth  of  the  State,  the  percentage  appears  very  low 
when  compared  with  her  real  capacity  for  the  development  of  this  great 
interest.  But  the  State  is  yearly  attracting  greater  attention  among 
those  engaged  in  stock  raising,  and  she  is  certainly  destined  to  occupy  a 
foremost  place  in  this  most  important  branch  of  husbandry. 

Tennessee,  while  possessing  fewer  horses  according  to  population  than 
many  other  States,  is  second  to  none  in  the  fine  quality  of  this  kind  of 
stock.  For  the  past  three-quarters  of  a century  this  branch  of  stock  hus- 
bandry, has  received  the  attention  of  many  of  the  most  enlightened  minds 
of  the  State,  whose  time,  means  and  zeal  have  been  devoted  to  the  pro- 
duction of  the  highest  type  of  the  equine  race.  As  early  as  1790  many 
good  horses  were  brought  into  East  Tennessee,  and  through  the  influence 
of  Gen.  Jackson,  who  was  one  of  the  leaders  of  the  turf,  many  of  them 
were  afterward  brought  to  Middle  Tennessee.  Since  that  time  some  of 
the  finest  imported  horses  ever  brought  to  this  country  have  been  owned 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


247 


in  the  State,  and  in  the  hands  of  skillful  breeders  have  made  Tennessee 
horses  renowned  throughout  America.  Although  a few  central  counties, 
as  Davidson,  Sumner,  Giles,  Maury,  Rutherford  and  others,  have  hitherto 

(devoted  the  greatest  amount  of  attention  to  the  breeding  of  the  finest 
horses,  there  are  many  counties  which  vie  with  them  in  the  number  and 
value  of  their  stock.  In  1880  there  were  fourteen  counties  of  the  State 
owning  over  5,000  horses,  Wilson  with  9,166  ranking  first,  and  Ruther- 
ford with  9,005  occupying  the  second  place.  These  figures  include  only 
the  horses  owned  upon  farms.  Not  so  much  attention  has  been  paid  to 
the  heavy  draft  horse  as  to  the  roadster,  the  high  prices  obtained  for  the 
latter  making  it  more  profitable  to  the  breeder. 

The  mules  raised  in  the  State  are  nearly  equal  in  number  to  the 
horses,  and  many  of  the  States  further  south  look  to  Tennessee  for  their 
supply  of  these  animals.  In  1880  Maury  County  owned  8,301  mules; 
Shelby,  7,094.;  Wilson,  6,336;  Fentress,  5,602,  and  sis  other  counties 
between  4,000  and  5,000  each. 

Next  in  importance,  if  second  to  any  other,  is  the  cattle  interest  of 
the  State.  Yet,  if  the  natural  advantages  and  capabilities  of  the  State 
are  taken  into  consideration,  this  branch  of  stock  husbandry  is  developed 
to  a very  limited  extent.  During  the  war  this  interest  suffered  more 
severely  than  almost  any  other,  and  it  has  required  nearly  two  decades 
to  recover  from  its  effects.  In  1860  the  number  of  cattle  of  all  kinds  in 
the  State  aggregated  764,732;  in  1870,  607,038,  and  in  1880,  783,634; 
an  increase  over  1860  of  less  than  20,000.  The  improvement  in  quality, 
however,  has  been  great.  Notwithstanding,  some  few  of  the  improved 
breeds  of  cattle  were  introduced  as  early  as  1834  by  importations  from 
England  and  elsewhere,  nothing  like  a general  interest  was  manifested 
in  the  introduction  of  improved  breeds,  or  for  the  general  distribution  of 
the  more  economic  and  valuable  variety  of  cattle,  until  within  the  last  two 
decades.  Since  the  war,  however,  the  spirit  of  improvement  has  awak- 
ened the  farmers  of  the  State  to  a higher  appreciation  than  was  ever 
before  had  of  the  superiority  of  good  stock  over  bad  or  indifferent. 
Many  very  valuable  Short  Horns  have  been  brought  into  Middle  and 
West  Tennessee  from  Kentucky,  and  the  Lime-stone  Basin  has  become 
noted  for  its  good  cattle.  In  East  Tennessee  several  very  promising 
herds  of  Jerseys  have  been  introduced  into  various  sections  of  the  valley, 
and  the  interest  in  stock-breeding  is  fast  becoming  general.  Some 
excellent  herds  of  Ayrshires,  Devons  and  Holsteins  are  owned  in  various 
parts  of  the  State,  but  the  greatest  number  are  found  in  the  middle  divis- 
ion. In  the  rougher  and  more  mountainous  regions,  the  native  breeds, 
on  account  of  their  natural  hardiness  and  endurance,  will  undoubtedly 
continue  to  be  raised  more  largely  than  any  other. 


248 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


There  is  no  State  in  the  Union  that  in  climate,  physical  features,  and 
productions  excels  Tennessee  in  the  proportion  of  her  territory  adapted 
to  the  successful  prosecution  of  the  important  industry  of  wool-growing. 
The  vast  plateaus  and  extensive  ridges  and  valleys  of  the  eastern  division 
of  the  State  seem  almost  to  have  been  formed  especially  for  the  production 
of  wool,  while  the  table-lands  of  the  middle  and  western  division  are 
scarcely  to  be  excelled  for  grazing  purposes.  Notwithstanding  these  great 
natural  advantages,  the  aggregate  number  of  sheep  in  Tennessee  accord- 
ing to  the  last  census  was  only  673,117,  a decrease  of  204,666  in  ten 
years.  This  diminution  in  the  number  of  sheep  kept  is  largely  owing 
to  the  fact  that  there  is  practically  no  legal  protection  for  the  property 
of  the  flock  owner  from  the  ravages  of  vicious  dogs.  Many  sheep  are 
annually  killed  by  these  depredators,  and  farmers  are  thereby  discour- 
aged from  what  would  otherwise  be  one  of  the  most  profitable  depart- 
ments of  husbandry.  But  while  the  number  of  sheep  in  the  State  has 
largely  decreased,  it  is  probable  that  the  valuation  of  the  flocks  is  fully 
equal  to,  if  it  does  not  exceed,  that  of  ten  years  ago.  This  improvement  in 
the  quality  of  the  stock  is  evidenced  by  the  fact  that  although  the  num- 
ber of  sheep  in  1880  was  one-fourth  less  than  in  1870,  the  wool  clip  of 
the  former  year  exceeded  in  amount  that  produced  in  1870  by  nearly 
one-half.  The  pioneer  in  the  breeding  of  fine  sheep  in  Tennessee  was 
Mark  R.  Cockrill,  of  Davidson  County.  At  the  great  London  exhibition 
held  in  1849-50,  where  every  nation  in  the  world  was  represented,  he  was 
awarded  the  grand  medal  for  the  finest  specimen  of  wool  exhibited.  Af- 
ter making  a careful  study  of  the  wool  of  every  country,  he  fearlessly 
maintained  that  the  peculiar  climate  and  soil  and  protecting  agencies  of 
Tennessee,  would  make  it  the  best  wool-growing  region  under  the  sun, 
and  he  proved  it  by  wresting  the  premium  for  the  finest  fleece  from  the 
assembled  wool-growers  of  the  world.  Yet  with  this  example  before  them, 
the  majority  of  farmers,  if  they  raised  any  sheep  at  all,  were  content 
with  the  half-wild  animal  which  may  still  be  found  roaming  at  large  in 
some  sections  of  the  State.  In  late  years,  however,  many  counties  have 
introduced  in  addition  to  the  Merino,  the  Cotswold,  Southdown  and  Lei- 
cester, all  of  which  have  proved  profitable. 

The  adaptation  of  the  soil  of  Tennessee  to  Indian  corn  renders  it  one 
peculiarly  fitted  for  the  growth  of  swine,  and  in  1850  she  took  first  rank 
as  a liog-growing  State.  The  following  figures  show  the  number  of  hogs 
reported  in  the  State  at  the  beginning  of  each  decade  from  1840.  1840, 

2,926,607;  1850,  3,104,800;  1860,  2,347,321;  1870,  1,828,690;  1880,  I 
2,160,495.  This  industry  became  well  nigh  annihilated  during  the  civil 
war,  but  owing  to  the  rapid  reproduction  of  this  animal,  the  State  is  now 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


249 


producing  as  many  liogs  as  in  1860.  Swine  are  probably  more  suscepti- 
ble of  rapid  improvement,  by  judicious  care  and  breeding,  than  almost 

I any  other  class  of  domestic  animals.  Hence  in  renewing  their  herds, 
many  of  the  more  enterprising  farmers,  recognizing  the  importance  of 
introducing  improved  breeds,  made  large  importations  of  Berkshires, 
Poland  China,  Essex,  Jersey  Beds,  and  other  standard  varieties.  These 
importations  have  since  continued,  and  such  is  the  perfection  to  which 
the  hogs  of  the  State  are  bred,  it  is  questionable  if  finer  specimens  are 
to  be  found  in  any  other  portion  of  the  United  States,  or  in  Europe. 

More  or  less  poultry  is  raised  or  allowed  to  breed  on  all  farms  in 
Tennessee,  but  as  a general  rule  the  fowls  receive  but  little  attention. 
In  East  Tennessee,  however,  the  raising  of  poultry  for  market  is  growing 
into  an  industry  of  considerable  importance.  The  value  of  this  interest 
is  usually  under-estimated.  In  1880  there  were  over  16,000,000  dozen 
eggs  produced,  and  the  number  of  fowls  in  the  State  exceeded  5,000,000. 
The  natural  aptitude  of  the  soils  of  Tennessee  for  the  production  of 
valuable  grasses  has  already  been  noticed.  That  it  has  natural  ad- 
vantages for  the  economical  production  of  butter  and  cheese  would 
almost  follow  as  a necessary  consequence.  Yet  so  little  have  the  dairy 
interests  been  developed  that  in  1879  Tennessee,  compared  with  the  other 
States  of  the  Union,  stood  fourteenth  in  the  amount  of  butter  made  upon 
farms,  and  twenty-third  in  the  production  of  cheese,  while  in  the  amount 
of  milk  sold  to  butter  and  cheese  factories  she  stood  the  twenty-fifth,  the 
amount  being  only  1,006,795  gallons.  With  natural  advantages  equal 
to  those  of  the  great  dairy  States,  New  York,  Pennsylvania  and  Ohio, 
Tennessee  has  not  until  very  recently  produced  butter  and  cheese  in 
sufficient  quantities  to  supply  the  home  demand.  Within  the  past  few 
years,  however,  the  establishment  of  creameries  has  given  the  industry  a 
decided  impetus,  and  in  many  counties,  it  bids  fair  to  become  the  most 
profitable  branch  of  husbandry.  The  Tennessee  Creamery  Company, 
with  headquarters  in  Nashville,  and  operating  in  Middle  Tennessee,  has 
done  much  toward  the  development  of  the  dairy  business  in  that  section. 
The  prices  paid  for  milk  by  these  creameries  are  fully  one-third  more 
than  are  paid  in  New  York  and  Pennsylvania,  yet  they  are  able  to  com- 
pete successfully  in  the  markets  with  the  butter  makers  of  any  other 
State.  The  following  was  written  by  a well  known  authority  upon  the 
subject:  “Tennessee  has  many  eminent  advantages  as  a dairy  State. 

It  can  make  butter  as  cheap  or  cheaper  than  any  other  State,  because 
good  grazing  lands  are  cheaper ; because  it  is  the  most  southern  State 
that  grows  a variety  of  grasses  and  forage  plants ; because  the  climate  is 
mild,  and  cows  have  access  for  a longer  period  to  those  succulent  grasses 


250 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


which  are  so  promotive  of  the  heavy  flood  of  milk,  and  consequently 
winter  dairies  can  be  carried  on  for  a greater  length  of  time.”  That  the 
dairy  interests  of  Tennessee  are  rapidly  advancing  is  evident  from  the 
fact  that  the  butter  production  for  1879  was  double  that  of  1869,  and  it 
is  safe  to  say  that  the  increase  during  the  present  decade  will  be  corre- 
spondingly ' great. 

From  the  first  settling  of  the  State  it  has  been  the  custom  of  a large 
majority  of  the  farmers  to  secure  a few  colonies  of  bees  as  a necessary 
adjunct  to  a well  stocked  farm,  but  it  was  not  until  the  introduction  of 
improved  hives,  artificial  swarming,  movable  combs  and  extractors  that 
it  was  pursued  as  a separate  vocation.  At  present  there  are  many  per- 
sons who  engage  in  this  business  almost  exclusively,  and  whose  profits 
are  satisfactory.  In  the  year  1850  the  number  of  pounds  of  bees-wax  and 
honey  reported  for  Tennessee  was  1,036,572;  in  1860,  the  amount  of 
bees-wax  was  98,882  pounds,  and  of  honey,  1,519,390  pounds;  in  1870, 
51,685  pounds  of  bees-wax,  and  1,039,550  pounds  of  honey.  The  decrease 
for  1870  is  doubtless  due  to  the  effect  of  the  war.  In  1880  the  amount 
of  honey  reported  was  2,130,689  pounds,  and  of  wax  86,421  pounds, 
which  places  Tennessee  first  among  the  States  of  the  Union  in  apiarian 
products.  These  results  are  due  not  only  to  the  increased  number  of 
bees  kept,  but  to  the  improved  methods  of  handling  them  and  to  the 
introduction  of  Italian  bees,  which  were  first  brought  into  the  State  in 
the  year  1866.  Tennessee  has  the  best  climate  and  the  greatest  variety 
of  food  for  bees  of  any  State,  having  all  the  forage  plants  of  both  the 
North  and  the  South,  while  it  has  some  that  are  not  found  in  either. 
The  climate,  too,  is  especially  adapted  to  bee  culture,  being  a medium 
one  with  mild  and  short  winters  and  agreeable  summers. 

Perhaps  no  industry  in  Tennessee  has  made  greater  advancement  in 
the  past  twenty  years  than  that  of  grape  growing,  the  admirable  adapta- 
tion of  the  soil  and  climate  to  which  was  in  a great  measure  unknown  or 
neglected  until  since  the  close  of  the  war.  One  of  the  first  efforts  to 
grow  grapes  in  the  State  was  made  by  P.  F.  Tavel,  a Swiss,  who  came  to 
Stewart  County  in  1844.  The  varieties  he  planted  being  imported  failed 
to  do  well,  and  the  attempt  was  abandoned  under  the  impression  that  the 
climate  was  not  propitious  for  the  culture  of  the  fruit.  Some  ten  years 
later  a few  enterprising  persons  in  various  parts  of  the  State,  after  in- 
specting the  vineyards  around  Cincinnati,  were  induced  to  plant  a few 
vines  of  the  Isabella  and  Catawba  varieties.  Among  these  early  pioneers 
in  grape  growing  were  James  Clark  and  Rebecca  Dudley,  of  Montgom- 
ery County,  who,  long  before  wine  making  in  Tennessee  was  thought 
possible,  planted  and  successfully  managed  several  acres  of  vines,  and 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


251 


made  wine  that  by  reason  of  its  excellence  and  flavor  soon  became  famous 
throughout  the  country.  The  varieties  they  planted,  however,  were  not 
suited  to  the  latitude,  and  the  frequent  failures  of  their  vineyards  in- 
duced the  belief  that  Tennessee  could  never  be  made  a grape  growing 
State.  For  a time  they  even  were  discouraged,  but  eventuallv  came  to 
the  conclusion  that  the  failures  arose  rather  from  the  unsuitableness  of 
the  varieties  than  from  the  nature  of  the  location,  soil  or  climate.  Act- 
ing upon  this  belief  some  new  kinds,  among  which  were  the  Ives  Seedling 
and  Concord,  were  planted  and  were  found  to  thrive  so  well  that  the  old 
vineyards  Avere  abandoned.  Since  that  time  grapes  have  been  \rery  suc- 
cessfully and  profitably  groAvn  in  nearly  every  section  of  the  State. 
Several  different  varieties  are  planted,  but  for  wine  the  two  above  named 
predominate. 

From  the  days  of  the  earliest  settlers,  even  among  the  Indians,  excel- 
lent apples  have  been  grown  in  Tennessee,  and  there  is  scarcely  a county 
in  the  State  that,  with  proper  cultivation,  will  not  produce  them  abun- 
dantly. The  most  favorable  localities  for  apples,  as  well  as  other  of  the 
larger  fruits,  are  the  river  lands  of  Middle  Tennessee,  the  great  plateau  of 
West  Tennessee  and  the  hillsides  of  the  eastern  division.  These  localities 
are  equal  to  the  most  favored  regions  of  New  York  and  Pennsylvania.  Until 
within  the  past  feAv  years  the  raising  of  apples  has  been  mainly  confined 
to  the  supply  for  domestic  purposes.  Most  of  the  old  orchards  are  stocked 
with  native  varieties,  but  new  and  improved  late  varieties  are  now  being 
introduced,  and  the  acreage  of  orchards  is  rapidly  increasing.  Several 
extensive  orchards  have  recently  been  planted  on  the  river  lands  in  Rob- 
ertson County,  and  also  by  the  Ruby  community,  in  Morgan  County. 

Of  the  cultivated  berries  the  strawberry  is  the  most  largely  raised, 
and  it  grows  Avith  vigor  and  productiveness  in  every  portion  of  the  State. 
The  planting  and  crops  of  these  berries  in  the  vicinity  of  Chattanooga  is 
said  to  have  doubled  annually  for  the  past  five  years.  The  shipments 
of  them  for  the  season  of  1882  aggregated  143,822  pounds;  for  the  sea- 
son of  1884,  457,846  pounds,  and  for  the  season  of  1885,  814,574  pounds. 
Nearly  all  portions  of  West  Tennessee,  but  more  especially  the  northern 
counties,  are  unsurpassed  for  the  production  of  this  fruit,  and  large  and 
annually  increasing  quantities  are  shipped  to  the  cities  of  the  North.  With 
the  advantages  of  soil,  climate  and  transportation  facilities  the  possibili- 
ties of  this  business  are  unlimited. 


The  cultivation  of  raspberries,  blackberries  and  dew-berries  has  not 
been  extensively  engaged  in  on  account  of  the  luxuriance  and  perfection 
with  which  they  grow  in  the  wild  state.  Berries  of  the  finest  flavor  and 


252 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


forest.  For  the  production  of  all  kinds  of  small  fruits  Tennessee  stands 
superior  to  any  other  State  in  the  Union. 

From  the  following  lists  of  exports*  from  Madison  County  for  1884 
some  idea  of  the  extent  of  the  fruit  growing  industry  in  West  Tennessee 
may  be  obtained:  Apples,  8,000  barrels;  pears,  3,000  barrels;  peaches, 
2,500  crates;  plums,  550  crates;  strawberries,  22,000  crates;  other  fruits, 
10,000  crates. 

The  shipments  from  Chattanooga  for  the  same  season  were,  in 
pounds:  Peaches,  plums,  and  pears,  86,115 ; blackberries,  208,208 ; rasp- 
berries, 2,465;  strawberries,  457,816;  and  grapes,  16,733.  The  shipment 
of  peaches  for  the  season  of  1885  amounted  to  446,266  pounds. 


CENSUS  REPORTS  OF  AGRICULTURAL  PRODUCTION  WITH  THE  RELATIVE  RANK 

OF  TENNESSEE. 


PRODUCTS. 

1840. 

1850. 

1860 

1870 

1880. 

Amount 

Rank 

Amount 

Rank 

Amount 

Rank|  Amount 

Rank 

Amount 

Rank 

(Bushels) 

Wheat 

4,569,692 

6 

1,619,386 

13 

5,459,268 

13 

6,188,916 

13 

7,331,351 

18 

Corn 

41,986,188 

1 

52,276,223 

5 

52,089,926 

6 

41,343,611 

7 

62,764,429 

9 

Oats 

7,035,678 

6 

7,703,086 

8 

2,267,814 

17 

4,513,315 

13 

4,722,190 

16 

Rye 

304,320 

12 

89,137 

15 

257,989 

16 

223,335 

17 

156,419 

21 

Barley 

4,809 

21 

2,737 

24 

25,144 

21 

75,068 

22 

30,019 

29. 

Buckwheat 

17,118 

15 

19,427 

18 

14,481 

24 

77,437 

16 

33,434 

21 

Irish  Potatoes ) 

1,067,844 

16 

1,182,005 

21 

1,124,337 

22 

1,354,481 

25 

2,777,716 

6 

2,604,672 

6 

1,205,683 

8 

2,369,901 

5 

( Pounds) 

(Bales) 

i otton 

27,701,277 

7 

194,532 

5 

296,464 

8 

181,842 

8 

330,621 

9 

Tobacco 

29,550,432 

3 

20,148,932 

4 

43,448,097 

3 

21,465,452 

3 

29,365,052 

5 

(Tons' 

31,233 

74,091 

21 

143,499 

22 

116,582 

24 

186,698 

26 

(Pounds) 

8,139,585 

11 

10,017,787 

15 

9,571,069 

13 

17,886,369 

14 

177,681 

19 

135,575 

22 

142,240 

18 

98  740 

22 

id  036,572 

4 

1,519,300 

5 

1,039,550 

5 

2,130,689 

1 

158^557 

14 

115  620 

17 

134,968 

18 

31,296 

20 

(Gallons) 

74  372 

9 

4,843 

18 

3,688 

18 

706,663 

6 

1,254,701 

6 

3,776,212 

2 

Value  of  Orchard 

852  894 

19 

$305,003 

18 

$571,520 

21 

$919,844 

16 

Number 

Horses 

341,409 

5 

270,636 

7 

290,882 

9 

247,254 

n 

266,119 

14 

75,303 

1 

126,335 

1 

102,903 

2 

173  498 

2 

86,255 

4 

102,158 

7 

63,970 

5 

27,312 

14r 

250^456 

7 

249*514 

10 

243,197 

12 

303,900 

13 

414^051 

14 

413,060 

15 

336,529 

11 

452,462 

15 

Sheep 

741,593 

7 

81RE91 

9 

773A17 

11 

826*783 

12 

672*789 

16 

Swine 

2,926,607 

1 

3,104,800 

1 

2,347,321 

4 

1,828,690 

5 

2,160,495 

7 

Value  of  all  Live 

829,978,016 

5 

$60,211,425 

6 

$55,084,075 

9 

$ 43,651,470 

13 

Acres  of  Improved 

5,175,173 

8 

6,795,337 

9 

6,843,278 

9 

14 

Value  of  Farms 

897, 851*212 

9 

$27L358i985 

8 

$218*743^747 

12 

$206,749,837 

14 

* Estimated. 


tWax  and  honey  combined. 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


253 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Growth  and  Development  Concluded— The  Timber  Interests— Kind  and 
Quantity  of  Native  Wood — Manufactories — Iron  Products  and  Ship- 
ments—The  Early  Furnaces — The  Present  Enormous  Returns— Min- 
eral Companies— Iron  Manufactures— The  Coal  Consumption  and  Ex- 
ports—The  Marble  Quarries— Quality,  Quantity  and  Market— The 
Yield  of  Copper  Ore — The  Production  of  Flour,  Cotton  and  Woolen 
Goods,  Gunpowder,  Paper,  Leather,  Whisky,  Cotton-seed  Oil,  etc.— 
The  Bureau  of  Agriculture,  Statistics  and  Mines— What  it  has 
Accomplished. 

FEW  States  of  the  Union  have  a larger  proportionate  area  of  valuable 
timber  lands  than  Tennessee.  With  a superficial  area  of  26,000,- 
000  acres,  she  has  in  farms  a little  over  20.000,000  acres,  54  per  cent 
of  which  consists  of  woodland.  The  States  having  an  equal  or 
greater  percentage  of  timber  land  are  Florida,  having  66  per  cent;  Ar- 
kansas, 65;  North  Carolina,  62;  West  Virginia,  61;  Georgia,  59;  Missis- 
sippi, 58 ; Alabama,  55 ; Louisiana,  55,  and  South  Carolina,  54.  If  the 
value  of  the  timber  is  considered  Tennessee  without  a doubt  exceeds 
them  all.  In  her  forests  may  be  found  almost  every  variety  of  tree 
known  to  the  United  States.  This  is  due  to  the  difference  of  elevation 
in  the  State,  which  produces  a great  diversity  of  climate,  and  to  the  ex- 
istence of  a variety  of  soil.  Some  portions  of  West  Tennessee  are  cov- 
ered with  heavy  forests,  the  magnificience  of  which  are  unsurpassed  in 
America.  The  river  swamps  in  this  part  of  the  State  still  contain  large 
bodies  of  cypress,  while  the  hills  are  covered  with  oaks,  hickories  and 
other  hard-wood  trees.  The  central  portion  of  the  State,  now  more 
largely  cleared  than  either  of  the  other  divisions,  was  once  covered  with 
forests  of  hard  wood,  considerable  bodies  of  which  still  remain  upon  the 
land  least  fit  for  agricultural  purposes,  or  remote  from  railroads.  Nearly 
through  the  center  of  this  middle  district,  extending  north  and  south, 
the  “cedar  glades”  occupy  an  extensive  region.  The  eastern  portion  of 
the  State  is  covered  with  a heavy  forest  of  oak  and  other  hard  woods, 
mixed  at  high  elevation  with  hemlock,  pine  and  spruce,  and  constituting 
one  of  the  finest  bodies  of  timber  in  the  United  States. 

As  a catalog  and  description  of  all  the  various  varieties  of  timber 
in  the  State  would  require  a volume,  only  a few  of  the  most  important 
will  be  noticed.  Of  the  oak  Tennessee  has  twelve  or  more  species,  the 
most  valuable  of  which  is  the  white  oak.  This  tree  attains  an  enormous 


254 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


size  in  the  valley  of  the  Tennessee,  and  in  the  first  and  second  tier  of 
river  counties  of  West  Tennessee.  It  is  found  in  considerable  quantities 
in  many  parts  of  East  Tennessee,  the  best  being  on  the  ridges  in  the 
western  part  of  that  division,  or  in  the  counties  resting  against  the  Cum- 
berland Table-land,  and  also  in  the  slopes  of  the  Unaka  Mountains.  The 
ridges  and  valleys  lying  on  Duck  and  Buffalo  Rivers  are  also  covered 
with  this  tree,  and  it  is  pretty  generally  scattered  through  all  the  wooded 
district  of  the  Highland  Rim.  The  timber  from  this  tree  is  used  in  the 
manufacture  of  wagons  and  agricultural  implements  and  for  staves  and 
fence  rails.  White  oak  lumber  sells  at  the  mills  for  $18  to  $20  per  1,000 
feet,  according  to  demand  and  accessibility. 

The  red  oak  grows  in  nearly  every  portion  of  the  State,  and  furnishes 
the  greater  part  of  the  staves  for  tobacco  hogsheads  and  flour  barrels. 
A large  proportion  of  the  charcoal  consumed  by  the  furnaces  is  also 
manufactured  from  this  timber.  The  post  oak  is  found  in  all  parts  of 
the  State,  and  grows  where  the  soil  is  dry,  gravelly  and  thin.  It  is  used 
extensively  for  railroad  ties,  being  solid,  tough,  close-grained  and  hard 
to  split.  The  chestnut  oak  thrives  on  high,  poor,  barren  and  rocky  soil, 
and  upon  such  may  be  found  in  every  division  of  the  State,  but  especially 
upon  the  leached  soils  of  the  Highland  Rim.  It  is  chiefly  valuable  for 
its  bark,  which  is  richer  in  tanning  than  that  of  any  other  tree.  The 
black  oak  is  found  in  considerable  quantities  in  the  Highland  Rim,  es- 
pecially those  portions  which  have  a rich  loamy  soil;  as  in  Montgomery, 
and  parts  of  Stewart  and  Robertson  Counties.  Much  of  this  timber  is 
annually  made  into  boards  and  staves,  many  thousands  of  the  latter  being 
shipped  to  the  St.  Louis  market.  The  scarlet  oak  is  found  in  abundance 
in  East  Tennessee,  growing  in  moist  places.  It  is  also  found  in  the 
small  swampy  spots  in  Middle  and  West  Tennessee,  though  not  in  suffi- 
cient quantities  to  make  it  of  particular  interest  or  profit.  Black  jack 
oak  covers  a considerable  portion  of  the  “barrens,”  but  as  a timber  tree 
it  is  of  little  value.  Other  species  of  oaks  are  found  in  the  State,  but 
not  in  sufficient  quantities  to  make  them  of  much  worth. 

The  black  walnut  is  pretty  generally  distributed  over  all  the  rich  soils 
of  the  State.  Its  growth  is  an  unerring  indication  of  fertility.  It 
abounds  in  the  Central  Basin,  and  grows  on  the  better  part  of  the  High- 
lands. It  also  flourishes  on  the  north  sides  of  ridges  and  in  the  valleys 
of  East  Tennessee,  and  attains  a marvellous  size  upon  the  calcareo-sili- 
ceous  soil  of  the  western  division.  Probably  no  State  east  of  the  Missis- 
sippi has  a greater  quantity  of  this  valuable  timber.  The  uses  to  which 
it  is  put  are  familiar  to  all.  The  butternut  or  white  walnut  grows  upon 
the  margins  of  streams  and  is  sometimes  found  on  rich  northern  slopes. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


255 


It  is  scattered  over  almost  as  great  an  extent  of  territory  as  tlie  black 
walnut.  The  wood  from  this  tree  is  durable  but  not  strong,  and  is  some- 
times used  in  ornamental  work  for  giving  variety  and  contrast. 

Of  the  hickory  there  are  six  species  found  in  Tennessee,  the  most 
important  of  which  are  the  scaly-bark  and  the  common  hickory.  The 
latter  grows  well  upon  all  soils  of  middling  quality  in  the  State,  and  is 
found  in  abundance  in  what  are  called  the  “hickory  barrens,”  on  the 
Highland  Rim.  It  rarely  attains  a greater  diameter  than  eighteen 
inches.  When  of  this  size  it  is  worked  up  into  axles  for  wagons,  spokes 
and  felloes  for  carriages,  and  into  ax  handles;  when  small  it  is  used  for 
barrel  and  hogshead  hoops  and  for  box  casings.  The  scaly-bark  hickory 
seeks  a fertile  soil  upon  river  banks  and  rich  hill  sides.  It  grows  to  a 
much  larger  size  and  splits  more  readily  than  the  species  described.  It 
is  employed  for  the  same  purposes. 

Of  the  two  species  of  ash  met  with  in  the  State  the  white  ash  is  the 
most  common.  It  was  formerly  very  plentiful  in  every  part  of  the  State, 
but  is  now  growing  scarce,  except  in  places  remote  from  facilities  for 
transportation.  It  finds  its  most  congenial  soil  in  the  caves  and  north 
sides  of  mountains,  and  in  the  rich  lands  of  the  Central  Basin  and  West 
Tennessee.  The  largest  trees  to  be  met  with  are  in  Bedford  County, 
some  of  which  have  attained  a diameter  of  six  feet.  The  wood  is  highly 
esteemed  by  wheelwrights,  carriage-makers,  ship-builders  and  manufact- 
urers of  agricultural  implements,  and  is  especially  valuable  for  flooring. 
The  green  or  blue  ash  is  found  only  along  water-courses. 

The  beech  is  a common  growth  throughout  the  State  upon  the  moist 
soils  lying  upon  the  streams.  The  most  extended  groves  are  found  in 
Macon,  Trousdale,  Smith,  Sumner,  Cannon,  Bedford  and  other  counties 
of  the  Basin.  But  little  of  it  is  converted  into  lumber,  and  it  is  chiefly 
valuable  for  fuel.  When  seasoned  the  wood  is  extremely  hard  and  solid. 
It  is  used  for  plow-stocks,  shoe-lasts  and  the  handles  of  tools. 

Chestnut  is  a valuable  timber  on  account  of  its  durability,  and  is 
abundant  in  the  State.  Large  forests  are  found  on  the  ridges  of  East 
Tennessee,  on  the  sandstone  soils  of  the  Cumberland  Table-land,  and  in 
portions  of  the  Highland  Rim,  especially  in  the  counties  of  Lawrence, 
Wayne,  Hickman  and  Perry. 

Upon  the  first  settlement  of  the  State  cedar  forests  were  as  abundant 
in  the  Central  Basin  as  those  of  oak  and  poplar.  The  demands  of  the 
agriculturist,  combined  with  the  export  trade,  however,  have  nearly  ex- 
hausted the  supply  in  Davidson,  Williamson,  Sumner  and  Rutherford 
Counties.  The  best  forests  are  now  found  in  Marshall,  Wilson,  Bedford 
and  Maury,  covering  in  the  aggregate  nearly  300  square  miles.  Occa- 


256 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


sional  trees  of  a valuable  size  are  still  seen  upon  the  banks  of  a majority 
of  the  streams  in  Middle  Tennessee.  Nowhere  else  in  the  United  States 
are  there  found  such  splendid  trees  of  this  timber.  In  the  counties  of 
Marshall  and  Bedford  solid  cedar  logs  have  been  cut  that  would  square 
twenty-four  inches  for  a distance  of  thirty  feet. 

The  cypress  finds  its  most  congenial  home  and  attains  its  highest  de- 
velopment in  the  swamps  lying  on  the  Mississippi  and  Tennessee  Rivers,, 
where  it  is  found  in  considerable  quantities.  Owing  to  its  peculiar- 
character  it  rarely  grows  in  company  with  other  trees,  but  stands  in  iso- 
lated forests,  rearing  its  long  white  trunk  high  into  the  upper  air,  while 
its  roots  permeate  the  deep  black  soil,  which  is  often  covered  with  water 
of  an  inky  blackness.  A great  quantity  of  cypress  timber  is  made  into 
shingles  and  staves  for  sugar  hogsheads  and  molasses  barrels.  Set  in 
the  ground  it  resists  decay  for  a great  while,  which  makes  it  a valuable 
timber  for  fencing. 

The  pine  is  one  of  the  most  abundant,  and  at  the  same  time  one  of 
the  most  valuable  of  the  forest  growths  of  the  State.  There  are  two 
species,  the  Avhite  and  the  yellow.  The  latter  grows  in  considerable  quan- 
tities in  the  vicinity  of  Knoxville,  and  in  many  of  the  parallel  ridges  in 
the  valley  of  East  Tennessee.  It  is  also  found  in  extensive  forests  in  the 
Cumberland  Table-land,  and  forms  considerable  belts  in  Hardin  and 
Lawrence  Counties.  Patches  are  found  on  the  south  hill-sides  of  Wayne,, 
and  in  less- quantities  in  several  counties  of  the  Highland  Rim  and  West 
Tennessee.  It  abounds  on  poor  soils,  those  usually  of  sandstone,  but  often 
on  red  clay  with  gravel.  It  takes  possession  of  abandoned  old  fields,  and 
grows  with  rapidity  when  the  soil  is  too  sterile  to  produce  other  vegeta- 
tion. In  the  regions  where  it  abounds  it  forms  the  principal  timbers  for 
domestic  purposes.  The  white  pine  is  not  so  abundant  as  the  preceding ; 
it  is  distributed  in  greater  or  less  quantities  over  the  slopes  of  the  Unaka 
Mountains,  and  is  found  locally  on  the  Cumberland  Table-land.  It  grows 
to  a larger  size  than  the  yellow  pine,  and  makes  a quality  of  lumber 
highly  prized  on  account  of  its  lightness  and  comparative  freedom  from 
resinous  exudations. 

There  are  several  varieties  of  poplar,  known  locally  as  blue,  white 
and  yellow  poplar,  the  last  named  being  the  most  valuable  as  a timber 
tree.  This  grows  upon  rich  soils  almost  everywhere.  The  finest  specimens 
in  the  State  are  to  be  found  in  Obion  and  Dyer  Counties,  West  Tennessee,, 
and  in  Maury  and  Macon,  in  Middle  Tennessee.  Trees  twenty  and  twenty- 
five  feet  in  circumference,  and  from  sixty  to  seventy  feet  to  the  first  limb,  are 
often  met  with.  The  wealth  of  poplar  timber  is  very  great  in  almost  every 
part  of  the  State,  and  millions  of  feet  are  annually  shipped  by  river  and 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


257 

rail.  It  is  more  used  in  the. construction  of  houses  than  any  other  wood; 
the  studding  and  clap-boards,  sills  and  joints,  rafters  and  shingles,  in  a 
large  proportion  of  frame  buildings  being  made  from  this  timber. 

The  sycamore,  plane  or  cotton -wood  is  found  growing  on  the  margins 
of  streams  in  nearly  every  section  of  the  State.  It  grows  with  rapidity, 
and  is  troublesome  on  account  of  the  sprouts  that  it  sends  up  from  the 
stump.  The  wood  is  used  in  cabinet  shops,  and  makes  a beautiful  article 
of  furniture.  Only  as  a firewood  is  it  regarded  with  any  favor  by  the 
farmer,  as  it  does  not  split,  and  speedily  decays  when  exposed  to  the 
weather. 

Two  very  different  species  of  trees  are  commonly  called  gum ; both 
are  quite  abundant  in  Tennessee.  The  black  gum  is  usually  found  upon 
rich,  moist  soils,  and  grows  to  a considerable  size  where  the  soil  is  favor- 
able to  its  growth.  It  is  a valuable  timber  for  hubs,  and  is  much  used 
for  that  purpose  on  account  of  the  difficulty  with  which  it  splits.  The 
sweet  gum  is  found  in  wet  marshy  places  in  every  part  of  the  State. 
Large  quantities  of  it  are  manufactured  into  plank,  which  is  used  for 
coarse  work;  it  is  cheaper  than  poplar  but  decays  much  more  rapidly. 

The  linden  or  bass-wood,  is  abundant  in  the  blue  grass  region  of  the 
•Central  Basin,  and  in  some  localities  in  East  Tennessee.  As  a timber 
free  it  is  chiefly  valuable  for  making  firkin  staves. 

Black  or  yellow  locust,  flourishes  upon  the  slopes  of  the  Highland 
and  Cumberland  Mountains,  and  also  upon  the  sides  of  the  Unakas.  It 
is  also  found  upon  the  north  sides  of  Clinch  and  Powell  Mountains,  and 
grows  upon  the  glady  places  of  the  Central  Basin,  where  no  other  tree 
will  survive.  This  tree  rarely  attains  a greater  size  than  one  foot  in 
diameter  and  a height  of  thirty  or  forty  feet ; but  it  grows  with  rapidity 
and  in  ten  years  makes  good  posts  or  railroad  ties. 

There  are  three  species  of  maple  found  in  Tennessee,  the  sugar- 
maple,  the  red  flowering  maple  and  the  white  maple.  The  first  abounds 
in  the  coves  of  the  mountains  and  on  the  rich  bottoms  of  the  streams. 
It  formerly  covered  a large  portion  of  the  Central  Basin,  and  was  the 
chief  reliance  of  the  early  settlers  for  sugar.  The  wood  of  this  tree  has 
a remarkable  beauty.  One  variety  of  it,  the  bird’s-eye  maple,  has  an 
exquisite  appearance,  the  fibres  being  contorted  into  little  knots  resem- 
bling the  eye  of  a bird.  This  timber  is  still  quite  abundant  in  nearly 
every  part  of  the  State,  and  is  yearly  becoming  more  valuable.  The  red 
flowering  maple  grows  in  wet  soils  and  on  the  marshy  margin  of  streams, 
and  in  such  localities  is  quite  plentiful  in  every  division  of  the  State. 
The  wood  is  hard  and  close  grained.  It  is  valuable  for  cabinet  work, 
the  most  beautiful  varieties  selling  higher  than  mahogany. 


258 


HISTOHY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Of  the  elm  there  are  also  three  species,  the  white  elm,  the  slippery 
elm  and  the  wahoo  witch,  or  cork  elm.  The  first  is  widely  distributed  in 
considerable  quantities  throughout  the  State,  and  is  by  far  the  largest  of 
the  elms,  attaining  in  favorable  localities  as  much  as  100  feet  in  height 
and  5 feet  in  diameter.  The  other  two  varieties  are,  perhaps,  as  widely 
distributed,  but  are  not  so  abundant  as  the  white  elm.  None  of  the 
species  are  of  much  value  for  either  timber  or  fuel. 

Cotton-wood  is  confined  almost  exclusively  to  the  alluvial  bottoms  of 
the  Mississippi  in  West  Tennessee.  It  grows  very  large,  towering  high 
in  the  air,  darkening  the  landscape  with  its  thick  foliage.  The  wood  is 
white,  soft  and  easily  cut.  Its  chief  value  is  for  fuel,  being  used  in 
great  quantities  by  the  steam-boats  that  ply  on  the  Mississippi. 

Of  the  firs  there  are  two  species  found  in  the  State,  the  balsam  fir 
and  the  black  fir  or  spruce.  Some  of  the  highest  mountain  peaks  are 
covered  with  the  former  variety,  which  is  seldom  met  with  at  a lower 
elevation  than  4,000  feet.  The  dark  foliage  of  the  tree  has  given  the 
name  to  the  Black  Mountains  of  North  Carolina,  and  makes  the  charac- 
teristic feature  of  many  of  the  highest  peaks  of  the  Unakas.  Being  in- 
accessible it  is  rarely  made  into  lumber,  though  the  trunks  often  reach 
100  feet  in  diameter.  The  black  fir  is  found  in  the  same  localities. 

As  a shrub  sassafras  is  found  in  every  portion  of  the  State,  but  most 
abundantly  in  the  valley  of  East  Tennessee  and  upon  the  Highland  Rim. 
It  is  a great  pest  to  the  farmer,  sometimes  covering  a field  with  sprouts 
almost  as  thickly  and  continuously  as  if  sown.  These  shrubs  upon  their 
soil  never  reach  the  dimensions  of  a tree,  and  rarely  attain  a size  sufficient 
for  fence-stakes.  In  West  Tennessee,  however,  the  sassafras  is  one  of 
the  largest  trees  of  the  forest.  A specimen  of  this  species  was  found  in 
Obion  County  which  measured  sixty  inches  in  diameter,  exclusive  of  the 
bark.  The  wood  is  soft,  brittle  and  close  grained,  and  is  used  for  house 
studding  and  to  some  extent  for  the  manufacture  of  furniture. 

The  trees  mentioned  constitute  the  great  bulk  of  the  timber  in  Ten- 
nessee, but  there  are  many  other  varieties  which  have  a special  interest. 
Among  them  are  the  buckeye,  mulberry,  wild  cherry,  dogwood,  tupelo, 
pecan,  catalpa,  cucumber,  laurel,  holly,  hornbeam,  box  elder,  chinqua- 
pin, crab  apple,  liackberry,  willow,  birch  and  persimmon. 

The  development  of  the  manufacturing  and  other  industrial  enter- 
prises in  Tennessee  since  the  close  of  the  civil  war  has  been  almost 
unprecedented,  and  especially  is  this  true  of  the  lumber  business.  No 
trade  during  the  past  twenty  years  lias  exhibited  a more  uniform  and 
substantial  growth  than  that  embraced  in  the  manufacture  and  distribu- 
tion of  lumber,  and  no  industry  with  the  exception  of  iron,  gives  employ- 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


•2-50 

ment  to  a greater  number  of  persons  and  requires  a larger  investment  of 
capital.  The  principal  center  of  this  industry  in  the  State  is  Nashville, 
which  now  ranks  fifth  in  the  importance  as  a lumber  market,  and  third  in 
size  as  a manufacturing  center.  The  annual  value  of  her  lumber  pro- 
duction amounts  to  about  $5,000,000.  The  annual  shipments  of  rough 
and  manufactured  lumber  reach  nearly  120,000,000  feet.  It  is  sent  to 
nearly  every  city  in  the  United  States,  and  large  quantities  are  exported 
to  London,  Liverpool,  Hamburg,  and  other  European  points.  Although 
during  later  years  considerable  amounts  have  been  received  by  rail, 
the  chief  supply  of  logs  and  lumber  is  received  by  the  Cumberland 
River,  one  of  the  greatest  logging  streams  for  its  length  in  the  world. 
The  chief  lumber  staple  of  Nashville  is  the  yellow  poplar,  although  that 
city  stands  at  the  head  of  all  Southern  cities  as  a hard -wood  market,  and 
has  the  largest  trade  in  black  walnut  lumber  of  any  market  in  the  United 
States.  It  is  also  the  distributing  point  for  the  famous  Tennessee  red 
cedar.  The  beginning  of  this  industry  in  Nashville  may  be  said  to  date 
from  1810,  when  the  first  steam  saw-mill  was  erected.  From  that  time 
until  the  war  the  lumber  operations  were  confined  almost  exclusively  to 
the  local  trade.  The  only  shipments  of  any  consequence  were  red  cedar 
rafted  to  Memphis,  Helena  and  New  Orleans,  and  consisting  mostly  of 
railroad  ties.  Within  the  past  ten  years  the  business  has  developed 
wonderfully,  and  the  volume  of  capital  invested  is  annually  increasing. 
In  1870  there  were  but  three  saw-mills  and  six  planing-mills.  There 
are  now  within  the  limits  of  the  city  thirteen  saw-mills,  twelve  planing- 
mills  and  thirty-five  firms  engaged  in  the  lumber  trade. 

The  second  city  in  importance  as  a lumber  center  is  probably  Chat- 
tanooga. The  mills  in  that  city  now  cut  annually  from  11,000,000 
to  20,000,000  feet  of  lumber,  while  those  in  the  country  tributary  to  it 
cut  not  less  than  100,000,000  feet  more.  Of  this  latter  product  about 
30,000,000  feet  is  handled  by  Chattanooga  dealers,  and  used  by  her 
wood-working  establishments.  Large  amounts  of  pine,  both  yellow  and 
white,  as  well  as  nearly  all  the  varieties  of  hard  wood  are  manufactured 
into  lumber  and  shipped  to  Northern  cities.  In  addition  to  the  plow  and 
other  agricultural  implement  manufactories  which  consume  a large 
amount  of  lumber  there  are  in  Chattanooga  nine  establishments  engaged 
in  manufacturing  chair  furniture,  pumps,  handles,  and  wooden  ware, 
which  represent  in  the  aggregate  an  investment  of  over  $350,000.  These 
factories  gives  employment  to  more  than  500  hands,  and  turn  out 
annually  manufactured  products  to  the  value  of  $500,000.  Few  of  these 
establishments  date  their  existence  back  of  1870,  and  the  majority  of 
them  have  been  put  into  operation  the  present  decade. 


260 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


Memphis  is  also  a lumber  center  of  importance.  Its  mills  are  sup- 
plied by  raft  from  the  Mississippi,  Arkansas  and  Tennessee  Rivers,  and 
saw  large  quantities  of  cypress,  ash,  poplar,  hickory,  gum,  and  black 
walnut. 

This  industry  in  Knoxville  also  is  developing  rapidly,  and  that  city, 
situated  as  it  is  in  one  of  the  finest  timber  regions  in  the  world,  will  in  a 
few  years,  no  doubt,  rival  any  other  point  in  the  State,  especially  in  the 
manufacture  of  pine  and  hard-wood  lumber.  Every  county  in  the  State 
manufactures  lumber  in  greater  or  less  quantities.  According  to  the 
last  census  the  number  of  saw-mills  in  Tennessee  was  755,  representing 
an  investment  of  capital  to  the  amount  of  $2,004,500,  and  making 
$8,744,905  worth  of  products  annually.  Could  a report  of  this  industry 
be  obtained  at  the  present  time  these  figures  would  be  largely  increased. 
The  following  table  exhibits  the  condition  in  1880  of  the  manufactures 
which  are  altogether  or  very  largely  dependent  upon  timber  for  raw 
material: 


No.  of  Estab- 
lishments. 

Capital. 

Value  of 
Products. 

Agricultural  implements 

33 

$161,030 

$ 182,116 

Boxes 

3 

23,500 

46,000 

Coffins,  caskets,  etc 

27 

40,485 

75,900 

Carriages  and  wagons 

51 

715,050 

1,253,721 

Cooperage 

52 

36,350 

153,275 

Sasli,  doors  and  blinds 

8 

183,500 

268.230 

Wooden  ware 

3 

99,430 

247,350 

Furniture 

85 

511,250 

954,100 

The  making  of  white  oak  staves  for  the  European  market  has  grown 
to  be  quite  an  important  industry.  The  number  annually  shipped  from 
the  lower  Tennessee  River,  and  made  in  Hardin,  Wayne,  Perry,  Hum- 
phreys and  Stewart  Counties  is  over  1,500,000.  About  one-half  of  the 
quantity  is  shipped  out  of  the  Cumberland.  In  their  rough  state  they 
command  at  New  Orleans  usually  from  $80  to  $150  per  thousand. 

The  industry  of  first  importance  to  Tennessee,  and  for  which  she  has 
resources  unexcelled  by  any  State  in  the  Union,  is  the  manufacture  of 
iron  and  its  manipulation  into  forms  of  utility.  Although  this  indus- 
try, as  it  now  exists,  has  grown  up  in  the  past  twenty  years,  its  history 
dates  back  into  the  last  century.  The  first  settlers  of  Tennessee  erected 
iron  works  within  its  limits  soon  after  the  close  of  the  Revolution.  A 
bloomary  was  built  in  Washington  County  in  1790,  and  another  at  Eliza- 
bethton,  on  Doe  River  in  Carter  County,  about  1795.  Wagner’s  bloom- 
ary, on  Roane  Creek,  in  Johnson  County,  is  said  to  have  been  built  in  the 
same  year.  A bloomary  was  also  erected  on  Camp  Creek,  in  Greene 
County,  in  1797.  Two  bloomaries  in  Jefferson  County,  the  Mossy  Creek 
Forge,  ten  miles  north  of  Dandridge,  and  Dumpling  Forge,  five  miles 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


261 


-west  of  Dandridge,  were  built  in  the  same  year.  At  about  the  same 
time,  if  not  earlier,  David  Ross,  the  proprietor  of  iron  works  in  Campbell 
County,  Va.,  erected  a large  furnace  and  forge  at  the  junction  of  the  two 
forks  of  the  Holston  River,  in  Sullivan  County,  near  the  Virginia  line,  on 
the  great  road  from  Knoxville  to  Philadelphia.  It  is  said  that  boats  of 
twenty-five  tons’  burden,  could  ascend  to  Ross’  iron  works,  and  that  at 
Long  Island,  a short  distance  above  on  the  Holston,  boats  were  built  to 
transport  iron  and  castings,  made  in  considerable  quantities  at  these 
works,  with  other  produce,  to  the  lower  settlements  and  to  New  Orleans. 
A bloomary  was  built  about  1795  below  the  mouth  of  the  Watauga,  and 
another  at  the  same  time  about  twenty-five  miles  above  the  mouth  of 
French  Broad  River,  and  thirty  miles  above  Knoxville.  In  wliat  is  now 
known  as  Middle  Tennessee,  iron  was  also  made  during  the  last  decade 
of  the  last  century.  A few  years  after  the  founding  of  Nashville,  iron  ore 
was  discovered  about  thirty  miles  west  of  the  future  city.  Between  1790 
and  1795  Cumberland  Furnace  was  erected  on  Iron  Fork  of  Barton’s 
Creek,  in  Dickson  County,  seven  miles  northwest  of  Charlotte.  This 
furnace  was  rebuilt  in  1825,  and  is  still  in  operation.  This  county,  with 
Stewart  and  Montgomery  Counties,  afterward  became  very  prominent  in 
the  manufacture  of  charcoal  and  pig-iron.  The  first  furnace  in  Montgom- 
ery County  was  probably  on  Yellow  Creek,  fourteen  miles  southwest  of 
Clarksville,  built  in  1802.  The  enterprises  of  these  early  iron  workers 
assume  a picturesque  aspect,  when  viewed  in  connection  with  the  primi- 
tive methods  of  manufacture  which  were  employed  by  them,  and  which, 
in  some  portions  of  East  Tennessee,  have  been  continued  to  the  present 
day.  Their  charcoal  furnaces  were  blown  through  one  tuyere  with 
wooden  tubs,  adjusted  to  attachments  which  were  slow  in  motion,  and  which 
did  not  make  the  best  use  of  the  water-power  that  was  often  insufficiently 
supplied  by  mountain  streams  of  limited  volume.  A ton  or  two  of  iron  a 
day  in  the  shape  of  pigs  or  castings  was  a good  yield.  The  bloomaries, 
with  scarcely  an  exception,  were  furnished  with  a trompe  or  water-blast 
in  a small  stream  with  a suitable  fall  supplying  both  the  blast  for  the  fires 
and  the  power  which  turned  the  wheel  that  moved  the  hammer.  Of  cast 
iron  cylinders,  steam  power,  two  tuyeres,  and  many  other  improvements 
in  the  charcoal-iron  industry,  these  people  knew  but  little.  They  were 
pioneers  and  frontiersmen  in  every  sense;  from  the  world  of  invention 
and  progress  they  were  shut  out  by  mountains  and  streams  and  hun- 
dreds of  miles  of  unsubdued  forests.  It  is  to  their  credit,  and  it  should 
not  be  forgotten,  that  they  diligently  sought  to  utilize  the  resources 
which  they  found  under  their  feet,  and  that  they  were  not  discouraged 
from  undertaking  a difficult  task,  because  the  only  means  for  its  accom- 


262 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


plisliment  of'  which  they  had  any  knowledge  were  crude  in  conception 
and  often  very  difficult  to  obtain. 

The  iron  industry  of  Tennessee,  however,  made  steady  progress  after 
the  opening  of  the  present  century.  Both  furnaces  and  bloomaries  mul- 
tiplied rapidly.  In  1856  there  were  enumerated  over  75  forges  and 
bloomaries,  71  furnaces,  and  4 rolling-mills  in  the  State,  each  of  which 
had  been  in  operation  at  some  period  after  1790.  Of  the  furnaces,  29 
were  in  East  Tennessee,  and  42  in  Middle  and  West  Tennessee.  Of  the 
latter,  14  were  in  Stewart  County,  12  in  Montgomery,  7 in  Dickson,  2 in 
Hickman,  2 in  Perry,  2 in  Decatur,  2 in  Wayne,  and  1 in  Hardin  Coun- 
ty. The  furnaces  in  East  Tennessee  were  mainly  in  Sullivan  and  Car- 
ter Counties,  Sullivan  having  5,  and  Carter  7;  but  Johnson,  Washington, 
Greene,  Cocke,  Sevier,  Monroe,  Hamilton,  Claiborne,  Campbell,  Grainger 
and  Union  Counties,  each  had  1 or  2 furnaces,  while  Boane  County  had 
3.  The  forges  and  bloomaries  were  mainly  located  in  East  Tennessee. 
Johnson  County  contained  15,  Carter  10,  Sullivan  6,  Washington  3, 
Greene  10,  Campbell  7,  Blount  4,  Boane  7,  Bhea  3,  and  a few  other 
counties  1 and  2 each.  Nearly  all  of  these  were  bloomaries.  In  West 
Tennessee  there  were  less  than  a dozen  refinery  forges,  and  1 or  2 
bloomaries.  These  forges  were  mainly  employed,  from  about  1825  to 
1860,  in  the  manufacture  of  blooms  for  rolling-mills,  many  of  which  were 
sold  to  mills  in  the  Ohio  Valley.  Most  of  the  furnaces,  forges  and  bloom- 
aries enumerated  have  been  abandoned.  There  still  remain  in  the  State 
20  charcoal  furnaces  and  about  the  same  number  of  forges  and  bloom- 
aries. Cumberland  Boiling-mill,  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Cumberland 
Biver,  in  Stewart  County,  was  built  in  1829.  It  was,  probably,  the  first 
establishment  of  the  kind  in  the  State,  and  was  the  only  one  as  late 
as  1856. 

Since  the  close  of  the  civil  war,  Chattarfooga  has  become  the  most 
prominent  iron  center  in  Tennessee,  having  several  iron  enterprises  of 
its  own,  and  others  in  its  vicinity.  In  1854,  Bluff  Furnace  was  built  to 
use  charcoal,  and  at  the  beginning  of  the  war,  in  1861,  the  erection  of  the 
Vulcan  Boiling-mill,  to  roll  bar  iron,  was  commenced.  This  mill  was  not 
finished  in  1860,  when  it  was  burned  by  the  Union  forces.  It  was  rebuilt 
in  1866.  In  1864  a rolling-mill,  to  re-roll  iron  rails,  was  erected  by  the 
United  States  Government,  under  the  supervision  of  John  Fritz,  superin- 
tendent of  the  Cambria  Iron  Works.  In  1869  it  was  purchased  by  the 
Boane  Iron  Company,  who  at  once  put  in  puddling  furnaces  and  began 
making  iron  rails.  This  company,  the  year  previous,  had  purchased  a 
large  tract  of  land  about  seventy  miles  north  of  Chattanooga,  in  -Boane 
County,  and  had  built  a small  furnace  with  a capacity  of  about  9.0001 


HISTOEY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


263 


tons  per  year.  The  business  was  successful,  and.  the  company  soon  be- 
gan the  erection  of  another  and  larger  furnace,  which  was  put  in  blast 
in  1872.  Working  capacity  of  the  two,  about  20,000  tons  annually, 
which  have  since  been  doubled.  The  first  open-hearth  steel  made  in 
any  Southern  State,  was  made  by  this  company,  by  the  Siemens-Martin 
process,  at  Chattanooga,  June  6,  1878. 

The  Tennessee  Coal,  Iron  and  Railroad  Company  own  three  furnaces 
situated  at  Cowan  and  South  Pittsburg,  which  have  a combined  capacity 
of  about  75,000  tons.  The  one  at  the  former  place  was  built  in  1880, 
and  those  at  South  Pittsburg,  in  1879  and  1881. 

Other  furnaces  which  are  more  or  less  tributary  to  Chattanooga  as  a 
center  are  Oakdale,  in  Roane  County,  capacity,  21,000  tons;  Citico,  in 
that  city,  35,000  tons;  Dayton,  in  Rliea  County,  70,000  tons,  making  an 
aggregate  capacity  of  over  225,000  tons.  In  1880  the  total  production 
of  the  blast  furnace  of  the  State  was  reported  at  only  17,873  tons,  show- 
ing an  increase  of  little  less  than  500  per  cent  during  the  past  six  years. 
The  grand  aggregate  of  iron  and  steel  manufactured  in  Tennessee  accord- 
ing to  the  last  census  was  77,100  tons,  valued  at  $2,274,253.  The  cap- 
ital invested  in  this  industry  amounted  to  $3,681,776,  and  was  distribu- 
ted among  forty-three  establishments.  The  six  leading  counties  in  the 
order  of  production  were  Hamilton,  35,645  tons;  Marion,  17,958  tons;. 
Roane,  12,000  tons;  Knox,  4,181  tons.;  Dickson,  2,400  tons,  and  Stewart, 
1,800  tons. 

The  number  of  establishments  engaged  m the  manufacture  of  ma- 
chinery, nails,  car-wheels  and  other  articles  using  iron  as  raw  material, 
is  annually  increasing.  The  capital  invested  in  this  branch  of  the  iron 
industry  in  Chattanooga  amounts  to  over  $500,000,  and  the  annual  prod- 
uct of  iron  to  over  $800,000.  Knoxville,  also,  has  a considerable  amount 
of  capital  invested  in  manufactories  of  this  class.  The  Knoxville  Car- 
Wheel  Company  in  1880,  with  a capital  of  $101,000,  was  turning  out  an 
average  of  thirty-five  car-wheels  per  day.  The  Knoxville  Iron  Company 
was  incorporated  in  1864,  and  in  1880  had  a capital  stock  paid  in  of 
$230,000.  It  employs  250  hands,  and  has  a capacity  of  200  kegs  of 
nails  per  day.  It  has  eight  puddling  furnaces,  four  trains  of  rollers,  and 
thirty  nail  machines;  Besides  nails  the  company  makes  railroad  spikes, 
boat  spikes,  street  rails  and  light  T rails. 

The  Knoxville  Foundry  & Machine  Company  had  an  invested  cap- 
ital in  1880  of  $45,000,  and  employed  forty  hands.  This  company  man- 
ufactures mill  machinery,  castings,  steam  engines,  boilers,  saw-mills,  der- 
ricks and  other  machinery  of  that  class.  Nashville  and  Memphis  are  not 
very  extensively  engaged  in  iron  manufacturing.  In  1880  the  number 


264 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


of  foundries  and  machine  shops  in  the  former  city  was  thirteen,  with  a 
capital  of  $143,300,  and  an  annual  production  of  $487,451.  The  extent 
of  this  business  in  Memphis  does  not  differ  materially  from  that  in 
Nashville. 

As  great  and  important  as  are  the  iron  resources  of  Tennessee,  they 
would  be  of  little  value  were  it  not  for  the  vast  bodies  of  coal  which  lie 
adjacent.  Previous  to  1850  but  very  little  coal  was  mined,  and  that  was 
mostly  used  in  blacksmithing.  The  pioneer  in  the  coal  business  of  Ten- 
nessee was  Henry  H.  Wiley,  of  Anderson  County,  a native  of  Virginia, 
and  a land  surveyor  by  profession.  He  opened  a mine  on  Poplar  Creek, 
and  for  many  years  during  the  winter  months  boated  coal  down  to  Hunts- 
ville and  Decatur,  Ala.  He  hauled  the  coal  four  miles  to  a point  below 
the  junction  of  the  four  forks  of  Poplar  Creek,  where  it  was  put  in  boats, 
floated  out  that  stream  to  the  Clinch,  then  into  the  Tennessee,  and  thence 
to  its  destination.  This  mine  was  opened  in  1852.  Other  mines,  how- 
ever, had  been  opened  several  years  previous,  one  or  two  as  early  as  1840, 
but  these  had  been  worked  merely  for  local  supply.  One  of  the  first 
opened  was  at  what  is  known  as  the  Tracy  City  Mine,  now  the  most  ex- 
tensive in  the  State.  The  seam  of  coal  at  this  place  was  discovered  by 
some  boys  hunting  a rabbit ; the  animal  ran  under  the  root  of  a tree,  and 
in  digging  it  out  the  coal  was  found.  They  reported  the  discovery  to 
their  father,  Ben  Wooten,  and  he,  thinking  it  might  be  of  some  value, 
got  out  a grant  for  500  acres  covering  the  opening.  The  Wooten  Bros, 
afterward  opened  the  seam,  and  for  many  years  hauled  the  coal  down 
the  mountain  to  the  blacksmiths  in  the  valley,  and  some  was  sent  to 
Nashville.  In  1852  Boorman  Johnson,  John  Cryder,  S.  F.  Tracy  and 
others,  of  New  York,  came  to  Tennessee  looking  for  opportunities  for  in- 
vestment. They  were  shown  this  property  and  soon  after  purchased  it. 
A company  was  then  formed  under  the  name  of  the  Sewanee  Mining 
Company,  which  had  a paid  in  capital  of  $400,000.  In  1854  the  con- 
struction of  a railroad  from  the  Nashville  & Chattanooga  Kailroad  to  the 
mines  was  commenced,  but  was  not  completed  until  1859,  when  the  com- 
pany found  themselves  $400,000  in  debt.  They  were  sued  by  both  the 
New  York  and  Tennessee  creditors.  The  latter,  represented  by  A.  S. 
Colyar,  obtained  the  first  judgment,  bought  in  the  property  and  re-organ- 
ized the  company  under  the  name  of  the  Tennessee  Coal  & Railroad  Com- 
pany, with  Colyar  as  president.  In  1862  the  mines  were  abandoned  by 
the  company,  but  were  taken  possession  of  by  the  United  States  troops, 
and  for  some  time  were  worked  for  the  use  of  the  army.  At  the  close  of 
the  war  a compromise  was  effected  with  the  New  York  creditors,  and, 
with  P.  A.  Marbury  as  general  manager,  operations  were  recommenced. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


265 


In  1868  the  manufacture  of  coke  in  pits  on  the  ground  was  begun,  and 
during  the  year  5,377  bushels  were  shipped.  In  1873  the  company  foi’e- 
saw  that  to  make  a great  and  profitable  business  the  manufacture  of  coke 
must  form  a large  part  of  their  business,  and  that  that  coke  must  be  a 
good  iron-making  fuel.  A small  furnace  was  erected  on  the  mountain, 
and  this  experiment  satisfactorily  tested.-  During  that  year  the  ship- 
ment of  coke  amounted  to  62,175  bushels.  The  erection  of  the  Chatta- 
nooga Iron  Company’s  furnace  gave  great  impetus  to  the  enterprise,  and 
in  1874  the  coke  shipment  increased  to  619,403  bushels.  The  next  year 
the  entire  property  was  sold  to  Cherry,  O’Connor  & Co.,  who  in  1880  be- 
gan the  erection  of  a furnace  at  Cowan,  which  was  finished  in  July,  1881. 
In  the  early  part  of  the  following  year  the  property  was  sold  to  John  H. 
Inman  and  others,  Tennessee  parties  retaining  a one-tliird  interest.  The 
name  was  changed  to  the  Tennessee  Coal,  Iron  & Railroad  Company. 

The  first  coal  shipped  from  this  mine  since  the  war  was  in  June, 

1866,  and  shipments  for  remainder  of  the  year  amounted  to  9,240  tons. 
In  1870  they  amounted  to  47,110  tons  of  coal  and  413  tons  of  coke;  in 
1875,  to  109,100  tons  of  coal  and  16,160  tons  of  coke;  in  1880,  to  114,- 
170  tons  of  coal  and  64,440  tons  of  coke;  1883,  126,784  tons  of  coal  and 
101,090  tons  of  coke;  1884,  152,307  tons  of  coal  and  100,935  tons  of 
coke.  For  several  years  about  one-half  of  the  labor  employed  in  these 
mines  has  been  that  of  convicts.  The  company  have  a very  large  tract 
of  land,  25,000  acres  of  which  is  underlaid  with  the  Sewanee  seam  of 
coal,  ranging  from  two  to  seven  feet  in  thickness. 

The  Rockwood  mines,  owned  by  the  Roane  Iron  Company,  are  located 
in  Roane  County,  ninety-two  miles  above  Chattanooga.  This  remarkable 
body  of  coal  was  discovered  in  1840  by  William  Green,  an  employe  of 
John  Brown.  Green  and  William  Brown  soon  after  entered  the  land, 
and  began  mining  the  coal  for  local  purposes.  This  was  continued  until 

1867,  when  the  property  was  purchased  by  a company,  of  which  Gen. 
John  T.  Wilder  was  vice-president  and  manager.  As  has  been  stated, 
the  company  erected  two  blast  furnaces,  and  to  supply  them  began  the 
manufacture  of  coke.  This  latter  branch  of  their  business  has  steadily 
increased  until  they  now  have  180  ovens. 

The  Etna  mines  are  situated  in  Marion  County,  fourteen  miles  from 
Chattanooga  in  what  is  known  as  Raccoon  Mountain.  They  were  first 
opened  in  1852  by  an  Eastern  company  working  under  a lease  from  Rob- 
ert Cravens  and  the  Boyce  and  Whiteside  estates.  Since  that  time  they 
have  been  operated  by  several  different  companies  and  individuals  with 
varied  success  and  reverses.  The  present  company  was  organized  in 
August,  1881,  under  the  name  of  the  Etna  Coal  Company.  The  mines 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


-266 

now  operated  are  owned  by  the  company,  the  estate  consisting  of  about 
3.000  acres,  extending  from  the  Nashville,  Chattanooga  & St.  Louis  Rail- 
way to  the  Tennessee  River.  The  veins  worked  are  known  as  the 
Kelly  and  Oak  Hill.  From  the  Kelly  Mine  a coke  is  made  for  foun- 
dry use  exclusively,  while  that  from  Oak  Hill  is  used  for  blast  fur- 
naces. The  former  mine  was  originally  opened  for  general  domestic  use 
and  the  product  was  sold  largely  in  Nashville,  Chattanooga  and  else- 
where, but  its  superior  qualities  for  blacksmith  use  and  for  the  manufac- 
ture of  coke  soon  caused  the  trade  to  drift  almost  exclusively  into  that 
channel.  In  1880  about  one-fourth  of  the  entire  output  was  coked,  the 
remainder  being  sold  to  blacksmiths  throughout  the  South.  In  1884 
the  company  had  sixty-four  coke  ovens,  and  the  output  from  January  1 to 
November  1 was  coal,  41,205  tons,  and  coke,  533,436  bushels. 

The  Soddy  Coal  Company’s  mines  are  located  on  the  Cincinnati 
Southern  Railway,  twenty-one  miles  from  Chattanooga,  at  Rathburn  Sta- 
tion. This  mine  was  opened  in  1867  by  an  association  of  Welshmen  on 
the  co-operative  plan.  It  proved  a failure,  and  the  mine  went  into  the 
hands  of  a receiver.  The  present  company  took  charge  in  1877,  and  the 
business  has  since  steadily  increased.  They  have  150  coke  ovens.  Their 
output  from  ten  months  preceding  November  1,  1884,  was  96,000  tons  of 
coal,  of  which  32,000  tons  were  converted  into  coke.  They  ship  to 
■Georgia,  Alabama,  Louisiana,  Mississippi  and  Texas. 

The  Walden’s  Ridge  Coal  Company  is  a corporation  with  the  same 
stock  holders  as  the  Soddy  Company.  They  operate  a mine  on  Rocky 
Creek,  nine  miles  farther  up  the  railroad,  having  begun  in  1883.  Two 
seams  are  worked,  the  lower  for  coking  exclusively,  and  the  upper  for 
steam  and  domestic  purposes.  In  1884  thirty-five  coke  ovens  were  in 
operation,  producing  404,949  bushels  of  coke  annually.  These  mines 
were  worked  as  far  back  as  1843,  but  little  coal  except  for  blacksmithing 
was  consumed  at  that  time.  The  first  coal  mined  here  for  shipment  was 
by  Thomas  A.  Brown  and  John  Baxter,  of  Knoxville,  in  1866. 

The  coal  lands  at  Coal  Creek,  in  Anderson  County,  are  owned  by  the 
■Coal  Creek  Consolidated  Mining  Company.  There  are  now  six  mines 
being  worked  at  that  place,  of  which  two  are  operated  by  the  above  com- 
pany and  the  remainder  leased  to  the  Knoxville  Iron  Company,  the  Coal 
Creek  Coal  Company,  the  New  River  Coal  Company,  and  H.  B.  and  Joel 
Bowling.  The  Coal  Creek  mines  were  first  opened  for  shipping  coal 
upon  the  completion  to  that  place  of  the  Knoxville  & Ohio  Railroad,  in 
1870.  The  shipments  in  1871  amounted  to  36,000  tons;  in  1875,  62, - 
369  tons;  in  1880,  150,000  tons;  and  in  1882,  200,000  tons.  The  Knox- 
ville Iron  Company  operates  a mine  about  one  and  one-half  miles  from 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


267 


the  main  track  of  the  Knoxville  & Ohio  division  of  the  East  Tennessee, 
Virginia  & Georgia  Railroad.  They  employ  about  150  convicts  and 
thirty-four  laborers.  During  the  year  1882  the  company  shipped  98,645 
tons  of  coal  to  various  markets  in  southwest  Virginia,  North  and  South 
Carolina,  Georgia  and  Alabama.  For  the  first  ten  months  of  1884  their 
output  amounted  to  204,978  tons. 

The  Dayton  Coal  & Iron  Company’s  mines  are  located  in  Rhea 
County,  Tenn.,  and  are  owned  by  English  capitalists.  These  mines  have 
been  recently  opened,  and  are  designed  mainly  to  supply  coke  for  the 
blast  furnaces  which  have  been  built. 

The  Standard’Coal  A Coke  Company  is  composed  of  Tennessee  cap- 
italists who  own  about  1,400  acres  of  land,  underlaid  by  a seam  of  coal 
four  and  one-lialf  feet  thick.  Their  mine  is  situated  near  Newcomb 
Station,  in  Campbell  County.  They  employ  175  men,  and  produce  about 
350  tons  of  coal  per  day. 

The  Poplar  Creek  mines  are  located  in  Morgan  County.  These  mines 
are  all  small.  They  are  operated  by  the  following  companies:  Poplar 
Creek,  Mount  Carbon,  Winter’s  Gap,  Eureka  and  Oliver.' 

The  Glenn  Mary  Coal  & Coke  Company  is  located  in  Scott  County, 
on  the  Cincinnati  Southern  Railroad. 

The  Tabler,  Crudup  Coal  & Coke  Company  was  incorporated  in  1881. 
They  own  7,000  acres  of  land  in  Hamilton  County,  and  put  out  about  200 
tons  of  coal  daily. 

One  of  the  most  promising  fields  of  industrial  activity  in  East  Ten- 
nessee, is  the  development  of  the  wonderful  marble  quarries  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  Knoxville.  These  marbles  have  obtained  a reputation  second  to  no 
other  in  the  United  States,  and  it  is  said  that  when  they  come  into  com- 
petition with  foreign  marble,  they  are  greatly  preferred  and  sell  for  a 
much  higher  price.  The  varieties  are  almost  innumerable,  and  are  of 
the  most  exquisite  colors.  Their  solidity,  durability  and  susceptibility  of 
polish  make  them  unequaled  for  building  and  monumental  purposes. 
Although  nearly  fifty  years  have  elapsed  since  the  first  marble  quar- 
ry was  opened,  the  business  is  still  in  its  infancy,  but  is  now  developing 
rapidly. 

The  Hawkins  County  marble  was  the  first  quarried,  and  it  is  said  that 
it  was  brought  to  notice  by  the  favorable  expression  with  reference  to  it 
by  Dr.  Troost,  the  first  State  geologist. 

In  1838  the  Rogersville  Marble  Company  was  formed  for  the  pur- 
pose of  sawing  marble  and  establishing  a marble  factory  in  the  vicinity 
of  Rogersville.  Orville  Rice  was  elected  president,  and  S.  D.  Mitchell 
secretary.  The  company  operated  to  a limited  extent  for  several  years, 


268 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


erected  a mill  and  sold  several  thousand  dollars  worth  of  marble  annual- 
ly, which  was  mostly  distributed  in  East  Tennessee.  In  1844  the  com- 
pany sold  out  to  the  president,  Rice,  who  on  a moderate  scale  carried  on 
the  business  for  many  years.  He  sent  a block  of  the  “light  mottled 
strawberry  variety”  to  the  Washington  monument.  This  was  called  the 
“Hawkins  County  Block,”  and  bears  the  inscription  “From  Hawkins 
County,  Tennessee.”  Another  block  of  one  of  the  best  varieties  was  sent 
by  act  of  the  Legislature,  which  was  called  the  “State  Block.”  These 
blocks  attracted  the  attention  of  the  building  committee  of  the  National 
Capitol,  who,  although  they  had  numerous  specimens  from  all  parts  of 
the  Union  before  them,  decided  in  favor  of  the  East  Tennessee  marble. 
An  agent  was  sent  out  by  them  to  ascertain  whether  or  not  it  could  be  ob- 
tained in  quantity,  who  upon  examination  found  the  supply  apparently 
inexhaustible.  As  a result  of  these  circumstances,  an  extensive  quarry  af- 
fording an  excellent  material  has  been  opened  near  Mooresburg,  Hawkins 
County,  and  is  now  known  as  the  old  Dougherty  Quarry.  From  this  was 
obtained  marble  for  probably  one-half  of  the  ornamental  work  in  the  Cap- 
itol at  Washington.  The  balustrades  and  columns  of  the  stairs  leading  up 
to  the  House  and  Senate  galleries,  the  walls  of  the  marble  room  and  other 
parts  of  the  building  are  made  from  it.  It  has  since  been  used  in  the 
United  States  Treasury  building,  the  State-house  at  Columbia,  S.  C.,  and 
many  of  the  finest  buildings  in  New  York,  Philadelphia,  Chicago  and 
Cincinnati.  The  stone  from  this  quarry  has  not  been  used  for  general 
construction  on  account  of  the  high  price  which  it  commands  for  orna- 
mental work. 

In  1852  James  Sloan  opened  a quarry  about  two  miles  north  of  Knox- 
ville, near  the  East  Tennessee,  Virginia  & Georgia  Railroad.  It  was 
from  this  quarry  that  the  variegated  marble  used  in  the  capitol  at  Nash- 
ville was  obtained. 

The  first  quarry  in  the  vicinity  of  Concord  was  opened  in  the  lands  of 
William  T.  Smith  by  S.  L.  King,  1856.  He  also  constructed  a small 
mill  on  Lime  Creek,  where  some  marble  was  sawed. 

Col.  John  Williams  also  opened  a quarry  previous  to  the  war,  a few 
miles  northeast  of  Knoxville,  from  which  marble  of  the  gray  variety  was 
obtained. 

The  most  extensive  quarry  in  Tennessee,  and  one  of  the  oldest  now  in 
operation  in  the  vicinity  of  Knoxville,  was  opened  by  the  United  States 
Government  in  1869  to  procure  stone  for  the  construction  of  the  custom 
house  and  postoffice  buildings  at  Knoxville.  A considerable  quantity  of 
this  marble  was  also  used  in  the  State  Capitol  at  Albany,  New  York.  The 
quarry  is  located  at  the  junction  of  the  French  Broad  and  Holston  Rivers, 


DEAF  AND  DUMB  ASYLUM,  KNOXVILLE. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


269 


and  the  stone  is  carried  by  boat  four  miles  to  Knoxville.  This  marble  is 
susceptible  of  a high  polish,  and  when  so  polished  has  a pink  tinge  and 
shows  dark  wavy  lines  running  through  it.  It  is  highly  esteemed  for 
mantels  and  table-tops,  because  it  is  not  easily  stained.  It  is  also  largely 
used  for  cemetery  work,  and  tombstones  which  have  been  exposed  for 
thirty  years  do  not  show  the  slightest  signs  of  disintegration  or  wear. 

Morgan  & Williams  operate  two  quarries  within  two  miles  of  Knox- 
ville, one  of  them  producing  a white  marble,  and  the  other  a pink  mate- 
rial known  as  Knoxville  marble.  The  former  was  used  in  the  construc- 
tion of  the  custom  house  at  Memphis,  and  the  shaft  of  the  Lee  monument 
at  New  Orleans  is  made  of  it.  The  supply  of  this  marble  is  practically 
inexhaustible. 

The  total  capital  invested  in  the  marble  business  in  Knox  County  in 
1884  was  estimated  at  $250,000,  and  the  number  of  men  employed  at 
300.  The  following  were  the  quarries  in  operation  at  that  time:  the 
Cross  Cut  Marble  Company,  Morgan  & Williams,  John  M.  Ross,  Craig 
& McMullen,  T.  P.  Thomas  & Co.,  R.  H.  Armstrong  & Co.,  H.  H.  Brown 
& Co.,  Harvey  & Smith,  Franklin  Marble  Company,  Beach  & Co.,  C. * 
B.  Ross  & Co.,  and  the  Lima  & East  Tennessee  Marble  Company.* 
The  only  ones  using  machinery  are  the  Knoxville  Marble  Company  and 
Morgan  & Williams.  The  former  has  five  steam  drills,  seven  steam 
derricks,  and  runs  a saw-mill  with  two  gangs  of  saws.  Morgan  & Williams 
have  three  steam  channeling  machines,  and  a mill  with  one  gang  of  saws. 
In  Knoxville  Beach  & Co.  and  the  Crescent  Marble  Company  have  mills 
for  sawing  and  machinery  for  polishing.  There  is  a demand  for  a greater 
amount  of  capital  in  this  branch  of  the  business. 

The  amount  of  marble  in  Hawkins  County  is  very  great,  and  its  va- 
riegated varieties  possess  greater  brilliancy  than  those  of  any  other  sec- 
tion. The  business  of  quarrying  has  not  increased  in  the  same  propor- 
tion as  in  Knox  County,  on  account  of  the  poor  facilities  for  transporta- 
tion. The  quarries  in  operation  in  1884  were  Prince  & Co.,  Chestnut 
Jit  Chestnut,  John  Harnn  & Co.,  Chestnut  & Fulkerson,  James  White, 
the  Dougherty  Quarry,  Joseph  Stamps  and  the  Baltimore  Marble  Com- 
pany. The  business  at  none  of  these  quarries  is  carried  on  very  exten- 
sively, and  but  little  machinery  is  used.  For  the  year  ending  June  30, 
1881,  there  was  shipped  from  such  of  these  quarries  as  were  operat- 
ing 20,000  cubic  feet  of  marble,  all  of  which  was  of  the  finest  grade 
for  ornamental  purposes,  and  was  worth  on  an  average  $4  per  cubic 
foot  upon  the  cars.  The  chief  markets  of  this  marble  are  Philadelphia, 
Baltimore,  New  York,  Boston  and  other  Northern  cities.  The  amount  of 


* “ Hand  Book  of  Tennessee.” 


270 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


marble  shipped  over  the  East  Tennessee,  Virginia  & Georgia  Railroad 
for  the  year  ending  June  30,  1871,  was  about  7,000  cubic  feet,  of  which 
Hawkins  County  furnished  all  but  about  350  cubic  feet.  For  the  year 
ending  June  30,  1881,  the  amount  shipped  over  the  same  railroad  was 
about  80,000  cubic  feet,  valued  at  $240,000.  Of  the  entire  amount 
Knox  County  furnished  not  far  from  50,000  cubic  feet. 

Hamblen  County  produces  marble  of  good  quality,  but  chiefly  for 
local  use.  Extensive  beds  of  excellent  marble  exist  in  Bradley  County 
on  the  Hiwassee  River,  above  Charleston,  at  which  machinery  has  lately 
been  erected  and  preparations  made  for  work  on  a large  scale.  South 
of  Cleveland,  near  the  Georgia  line,  is  the  quarry  of  Patrick  & Smith, 
from  which  a beautiful  grade  of  pink  marble  is  obtained.  Although  mar- 
ble in  greater  or  less  quantities  and  of  various  kinds  is  found  in  several 
other  counties  of  the  State,  no  quarries  of  importance  are  now  in  opera- 
tion in  any  of  them. 

Concord,  in  Knox  County,  has  recently  become  the  center  of  a large 
number  of  quarries,  there  being  no  less  than  eight  companies  operating 
in  that  vicinity,  all  of  which  have  been  organized  since  1880.  The  Li- 
ma & East  Tennessee  Marble  Company,  operating  the  Red  Triangle 
Quarry,  was  organized  in  1882,  and  made  their  first  shipment  in  June  of 
that  year.  Their  marble,  light  and  dark  variegated,  is  remarkably 
sound,  and  meets  with  a ready  sale  in  the  cities  of  the  North.  The  Con-  I 
cord  marble  quarries,  operated  by  Brown,  Godfrey  & Co.,  were  opened  in 
1881.  They  employ  an  average  force  of  150  hands,  and  make  large 
shipments,  principally  to  New  York  and  Boston.  Woods  & Stamps  began 
operations  in  1884,  and  work  a large  force  of  hands.  The  Juniata 
Marble  Company  made  their  first  opening  in  February,  1883.  Their 
quarries  are  situated  in  Blount  County,  near  Louisville.  The  company 
employ  about  thirty-five  hands,  and  have  machinery  in  operation  for 
sawing  the  marble  into  slabs.  The  Great  Bend  Marble  Company,  Ivin- 
kaid  & Co.  and  the  Cedar  Bluff  Marble  Manufacturing  & Railway 
Company,  all  opened  quarries  during  1885. 

The  number  of  men  now  employed  in  the  marble  business  in  East  [ 
Tennessee  is  estimated  at  2,000.  The  shipments  from  the  various  sta- 
tions in  1885  aggregated  1,256  car  loads,  worth  from  $250  to  $300  each. 
There  were  also  manufactured  at  home  about  100  car  loads.  The  ship-  j 
ments  for  1886  will  not  fall  short  of  1,500  car  loads. 

Although  suspended  at  the  present  time,  the  mining  of  copper  was 
carried  on  extensively  for  many  years  in  Polk  County.  The  discovery  of  | 
the  ore  was  made  in  1843,  but  none  was  mined  until  1847,  when  a Ger- 
man named  Webber,  securing  a lease,  took  out  ninety  casks  of  ore  and 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


271 


shipped  them  to  the  Revere  Smelting  Works  near  Boston.  The  results 
not  proving  satisfactory,  he  suspended  operations  and  gave  up  his  lease. 
A year  or  two  later  John  Caldwell,  upon  petitioning  the  Legislature, 
obtained  the  passage  of  a law  under  which  he  secured  a lease  of  a section 
of  school  land  near  Ducktown.  In  May,  1850,  he  began  mining  in  the 
woods,  and  during  the  year  sunk  two  shafts,  from  both  of  which  he 
obtained  copper.  The  nest  year  in  connection  with  S.  Congdon,  the 
agent  of  the  Tennessee  Mining  Company,  he  opened  what  was  afterward 
known  as  the  Hiwassee  Mine.  For  the  first  two  or  three  years  the  ore 
was  carried  out  of  the  mountains  on  mules,  but  in  1858  a wagon  road 
was  completed  at  a cost  of  $22,000.  In  1855  there  were  fourteen  mines 
in  operation,  and  over  $1,000,000  worth  of  ore  was  shipped  to  the  North. 
Three  years  later  a number  of  the  companies  united  under  the  name  of 
the  Union  Consolidated  Copper  Company,  but  the  war  coming  on  soon 
after  nothing  of  importance  was  then  accomplished.  In  1866  operations 
were  again  commenced  and  were  rapidly  extended.  Up  to  June  1,  1873, 
this  company  had  taken  out  8,476,872  pounds  of  ingot  copper,  worth  an 
average  of  26  cents  per  pound.  At  that  time  they  employed  562  men 
and  ran  sixteen  furnaces.  The  whole  value  of  their  property  was  $474,- 
549.30.  In  1873  there  was  one  other  large  company  operating  near 
Ducktown,  known  as  the  Burra  Burra  Copper  Company.  It  ran  nine 
furnaces  and  employed  158  men,  paying  out  for  wages  $60,000.  It  also 
consumed  10,192  cords  of  wood  and  produced  917,329  pounds  of  ingot 
copper,  valued  at  $192,639. 

In  1878  the  consolidated  company  entered  into  litigation  with  Capt. 
Raht,  the  superintendent,  which  caused  a stoppage  of  operations,  and 
since  that  time  but  little  has  been  done  by  any  of  the  companies.  The 
property  of  the  consolidated  company  was  purchased  during  the  latter 
part  of  1884  by  a company  from  New  York,  who  has  not  yet  put  it  into 
operation. 

The  flour-milling  industry  of  Tennessee  in  1880  ranked  above  all 
other  industrial  enterprises  both  in  the  amount  of  capital  invested  and  in 
the  value  of  its  products.  At  that  time  there  were  990  flour  and  grist- 
mill establishments  in  the  State  having  an  aggregate  capital  of  $3,595,- 
585,  and  putting  out  annually  products  to  the  amount  of  $10,784,804. 
These  amounts  were  slightly  exceeded  by  one  other  Southern  State, 
Virginia,  but  the  growth  of  this  business  in  Tennessee  during  the  past 
six  years  lias  made  her  the  leading  milling  State  of  the  South.  Although 
no  other  industry  is  so  thoroughly  distributed  over  the  State,  Nashville 
is  the  flour-milling  center  of  Tennessee.  The  growth  of  the  business  in 
that  city  during  the  past  ten  years  has  been  wonderfully  rapid.  In  that 


272 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


time  the  four  leading  mills  have  been  built,  and  the  production  raised 
from  500  to  1,800  barrels  per  day,  while  the  capital  invested  has  increased 
from  $100,000  to  $600,000.  The  amount  of  wheat  used  annually  by 
these  mills  reaches  2,340,000  bushels,  of  which  a large  portion  is  grown 
in  Tennessee. 

Besides  Davidson  County  there  were  in  1880  five  counties  in  the 
State  the  value  of  whose  mill  products  amounted  to  over  $300,000  each. 
They  were  Knox,  with  a production  of  $444,617 ; Henry,  $365,372;  Bed- 
ford, $359,208;  Maury,  $314,067,  and  AVilliamson,  $301,270. 

Among  the  first  settlers  of  Tennessee,,  Indian  corn  was  used  exclu- 
sively for  bread.  This  was  due  to  the  small  amount  of  labor  re- 
quired in  its  cultivation,  and  to  the  ease  with  which  it  could  be  prepared 
for  use.  Previous  to  the  erection  of  the  first  rude  mill,  the  only  machin- 
ery used  in  the  preparation  of  corn  for  hominy  or  meal  was  the  mortar 
and  pestle,  the  former  usually  consisting  of  the  stump  of  a tree  hollowed 
out  for  that  purpose.  The  first  mill  erected  in  Tennessee  was  built  be- 
fore 1775  on  Buffalo  Creek,  in  Carter  County,  and  belonged  to  Baptist 
McNabb.  At  about  the  same  time  another  mill  was  built  by  Matthew 
Talbot  on  Gap  Creek.  The  first  mill  west  of  the  Cumberland  Mountains 
was  a corn -mill  and  hominy-pounder  built  at  Eaton’s  Station  in  1782;  a 
dam  was  made  across  the  small  creek  which  empties  into  the  Cumber- 
land at  the  foot  of  the  high  land  on  which  the  station  was  located,  and  by 
the  construction  of  a race  by  the  side  of  the  branch,  sufficient  fall  of  wa- 
ter was  obtained  to  turn  a pair  of  rudely  cut  stones.  The  hominy-pounder 
was  an  extremely  primitive  piece  of  machinery.  “A  trough  was  made 
twelve  feet  long  and  placed  upon  a pivot,  or  balance,  and  was  so  dug  out 
that  by  letting  the  water  run  in  at  one  end  of  the  trough,  it  would  fill  up 
so  as  to  overcome  the  equipoise,  wdien  one  end  would  descend,  and,  the  wa- 
ter rushing  out,  the  trough  would  return  to  its  equilibrium,  coming  down 
at  the  other  end  with  considerable  force,  when  a pestle  or  hammer  was 
made  to  strike  with  force  sufficient  to  crack  the  grains  of  corn.”  This 
process  proving  too  slow  a Air.  Cartwright  constructed  a wheel  upon 
which  was  fastened  a number  of  cow’s  horns  in  such  a way  that  as  each 
horn  was  filled  by  water  its  weight  turned  the  wheel  so  that  the  next 
horn  was  presented  to  receive  its  supply,  and  thus  the  wheel  was  kept  in 
constant  revolution.  To  a crank  was  attached  the  apparatus  for  corn- 
cracking. and  by  the  revolution  of  the  wheel  many  little  blows  were  made 
upon  the  corn  placed  in  the  mortar.  This  mill-seat,  water-wheel  and 
hominy-block  was  the  property  of  James  and  Heyden  Wells,  the  earliest 
millers  in  Middle  Tennessee.*  A little  later  Casper  and  his  brother 


*Putnam. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


273 


George  Mansker  erected  a rival  establishment  within  a mile  of  Mans- 
ker’s  station.  Larger  and  better  equipped  mills  were  erected  by  Freder- 
ick Stump  and  John  Buchanan.  Stump’s  mill  was  on  White’s  Creek  and 
Buchanan’s  on  Mill  Creek,  two  miles  south  of  Nashville.  The  many 
streams  in  all  parts  of  the  State  afforded  abundant  water-power,  and  af- 
ter the  beginning  of  the  present  century  there  was  no  lack  of  mills. 
Those  on  Red  River  were  especially  numerous,  and  had  a wide  reputa- 
tion for  the  good  quality  of  their  flour.  Within  the  past  few  years  the 
introduction  of  the  more  expensive  roller-mills  has  had  a tendency  to 
drive  out  some  of  the  smaller  establishments,  and  the  number  of  mills 
is  decreasing  somewhat. 

The  manufacture  of  cotton  into  various  goods  has  long  been  an  indus- 
try of  considerable  importance  in  Tennessee,  but  it  has  never  attained 
the  proportions  which  her  natural  advantages  would  justify.  The  rais- 
ing of  cotton  began  to  assume  considerable  proportions  during  the  first 
decade  of  the  present  century,  but  its  manufacture,  except  in  a domestic 
way,  was  not  attempted  until  a few  years  later.  In  a report  of  the  cotton- 
mills  of  the  United  States  in  1810,  only  one  is  mentioned  in  Tennessee, 
and  that  was  a horse-mill.  The  Tennessee  Gazetteer  published  in  1831, 
in  enumerating  the  manufactories  in  the  State,  mentions  two  “spinning 
factories”  at  Knoxville  and  Paris,  each,  and  one  at  Athens;  two  cotton 
factories  at  Murfreesboro  and  one  at  Franklin  and  Statesville,  each.  The 
last  two  are  designated  as  “extensive.”  There  was  also  a rope  and  bag- 
ging factory  at  Lebanon.  In  1810  the  number  of  cotton  factories  in  the 
State  had  increased  to  thirty-eight,  representing  a capital  of  $163,210, 
and  operating  16,813  spindles.  Of  the  whole  number  twenty-five  were 
in  Middle  Tennessee,  eight  in  East  Tennessee  and  five  in  the  western 
division.  The  counties  having  more  than  $30,000  invested  in  this  busi- 
ness were  Wilson,  $65,000;  Williamson,  $18,000;  Lawrence,  $17,000; 
Madison,  $50,000  and  Franklin  $33,100.  The  census  of  1860  reported 
thirty  factories  with  29,850  spindles  and  213  looms,  and  representing  a 
capital  of  $965,000.  At  this  time  Lawrence  County  stood  first,  having  one- 
fifth  of  the  whole  number  of  factories,  and  more  than  one-fifth  of  the 
capital  invested.  Owing  to  the  effects  of  the  civil  war  the  next  decade 
shows  a slight  decrease  in  the  number  of  factories  and  the  quantity  of 
the  product.  From  1870  to  1880  quite  a large  amount  of  new  capital 
was  invested  in  cotton  manufacturing,  but  the  greatest  increase  has  been 
•within  the  past  five  years.  In  that  time  the  business  has  increased  about 
130  per  cent.  The  largest  factory  in  the  State,  and  perhaps  in  the  South, 
is  operated  by  the  Tennessee  Manufacturing  Company  at  Nashville.  They 
Lave  over  $1,000,000  invested;  run  850  looms  and  30,000  spindles,  and 


274 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


turn  out  products  to  the  amount  of  nearly  $1,000,000  annually.  The 
goods  manufactured  consist  principally  of  sheetings,  shirtings,  grain 
bags  and  cotton  plaids.  Nashville  has  two  other  factories,  both  of  which 
were  established  in  1881,  and  represent  a combined  capital  of  $340,000. 
Their  production  consists  largely  of  carpet  warps,  twines  and  rope.  The 
Columbia  Cotton-mills,  established  in  1884,  operate  6,500  spindles  and 
174  looms,  and  manufacture  sheeting,  bags  and  yarn.  The  Pioneer  Mill 
at  Mount  Yerd,  McMinn  County,  put  into  operation  in  1881  at  an  outlay 
of  $200,000,  runs  5,272  spindles  and  132  looms.  The  Trenton  Manu- 
facturing Company  organized  in  1884,  with  a capital  stock  of  $60,000,  use 
3,200  spindles  and  100  looms  in  the  manufacture  of  white  goods.  The 
Brookside  Cotton-mills,  of  Knoxville,  began  operations  in  March,  1886, 
employing  200  hands.  Other  factories  of  less  capacity  have  been  erected 
since  the  beginning  of  this  decade,  but  the  above  are  sufficient  to  illus- 
trate the  rapid  growth  of  this  industry.  With  the  advantage  of  abun- 
dant water-power,  cheap  fuel,  and  close  proximity  to  the  raw  material,  it  is 
only  a question  of  time  when  Tennessee  will  rival,  if  not  excel,  New  Eng- 
land in  the  manufacture  of  cotton  goods. 

The  capital  invested  in  the  manufacture  of  woolen  goods  is  less  than 
one-half  that  represented  by  the  cotton  factories,  but  it  is  distributed 
among  a much  greater  number  of  establishments,  many  of  which  are  of 
small  capacity  and  run  only  a portion  of  the  year.  The  woolen-mills 
of  the  State,  as  reported  in  1880,  numbered  106,  representing  an 
aggregate  investment  of  $418,464.  The  annual  productions  are  val- 
ued at  $620,724,  and  consisted  principally  of  the  following  goods: 
Jeans,  644,036  yards;  linsey,  94,493  yards;  satinets,  23,300  yards;  flan- 
nels, 18,450  yards;  cloths,  cassimeres  and  similar  goods,  8,440  yards; 
blankets,  2,387  yards;  tweeds,  3,000  yards,  andshawls  1,000 yards.  There 
was  also  one  establishment  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  mixed  tex- 
tiles, having  a capital  of  $35,000,  and  producing  goods  to  the  value  of 
$79,000  annually.  Since  the  beginning  of  this  decade  the  manufacture 
of  woolen  goods  has  moi’e  than  doubled,  several  of  the  largest  factories 
in  the  State  having  been  put  into  operation  within  the  last  four  years. 
The  Nashville  Woolen  Mill  Company,  with  a capital  of  $78,000,  began 
business  in  1882.  They  employ  100  operatives,  who  turn  out  products 
to  the  amount  of  $150,000.  The  Jackson  Woolen  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany, having  an  invested  capital  of  $50,000,  began  business  in  1884, 
and  operate  forty-seven  looms.  The  Knoxville  Mills,  which  began  busi- 
ness in  1885  with  a capital  of  $180,000,  operates  104  looms. 

Previous  to  1880  the  largest  woolen-mill  in  the  State  was  the  one  at 
Tullahoma,  which  represents  a capital  of  $90,000,  and  runs  eighty-five 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


275 


looms.  Previous  to  the  war  the  business  consisted  almost  exclusively  in 
wool-carding,  which  was  carried  on  by  small  establishments  involving  an 
outlay  of  only  a few  hundred,  or  at  most  a few  thousand  dollars.  The 
following  is  a list  of  these  “carding  machines,”  as  reported  in  the  census 
of  1840.  It  is  evidently  incomplete: 


Capital  Value  of 

Number.  Invested.  Products. 

Wilson 6 $3,750  $6,000 

Sumner 5 4,650  2,050 

Rutherford 5 6,000  3,400 

Jefferson  3 1,200  360 

Grainger 3 1,500  700 

Hatvkins 1 2,000  .... 

Coffee 1 4,000  1,000 

McNairy 1 1,400  30 

Knox 1 800  450 

Dickson 1 300  300 


Totals 27  $25,600  $14,290 


In  1860  the  number  of  these  establishments  had  increased  to  sixty- 
nine,  and  the  capital  invested  to  $82,300.  During  the  year  previous  they 
carded  460,665  pounds  of  wool,  making  460,000  pounds  of  rolls,  valued  at 
$219,772.  At  that  time  Tennessee  had  over  one-third  of  this  business 
in  the  Southern  States,  and  was  excelled  by  only  three  States  in  the 
Union.  The  only  mill  reported  which  contained  a loom  was  located  in 
Sumner  County.  This  mill  used  10,000  pounds  of  wool  and  manufact- 
ured 18,000  yards  of  cloth. 

Fifty  years  ago  gunpowder  was  manufactured  in  a small  way  in 
many  of  the  counties  of  this  State.  The  capital  invested  amounted  to 
but  little,  and  the  product  was  correspondingly  small.  Of  these  estab- 
lishments, in  1840,  Claiborne  and  Overton  Counties  had  two  each,  and 
Campbell,  Carter,  Jefferson,  Sullivan,  Giles  and  Warren  one  each.  The 
capital  represented  ranged  from  $25  to  $900,  and  the  product  from  160 
to  6,000  pounds,  the  aggregate  production  reaching  10,333  pounds. 
About  1845  the  Sycamore  Manufacturing  Company  located  in  Cheatham 
County,  erected  a large  mill  for  the  manufacture  of  gunpowder, 
which  they  continued  to  operate  until  the  war.  At  the  close  of  hostili- 
ties the  company  was  organized  under  a charter,  with  a capital  of  $100,- 
000,  which  has  since  been  increased  to  $300,000.  In  1874  the  entire 
machinery  of  the  Confederate  Powder  Works,  at  Augusta,  Ga.,  were 
purchased  by  the  company,  and  the  capacity  of  their  mills  was  increased 
to  100,000  kegs  of  powder  per  year. 

The  manufacture  of  paper  was  begun  in  Tennessee  at  a comparatively 
early  date,  and  has  been  continued  by  one  or  more  mills  to  the  present 
time.  One  of  the  first  establishments  of  this  kind  was  erected  at  Paper- 


27  G 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


ville,  a little  village  .on  a branch  of  the  Holston  River,  in  Sullivan  Coun- 
ty. In  1840  the  number  of  paper-mills  in  the  State  was  six,  located  one 
in  each  of  the  following  counties:  Grainger,  Knox,  McMinn,  Sullivan, 
Davidson  and  Sumner.  They  represented  an  aggregate  capital  of  $103,- 
000,  and  their  annual  products  were  valued  at  $60,000.  In  1860  the 
number  of  mills  had  decreased  to  two,  and  the  amount  of  capital  invested 
to  $28,000.  Their  annual  product  was  200,000  pounds  of  paper,  valued 
at  $14,500. 

The  manufacture  of  leather  and  boots  and  shoes  is  a pioneer  in- 
dustry. Among  the  early  settlers  nearly  every  farmer  had  a vat,  or  more 
frequently  merely  a trough,  in  which  was  tanned  the  leather  to  make  the 
boots  and  shoes  for  his  household.  Later  numerous  small  tanneries 
were  erected,  which  endeavored  only  to  supply  the  local  demand.  In 


4 


1840  there  were  454  of  these  establishments,  of  which  East  Tennessee 
had  225;  Middle  Tennessee,  164;  and  the  western  division,  65.  The 
entire  capital  invested  in  the  business  was  $484,114,  of  which  Middle 
Tennessee  had  a little  more  than  one-half.  The  aggregate  products  were 
133,547  sides  of  sole-leather,  and  171,339  sides  of  uppers,  of  which 
Montgomery  County  produced  nearly  one-sixth.  In  I860  the  number 
of  tanneries  was  reported  at  265,  with  a capital  of  $851,780,  and  an 
annual  production  of  leather  to  the  value  of  $1,142,246.  The  estimated 
amount  of  capital  invested  in  the  making  of  boots  and  shoes  was  $214,- 
512,  and  the  productions  were  valued  at  $395,790.  In  1870  the  number 
of  establishments  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  leather  was  396,  repre- 
senting capital  to  the  amount  of  $705,665,  and  turning  out  products  to 
the  value  of  $1,851,638.  According,  to". the  census  of  1880  there  were 
113  establishments  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  curried  leather,  wrhose 
product  amounted  to  $546,427,  and  147  establishments  manufacturing 
tanned  leather  to  the  amount  vrf  $1,504,660  during  41ie  year.  The  larg- 
est tannery  in  the  State  is  located  at  Chattanooga,  and  is  operated  by 
Fayerweather  & Ladew.  The  products  from  this  establishment  amount 
to  little  less  than  $1,000,000  per  annum.  Nashville  has  several  tanner- 
ies, all  of  Avhich  do  a good  business.  The  Hall  & Ordway  Manufactur- 
ing Company  are  erecting  an  extensive  establishment  at  that  place  to 
supply  their  factory,  as  well  as  to  meet  a large  foreign  demand.  This 
firm  operate  the  only  shoe  manufactory  in  the  State,  and  are  the  pioneers 
in  that  business.  The  company  was  organized  in  November,  1885,  and 
began  business  the  first  of  the  following  January.  They  have  a capacity 
of  700  pairs  of  shoes  per  day,  but  already  contemplate  increasing  it  to 
1,000.  They  employ  from  100  to  350  hands.  Their  materials,  except 
the  findings  and  uppers,  which  come  principally  from  Boston  and  New 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


277 

York,  are  obtained  from  Tennessee  tanneries,  and  their  trade  is  rapidly 
extending  over  the  entire  South.  Their  success  in  this  business  is  a sure 
precursor  of  numerous  other  establishments  of  the  kind,  as  Nashville  al- 
ready has  the  largest  boot  and  shoe  trade  of  any  city  of  its  size  in  the 
United  States.  It  is  also  said  by  experienced  shoemen  that  Tennessee 
leather,  on  account  of  the  superior  quality  of  the  bark  and  the  purity  of 
the  water  used  in  its  manufacture,  is  superior  to  that  of  any  other 
State. 

The  manufacture  of  whisky  in  Tennessee  dates  back  nearly  to  the 
advent  of  the  first  colonists.  As  early  as  1785  Col.  James  Robertson, 
learning  that  the  establishment  of  distilleries  in  the  Cumberland  settle- 
ments was  under  contemplation,  secured  the  passage  of  an  act  by  the  Leg- 
islature of  North  Carolina,  prohibiting  the  distillation  of  spirituous  liq- 
uors in  Davidson  County.  The  prohibition,  however,  proved  of  but  lim- 
ited duration,  and  there  was  soon  considerable  domestic  manufacture  and 
increased  consumption.  For  the  first  fifty  or  sixty  years  of  the  present 
century,  there  was  scarcely  a county  in  the  State  that  was  not  more  or 
less  extensively  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  whisky.  It  was  usually 
made  in  small  distilleries  with  a capacity  of  thirty  or  forty  gallons  per 
day.  In  1810  the  number  of  distilleries  reported  in  East  Tennessee  was 
006,  producing  for  that  year  311,445  gallons  of  whisky.  The  counties 
producing  the  most  were  McMinn,  Claiborne,  Hawkins,  Greene,  Roane 
and  Marion.  The  whole  number  of  “still-houses”  in  Middle  Tennessee 
was  668,  and  the  number  of  gallons  of  whisky  produced,  695,769.  Lin- 
coln. Bedford,  Davidson,  Maury  and  Robertson  produced  the  greatest  quan- 
tities. The  first  named  county  had  87  distillers  and  manufactured  128,180 
gallons  of  whisky.  This  county  and  Robertson  have  long  enjoyed  the 
reputation  of  producing  the  best  whisky  in  the  State,  if  not  in  the  United 
States.  This  is  largely  due  to  the  fact  that  it  is  manufactured  by  men  of 
long  experience  in  the  business,  and  the  materials  used  are  of  superior 
quality.  These  two  counties  now  produce  a large  part  of  the  whisky 
made  in  the  State.  The  largest  distillery  in  Tennessee  is  that  of  Charles 
Nelson,  near  Greenbrier,  in  Robertson  County.  This  establishment  in 
the  year  1885  produced  379,125  gallons,  more  than  one-third  the  entire 
production  for  the  State,  and  about  82  per  cent  of  the  production  in  Rob- 
ertson County.  During  the  fiscal  year,  ending  June  30,  1885,  there  were 
90  registered  grain  distilleries  in  the  State,  of  which  55  were  in  opera- 
tion, and  238  fruit  distilleries — all  in  operation.  The  total  revenue  for 
the  year  paid  by  the  former  was  $802,515.74,  and  by  the  latter  $73,- 
849.55.  The  materials  used  by  the  grain  distilleries  were  as  follows: 
rye,  26,063  bushels;  corn,  181,899  bushels;  mill  feed,  5,581  bushels; 


278 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


wheat,  49  bushels;  and  malt,  12,717  bushels.  The  following  is  the  inter- 
nal revenue  collected  upon  distilled  liquors  in  Tennessee  for  each  year 
from  1864  to  1885:  1864,  $602,705.93;  1865,  $1,605,263.41;  1866, 
$3,381,840.56;  1867,  $3,349,459.91 ; 1868,  $3,717,010.04;  1869,  $1,255, - 
781.12;  1870,  $1,470,859.57;  1871,  $874,221.65;  1872,  $766,840.20; 
1873,  $644,480.76;  1874,  $664,717.18;  1875,  $861,645.28;  1876,  $596,- 
713.67;  1877,  $897,181.73;  1878,  $844,485.08;  1879,  $908,924.44;. 

1880,  $1,003,735.86;  1881,  $1,146,763.64;  1882,  $997,728;  1883,. 
$1,173,890.29;  1884,  $1,249,975.96;  1885,  $1,057,189.43.  The  total 
tax  collected  for  the  twenty-one  years  amounts  to  $29,071,413.31. 

The  manufacture  of  cotton-seed  oil  is  an  industry  of  great  impor- 
tance, both  in  the  amount  of  capital  invested  and  the  value  of  the  prod- 
ucts. Memphis  is  the  center  of  this  business,  although  there  are  sev- 
eral other  towns  which  have  extensive  oil-mills.  In  that  city  there  are 
eleven  mills,  but  all  are  not  run  on  full  time.  The  magnitude  of  this 
branch  of  business  is  indicated  by  the  fact  that  nearly  $1,000,000  is 
annually  paid  out  for  cotton  seed  by  the  Memphis  mills  alone.  It  also 
gives  employment  to  fully  600  hands,  and  affords  to  river  and  railway 
commerce  nearly  $350,000  in  freight.  The  receipts  of  cotton  seed  in 
Memphis  during  1885  were  58,000  tons,  from  which  there  was  a yield  of 
45,000  barrels  of  oil,  22,000  tons  of  oil  cake,  26,000  bales  of  regius  and  200 
tons  of  ashes.  The  last  article  is  used  in  the  manufacture  of  fer- 
tilizers. 

A mill  to  manufacture  oil  from  cotton  seed  was  established  in 
Jackson  about  seven  years  ago,  and  has  grown  to  be  one  of  the  largest 
establishments  of  the  kind  in  the  State.  It  gives  employment  to  about 
150  hands,  and  runs  day  and  night.  In  1883  a company  was  organized 
to  engage  in  the  business  at  Trenton,  and  during  the  summer  large  build- 
ings were  erected,  into  which  was  put  the  most  improved  machinery. 
When  first  put  into  operation,  the  mill  consumed  750  bushels  of  cotton 
seed,  making  500  gallons  of  oil  and  9,000  pounds  of  meal  or  coke. 
Within  the  past  year  the  capacity  of  the  mill  has  been  doubled. 

Nashville  has  two  mills,  the  first  of  which  Avas  built  in  1868.  Each 
consumes  from  5,000  to  6,000  tons  of  cotton  seed  yearly.  Their  com- 
bined annual  product  is  estimated  at  400,000  gallons  of  oil  and  2,100 
tons  of  meal.  The  oil  is  used  in  the  manufacture  of  soap  and  candles, 
and  in  the  adulteration  of  lard  and  other  oils.  It  is  also  said  to  be 
used  to  some  extent  in  the  manufacture  of  oleomargarine.  The  growth 
of  the  manufacturing  interest  of  the  State  since  1850  is  shown  in  the 
following  table: 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


279- 


Year. 

No.  Estab- 
lishments. 

Capital  Invested. 

Hands 

Employed. 

Wages  Paid. 

Value  of  Mater- 
ials. 

Value  of  Produce, 

1850  

1860  .... 
1870  .... 
1880  .... 

2,887 

2,572 

5,317 

4,326 

$6,527,729 

14,426,261 

15,595,295 

20,092,845 

12,039 

12,528 

19,412 

22,445 

$2,247,492 

3,370,687 

5,390,630 

5,254,775 

$5,166,886 

9,416,514 

19,657,027 

23,834,262 

$9,725,608 

17,987,225 

34,362,636 

37,074,886 

The  agency  which  has  been  most  effective  in  placing  the  vast  natural 
resources  and  advantages  of  Tennessee  before  the  world,  and  in  inaugui- 
rating  a better  system  of  farming,  is  the  Bureau  of  Agriculture,  Statistics 
and  Mines,  established  by  act  of  the  Legislature  in  December,  1871. 
With  the  limited  appropriations  granted  to  this  bureau,  not  one-fifth  as 
much  as  is  expended  for  that  purpose  by  some  States  of  the  Northwest, 
it  has  succeeded  in  the  past  ten  years  in  bringing  into  the  State  millions 
of  dollars  of  capital  and  thousands  of  families.  The  commissioners  of 
this  department  have  been  men  of  untiring  energy  and  practical  busi- 
ness ability,  and  to  them  are  largely  due  the  results  which  have  been  ob- 
tained. J.  B.  Killebrew,  the  secretary  of  the  bureau,  and  the  first  com- 
missioner, published  numerous  works  on  the  agricultural  and  industrial 
interests.  His  work  on  the  “ Resources  of  Tennessee  ” is  one  of  the 
most  thorough  and  complete  publications  of  the  kind  ever  made.  The 
work  of  the  bureau  under  his  administration  proved  very  effective.  A 
committee,  appointed  in  1879  to  investigate  its  affairs,  reported  not  less 
than  8,000  immigrants,  and  about  $9,000,000  capital  had  been  intro- 
duced into  the  State  through  its  instrumentality.  In  1881  the  com- 
missioner reported  that  during  the  preceding  two  years  there  had  been 
added  not  less  than  $5,600,000  to  the  wealth  of  the  State,  and  7,000 
immigrants  to  its  population.  From  1881  to  1883  the  bureau  was  under 
the  direction  of  ex-Gov.  Hawkins,  and  since  that  time  the  office  of  com- 
missioner has  been  filled  by  Maj.  A.  J.  McWhirter,  who  is  thoroughly 
alive  to  the  interests  of  the  State.  In  1883  an  exhibit  of  the  natural 
resources  and  agricultural  products  of  Tennessee  was  made  at  the  South- 
ern Exposition,  held  at  Louisville,  Ky.,  and  the  Mechanics  Institute 
Fair,  held  at  Boston,  Mass.  A more  extensive  exhibit  was  made  at  the 
Industrial  and  Cotton  Centennial  of  New  Orleans  in  1884-85,  and  also 
in  the  following  year.  The  profits  derived  from  these  exhibits  have 
been  great  and  are  manifested  in  the  rapid  development  of  the  manufac- 
turing and  mining  interests  of  the  State,  as  well  as  the  increase  in  the 
number  of  farms.  The  population  of  Tennessee,  as  reported  by  the  last 
census,  was  1,542,359.  It  is  now  estimated  by  the  best  statisticians  at 
1,850,000,  a gain  of  over  300,000,  or  20  per  cent  in  six  years.  The  in- 
crease in  wealth  has  been  proportionately  great. 


280 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


CHAPTER  X. 

State  Institutions— The  Location  of  Legislative  Sessions— Final  Estab- 
lishment of  the  Capital— Construction  of  the  State-house— Descrip- 
tion of  the  Style  of  Architecture— The  J ackson  Statue— The  State 
Library — The  Deaf  and  Dumb  School— The  Tennessee  School  for  the 
Blind— The  Tennessee  Hospital  for  tiie  Insane— The  State  Peniten- 
tiary—The  Historical  Society— The  Medical  Society— The  State 
Board  of  Health— The  Agricultural  Bureau— The  Grand  Lodges  of 
Masons,  Odd  Fellows,  Knights  of  Honor,  United  Odder  of  the  Golden 
Cross,  American  Legion  of  Honor,  Knights  of  Pythias,  Knights  and 
Ladies  of  Honor,  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen,  Royal  Arcanum 
and  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic. 

PREVIOUS  to  tlie  year  1843,  tlie  seat  of  government  of  the  State 
had  not  been  definitely  fixed.  The  Territorial  Assembly  met  in 
Knoxville,  in  1794-95;  also  the  Constitutional  Convention  in  1796.  In 
1807  the  Legislature  convened  on  September  21,  at  Kingston,  but  two 
days  later  adjourned  to  Knoxville.  Nashville  was  the  place  of  meeting 
in  1812,  1813,  1815;  Knoxville  again  in  1817;  then  Murfreesboro,  from 
1819  to  1825,  inclusive.  The  session  of  1826  was  held  in  Nashville,  as 
have  been  all  succeeding  ones.  Section  2 of  the  schedule  to  the  constitu- 
tion of  1834  declared  that  the  seat  of  government  should  be  determined 
upon  within  the  first  week  after  the  commencement  of  the  session  of  the 
General  Assembly  in  1843.  That  body  convened  on  Monday,  October  1, 
of  that  year,  and  the  first  subject  to  engage  its  attention  was  the  location 
of  the  capital.  Almost  every  town  in  the  State,  having  any  pretension 
. at  all  to  eligibility  or  convenience  of  position,  had  its  advocates.  Thus 
the  following  places  were  successively  voted  upon : Woodbury,  McMinn- 
ville, Franklin,  Murfreesboro,  Kingston,  Lebanon,  Columbia,  Sparta, 
Gallatin,  Clarksville,  Shelby ville,  Harrison,  Chattanooga,  Cleveland, 
Athens,  Knoxville  and  Nashville.  On  Thursday,  October  4,  the  Senate 
voted  to  locate  the  seat  of  government  at  Kingston,  Roane  County,  and 
The  House  at  Murfreesboro.  But  finally,  on  the  Saturday  following, 
Nashville  was  agreed  upon  by  both  houses,  and  became  the  capital  of  the 
State.  This  result  is  mainly  attributable  to  the  liberality  of  the  town 
selected,  the  corporation  having  purchased  Campbell’s  Hill,  at  a cost  of 
$30,000  and  donated  it  to  the  State  as  a site  for  the  capitol  building.  An 
interesting  ancedote  is  told  in  connection  with  this  property.  Many  years 
previous,  Judge  Campbell  had  sold  a cow  and  calf  to  a neighbor,  who, 
subsequently  determining  to  remove  from  the  country,  notified  his  cred- 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


281 


itor  that  a rifle  and  Cedar  Hill  was  all  he-  had:  to  give  for  the  debt. 
The  Judge  accepted  them,  thinking  that  the  sum  he  might  be  able  to 
sell  the  gun  for  would  be  all  that  he  would  realize  for  the  cow  and  calf ; 
besides  the  four  acres,  which  he  sold  to-  the  city,  he  disposed  of  several- 
lots  to  individuals,  and  retained  the  one  upon  which  his  residence  was 
built,  opposite  the  south  front  of  the  capitol.  * 

Previous  to  this  time  the  meetings  of  the  Legislature  in  Nashville 
had  been  held  in  the  Davidson  County  Court  House,  but  the  build- 
ing had  become  too  small  for  the  constantly  increasing  membership  of 
that  body,  and  the  building  of  a capitol  was  a necessity.  Now  that  the 
seat  of  government  had  become  fixed,  no  obstacle  lay  in  the  way  of  be- 
ginning the  work,  and  on  January  30,  1844,  an  act  was  passed  making 
the  first  appropriation  for  that  purpose,  $10,000.  Gov.  William  Carroll, 
William  Nichol,  John  M.  Bass,  Samuel  D.  Morgan,  James  Erwin  and 
Morgan  W.  Brown  were  appointed  commissioners,  to  whom  were  added, 
May  14,  1844,  James  WToods,  Joseph  T.  Elliston  and  Allen  A.  Hall. 
John  M.  Bass  was  appointed  chairman  March  31,  1848,  and  held  the  posi- 
tion until  March  31,  1854,  when  Samuel  D.  Morgan  was  appointed.  April 
20,  1854,  John  Campbell,  John  S.  Young  and  Jacob  McGavock  were 
appointed  commissioners  by  Gov.  Andrew  Johnson.  By  act  of  February 
28, 1854,  R.  J.  Meigs  and  James  P.  Clark  were  appointed  commissioners, 
and  John  D.  Winston  was  appointed  by  the  governor.  The  following 
governors  of  the  State  were  ex-officio  commissioners:  James  C.  Jones, 
Aaron  Y.  Brown,  Neill  S.  Brown,  William  Trousdale,  William  B.  Camp- 
bell, Andrew  Johnson  and  Isham  G.  Harris.  Clearing  of  the  ground  for 
the  site  was  begun  about  January  1,  1845;  foundations  were  dug  and 
nearly  finished  by  the  4tli  of  July,  on  which  day  the  corner-stone  was 
laid  in  the  southeast  corner  of  the  building  Avith  imposing  ceremonies. 
An  eloquent  oration  was  delivered  on  the  occasion  by  the  Hon.  Edwin  H. 
Ewing. 

On  the  20th  of  May  previous  William  Strickland,  the  designer  of 
many  of  the  finest  public  buildings  in  Philadelphia,  was  appointed  archi- 
tect, and  from  this  time  the  building  was  carried  on  regularly  and 
steadily  without  error  or  interruption  till  the  time  of  his  death,  April  7, 
1854.  His  funeral  ceremonies  were  conducted  in  Representative  Hall, 
and  he  was  entombed  in  a recess,  which  he  had  prepared  about  a year 
before,  in  the  wall  of  the  north  basement  portico.  After  the  death  of 
Mr.  Strickland  the  work  was  for  several  years  carried  on  by  his  son,  W. 
F.  Strickland.  The  last  stone  of  the  tower  was  laid  July  21,  1855,  and 
the  last  stone  of  the  lower  terrace  March  19,  1859.  This  completed  the 


*“  Old  Times  in  Tennessee.” 


282 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


stone  work.  The  building  was  first  occupied  by  the  Legislature  October 
3,  1853.  For  several  years  the  greater  portion  of  the  efficient  convict 
labor  was  employed  in  quarrying  the  stone  for  the  capitol,  and  after  its 
completion  the  same  kind  of  labor  was  used  in  improving  the  grounds. 
The  entire  cost  to  the  State  of  the  building  and  grounds  up  to  1859 
amounted  to  $900,500.  The  $30,000  paid  for  the  site  by  the  city,  added 
to  the  amount  expended  in  completing  the  grounds,  makes  a total  cost  of 
something  over  $1,000,000.  The  following  description  of  the  building 
is  taken  from  the  architect’s  report  and  other  sources: 

“The  State-house  is  parallelogram  in  form,  112x239  feet,  with  an  eleva- 
tion of  64  feet  8 inches  above  an  elevated  terrace  walk  which  surrounds 
it,  or  74  feet  8 inches  above  the  ground.  Rising  through  the  center  of 
the  roof  is  the  tower,  36  feet  square  and  80  feet  high.  The  main  idea 
of  the  elevation  of  the  building  is  that  of  a Greek  Ionic  temple  erected 
upon  a rustic  basement,  which  in  turn  appears  to  rest  upon  a terraced 
pavement.  The  building  has  four  fronts,  each  graced  with  a noble  por- 
tico. The  end  porticoes,  north  and  south,  are  each  composed  of  eight 
magnificent  Ionic  columns ; the  side  porticoes,  east  and  west,  are  composed 
each  of  six  columns.  These  columns,  twenty-eight  in  all,  are  each  4 
feet  in  diameter,  33  feet  high,  and  rest  upon  the  entablature  of  the 
basement.  This  entablature  is  supported  by  a rusticated  pier,  rising 
through  the  basement  story  under  each  column  of  the  portico  above. 
The  end  porticoes  are  capped  by  an  entablature,  which  is  continued  around 
the  building,  and  above  which  is  a heavy  pediment.  The  side  porticoes 
are  capped  by  the  entablature  and  double  blocking  courses.  The  build- 
ing inside  is  divided  into  three  stories:  the  crypt,  or  cellar;  the  base- 
ment, or  first  floor;  and  the  main  or  second  floor.  The  crypt  is  used  for 
the  State  arsenal  and  for  furnaces,  etc. 

“ The  basement  story  is  intersected  by  longitudinal  and  transverse 
halls  of  wide  dimensions,  to  the  right  and  left  of  which  large  and  com- 
modious rooms  are  appropriated  to  the  use  of  the  governor,  the  comp- 
troller, the  treasurer,  the  secretary  of  state,  register  of  lands,  superin- 
tendent of  weights  and  measures  and  keeper  of  public  arms,  superin- 
tendent of  public  instruction,  and  the  commissioner  of  agriculture,  sta- 
tistics and  mines.  There  is  also  an  archive  room,  which  is  34  feet  square, 
and  a supreme  court  room,  which  is  35x52  feet,  8 inches.  From  the  great 
central  hall  the  principal  story  is  approached  by  a double  flight  of 
stairs,  the  hand-railing  of  which  is  of  East  Tennessee  marble.  The  lon- 
gitudinal hall  of  this  floor  is  128  feet  2 inches  long  by  24  feet  2 inches 
wide,  while  the  dimensions  of  the  transverse  hall  are  the  same  as  that  of 
the  basement.  This  story  is  divided  into  three  apartments:  representa- 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


283 


five  hall,  the  senate  chamber  and  the  library.  The  main  floor  of  repre- 
sentative hall,  61x97  feet,  is  flanked  on  the  east  and  west  sides  by  eight 
committee  rooms,  16  feet  8 inches  square.  Above  these  rooms  are  the 
public  galleries,  each  of  which  is  fronted  by  eight  columns  of  the 
Roman  Ionic  order,  2 feet  8 inches  in  diameter,  and  21  feet  10  inches 
high.  The  shaft  of  each  column  is  of  one  block  of  stone  surmounted 
by  exceedingly  graceful  and  elaborate  capitals,  the  device  of  the  archi- 
tect. The  speaker’s  stand  and  screen  wall  are  composed  of  red,  white 
and  black  Tennessee  marble.  The  chandelier  is  one  of  the  largest  and 
most  elaborate  in  the  country.  It  possesses  the  merit  of  being  original 
in  style  and  novel  in  design,  though  it  is  not  graceful  nor  altogether 
pleasing  to  the  eye.  The  senate  chamber  is  of  an  oblong  shape  from 
35  to  70  feet,  having  pilasters  of  the  Ionic  order  with  a full  entablature, 
and  is  surrounded  on  three  sides  by  a gallery  10  feet  9 inches  wide  sup- 
ported by  twelve  columns  of  variegated  East  Tennessee  marble.  This 
room  also  has  a chandelier,  similar  in  design  to  that  of  the  representa- 
tive hall,  though  smaller  and  of  better  proportions.  Immediately  opposite 
the  senate  chamber  are  the  rooms  containing  the  state  library.  The 
main  room  is  35  feet  square,  with  two  smaller  rooms  on  each  side.  From 
the  main  room  a spiral  stairway  of  iron  leads  to  the  two  galleries  above, 
the  lower  one  of  which  extends  entirely  around  the  room,  and  the  upper 
one  on  two  sides. 

“Above  the  center  of  the  building  through  the  roof  rises  the  tower 
supported  by  four  massive  piers  10  or  12  feet  built  from  the  ground. 
The  design  of  the  tower,  which  is  one  of  the  finest  features  of  the  entire 
structure,  is  a modified  reproduction  of  the  “Choragic  Monument  of 
Lysicrates,”  or,  as  it  is  sometimes  called,  the  “Lantern  of  Demos- 
thenes.” The  tower  is  composed  of  a square  rustic  base,  36  feet  square 
and  42  feet  high,  with  a window  in  each  front.  Above  this  the  lantern 
or  round  part  of  the  tower  rises  26  feet  8 inches  in  diameter  by  37  feet 
high.  It  consists  of  a circular  cell  with  eight  beautiful  three-quarters 
fluted  Corinthian  columns  attached  around  its  outer  circumference  with 
alternate  blank  and  pierced  windows  between  each  two  columns  in  each 
of  the  two  stories  of  the  ceil.  The  columns  have  each  a very  elaborate 
and  beautifully  wrought  capital  of  the  purest  Corinthian  style,  and  above 
all  a heavy  entablature.  The  column  shafts  are  2 feet  6 inches  in 
diameter  by  27  feet  8 inches  high,  and  capital  4 feet  high.  The  roof 
and  iron  finial  ornament  are  together  34  feet  high  above  the  last  stone  of 
the  tower,  making  the  whole  height  of  the  edifice  above  the  ground  206 
feet  7 inches,  or  over  400  feet  above  low  water  mark  in  the  Cumberland 
River. 


284 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


“The  roof  of  the  building  is  constructed  of  rafters  composed  of 
wrought  iron  ties  and  braces,  trussed  in  sections,  and  joined  together  by 
cast  iron  plates  and  knees.  The  greatest  span  of  these  rafters  is  over 
Representative  Hall,  a distance  of  sixty-five  feet.  The  whole  is  sheathed 
and  covered  with  copper.  The  walls-  of  the  building  for  the  founda- 
tion are  7 feet  thick;  those  of  the  superstructure  4 feet  and  6 inches. 
All  of  the  inside  walls  are  laid  with  rubble  stone;  the  terraces,  pave- 
ments and  the  round  part  of  the  tower,  chiseled;  the  outer  walls  of 
the  first  story  and  the  square  part  of  the  tower,  rusticated  work  and 
tooled.  The  material  of  the  building  is  of  a stratified  fossiliferous  lime- 
stone of  slightly  bluish-gray  tint  with  cloud-like  markings.  It  was  pro- 
cured within  half  a mile  west  of  the  building  in  a quarry  opened  by  the 
State  on  the  grounds  of  Samuel  Watkins.  Stones  have  been  quarried 
from  this  place,  weighing  in  their  rough  state,  fifteen  or  twenty  tons,  and 
thirty  and  more  feet  long.  One  of  the  terrace  stones  of  the  building  is 
8 feet  3 inches  by  14  feet,  and  the  cap  stones  of  the  terrace  buttresses  are  5 
feet  10  inches  by  15  feet  11  inches,  the  heaviest  weighing  probably  eight 
or  ten  tons.  The  stone  may  be  considered  both  as  to  durability  and 
beauty  of  appearance  when  worked  well,  equal  to  any  building  stone  in 
the  country.  Nearly  all  the  materials,  in  addition  to  the  stone,  used  in 
the  construction  of  the  building,  were  produced  in  Tennessee,  and  the 
work  was  mainly  done  by  Tennessee  workmen — a magnificent  monument 
to  the  mechanical  skill  and  the  resources  of  the  State.” 

One  of  the  most  interesting  objects  to  be  seen  upon  Capitol  Hill  is 
the  magnificent  equestrian  statue  of  Gen.  Jackson.  So  long  ago  as  the 
session  of  the  General  Assembly*  of  1845-46,  the  idea  was  conceived  of 
erecting  at  the  capitol  in  Nashville  a statue  in  honor  of  Gen.  Andrew 
Jackson,  Avliose  death  took  place  June  8,  1845;  and  an  act  was  passed  the 
2d  of  February,  1846,  appropriating  the  sum  of  $7,500,  ‘hvhen  a suffi- 
cient sum  shall  be  subscribed  by  the  people  in  connection  therewith  to 
complete  said  monument.”  Commissioners  were  appointed  in  the  sixth 
section  of  said  act  to  receive  any  voluntary  contributions,  control  the  dis- 
bursements of  all  funds,  contract  with  an  American  sculptor  or  artist,  and 
superintend  the  erection  of  said  statue.  For  various  reasons  no  further 
action  was  taken  in  the  matter  for  many  years  though,  it  was  by  no 
means  forgotten.  Early  in  the  month  of  January,  1879,  Gen.  Marcus  J. 
Wright,  of  Washington  City,  addressed  a letter  to  the  vice-president  of 
the  Tennessee  Historical  Society,  suggesting  that  Clark  Mill’s  eques- 
trian statue  of  Gen.  Jackson  was  on  sale,  expressing  the  hope  that  Ten- 
nessee could  be  induced  to  make  the  purchase  and  tendering  his  services 


♦Report  of  the  Legislative  Committee  of  the  Jackson  Statue. 


EQUESTRIAN  STATUE  OF  GEN.  JACKSON,  AT  NASHVILLE. 

Photo  by  Thuas,  Koellein  k Qien, 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


285 


■ 

to  aid  in  tlie  negotiation.  A correspondence  ensued  between  Gen. 
Wright  and  the  vice-president,  and  then  papers,  with  a letter  from  Mills 
stipulating  the  price,  were  laid  before  the  society.  There  was  a discus- 
sion of  plans  for  obtaining  the  requisite  funds  to  make  the  purchase,  but 
nothing  definite  was  agreed  upon  and  the  vice-president  was  instructed 
to  communicate  for  the  society  with  Gen.  Wright  and  also  to  con- 
fer with  the  governor  of  the  State  as  to  the  policy  of  applying  to  the 
General  Assembly  for  an  appropriation.  After  due  deliberation,  the 
time  was  not  deemed  opportune  to  invoke  the  assistance  of  the  State,  and 
the  society  did  not  care  to  have  any  future  prospect  clouded  by  a denial 
of  favorable  legislation.  At  a meeting  lie]d  July  1,  1879,  the  sub- 
ject was  again  brought  up.  Various  plans  for  raising  the  money  were 
proposed,  none  of  which,  however,  commanded  that  assurance  of  success 
which  warranted  immediate  action,  and  the  measure  was  indefinitely  post- 
poned. At  a subsequent  meeting  of  the  society  and  of  the  citizens  of 
Nashville  to  make  arrangements  for  the  centennial  anniversary  to  be  cel- 
ebrated in  1880,  an  enthusiasm  was  aroused  which  spread  through  the 
entire  community.  There  was  a pause  in  the  pursuit  of  individual  in- 
terests and  the  moment  given  to  an  unselfish  and  patriotic  inspiration. 
Memories  of  the  past  seem  to  rise  spontaneously  in  the  public  mind,  and 
it  doubtless  occurred  to  more  than  one  that  the  conjuncture  of  circum- 

I stances  was  favorable  for  the  acquisition  of  the  Jackson  statue.  Such  a 
thought  did  certainly  occur  to  a venerable  and  patriotic  citizen  of  Nash- 

tville,  Maj.  John  L.  Brown,  who,  early  after  the  meeting  in  December,  ex- 
pressed his  intention  to  try  to  raise,  by  voluntary  subscriptions,  the  money 
necessary  for  the  purchase. 

He  wrote  to  Senator  Harris  and  Maj.  Blair,  of  Washington  City,  to 
make  inquiry  as  to  the  cost  of  the  statue,  which  was  found  to  be  $5,000. 
Several  letters  written  by  Col.  Bullock  on  the  subject  of  the  purchase 
were  published,  and  gave  renewed  impetus  to  the  movement.  Maj. 
Brown,  continuing  his  efforts,  secured  the  appointment  of  the  president 
and  secretary  of  the  Historical  Society  with  himself  as  “a  committee  for 
the  purchasing  of  the  statue  for  the  State  of  Tennessee.”  Every  means 
and  appliance  was  used  to  further  the  enterprise,  and  by  the  18th  of 
March,  1880,  the  list  of  subscribers  had  so  increased  that  success  being 
in  sight  the  Centennial  board  of  directors  incorporated  a committee  of 
seven  members,  to  be  known  as  the  committee  for  the  purchase  and 
dedication  of  the  equestrian  statue  of  Gen.  Jackson,  of  which  Gen.  G. 
B.  Thurston  became  chairman.  The  subscription  soon  aggregated  an 
amount  near  or  quite  $5,000,  which  justified  the  consummation  of  the 
purchase. 

i e 


286 


HISTORY"  OP  TENNESSEE. 


On  the  20tli  of  May,  1880,  in  the  presence  of  a vast  assemblage  of 
people,  the  statue  was  unveiled  with  appropriate  and  impressive  ceremonies. 
Hon.  John  F.  House  was  the  orator  of  the  day,  an  original  ode  written 
by  Rev.  F.  W.  E.  Paschau  was  sung,  prayer  was  offered  by  Rev.  T.  A. 
Hoyt,  and  a prize  poem,  by  Mrs.  Bowser,  was  read  by  Dr.  G.  S.  Blackie. 
A grand  military  procession  paraded  the  street,  in  which  several  United. 
States  officers,  including  Gen.  Buell,  Gen.  Pennypacker  and  others, 
together  with  Gen.  Joseph  E.  Johnston,  Gen.  Cheatham  and  others  of 
the  old  Confederate  Army,  participated.  Clark  Mills,  the  sculptor,  was 
an  invited  guest,  and  in  speaking  of  the  statue  stated  that  it  is  a tripli- 
cate of  the  one  standing  in  front  of  the  President’s  house  in  Washington, 
which  was  not  only  the  first  equestrian  statue  ever  self-poised  on  the 
hind  feet,  but  was  also  the  first  ever  modeled  and  cast  in  the  United 
States.  “ The  incident  selected  for  representation  in  this  statue  occurred 
at  the  battle  of  ISew  Orleans,  on  the  8tli  of  January,  1815.  The  com- 
mander-in-chief has  advanced  to  the  center  of  the  lines  in  the  act  of 
review.  The  lines  have  come  to  present  arms  as  a salute  to  their  com- 
mander, who  acknowledges  it  by  raising  his  chapeau  four  inches  from 
his  head  according  to  the  military  etiquette  of  that  period.  But  his 
restive  horse,  anticipating  the  next  evolution,  rears  and  attempts  to  dash 
down  the  line,  while  his  open  mouth  and  curved  neck  sIioav  that  he  is 
being  controlled  by  the  hand  of  his  noble  rider.”  The  statue  was  first 
placed  on  a temporary  pedestal  of  wood,  fronting  northward,  with  the 
head  of  the  horse  turned  toward  the  Capitol.  April  6,  1881,  an  appro- 
priation of  $2,000  was  made  for  the  purpose  of  placing  a marble  or 
granite  base  under  the  statue,  which  was  accordingly  done  about  three 
years  later. 

For  some  years  previous  to  1854  the  State  Library  consisted  entirely 
of  donations  from  the  General  Government  and  from  other  States  of  the 
Union,  and  of  the  State’s  oAvn  publications.  Counting  a large  number 
of  duplicates,  there  Avere  about  10,000  volumes,  but  only  about  1,500  or 
2,000  separate  works.  The  books  were  kept  in  a room  which  was  devot- 
ed to  that  purpose,  in  the  Davidson  County  Court  House,  and  which 
formed  a kind  of  passage-way  or  ante-room  to  the  governor  and  secre- 
tary of  states’  office,  and  the  RepresentatRe  Chamber.*  It  was  conse- 
quently open  all  day,  and  even  at  night.  On  account  of  this  negligence 
a large  number  of  the  law  reports  of  the  various  States  Avere  misplaced, 
lost  or  stolen.  In  1853,  Avlien  the  Legislature  first  met  in  the  Capitol, 
the  books  were  removed  to  that  place,  and  by  an  act  of  January  20,  1854, 
the  secretary  of  State  was  constituted  ex  officio  librarian,  with  instruc- 
tions to  keep  the  library  open  at  least  one  day  in  the  Aveek. 


*The  Legislature  then  met  in  the  Court  House. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


287 


By  tlie  active  endeavors  of  a few  enlightened  men  who  knew  the 
great  need  of  a State  Library,  the  Legislature  was  induced  to  insert  two 
sections  referring  to  the  library  into  the  general  appropriation  bill  of 
1854.  It  appropriated  $5,000  to  purchase  a library,  and  R.  J.  Meigs 
was  appointed  a commissioner  to  procure  books.  A very  excellent  se- 
lection of  books  was  made,  and  they  were  placed  in  the  north  ante-room 
of  the  library,  the  larger  room  not  having  been  fitted  up  at  that  time. 

March  1,  1856,  $500  per  annum  was  appropriated  to  make  additions 
to  the  library,  and  R.  J.  Meigs  was  appointed  librarian  at  a salary  of 
$500.  With  the  exception  of  the  years  from  1861  to  1868,  from  that 
time  until  1879  annual  appropriations  varying  from  $500  to  $2,500  were 
made  for  the  purchase  of  additional  books.  Since  1871,  however,  no 
new  books  have  been  added,  except  those  obtained  by  exchange  with  other 
States.  The  library  now  contains  about  35,000  volumes  of  well-selected 
standard  works,  but  in  recent  literature  it  is  very  deficient. 

For  the  past  eight  years  this  institution  has  been  under  the  manage- 
ment of  Mrs.  S.  K.  Hatton,  and  her  daughter,  Miss  Emma  Hatton,  the 
assistant  librarian,  and  too  much  praise  can  not  be  accorded  them  for 
the  fidelity  and  courtesy  with  which  they  have  discharged  their  duties. 

The  Tennessee  Deaf  and  Dumb  School  owes  its  origin  to  the  benevo- 
lent impulses  and  the  prompt  and  persistent  action  of  Gen.  John  Cocke, 
of  Grainger  County,  while  a member  of  the  senatorial  branch  of  the 
General  Assembly.  On  December  20,  1843,  a bill  providing  for  the  es- 
tablishment in  Nashville  of  an  institution  for  the  blind,  being  on  its  third 
reading  before  the  Senate,  Gen.  Cocke  moved  to  amend  by  the  addition 
of  a section  providing  for  the  appropriation  of  $2,000  for  putting  into 
operation  at  Knoxville,  a deaf  and  dumb  school.  After  the  substitution  of 
$1,000  for  $2,000  the  amendment  was  adopted,  and  then  the  entire  bill 
was  rejected  by  a vote  of  eleven  to  thirteen.  On  the  following  day  the  vote 
was  reconsidered,  and  other  amendments  were  adopted.  The  vote  on  Gen. 
Cocke’s  amendmentwas  reconsidered  by  a majority  of  three,  but  it  was  again 
adopted  by  a majority  of  one,  and  the  bill  was  finally  passed  in  the  Senate 
December  21,  1843.  The  bill  then  went  to  the  House,  where  on  its 
third  reading  it  Avas  rejected  by  a majority  of  three,  but  the  vote  was  subse- 
quently reconsidered,  and  the  bill  in  the  form  in  which  it  had  left  the 
Senate  was  passed  January  29,  4844.  The  go\rernor  appointed,  to 
constitute  the  first  board  of  trustees,  Messrs.  R.  B.  McMullen,  Joseph 
Estabrook  and  D.  R.  McAnally,  who  met  at  Knoxville,  July  27,  1844, 
and  organized  by  electing  Mr.  McMullen,  president,  and  Mr.  McAnally, 
secretary. 

These  gentlemen  .immediately  went  to  work  with  characteristic  zeal, 


288 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


opening  correspondence  with  officers  of  similar  institutions  in  other 
States,  obtaining  information  as  to  the  number  and  situation  of  the  deaf 
mutes  in  this  State,  selecting  a suitable  building  in  which  to  open  the 
school,  and  securing  the  services  of  a competent  instructor  for  the  pupils. 
Rev.  Thomas  Mclntire,  a former  teacher  in  the  Ohio  Deaf  and  Dumb 
School,  Avas  made  the  first  principal,  and  under  his  charge  the  exercise? 
of  the  school  were  begun  in  what  was  known  as  the  Churchwell  House,  in 
East  Knoxville,  in  June,  1845.  By  an  act  passed  January  31,  1846,  the 
General  Assembly  recognized  the  existence  of  the  institution,  incorpo- 
rated it,  made  better  provision  for  its  support,  and  added  Messrs.  T.  Sul- 
lins,  J.  H.  CoAvan  and  Campbell  Wallace  to  its  board  of  trustees. 

It  uoav  became  a leading  object  of  the  board  to  procure  means  for  the 
erection  of  more  appropriate  buildings  for  the  purposes  of  the  school, 
and  measures  tending  to  that  end  Avere  promptly  undertaken  and  vigor- 
ously prosecuted.  The  board  issued  circular  letters  to  the  benevolent 
throughout  the  State,  applied  to  Congress  for  a donation  of  public  lands, 
established  several  local  agencies,  and  fortunately  placed  in  the  position 
of  manager  of  a general  soliciting  and  collecting  agency,*  Col.  John  M. 
Davis,  of  Knox  County.  These  efforts  met  Avith  gratifying  success,  and  j 
over  $4,000  was  contributed  by  individuals.  This  sum,  supplemented  by  j 
appropriations  made  by  the  Legislature,  enabled  the  trustees  to  erect  a j 
large  and  commodious  building,  at  a cost  of  about  $20,000.  As  origin- 
ally built  it  consisted  of  a main  building  25x79  feet  and  three  stories 
high,  with  two  Avings  of  the  same  size  as  the  main  building,  altogether 
forming  a main  front  to  the  south  of  100  feet,  and  east  and  west  front  of 
129  feet  each.  The  grounds  belonging  to  the  institution  were  obtained 
at  different  times  by  gift  and  purchase.  They  uoav  embrace  about  eight- 
acres  lying  in  a rectangular  form,  entirely  surrounded  by  streets,  and  are  - 
handsomely  improved.  The  original  site,  consisting  of  two  acres,  was  ji 
donated  by  Calvin  Morgan,  of  Knoxville,  and  the  remaining  six  acres  J| 
Avere  purchased  at  a cost  of  about  $6,000.  : 

After  becoming  permanently  established  in  the  new  building  the  l! 
school  rapidly  increased,  both  in  numbers  and  efficiency.  During  the 
first  session  the  number  of  pupils  in  attendance  Avas  nine,  while  in  1857  J 
the  number  had  increased  to  eighty.  In  the  year  1861  the  school  was 
among  the  largest  institutions  of  the  kind  in  the  country,  and  received  a 
liberal  support  from  the  State.  The  whole  building  had  been  refur- 
nished in  a creditable  manner,  and  the  grounds  were  highly  ornamented. 
But  the  war  came.  The  school  was  disbanded,  and  the  buildings  were 
taken  possession  of  by  the  military  authorities,  and  were  used  by  the  con-  I 


‘Compiled  from  a report  by  Thomas  L.  Moses. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE.  289 

- 

tending  armies  in  turn  for  hospital  purposes.  In  1866  the  buildings 
were  turned  over  to  the  trustees  in  a badly  damaged  condition,  and  after 
some  repairs  had  been  made  the  school  was  again  opened  December 
3 of  that  year.  Owing  to  the  financial  embarrassment  of  the  State  the 
appropriations  to  the  institution  for  some  time  were  scarcely  adequate  to 
supply  its  wants,  and  it  required  the  exercise  of  the  strictest  economy  on 
the  part  of  its  management  to  maintain  the  school.  In  1873,  however, 
the  appropriation  of  810,000  placed  it  upon  a firm  financial  basis,  and 
since  that  time  it  has  been  in  a most  prosperous  condition.  A few  years 
ago  a new  chapel  was  erected  and  other  improvements  made,  so  that  at 
present  the  institution  can  comfortably  accommodate  125  pupils. 

In  the  fall  of  1881  a school  for  colored  mutes  was  opened  in  a rented 
house  in  East  Knoxville,  about  one  mile  from  the  main  building.  The 
school  numbered  ten  pupils,  and  was  taught  by  Matt  R.  Mann,  the  pres- 
ent teacher,  and  a former  pupil  of  the  institution.  Two  years  later  a 
substantial  brick  building,  with  twenty-seven  acres  of  land,  situated 
about  a mile  east  of  the  town,  was  rented  for  the  use  of  the  school.  The 
number  of  pupils  in  this  department  in  1884  was  seventeen.  The  white 
pupils  for  the  same  time  numbered  about  100.  On  December  24,  1882, 
Mr.  J.  H.  Ij  ams,  who  had  been  principal  of  the  school  for  sixteen  years, 
died,  and  Thomas  L.  Moses  was  elected  to  fill  the  vacancy,  which  posi- 
tion he  still  holds.  This  noble  charity  is  well  managed,  and  too  much 
praise  cannot  be  awarded  to  the  patient,  conscientious  teachers,  who  have 
dedicated  their  lives  to  the  work  of  educating  these  unfortunate  children. 

The  first  school  for  the  education  of  the  blind  in  America  was  opened 
in  Boston  1832.  So  favorable  were  the  results  obtained,  that  the  subject 
was  agitated  throughout  the  country,  and  within  the  next  twenty  years 
nearly  every  State  had  made  some  provision  for  the  education  of  her 
sightless  children.  In  1843  an  exhibition  was  given  in  one  of  the 
churches  of  Nashville,  showing  the  ability  of  the  blind  to  read  by  the 
sense  of  touch.  A good  audience  was  assembled,  to  a majority  of  whom, 
the  method  of  reading  by  the  fingers  was  something  new  and  surprising. 
An  enthusiastic  interest  was  awakened.  The  Legislature  was  petitioned 
for  aid  to  establish  a school,  and  $1,500  was  appropriated  by  that  body 
annually  for  two  years.  With  this  sum,  increased  by  private  subscrip- 
tions, a house  was  rented  and  furnished  and  the  school  opened.  Mr. 
James  Champlin,  who  had  given  the  exhibition,  was  selected  as  the  first 
teacher.  He  proved  to  be  incompetent,  and  in  a few  months  thereafter 
W.  H.  Churchman  was  elected  principal.  The  pupils  then  numbered 
about  fifteen. 

In  1846  a charter  nominating  J.  T.  Edgar,  R.  B.  C.  Howell,  J.  T. 


i 


290 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


Wheat  and  A.  L.  P.  Green,  as  a hoard  of  trustees,  was  granted  to  the 
school,  and  the  annual  appropriations  for  the  next  two  years  was  increased 
to  $2,500.  The  household  and  domestic  department  was  placed  under 
the  control  of  Mrs.  John  Bell,  Mrs.  William  H.  Morgan,  Mrs.  Matthew 
Watson  and  Mrs.  Joseph  H.  Marshall,  all  of  whom  had  taken  a deep  in- 
terest in  the  institution  from  the  first.  After  serving  as  principal  of  the 
school  less  than  two  years,  Mr.  Churchman  resigned  the  position  to  en- 
ter upon  a broader  field  of  labor  in  Indiana,  and  Mr.  E.  W.  Whelan,  of 
Philadelphia,  was  elected  to  take  his  place,  which  he  retained  until  May, 
1849,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Jacob  Berry,  also  of  Philadelphia.  In 
little  more  than  a month  Mr.  Berry  died  of  cholera,  also  the  matron, 
steward,  and  several  of  the  most  promising  pupils.  Mr.  Whelan  volun- 
teered in  the  midst  of  suffering  and  death  to  take  charge  of  the  school 
temporarily.  His  offer  was  accepted,  and  after  holding  the  position  a 
short  time  he  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  Fortescue,  who  resigned  in  about 
two  months.  These  frequent  changes  in  the  managemant  of  the  school 
and  still  more  the  fatal  visitation  of  cholera  within  the  household,  hin- 
dered its  growth  and  retarded  the  improvement  of  the  pupils. 

In  November,  1850,  J.  M.  Sturtevant  was  engaged  to  superintend  the 
school.  He  took  charge  of  it  the  following  January,  and  for  many  years 
very  acceptably  performed  the  duties  of  the  office.  In  1852  a lot  was 
purchased  from  the  University  of  Nashville,  and  an  appropriation  was 
made  for  the  erection  of  a building  upon  it.  By  the  following  January 
a house  sufficiently  spacious  to  meet  the  requirements  of  the  school  was 
completed.  Additions  were  afterward  made,  and  the  grounds  gradually 
improved  until  June,  1861,  the  whole  cost  of  buildings  and  grounds  hav- 
ing been,  up  to  that  time,  about  $25,000.  In  November  of  that  year  the 
building'  was  demanded  for  the  accommodation  of  the  sick  and  wounded 
Confederates.  The  trustees  refused  to  give  it  up,  and  on  the  18th  of  the 
month  the  immates  “were  summarily  ejected.”  The  pupils  who  had  no 
homes  were  distributed  to  private  residences,  and  the  furniture  was  stored 

ciWciy. 

After  the  Federals  took  possession  of  Nashville,  in  February,  1862, 
they  continued  to  use  it  as  a hospital  until  November,  when  by  order  of 
J.  St.  Clair  Morton,  Chief  Engineer  of  the  Army  of  the  Ohio,  the  build- 
ing, together  with  all  surrounding  improvements,  was  entirely  destroyed. 
At  the  close  of  the  war  a few  of  the  pupils  were  collected  and  the  school 
was  reorganized.  In  October,  1872,  Hon.  John  M.  Lea,  for  $15,000,  pur- 
chased the  Claiborne  residence  with  about  seven  acres  of  land,  for  the 
purpose  of  donating  it  to  the  Tennessee  School  for  the  Blind,  to  which  it 
was  conveyed  immediately  after  the  purchase.  The  Legislature  of  1873 


HISTOKY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


291. 


acknowledged  the  excellence  of  the  location  and  the  munificence  of  the 
gift  by  appropriating  $40,000  for  the  erection  of  a building  “commen- 
surate with  the  wants  of  a first-class  institution.”  A competent  architect 
was  employed,  and  it  was  decided  to  erect  a wing  on  both  the  north  and 
south  sides  of  the  mansion,  giving  when  completed,  an  entire  front  of 
205  feet.  To  do  this  required  additional  appropriations.  The  next  Gen- 
eral Assembly  added  $30,000  and  the  Legislature  of  1879  set  apart  $34- 
000  for  the  use  of  the  school,  a portion  of  which,  it  was  provided,  might 
be  expended  in  improvements  upon  the  building.  About  three  years 
ago  provision  was  made  for  the  admission  of  colored  pupils,  and  a sepa- 
rate department  was  established  for  them. 

Although  there  are  many  larger  institutions  of  the  kind  in  this  coun- 
try, with  more  costly  buildings  and  grounds,  yet  in  excellence  of  manage- 
ment and  thoroughness  of  results,  it  is  unexcelled. 

In  addition  to  a literary  education  the  boys  are  taught  some  simple 
mechanical  trade,  and  the  girls  are  instructed  in  sewing,  and  bead  and 
other  ornamental  work.  Much  attention  is  also  given  to  music,  some 
of  the  graduates  of  that  department  having  become  excellent  teachers. 
The  school  is  now  under  the  superintendency  of  Prof.  L.  A.  Bigelow,  and 
in  December,  1884,  had  an  enrollment  of  sixty-nine  pupils,  eight  of 
whom  were  colored. 

October  19,  1832,  the  Legislature  passed  an  act  to  establish  a lunatic 
hospital  in  this  State,  to  be  located  in  Davidson  County,  near  Nashville. 
Francis  Porterfield,  Joseph  Woods,  Henry  R.  W.  Hill,  James  Roane, 
Felix  Robertson  and  Samuel  Hogg  were  appointed  commissioners  to  pur- 
chase a site  and  to  erect  a building,  for  which  purpose  $10,000  were 
appropriated.  A small  tract  of  land,  about  one  mile  from  the  city,  was 
obtained,  and  the  erection  of  the  building  begun.  From  some  cause  the 
work  progressed  very  slowly,  and  the  asylum  was  not  ready  for  occu- 
pancy until  1840.  Three  years  later  there  were  only  thirteen  patients  in 
the  institution,  which  up  to  that  time  had  cost  the  State  over  $56,000. 

In  1847  the  well-known  philanthropist,  Miss  D.  L.  Dix,  visited  Ten- 
nessee, and  finding  the  accommodations  for  the  insane  inadequate,  me- 
morialized the  Legislature,  and  aroused  the  representatives  of  the  people 
to  take  action  upon  the  subject.  It  was  decided  to  dispose  of  the  old 
hospital  and  grounds  and  to  erect  new  buildings  on  some  more  favorable 
site.  The  old  grounds  were  too  small,  the  water  supply  insufficient,  the 
location  unhealthy,  and  the  arrangement  of  the  building  itself  not  good. 

By  authority  of  the  legislative  act  the  governor  appointed  nine  com- 
missioners to  purchase  a new  site.  They  selected  a large  farm  about  six 
miles  from  Nashville,  on  the  Murfreesboro  pike,  one  of  the  healthiest 


292 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


localities  in  the  State.  Dr.  John  S.  Young  was  employed  as  superin- 
tendent and  A.  Heiman  as  architect  of  the  building  to  be  erected. 
Before  entering  upon  their  work  they  visited  various  asylums  in  the 
North  and  East  for  the  purpose  of  perfecting  their  plans.  Butler  Asy- 
lum, of  Providence,  R.  I.,  was  finally  chosen  as  a model,  with  a slight 
change  in  the  architecture. 

In  1849,  with  an  appropriation  of  $75,000,  the  work  of  erection 
began,  and  in  April,  1852,  the  patients  were  removed  from  the  old  hos- 
pital. Two  years  later  two  large  wings  were  added,  making  the  whole 
building  capable  of  accommodating  250  patients.  During  the  entire 
process  of  erection  Miss  Dix,  who  has  made  a study  of  buildings  of  this 
character,  lent  her  aid  and  assistance,  and  so  highly  was  this  apprecia- 
ted that  a room  was  especially  fitted  up  for  her  to  occupy  whenever  she 
chose  to  visit  the  institution.*  The  Tennessee  Hospital  for  the  Insane 
is  of  the  castellated  style  of  architecture,  with  twenty-four  octagonal 
towers  of  proportionate  dimensions,  placed  on  the  corners  of  the  main 
building  and  its  wings,  while  from  the  center  of  the  main  building  rises 
a larger  octagonal  tower,  twenty-five  feet  above  the  roof,  and  sixteen  feet 
in  diameter.  A range  of  battlements  from  tower  to  tower  surrounds  the 
whole  edifice,  following  the  angles  of  the  several  projections,  giving  a 
fine  relief  to  it  from  any  point  of  view.  The  extreme  length  of  the  main 
building  and  its  wings  from  east  to  west  is  405  feet  and  210  feet  from 
north  to  south.  There  are  two  airing  courts  in  this  area,  each  about  150 
feet  square.  The  height  of  the  main  building  from  the  ground  to  the  top 
of  the  main  tower  is  eighty -five  feet.  The  center,  right  and  left  of  the 
main  building  are  four  stories  high  without  the  basement;  the  interven- 
ing ranges  and  the  wings  are  three  stories  high.  Its  interior  arrange- 
ment and  structure  are  in  accordance  with  the'  most  approved  plans.  In 
all  the  minutiae  of  detail,  the  comfort,  convenience  and  health  of  the 
patients  have  been  very  carefully  studied.  The  ventilation  of  the  build- 
ing is  a decided  feature  in  its  construction.  It  is  carried  on  by-  means  of 
a centrifugal  fan  seventeen  feet  in  diameter,  driven  by  a steam-engine. 
The  air  is  conducted  through  subterranean  passages  to  the  central  cham- 
bers in  the  basement,  and  thence  through  the  steam-pipe  chambers  into 
vertical  Hues  passing  through  the  entire  building.  The  quantity  of  air 
discharged  may  be  carried  up  to  70,000  cubic  feet  per  minute  to  each 
occupant.  Thus  a constant  supply  of  pure  fresh  air  may  be  kept  up 
during  the  most  oppressive  weather.  The  means  of  heating  the  build- 
ing are  no  less  complete.  The  series  of  vertical  flues  before  alluded  to 
are  constructed  in  the  longitudinal  walls  of  the  halls,  starting  from  a coil 


♦History  of  Davidson  County  and  the  Architect’s  Report. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


293 


of  pipe  or  liot-air  chambers  in  the  basement  story,  from  the  halls  and 
rooms  of  the  different  stories  near  the  floor.  By  this  arrangement  the 
air  supply  is  constant  without  reference  to  any  external  condition  of 
weather  or  temperature.  Water  is  pumped  by  the  engine  from  a reser- 
voir to  a tank  in  the  center  of  the  building,  and  from  thence  distributed 
by  pipes  to  other  parts  of  the  institution.  Soon  after  the  war  suit- 
able quarters  removed  from  the  main  building  were  erected  by  the  State, 
at  a cost  of  about  $25,000,  for  the  accommodation  of  the  colored  insane. 
The  grounds  now  include  480  acres,  and  the  entire  property  is  valued  at 
about  $400,000. 

This  admirably  managed  charity  has  been  under  the  superintendency 
of  Dr.  John  H.  Callender  for  several  years,  and  has  accomplished  a 
vast  amount  of  good  in  extending  the  most  helpful  and  tender  ministra- 
tions to  the  suffering  insane.  In  December,  4884,  the  whole  number  of 
patients  in  the  institution  was  412,  of  whom  a few  were  colored.  The 
annual  cost  per  patient  for  the  two  years  previous  was  $178.68.  In  1883 
the  superintendent,  as  he  had  done  in  many  previous  reports,  urged  upon 
the  Legislature  the  necessity  of  providing  more  accommodations  for  the 
insane  of  the  State.  At  that  session  $80,000  was  appropriated  for  the 
East  Tennessee  Insane  Asylum,  to  be  erected  near  Knoxville  upon  the 
property  known  as  Lyon’s  View,  which  the  State  had  purchased  for  that 
purpose  some  time  before.  Agreeably  to  the  provision  of  the  act  mak- 
ing the  appropriation  the  governor  appointed  It.  H.  Armstrong,  J.  C. 
Flanders  and  Columbus  Powell,  all  of  Knoxville,  to  constitute  a board  of 
directors,  who  promptly  organized  and  elected  W.  H.  Cusack,  of  Nash- 
ville, architect,  and  Dr.  Michael  Campbell,  of  Nashville,  superintending 
physician  of  construction.  The  board  of  directors,  with  the  superintend- 
ing physician  and  architect,  after  visiting  some  of  the  most  famous  asy- 
lums in  the  country,  adopted  a plan  embracing  the  latest  improvements, 
both  sanitary  and  architectural,  The  asylum  consists  of  nine  buildings, 
including  an  administration  building,  chapel,  kitchen,  laundry,  boiler- 
house  and  engine-house.  The  main  front  is  472  feet  long.  The  wards 
consist  of  174  rooms  that  will  accommodate  from  250  to  300  patients. 
In  1885  the  original  appropriation  had  been  exhausted,  and  an  additional 
sum  of  $95,000  was  granted  by  the  Legislature  for  the  completion  of  the 
buildings.  The  asylum  was  ready  for  occupancy  March  1,  1880,  and  a 
transfer  of  the  patients  belonging  to  East  Tennessee  was  made.  No  more 
beautiful  and  desirable  spot  could  have  been  chosen  for  an  insane  asy- 
lum than  Lyon’s  Yiew.  Within  four  miles  of  the  city  of  Knoxville,  high 
in  elevation,  commanding  a full  view  of  the  river  and  the  adjacent  heights 
with  their  attractive  scenery,  the  location  possesses  in  itself  all  the 


294 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


requirements  that  could  possibly  be  desired  in  an  institution  designed  for 
the  comfort,  care  and  cure  of  the  unfortunate  insane.*  The  asylum 
itself  is  one  of  the  most  stately  and  best  equipped  in  the  country,  and 
stands  an  honorable  monument  to  the_munificent  charity  of  Tennessee. 

Even  with  these  two  large  asylums  it  was  found  that  not  all  of  this 
unfortunate  class,  who  are  peculiarly  the  wards  of  the  State,  could  be 
accommodated,  and  an  appropriation  of  $85,000  was  made  for.  the  erec- 
tion of  a similar  institution  in  West  Tennessee.  John  M.  Lea,  John  IT. 
Callendar  and  W.  P.  Jones  were  appointed  commissioners  to  select  a site 
and  superintend  the  construction  of  the  buildings.  These  commissioners, 
after  spending  several  weeks  in  visiting  and  carefully  examining  several 
places,  selected  a point  between  three  and  four  miles  northwest  of  Boli- 
var, in  Hardeman  County.  The  structure  will  be  of  brick  with  white 
stone  trimmings.  Its  length  will  be  750  feet,  Avitli  a depth  of  40  feet. 
The  central  or  main  portion  of  the  building  will  be  five  stories  high,  and 
will  be  occupied  by  the  offices  and  domestic  apartments  of  the  officers. 
On  either  side  of  the  main  building  are  to  be  tAvo  sections  four  stories 
high,  separated  from  each  other  by  fire-proof  Avails.  BetAveen  the  tiers 
of  rooms  will  be  large  corridors,  and  above  each  corridor  lofty  flues,  all 
so  arranged  as  to  secure  perfect  ventilation  and  sufficient  light.  The 
building  Avill  cost  over  $200,000,  Avitliout  the  furnishing,  and  will  accom- 
modate 250  patients. 

Previous  to  the  adoption  of  the  penitentiary  system,  the  severity  of 
the  penal  laws  of  the  State  tended  rather  to  increase  than  to  decrease  the 
number  of  crimes  committed.  As  the  means  of  punishment  were  limited 
to  the  whipping-post,  stocks,  pillory,  county  jail,  the  branding-iron  and 
the  gallows,  the  penalties  Avere  either  lighter  than  could  proAre  effective, 
or  else  in  severity  out  of  all  proportion  to  the  offense  committed.  In 
either  case  the  result  Avas  the  same,  the  severe  penalty  frequently  pre- 
venting conviction.  The  penalty,  as  expressed  in  the  folloAving  act  passed 
October  23,  1799,  is  an  example  of  the  punishments  inflicted  for  crimes  of 
that  character: 

Be  it  enacted,  “ That  from  and  after  the  passage  of  this  act  any  person  who  shall 
be  guilty  of  feloniously  stealing,  taking  or  carrying  away  any  horse,  mare  or  gelding, 
shall  for  such  offense  suffer  death  without  benefit  of  clergy.” 

For  some  years  after  the  organization  of  the  State  many  of  the  penal 
latvs  remained  the  same  as  before  its  separation  from  North  Carolina. 
In  1807  an  act  was  passed  by  the  General  Assembly  fixing  a somewhat 
lighter  penalty  for  several  felonies.  For  grand  larceny,  arson  and 
malicious  prosecution,  the  penalty  for  the  first  offense  Avas  the  infliction 
upon  the  bare  back  of  a number  of  lashes,  not  to  exceed  thirty-nine, 


*Gov.  Bate. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


295 


imprisonment  in  the  county  jail  for  a term  not  to  exceed  twelve  months, 
and  to  “be  rendered  infamous,  according  to  the  laws  of  the  land.”  For- 
th e second  offense,  the  penalty  was  death.  The  penalties  for  forgery 
and  perjury  were  even  more  severe.  In  the  earlier  days  of  civilization 
such  punishments  would  have  been  deemed  mild,  but  at  the  time  in  which 
these  laws  were  passed,  the  growth  of  humanizing  influences  rendered, 
their  cruelty  apparent,  and  not  infrequently  the  culprit  escaped  convic- 
tion more  on  account  of  the  sympathy  of  the  judge  and  jury  than  from  a 
lack  of  sufficient  evidence  against  him.  This  fact  was  recognized,  and 
the  successive  governors  in  nearly  every  message  urged  upon  the  General 
Assembly  the  necessity  of  establishing  a penitentiary.  In  1813  an  act 
was  passed  requiring  the  clerk  of  each  county  court  to  keep  a subscrip- 
tion list  for  the  purpose  of  permitting  persons  “ to  subscribe  any  amount 
they  may  think  proper  for  erecting  a penitentiary.”  This  plan  of  raising 
money  for  that  purpose  was  not  a success,  as  four  years  later  the  total 
sum  subscribed  amounted  to  only  $2,173.10,  a great  part  of  which  the 
committee  appointed  to  investigate  the  matter  thought  could  not  be  col- 
lected. In  1819  Gov.  McMinn  again  brought  the  subject  before  the 
Legislature.  In  his  message  he  says:  “Notwithstanding  some  fruitless 
attempts  have  been  made  toward  establishing  a penitentiary  in  this  State, 
yet  I think  it  my  duty  to  bring  the  subject  before  you,  and  with  an 
earnest  hope  that  in  your  wisdom  and  in  your  love  of  humanity  and  jus- 
tice you  will  lend  your  aid  in  commencing  a work  which  will  do  lasting 
honor  to  its  founders.”  Nothing  more,  however,  was  done  until  October 
28,  1829,  when  the  act  providing  for  the  building  of  the  penitentiary 
became  a law.  The  ground  selected  for  the  site  of  the  institution  con- 
tains about  ten  acres,  and  is  situated  about  one  mile  southwest  of  the 
court  house  in  Nashville.  Contracts  for  the  building  were  let  in  April, 
1830,  and  work  was  immediately  begun,  under  the  supervision  of  the 
architect,  David  Morrison.  The  rock  used  in  its  construction  was 
quarried  upon  the  ground,  and  so  vigorously  was  the  work  prosecuted 
that  a proclamation  was  issued  by  the  governor  January  1,  1831,  an- 
nouncing the  penitentiary  open  to  receive  prisoners.  At  the  same  time 
the  revised  penal  code  went  into  effect.  The  following  description  of  the 
building  as  it  originally  appeared  is  taken  from  a Nashville  paper  issued 
December  7,  1830:  “The  principal  front  of  the  building  presents  a 
southern  exposure,  is  310  feet  long,  and  consists  of  a center  and  two 
wings.  The  former,  slightly  projecting,  is  composed  of  brick  embel- 
lished with  cut  stone  dressing,  120  feet  long,  32  feet  wide,  and  three 
stories  high.  It  contains  the  warden  and  keeper's  apartments,  two  in- 
firmaries, an  apartment  for  confining  female  convicts,  and  sundry  other 


296 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


rooms  for  the  use  of  the  establishment.  In  surveying  the  front  of  the 
center  building,  the  most  conspicuous  feature  that  strikes  the  eye  is  a 
large  gateway  in  the  center  23  feet  high,  14  feet  wide,  the  piers  and  arch 
being  formed  of  large  blocks  of  well-polished  white  stone,  and  filled  by  a 
massive  wrought  iron  port-cullis  weighing  nearly  a ton.  The  wings  are 
constructed  of  large  blocks  of  well-dressed  lime  stone,  the  wall  being  4 
feet  thick  and  33  feet  high,  pierced  with  narrow,  grated  windows  corre- 
sponding in  height  with  those  of  the  center.  On  the  center  of  the  build- 
ing, and  immediately  over  the  gateway  above  described,  rises  a splendid 
Doric  cupola  that  accords  with  the  noble  proportions  of  the  whole.  In 
the  rear  of  the  building  a wall  30  feet  high  incloses  an  area  of  310 
square  feet.  At  each  angle  of  the  wall  is  a tower  for  the  purpose  of 
viewing  the  establishment.”  The  entire  cost  of  the  building  was  about 
$50,000.  In  1857  the  west  wing  was  added  at  a cost  of  $36,000,  and  in 
1867  two  large  workshops,  known  respectively  as  the  east  and  west 
shops,  were  built.  The  first  prisoner  received  into  the  institution  was 
W.  G.  Cook,  from  Madison  County.  It  is  stated  that  he  was  a tailor, 
and  was  convicted  of  malicious  stabbing  and  assault  and  battery.  He 
stabbed  a man  with  his  shears,  and  assaulted  him  with  his  goose.*  He 
was  made  to  cut  and  make  his  own  suit,  the  first  work  done  in  the  peni- 
tentiary. In  June,  1833,  the  cholera  began  its  ravages  among  the  in- 
mates. Its  progress  was  so  rapid  that  in  a few  days  business  was  entirely 
suspended,  and  an  extra  force  of  nurses  and  physicians  was  employed. 
Out  of  eighty-three  convicts  not  one  escaped  the  disease,  and  nineteen 
■’of  the  number  died.  The  following  year  the  disease  again  broke  out,  but 
was  not  so  destructive  in  its  results  as  before. 

While  the  number  of  prisoners  was  small,  they  were  employed  by  the 
State  under  the  supervision  of  appointed  officers,  in  the  manufacture  of 
various  articles  of  trade.  In  1833  they  were  classified  under  the  follow- 
ing departments:  shoe-makers,  coopers,  stone-cutters,  tailors,  chair-mak- 
ers, hatters,  blacksmiths,  wagon-makers,  carpenters  and  brick-layers. 
Other  departments  were  afterward  added  and  some  of  the  above  dropped, 
the  aim  of  the  State  being  to  employ  as  far  as  possible  the  convicts  upon 
such  work  as  would  come  into  the  least  competition  with  private  manu- 
facturers. 

This  system  was  employed  with  more  or  less  success  until  1866,  when 
the  inspectors  reported  that  for  the  previous  thirty-three  years  the  insti- 
tion  had  cost  the  State  an  average  of  $15,000  per  year.  The  Legislature 
at  that  session  passed  an  act  establishing  a board  of  three  directors,  who 
were  authorized  to  lease  the  prison,  machinery  and  convicts  to  the  high- 

* Warden’s  Report,  1884. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


297 


est  bidders  for  a term  of  four  years.  The  lease  was  made  to  the  firm  of 
Hyatt,  Briggs  & Moore,  afterward  W ard  & Briggs,  at  40  cents  per  day  for 
each  convict.  It  was  agreed  upon  the  part  of  the  State  to  provide  the 
necessary  guards  to  preserve  discipline.  The  firm  entered  upon  the  fulfill- 
ment of  the  contract.  In  May,  1867,  300  convicts  joined  in  an  attempt 
to  escape,  and  created  great  excitement.  Quiet  was  restored  without 
bloodshed,  but  the  mutinous  spirit  was  not  quelled,  and  the  following 
month  they  succeeded  in  setting  fire  to  the  east  shops,  which  were  de- 
stroyed. 

A difficulty  then  arose  between  the  State  and  the  lessees.  The  latter 
refused  to  pay  for  the  labor  and  claimed  damages  from  the  State  for  this- 
failure  to  preserve  discipline  and  for  the  losses  occasioned  by  the  fire. 
The  lease  was  terminated  by  mutual  agreement  July  1,  1869,  and  the 
matter  compromised  by  the  State  paying  the  lessees  $132,200.64  for  the 
material  on  hand,  and  in  settlement  of  the  damages,  claimed  by  them. 
In  December,  1871,  provision  was  again  made  for  leasing  the  prisoners 
and  shops.  The  contract  was  taken  by  W.  H.  Cherry,  Thomas  O’Con- 
nor. A.  N.  Shook  and  Gen.  W.  T.  C.  Humes,  under  the  firm  style  of 
Cherry,  O’Connor  & Co.  The  second  lease  was  taken  December  1,  1876, 
by  Messrs.  Cherry,  O’Connor,  A.  N.  Shook  and  William  Morrow,  under 
the  old  firm  name,  with  M.  Allen  as  superintendent  of  the  works.  The 
lease  system  has  proven  highly  satisfactory.  Instead  of  requiring  al- 
most yearly  appropriations  for  its  support,  the  institution  now  pays  an 
annual  revenue  to  the  State  of  $101,000.  The  present  lease,  which  is 
for  six  years,  began  January  1.  1884,  the  Tennessee  Coal,  Iron  & Bail- 
road  Company  being  the  lessees.  The  headquarters  of  this  company  are 
at  Tracy  City,  where  about  one  third  of  the  prisoners  are  worked  in  the 
mines,  and  where  a large  and  commodious  prison  has  been  erected.  There 
are  also  branch  prisons  at  the  Inman  mines  in  Marion  County,  and  Coal 
Creek  in  Anderson  County.  A few  prisoners  are  worked  in  marble  works 
at  Knoxville.  About  40  per  cent  of  the  entire  number  are  at  the  main 
prison,  where  they  are  worked  under  a sub-lease  by  Cherry,  Morrow 
& Co.  The  firm  is  engaged  exclusively  in  the  manufacture  of  wagons. 
The  shops  are  equipped  with  all  the  latest  improved  machinery,  enabling 
them  to  turn  out  about  fifty  finished  wagons  per  day.  In  the  manufact- 
ure of  their  wagons  they  begin  with  the  raw  material,  making  their  own 
bent-work,  iron-work,  castings,  thimbles  and  skeins.  Their  goods  are 
sold  throughout  the  South  and  Southwest,  and  also  in  several  of  the 
Northern  and  Western  States. 

Under  the  present  lease  system  the  State  is  relieved  from  all  expense 
of  transportation  and  guarding  of  prisoners.  The  only  officers  connected 


298 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


with  the  institution  who  are  paid  by  the  State  are  the  warden,  superin- 
tendent, physician  and  chaplain. 

The  number  of  convicts  in  the  main  prison  and  branches,  December 
1,  1884,  was  1,323;  in  1880,  the  number  was  1,241;  in  1870,  G13;  in 
1857,  286,  and  in  1839,  154.  During  the  late  war  the  penitentiary  was 
converted  into  a military  prison,  and  at  one  time  there  were  as  many  as 
2,400  inmates.  Two  fires,  the  former  quite  destructive,  occurred  within 
the  past  five  years.  December  4,  1881,  the  various  workshops  and  ma- 
chinery belonging  to -the  State  and  the  lessees,  were  destroyed  by  fire, 
only  the  main  building  and  cells  escaping  destruction.  At  the  time  over 
700  convicts  were  within  the  walls,  and  it  became  necessary  to  turn  them 
all  out  into  the  space  in  front  of  the  prison;  yet,  so  well  were  they  man- 
aged, that  only  six  escaped.  The  shops  were  immediately  rebuilt  by  the 
State,  and  the  lessees  put  in  new  machinery.  On  January  12,  1884,  the 
east  end  of  the  blacksmith  shop  was  discovered  to  be  on  fire,  and  as  the 
second  story  was  used  as  a paint  shop  it  threatened  to  prove  very  de- 
structive. It  was,  however,  soon  brought  under  control.  The  loss  to  the 
State  was  about  $3,300,  which  was  fully  covered  by  insurance. 

*Many  years  ago  a society  for  the  collection  and  preservation  of  his- 
torical papers,  relics,  antiquities,  etc.,  existed  in  Nashville,  f It  did  not 
accomplish  much,  but  its  very  organization  showed  the  tendency  of  the 
minds  in  the  city  noted  for  scholarly  attainments  to  endeavor  to  rescue 
from  oblivion  the  history  of  a people  remarkable  for  patriotism,  chivalry 
and  intelligence.  After  it  had  ceased  to  exist  for  a considerable  time 
several  public-spirited  citizens  met  in  the  library-rooms  of  the  Merchants’ 
Association,  to  reorganize  an  historical  society.  This  was  in  May,  1849, 
and  the  organization  was  effected  by  the  election  of  Nathaniel  Cross  as 
president;  Col.  A.  W.  Putnam,  vice-president;  William  A.  Eichbaum, 
treasurer;  J.  It.  Eakin,  corresponding  secretary,  and  W.  F.  Cooper,  re- 
cording secretary.  This  society  did  not  exist  many  years,  but  was  again 
brought  to  life  in  1857,  and  at  the  May  meeting  elected  the  following 
officers:  A.  W.  Putnam,  president;  Thomos  Washington,  vice-president; 
W.  A.  Eichbaum,  treasurer;  II.  J.  Meigs,  Jr.,  corresponding  secretary; 
Anson  Nelson,  recording  secretary,  and  John  Meigs,  librarian.  Contri- 
butions of  valuable  manuscripts,  newspapers  and  relics  poured  in  from 
all  parts  of  the  State,  as  well  as  a few  from  other  States. 

A public  anniversary  meeting  took  place  on  the  1st  of  May,  1858,  in 
Watkin’s  Grove.  An  immense  procession  of  old  soldiers  of  the  war  of 
1812,  the  Creek  war,  the  Mexican  war,  the  officers  and  cadets  of  the 
Western  Military  Institute,  the  Shelby  Guards,  the  Nashville  Typo- 


^Prepared  by  Anson  Nelson,  Esq.,  recording  secretary. 

tThe  Tennessee  Antiquarian  Society,  organized  July  1, 1820.  Discontinued  in  August,  1822. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


299 


graphical  Union,  tlie  Pliilomathean  Society,  the  teachers  and  pupils  of 
the  Nashville  Female  Academy,  the  superintendent,  teachers  and  pupils 
-of  the  public  schools  of  Nashville,  citizens  on  horseback,  in  carriages  and 
buggies,  and  citizens  on  foot  marched  from  the  public  square  to  "Watkin’s 
Grove,  when  a collation  was  served  in  excellent  style  to  all  present.  The 
Hon.  James  M.  Davidson,  of  Fayetteville,  was  the  orator  of  the  day. 
J udge  T.  T.  Smiley  read  an  historical  account  of  the  services  of  the  Third 
Tennessee  Regiment  in  the  war  with  Mexico.  Gov.  "William  B.  Camp- 
bell and  Rev.  Dr.  C.  D.  Elliott  delivered  eloquent  addresses.  Bands  of 
music  were  distributed  along  the  line  of  the  procession,  and  the  whole 
city  made  it  a holiday  occasion  to  commemorate  the  organization  of  the 
“provisional  government”  at  Robertson’s  Station,  now  Nashville,  May  1, 
1780,  and  the  formation  of  the  society  May  1,  1849.  At  the  annual 
celebration,  May  1,  1859,  Randal  W.  McGavock,  mayor  of  Nashville  and 
a grandson  of  Hon.  Felix  Grundy,  presented  a full  length  portrait  of 
Judge  Grundy,  painted  by  Drury.  John  M.  Bright,  of  Lincoln,  delivered 
an  eloquent  oration  on  the  life,  character  and  public  services  of  the 
renowned  statesman  and  jurist.  The  exercises  took  place  in  the  hall  of 
the  House  of  Representatives,  in  the  presence  of  as  many  people  as  could 
obtain  admittance. 

In  September,  1859,  a committee,  consisting  of  Hon.  Thomas  "Wash- 
ington, Col.  A.  "W.  Putnam  and  Rev.  Dr.  R.  B.  C.  Howell,  was  appointed 
to  urge  the  council  of  the  city  of  Nashville  to  adopt  suitable  measures 
for  the  removal  of  the  remains  of  Lieut.  Chandler,  formerly  paymaster  in 
the  United  States  Army,  from  their  place  of  interment  in  the  Sulphur 
Spring  Bottom,  to  Mount  Olivet  Cemetery.  The  committee  accomplished 
their  purpose,  and  on  the  23d  of  September  the  remains  were  exhumed, 
after  having  lain  in  the  grave  for  nearly  sixty  years.  The  occasion  was 
marked  by  appropriate  exercises,  Hon.  E.  H.  East  delivering  a patriotic 
address. 

In  October,  1859,  at  the  request  of  the' society,  Lieut.  M.  F.  Maury, 
the  distinguished  scientist,  delivered  his  celebrated  lecture  on  the  geog- 
raphy of  the  sea.  In  January,  1860,  the  society  received  from  Egypt 
the  fine  Egyptian  mummy  now  in  the  Capitol,  sent  by  J.  G.  Harris  of 
the  United  States  Navy.  After  the  meeting  in  September,  1860,  the 
society  ceased  active  operations  until  several  years  after  the  war.  Many 
articles  were  lost  during  the  war,  but  the  small  collection  of  coins  was 
preserved  intact. 

In  1874  the  society  reorganized  by  electing  the  following  officers: 
Dr.  J.  G.  M.  Ramsey,  president;  Dr.  R.  C.  Foster,  vice-president;  Dr.- 
John  H.  Currey,  treasurer;  Gen.  G.  P.  Thurston,  corresponding  secretary; 


300 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Anson  Nelson,  recording  secretary,  and  Mrs.  P.  Haskell,  librarian.  On 
June  16,  of  that  year,  the  society  held  a called  session  at  Knoxville,  the 
home  of  the  President,  who  presided  on  that  interesting  occasion.  The 
Recording  Secretary  exhibited  the  original  commission  of  Maj.  -Gen.  Israel 
Putnam,  on  parchment,  issued  June  19,  1775,  signed  by  John  Hancock, 
President,  and  Charles  Thompson,  Secretary  of  the  Continental  Congress. 
The  society  has  also  in  its  possession  a vest  worn  by  “Old  Put,”  in  the 
Revolutionary  war. 

In  October,  1874,  the  society  decided  to  participate  in  the  fourth 
annual  exposition  of  Nashville,  and  on  the  evening  of  October  6,  the 
anniversary  of  the  battle  of  King's  Mountain,  the  Rev.  T.  A.  Hoyt  deliv- 
ered an  address  giving  the  history  of  that  important  battle.  The  address 
was  also  delivered  to  a large  audience  in  Knoxville.  The  centennial 
anniversary  of  the  signing  of  the  Mecklenburg  Declaration  of  Independ- 
ence, May  20,  1775,  was  celebrated  by  the  society  at  the  Nashville  Fair 
Grounds,  Ex-Gov.  Niell  S.  Brown  delivering  the  oration.  At  the  May 
meeting  in  1875,  several  delegates  were  appointed  to  attend  the  centen- 
nial of  the  Mecklenburg  Declaration  of  Independence  in  Charlottsvilie, 
N.  C.,  only  one  of  whom  attended — Hugh  L.  Davidson,  of  Shelby ville. 
At  the  annual  meeting  in  May,  1876,  John  M.  Lea  was  elected  vice-presi- 
dent, vice  R.  C.  Foster ; and  J.  B.  Lindsley,  librarian,  vice  Mrs.  Haskell. 
The  office  of  treasurer  was  attached  to  that  of  the  recording  secretary; 
the  other  offices  remained  the  same  as  before. 

The  National  Centennial  was  duly  celebrated  by  the  society  in  the 
hall  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  Dr.  John  H.  Callender,  reading 
the  Declaration  of  Independence.  An  elegant  historical  centennial 
address,  written  by  Dr.  Ramsey,  president  of  the  society,  was  read  by  Rev. 
T.  A.  Hoyt.  Other  exercises  appropriate  to  the  occasion  were  rendered. 

In  1878  the  society  commenced  agitating  the  subject  of  celebrating 
the  centennial  of  Nashville,  and  appointed  a committee  on  that  subject, 
who  afterward  reported  a program  for  the  exercises.  Subsequently 
the  idea  expanded,  and  finally  the  society  appointed  a committee  to  wait 
upon  the  mayor  and  urge  him  to  request  the  city  council  to  call  a public 
meeting  to  take  action  in  the  matter,  This  was  done,  and  an  enthusiastic 
interest  was  aroused.  Various  committees  were  appointed,  an  exposition 
was  inaugurated,  the  orators  chosen  by  the  Historical  Society  were  ap- 
proved, a grand  civic  procession  for  the  24th  of  April  provided  for,  and 
many  other  matters  arranged  to  give  eclat  to  the  occasion.  All  of  this 
was  most  successfully  carried  out,  and  the  most  sanguine  expectations  of 
the  Historical  Society  were  more  than  realized,  On  April  11,  1884,  Dr. 
J.  G.  M.  Ramsey,  the  distinguished  president  of  the  society,  died  at  his 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


301 


home  in  Knoxville.  A delegation  of  members,  numbering  eleven,  went 
from  Nashville  to  be  present  at  the  funeral  obsequies  which  took  place 
on  the  13th,  and  were  attended  by  a very  large  number  of  the  citizens  of 
Knoxville  and  the  surrounding  country.  At  the  next  annual  meeting  in 
May  Hon.  John  M.  Lea  was  elected  to  the  office  made  vacant  by  the 
death  of  Dr.  Ramsey, 

The  society  is  indebted  to  the  trustees  of  Watkins’  Institute  for  the 
use  of  a large  and  elegant  room  in  that  building,  for  the  exhibition  of  its 
books,  manuscripts  and  relics,  of  which  it  has  a great  number. 

Among  the  most  interesting  relics  may  be  mentioned  the  musket  of 
Daniel  Boone,*  the  veritable  “Old  Betsey;”  the  sword  of  Gov.  John  Se- 
vier, and  one  of  the  pistols  presented  to  him  by  the  State  of  North  Caro- 
lina ; the  sword  of  Col.  Dupuyser,  of  the  British  Army,  taken  from  him  at 
the  battle  of  King’s  Mountain;  the  red  silk  sash  Avorn  by  Gen.  Ferguson, 
Avhen  he  was  killed  at  King’s  Mountain;  one  of  the  chairs  used  by  Gen. 
Nathaniel  Greene;  also  one  used  by  President  Fillmore;  the  sword,  coat 
and  epaulette  of  Capt.  Samuel  Price,  worn  in  the  battle  of  Frenchtown, 
Raisin  River,  Mich. ; the  pitcher  used  at  the  treaty  of  Hopewell ; three 
canes  formerly  belonging  to  President  Polk,  one  in  the  form  of  a ser- 
pent, one  bearing  the  electoral  vote  cast  for  him  for  President,  the  other 
a hickory  cane  from  the  Hermitage;  the  first  greenback  $5  note 
issued  by  the  United  States;  the  portfolio  used  by  Henry  Clay  in  the 
United  States  Senate ; over  thirty  battle-flags  used  by  Tennessee  soldiers 
in  different  Avars  from  1812  to  1865. 

Among  the  manuscripts  of  the  society  are  an  old  book  in  an  excellent 
state  of  preservation,  kept  in  Nashville  by  a merchant  in  1795;  the  jour- 
nals of  Gov.  William  Blount  from  1790  to  1796;  the  proceedings  of  the 
courts  martial  during  Jackson’s  campaign  in  1813,  kept  by  Col.  William 
White,  acting  judge-advocate;  journal  of  Capt.  John  Donelson  and  com- 
panions while  on  their  voyage  from  Holston  River  down  the  Tennessee, 
up  the  Ohio  and  Cumberland  to  what  is  now  Nashville  in  1779-80. 

The  society  also  possesses  portraits  of  Prof.  Priestly,  Dr.  Gerard 
Troost,  Dr.  Phillip  Lindsley,  Hon.  Felix  Grundy,  Dr.  J.  G.  M.  Ramsey, 
Anson  Nelson,  Dr.  Felix  Robertson  and  his  parents,  Henry  Clay,  Davy 
Crockett  and  many  others,  besides  portraits  of  all  the  governors  of  the 
State  Avitli  the  exception  of  two,  Roane  and  McMinn. 

Among  the  old  and  rare  books  are  a copy  of  the  Polydori  Vergil  II, 
in  Latin,  bound  in  vellum,  printed  in  1644;  a copy  of  Cicero’s  “Discourse 
m old  age,”  printed  by  Benjamin  Franklin  in  Philadelphia  in  1744; 
‘Dioscoridis  Mat.  Med.,”  bound  in  parchment,  printed  in  1552;  copies  of 
lie  Bible  printed  in  1678  and  1757,  respectively. 


302 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


The  present  officers  of  the  society  are  Hon.  John  M.  Lea,  president; 
Ex-Gov.  James  D.  Porter,  first  vice-president;  Capt.  Albert  T.  McNeal, 
second  vice-president;  Joseph  S.  Carels,  treasurer;  James  A.  Cart- 
wright, corresponding  secretary;  Anson  Nelson,  recording  secretary; 
Robert  T.  Quarles,  librarian. 

The  Medical  Society  of  Tennessee*  was  incorporated  by  an  act  of 
the  Legislature,  passed  January  9,  1830,  one  hundred  and  fifty-four 
physicians  from  the  various  counties  of  the  State  being  named  in  the 
charter.  Certain  powers  and  privileges  were  granted,  among  which  was 
the  power  to  appoint  boards  of  censors,  for  the  three  divisions  of  the  State, 
to  grant  licenses  to  applicants  to  practice  medicine  within  its  limits.  The 
first  meeting  of  the  society  was  held  in  Nashville  May  3,  1830,  and  its 
organization  completed  by  adopting  a constitution,  by-laws  and  a code  of 
medical  ethics,  and  by  electing  officers  for  two  year’s.  These  were  James 
Roane,  of  Nashville,  president;  James  King,  of  Knoxville,  vice-prsident; 
James  M.  Walker,  of  Nashville,  recording  secretary;  L.  P.  Yandell,  of 
Rutherford  County,  corresponding  secretary,  and  Boyd  McNair,  of  Nash- 
ville, treasurer.  Prof.  Charles  Caldwell,  of  Transylvania  University, 
being  in  town  at  the  time,  was  elected  an  honorary  member  of  the  society, 
and  a committee  was  appointed  to  extend  him  an  invitation  to  visit  the 
meeting.  The  censors  appointed  for  Middle  Tennessee  were  Drs.  Doug- 
lass, Stith,  Hogg  and  Estill;  for  East  Tennessee,  Drs.  McKinney  and 
Temple;  and  for  the  western  division  of  the  State,  Drs.  Young  and  Wil 
son.  The  code  of  ethics  was  the  same  as  that  adopted  by  the  Centra 
Medical  Society  of  Georgia  in  1828.  After  adopting  a resolution  con 
demning  the  habitual  use  of  ardent  spirits  and  recommending  total  ah 
stinence,  except  when  prescribed  as  a medicine,  the  society  adjourned. 

The  second  assembling  of  the  society  took  place  in  Nashville  May  2 
1861.  Sixty  members  responded  at  roll-call,  and  fifty-four  were  addei 
during  the  session,  constituting  the  largest  meeting  ever  held.  Dr.  Join 
H.  Kain,  of  Shelbyville,  the  first  orator  appointed,  delivered  the  anni 


versary  discourse  before  the  society  on  “ Medical  Emulation.”  Di 


Yandell  having  been  called  to  a professorship  in  the  Transylvania  (Jnj 
versity,  resigned  his  office  in  the  society,  and  delivered  an  address  whic 
was  ordered  to  be  published.  He  was  subsequently  elected  an  honorar 
member,  and  though  he  became  a citizen  of  another  State,  no  one  ev( 
served  the  society  more  faithfully,  or  contributed  more  to  advance  its  i: 
terests.  A premium  of  $50  was  offered  at  this  meeting  for  the  be! 
essay  on  “The  use  and  abuse  of  calomel,”  which  two  years  later  w 
awarded  to  James  Overton,  M.  D.  of  Nashville.  Dr.  James  G.  I 


*(,'0Ddensed  from  its  history,  furnished  by  Paul  F.  Eve,  M.  P.,  in  1872. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


•~>  i"',  > 

o Jo 


Ramsey,  of  Knoxville,  sent  his  essay  on  the  topography  of  East  Ten- 
nessee, and  Dr.  Becton  read  his  own  on  the  topography  of  Rutherford 
County.  This  session  was  one  of  the  most  enthusiastic  and  interesting 
ever  held.  By  invitation  of  the  governor,  the  society  visited  the  peni- 
tentiary, then  just  erected.  The  third  convocation  of  this  body  took 
place  in  Nashville,  where  it  continued  to  meet  until  1851,  when  it  con- 
vened at  Murfreesboro.  Many  of  these  sessions  were  very  interesting, 
and  several  valuable  contributions  were  added  to  medical  literature.  The 
limited  facilities  for  travel,  however,  rendered  it  impossible  for  members 
from  distant  parts  of  the  State  to  attend  without  losing  a large  amount 
of  time  and  experiencing  considerable  inconvenience;  consequently  the 
number  in  attendance  was  frequently  very  small. 

At  the  third  session  a committee  was  appointed  to  ask  the  Legisla- 
ture to  repeal  the  law  making  it  a penitentiary  offense  to  exhume  a 
human  body  for  the  purpose  of  dissection,  but  this,  as  was  the  case  with 
several  other  petitions  presented  by  the  society,  the  Legislature  refused 
to  grant. 

At  the  meeting  in  1843  the  society  decided  to  establish  a museum  at 
Nashville  for  the  mutual  improvement  of  its  members.  Subsequently  a 
committee  was  appointed  to  solicit  from  the  Legislature  a donation  for 
the  museum  and  a library,  but  the  request  was  not  granted.  Upon  the 
establishment  of  the  medical  department  of  the  University  of  Nashville 
the  museum  was  transferred  to  that  institution. 

At  the  session  of  the  society  held  in  Murfreesboro,  in  1851,  the  code 
|of  ethics  adopted  by  the  American  Medical  Association  in  1847  was 
substituted  for  the  one  heretofore  governing  this  body. 

The  society  met  at  Murfreesboro  again  in  1852,  but  the  following 
fear  convened  at  Nashville.  The  complete  catalog  of  the  membership 
if  the  society  up  to  that  time  was  307.  In  1857  twenty-five  delegates 
vere  appointed  to  the  American  Medical  Association,  which  assembled  in 
Nashville  the  following  year.  The  thirty-second  annual  meeting  of  the 
Tennessee  Medical  Society  was  held  in  the  Masonic  Hall  at  Murfreesboro 
Ipril  2,  1861.  The  attendance  was  small,  only  eleven  members  being 
•resent  at  roll-call.  Owing  to  the  unsettled  condition  of  the  country  no 
aore  meetings  were  held  until  April  20,  1866,  when  seven  members  as- 
embled  at  Nashville.  Dr.  Robert  Martin  was  elected  president,  and  Dr. 
lichol  re-elected  vice-president.  But  little  business  was  transacted,  and 
fter  the  appointment  of  several  committees  preparatory  to  the  next  meet- 
ig,  the  society  adjourned.  From  that  time  until  the  present,  meetings 
ave  been  held  annually.  In  1871  the  society  convened  at  Pulaski;  in 
'874  at  Chattanooga;  and  in  1878  at  Memphis.  In  1872  a committee  of 


304 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


nine,  three  for  each  grand  division  of  the  State,  was  appointed  for  the 
purpose  of  forming  and  encouraging  local  societies.  Two  years  later 
Drs.  J.  B.  Lindsey,  J.  J.  Abernethy  and  P.  D.  Sims  were  constituted  a 
committee  to  examine  the  workings  of  the  various  State  medical  societies 
and  report,  at  the  next  annual  meeting,  such  amendments  and  by-laws  as 
might  tend  to  strengthen  the  society.  This  was  accordingly  done,  and  at 
the  next  meeting  the  constitution  as  revised  by  the  committee  was 
adopted  after  a full  and  free  discussion.  Since  1874  delegates  have  been 
appointed  to  each  annual  meeting  of  the  American  Medical  Association, 
and  in  1876  Drs.  Paul  F.  Eve,  Van  S.  Lindsley,  D.  C.  Gordon,  W.  P 
Jones,  J.  H.  Yan  Deman,  W.  C.  Cook,  Thomas  Menees,  F.  Bogart,  J.  B 
Buist,  S.  S.  Mayfield,  H.  J.  Warmoutli  and  A.  Blitz  were  appointed 
delegates  to  the  International  Medical  Congress. 

The  forty-seventh  annual  meeting  was  held  at  Knoxville,  beginning 
April  6,  1880.  The  local  attendance  was  quite  large,  and  a number  o; 
delegates  from  Middle  Tennessee  were  present,  but  the  western  divisioj 
of  the  State  was  not  so  largely  represented.  Among  the  notable  feature 
of  this  meeting  was  the  election  of  the  first  female  doctor  to  membershij 
she  being  regularly  delegated  from  the  Knox  County  Medical  Society, 
which  she  was  an  accepted  membei'.  The  lady  was  Mary  T.  Davis. 


In  1881  two  meetings  were  field.  At  tfie  date  of  the  regular  meetinj] 


on  April  5,  tfie  society  was  convened  in  tfie  supreme  court  room  of  tb 
capitol,  and  tfie  committee  on  arrangements  reported  that  acting  unde 
tfie  authority  of  tfie  president,  and  at  tfie  request  of  a number  of  pfiysf 
cians  of  Knoxville,  notices  of  an  adjourned  meeting  had  been  sent  ouj 
Therefore,  after  having  received  tfie  governor’s  signature  to  the  bil 
which  had  just  passed  tfie  Legislature,  requiring  tfie  registration  of  tl 
births,  deaths,  and  marriages*  in  tfie  State,  the  society  adjourned  tomei 
on  May  10,  1881.  At  that  time  tfie  continental  exposition  was  in  pro| 
ress,  and  tfie  meeting  was  well  attended. 

Tfie  next  year  the  society  assembled  at  Casino  Hall,  in  Memphis,  c 
May  9.  Tfie  attendance  was  not  large,  but  the  session  proved  an  inte 
esting  one.  Among  its  social  features  was  a very  pleasant  excursion  ( 
tfie  steamer  “ Benner,”  given  by  Dr.  It.  W.  Mitchell,  of  the  Nation 
Board  of  Health.  Tfie  fiftieth  annual  meeting  was  field  in  Nashville,  b) 
ginning  April  10,  1883.  One  of  tfie  pleasing  incidents  of  tfie  sessh 
was  an  address  by  Gov.  Bate.  On  April  8,  1884,  tfie  society  again  co 
vened  at  Chattanooga  just  two  years  after  its  former  meeting  in  tfiatcil 
Tfie  session  was  in  every  respect  one  of  tfie  most  successful  ever  fie 
Several  amendments  to  tfie  constitution  were  adopted,  one  of  which  ab< 


♦This  law  was  repealed  by  the  next  Legislature. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


305 


islied  the  boards  of  censors,  and  established  in  lieu  a judicial  council 
composed  of  the  ex-presidents  of  the  society.  Fifty  dollars  was  appropri- 
ated to  assist  in  the  erection  of  a monument  to  the  memory  of  Dr.  J. 
Marion  Sims.  The  fifty -second  annual  meeting  was  held  in  the  hall  of 
Representatives  in  the  State  Capitol,  April  14  to  16, 1885.  Several  inter- 
esting papers  were  read,  and  considerable  business  of  importance  was 
transacted. 

The  last  meeting  of  the  society  was  held  in  Memphis,  on  the  first 
Tuesday  in  April,  1886.  The  present  officers  are  Thomas  L.  Mad- 
din,  M.  D.,  of ' Nashville,  president;  Drs.  S.  T.  Hardison,  J.  E.  Black 
and  G.  TV.  Drake,  vice-presidents,  for  Middle,  West  and  East  Tennessee, 
respectively;  Dr.  C.  C.  Fite,  secretary  and  Dr.  Deering  J.  Roberts, 
treasurer 

The  subject  of  preventive  medicine  has  been  for  several  years  attract- 
ing more  and  greater  attention,  especially  from  the  occurrence  of  fre- 
quent epidemics  throughout  the  Union.  The  necessity  of  some  organ- 
ized and  co-operative  efforts*  on  the  part  of  persons  clothed  with  au- 
-fiority  to  take  such  steps  as  may  be  deemed  sufficient  to  protect  the 
pountry  from  the  rapid  spread  of  epidemics,  became  so  apparent  that 
many  of  the  States  organized  State  Boards  of  Health,  and  such  powers 
were  delegated  to  them  as  were  thought  proper  to  effect  the  purpose  of 
heir  creation. 

This  idea  reached  material  development  in  this  State  in  1866,  when 
he  first  board  of  health  in  Tennessee  was  organized  at  Nashville.  Soon 
after  a similar  organization  was  formed  for  the  city  of  Memphis,  since 
which  time  local  boards  of  health  have  been  established  in  all  of  the 
larger  towns  and  most  of  the  smaller  ones  in  the  State.  All  are  pro- 
lucing  good  fruit  by  developing  an  intelligent  public  sentiment  and  a 
growing  interest  in  regard  to  the  value  and  importance  of  sanitary 
Hence  as  applied  not  only  to  communities,  but  also  to  individuals, 
louseholds  and  persons.  In  April.  1874,  a committee  was  appointed  by 
he  State  Medical  Society  to  prepare  and  to  present  to  the  State  Legisla- 
ure  at  its  next  session  a bill  providing  for  the  establishment  of  a State 
Board  of  Health.  This  bill  passed  the  House  but  was  lost  in  the  Sen- 
te. Two  years  later  another  bill  was  presented,  which,  after  much  ex- 

Iilanation.  finally  passed  with  the  section  of  the  bill  providing  for  an  ap- 
propriation of  funds  stricken  out,  thus  securing  the  organization  simply 
f the  “State  Board  of  Health  of  the  State  of  Tennessee,”  without  any 
xecutive  power  or  means  with  which  to  carry  out  any  of  the  more  practical 
bjects  for  which  it  was  established;  consequently  they  were  compelled  to 

*From  the  Reports  of  1S80  and  1834. 


306 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


content  themselves  with  acting  as  an  advisory  body  only,  notwithstanding 
the  western  and  southern  portions  of  the  State  as  far  east  as  Chattanooga 
were,  during  the  summer  of  1878,  swept  by  a most  disastrous  epidemic 
of  yellow  fever.  They  issued  advisory  circulars  through  the  secular 
press  upon  the  lesser  epidemics,  such  as  scarlet  fever  and  diphtheria, 
which  appeared  in  different  localities  through  the  State,  and  otherwise 
gave  timely  counsel  to  the  people,  and  created,  as  opportunity  afforded,  an 
interest  in  the  subject  of  public  hygiene.  Two  years  subsequently  the 
Legislature  passed  an  amendatory  act,  which  was  approved  by  the  gov- 
ernor, March,  1879,  giving  the  board  additional  powers  and  making  a 
small  appropriation  of  money,  which  enabled  them  to  obtain  an  office 
and  pay  their  secretary  a salary. 

The  first  meeting  of  the  board  was  held  April  3,  1877,  in  the 
office  of  the  Secretary  of  State,  the  following  members  appointed  by 
the  governor  being  present:  Drs.  J.  D.  Plunket,  T.  A.  Atchison,  James 
M.  Safford,  of  Middle  Tennessee;  E.  M.  Wight,  of  East  Tennessee,  and 
R.  B.  Maury,  of  West  Tennessee.  Dr.  J.  D.  Plunket,  to  whose  exertion 
the  board  largely  owed  its  existence,  was  chosen  president,  and  Dr.  J. 
Berrien  Lindsley  was  appointed  secretary  pro  iem.  Committees  were 
appointed  on  vital  statistics,  hygiene  of  schools,  prisons,  geological  and 
topographical  features  of  Tennessee  in  relation  to  disease,  and  epidemic, 
endemic  and  contagious  diseases. 

The  first  annual  meeting  of  the  board  was  held  in  Memphis,  April, 
1878,  concurrently  with  the  meeting  of  the  State  Medical  Society.  Lit- 
tle business  of  importance  was  transacted.  The  office  of  vice-president 
was  created,  and  Dr.  J.  M.  Safford  was  elected  to  that  position.  Follow- 
ing this  meeting  came  the  epidemic  of  yellow  fever  of  1878,  yet  the 
board  was  powerless  to  do  aught  to  stay  its  dreadful  ravages.  A reign  of 
terror  existed,  and,  though  badly  needed,  there  was  no  guide,  no  head 
of  power.  The  experience  of  that  terrible  season  taught  even  the  law- 
makers that  a State  Board  of  Health  with  enlarged  powers  and  increased 
facilities  was  a necessity.  Therefore  March  26,  1879,  an  amendatory 
act  was  passed  giving  the  board  power  to  declare  and  enforce  quaran- 
tine, and  to  prescribe  rules  and  regulations  to  prevent  the  introduction 
of  yellow  fever  and  other  epidemic  diseases.  The  act  also  required  the 
governor  to  appoint  two  additional  members  of  the  board  connected  with 


the  commerce  and  transportation  of  the  country,  and  appropriated  $3,000 
to  defray  expenses.  Hon.  John  Johnson,  ex-mayor  of  Memphis,  and 
Col.  E.  W.  Cole,  of  Nashville,  were  chosen  as  the  new  members  of  the 
board.  At  the  second  annual  meeting  Dr.  Lindsley  resigned  his  posi- 
tion as  secretary,  and  Dr.  W.  M.  Clark  was  elected  to  fill  out  the  unex- 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


807 


pirecl  term.  In  anticipation  of  the  reappearance  of  the  yellow  fever  in 
1879,  the  board  issued  10,000  copies  of  an  address  urging  the  people  of 
the  State  to  organize  local  boards  of  health  to  co-operate  with  the  State 
Board.  In  consequence  of  this  action  many  local  boards  were  formed, 
and  the  State  Board  was  thus  enabled  to  carry  on,  with  but  little  diffi- 
culty, its  plans  for  staying  the  progress  of  the  epidemic  which  followed. 
Since  that  time  no  widespread  epidemic  has  visited  the  State,  and  the 
work  of  the  board  has  been  directed  to  the  improvement  of  the  sanitary 
condition  of  the  jails,  penitentiaries,  etc.,  the  education  of  the  people  in 
sanitary  science,  and  the  collection  of  valuable  vital  statistics.  The 
board  as  constituted  at  the  present  time  is  as  follows:  J.  D.  Plunket, 
president;  James  M.  Safford,  vice-president;  J.  B.  Lindsley,  secretary; 
G.  B.  Thornton,  P.  D.  Sims,  Daniel  F.  Wright,  David  P.  Hadden  and: 
E.  W.  Cole. 

As  early  as  1831  or  1885  the  Tennessee  Agricultural  and  Horticul- 
tural Society  was  organized,  and  annual  fairs  were  held  for  a few  years. 
The  officers  elected  at  the  meeting  held  October  13,  1835,  were  Dr.  Phil- 
lip Lindsley,  president;  Drs.  John  Shelby  and  Felix  Robertson,  vice- 
presidents;  H.  Pet-way,  treasurer,  and  Joseph  T.  Dwyer,  secretary.  In 
1840  the  society  established  a paper  called  the  Tennessee  State  Agricul- 
turalist, of  which  Tolbert  Fanning  was  installed  as  editor.  Drs.  Girard 
Troust  and  John  Shelby  were  liberal  contributors  to  its  columns.  In 
1842  the  Tennessee  State  Agricultural  Society,  including  members  from 
most  of  the  counties  of  Middle  Tennessee,  was  incorporated  with  an  auth- 
orized capital  stock  of  $100,000. 

, December  18,  1851,  several  of  the  leading  agriculturalists  of  the  State, 
prominent  among  whom  were  Mark  R.  Cockrill,  W.  G.  Harding,  Wil- 
loughby Williams  and  Tolbert  Fanning,  secured  the  re-incorporation  of 
the  society,  with  authority  to  organize  two  auxiliary  societies,  one  for 
each  of  the  other  two  divisions  of  the  State.  These  societies  served  to 
create  an  interest  in  improved  methods  of  agriculture,  and  during  the 
session  of  1853—54  the  subject  was  presented  to  the  Legislature.  The 
result  was  the  organization  of  the  Tennessee  State  Agricultural  Bureau, 
consisting  of  the  governor,  ex-officio  president,  one  member  from  each 
grand  division  of  the  State,  five  members  from  Davidson  County,  and 
one  member  from  each  of  the  county  societies  organized.  It  was  made 
the  duty  of  the  bureau  to  investigate  all  such  subjects  relating  to  the 
improvement  of  agriculture  as  it  might  think  proper,  and  to  encourage 
the  establishment  of  county  agricultural  societies.  For  the  support  of 
the  bureau,  it  was  provided  that  when  $1,000  had  been  raised  by  contri- 
butions of  individuals  and  placed  out  at  interest,  the  bureau  should  be 


808 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


entitled  to  receive  from  the  treasury  of  the  State  the  sum  of  $500. 
Each  county  society  was  also  to  receive  $50  from  the  State  when  $300 
had  been  contributed  by  individuals.  It  was  found  difficult  for  the 
county  societies  to  comply  with  the  latter  proviso,  and  in  1856  the  act 
was  amended  and  a bounty  of  $200  granted  to  each  society  without  re- 
quiring any  individual  contributions.  At  the  same  time  $30,000  was 
appropriated  for  the  purchase  of  suitable  grounds  for  the  biennial  fairs 
to  be  held  at  Nashville,  and  State  bonds  to  that  amount  were  issued.  A 
tract  of  land  containing  thirty -nine  acres,  lying  on  Brown’s  Creek,  was 
purchased  from  John  Trimble  for  the  sum  of  $17,750.  The  work  of 
fitting  up  the  grounds  was  immediately  begun,  and  by  October  they  were 
sufficiently  improved  to  admit  of  holding  the  annual  fair  upon  them. 
The  fair  of  that  year,  however,  was  not  so  successful  as  previous  ones, 
owing  to  unfavorable  weather,  and  to  the  excitement  incident  to  the 
presidential  campaign  than  in  progress.  The  improvements  of  the 
grounds  was  completed  during  the  following  year,  and  from  the  secre- 
tary’s report  it  appears  that  the  entire  cost  of  the  grounds  and  improve- 
ments exceeded  $30,000. 

The  sixth  and  last  annual  fair  was  begun  on  October  10,  1859,  and 
continued  six  days.  This  was  one  of  the  most  successful  fairs  held. 
The  number  of  people  in  attendance  on  the  second  day  was  estimated  at 
10,000,  to  which  assemblage  an  elaborate  and  instructive  address  was  de- 
livered by  Lieut.  M.  F.  Maury. 

In  the  reports  made  by  the  officers  of  the  society  much  regret  is  ex- 
pressed at  the  lack  of  interest  in  making  creditable  exhibits  of  stock  and 
other  farm  products.  But  the  greatest  good  derived  from  these  annual 
fairs  came  from  the  addresses  delivered  by  scientific  men  like  Lieut. 
Maury.  They  served  to  give  the  farmer  a broader  idea  of  his  profession 
and  to  awaken  him  to  the  fact  that  there  is  a science  of  agriculture. 

During  the  war,  as  a matter  of  course,  the  agricultural  societies  were 
suspended,  and  but  little  effort  has  since  been  made  to  revive  them.  In 
1870  the  old  fair  grounds  of  the  State  Agricultural  Society  were  sold  by 
a committee  appointed  by  the  Legislature,  consisting  of  the  secretary  of 
state,  comptroller  and  treasurer. 

In  December,  1871,  an  act  was  passed  authorizing  the  governor  to 
appoint  two  citizens  from  each  grand  division  of  the  State,  as  commis- 
sioners of  agriculture,  to  constitute  a bureau  of  agriculture.  They  were 
required  to  meet  once  each  year,  and  were  allowed  to  appoint  a secretary, 
at  a salary  of  $600  per  year.  The  Legislature  of  1875  abolished  this 
department,  and  in  its  stead  established  the  Bureau  of  Agriculture,  Sta- 
tistics and  Mines,  to  be  under  the  control  of  a commissioner  appointed 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


309 


by  the  governor.  It  is  made  the  duty  of  the  commissioner  to  collect 
specimens  of  all  the  agricultural  and  mineral  products  of  the  State;  to 
analyze  and  inspect  fertilizers  sold  in  the  State;  to  study  the  insects  in- 
jurious to  crops;  to  study  the  diseases  of  grain,  fruit  and  other  crops, 
and  to  collect  statistics  bearing  upon  these  subjects.  He  is  also  allowed 
to  employ  a chemist  and  geologist  to  assist  him  in  his  researches.  At 
the  same  time  a bureau  of  immigration  was  established  for  the  purpose 
of  encouraging  immigration  to  the  State.  Two  years  later  the  duties 
of  this  office  were  imposed  upon  the  Bureau  of  Agriculture,  Statistics 
and  Mines,  which  had  been  placed  under  the  control  of  J.  B.  Killebrew, 
as  commissioner,  a man  of  great  ability,  and  untiring  energy.  He  did 
much  to  make  known  the  immense  natural  resources  of  the  State;  he 
wrote  and  published  works  on  “Wheat  Culture,”  “ Tennessee  Grasses  and 
Cereals,”  “The  Mineral  Wealth  of  the  State,”  “Sheep  Husbandry,”  and 
an  extensive  work  entitled  “The  Resources  of  Tennessee,”  all  admirably 
well  written.  For  the  past  three  years  the  bureau  has  been  under  the 
efficient  management  of  A.  J.  McWhirter. 

The  first  charter  issued  to  a Masonic  Lodge  in  Tennessee  was  grant- 
ed in  accordance  with  a petition  received  by  the  Grand  Lodge  of  North 
Carolina,  December  17,  1796.  The  lodge  was  organized  in  Nashville, 
and  was  known  as  St.  Tammany,  No.  1.  The  Grand  Lodge  of  North 
Carolina  continued  its  authority  over  Tennessee  until  1812.  During  the 
same  period  a charter  was  issued  to  one  lodge  in  this  State  by  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  Kentucky,  and  a dispute  arose  between  these  two  grand  lodges 
in  regard  to  their  jurisdiction.  In  1805  the  Grand  Secretary  of  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  North  Carolina  was  directed  to  write  to  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  Kentucky,  and  request  them  to  call  in  all  dispensations  or 
charters  granted  to  lodges  in  Tennessee.  The  request  was  not  complied 
with,  and  two  years  later  it  was  renewed  with  the  warning  that,  if  it 
were  not  heeded,  all  communication  between  them  would  cease.  The 
difficulty,  however,  was  not  settled  until  a separate  Grand  Lodge  for 
Tennessee  was  established. 

On  December  11,  1811,  a convention,  consisting  of  representatives 
from  all  the  lodges  in  Tennessee,  met  at  Knoxville.  Resolutions  favor- 
ing the  formation  of  a separate  grand  lodge  were  passed,  and  an  address 
to  the  Grand  Lodge  of  North  Carolina  prepared.  This  address  was  re- 
ceived by  the  Grand  Lodge  at  its  next  meeting  in  December,  1812,  and 
the  petition  for  a separate  grand  lodge  granted.  Accordingly  Grand 
Master  Robert  Williams  called  a convention  to  meet  in  Knoxville,  on 
December  27,  1813,  at  which  time  a charter,  or  deed  of  relinquishment, 
from  the  Grand  Lodge  of  North  Cai’olinia  was  presented.  This  charter 


310 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


is  still  on  file  in  the  archives  of  the  Grand  Lodge,  and  is  said  to  be  the 
only  charter  of  the  kind  in  the  United  States. 

The  officers  installed  the  first  meeting  were  Thomas  Claiborne, 
Grand  Master;  George  Wilson,  Deputy  Grand  Master;  John  Hall,  Se- 
nior Grand  Warden;  Abraham  K.  Shaifer,  Junior  Grand  Warden;  Thom- 
as McCarry,  Grand  Treasurer  and  Senior  Grand  Deacon;  Edward  Scott, 
Grand  Secretary  and  Junior  Grand  Deacon.  At  the  meeting  held  in 
July  following  a controversy  arose  as  to  whether  the  subordinate  lodges 
could  work  under  their  old  charters.  It  was  finally  decided  to  allow  them 
to  do  so  until  new  charters  could  be  granted 

The  constitution  as  originally  adopted  provided  that  the  meetings  of 
the  Grand  Lodge  should  be  held  at  the  place  where  the  Legislature  con- 
vened. In  1815  this  was  amended,  and  Nashville  was  permanently  fixed 
as  the  place  of  meeting.  Quarterly  meetings  of  the  Grand  Lodge  were 
held  until  October,  1819,  when  they  were  abolished.  At  a called  meet- 
ing on  May  4,  1825,  Gen.  La  Fayette,  who  was  then  visiting  Nashville, 
was  elected  an  honorary  member  of  the  Grand  Lodge,  and  during  the 
day  was  introduced  to  the  lodge  by  Gen.  Jackson.  The  Grand  Master 
delivered  an  address  of  welcome,  to  which  Gen.  La  Fayette  replied.  An 
elegant  oration  Avas  then  delivered  by  William  G.  Hunt,  J.  G.  W.,  after 
which  a banquet  terminated  the  exercises. 

At  the  annual  meeting  held  in  October,  1825,  Gen.  Samuel  Houston 
presented  a memorial  concerning  a difficulty  which  had  arisen  between 
him  and  another  member  of  Cumberland  Lodge,  No.  8.  Upon  hearing 
the  case  the  committee  completely  exonerated  Gen.  Houston  from  all 
charges  of  unmasonic  conduct,  but  two  years  later  he  was  suspended  by 
his  lodge.  He  appealed  to  the  Grand  Lodge,  but  the  decision  of  the 
subordinate  lodge  was  not  reversed.  The  chief  grounds  of  his  suspen- 
sion was  his  having  fought  a duel  with  another  Mason,  Gen.  White. 
The  constitution  and  by-laws  of  the  Grand  Lodge  were  amended  in 
1822,  and  again  in  1830.  In  1845  a new  constitution  was  adopted. 

October  6,  1858,  the  corner-stone  of  the  Masonic  Temple  at  Nashville 
was  laid  Avith  the  usual  ceremonies.  Since  that  time  but  little  of  general 
interest  has  transpired  in  the  proceedings  of  the  Grand  Lodge.  During 
the  yellow  fever  epidemic  of  1878,  the  order  Avas  active  in  relieving  the 
suffering,  and  over  $24,000  was  contributed  for  that  purpose.  In  1885 
the  Grand  Lodge  had  jurisdiction  over  409  subordinate  lodges  with  a 
membership  of  15,263.  The  following  is  a complete  list  of  the  Past 
Grand  Masters  of  the  Grand  Lodge: 

Thomas  Claiborne,  1813;  Robert  Searcy,  1815;  Wilkins  Tannehill, 
11817;  O.  B.  Hays,  1819;  Wilkins  Tannehill,  1820;  Andrew  Jackson,, 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


311 


1822;  Wilkins  Tannehill,  1824;  Matthew  1).  Cooper,  1825;  William  E. 
Kennedy,  1827;  Hugh  W.  Dunlap,  1829;  Archibald  Yell,  1831;  Dudley 
S.  Jennings,  1832;  Harry  L.  Douglass,  1833;  Benjamin  S.  Tappan, 
1834;  J.  C.  N.  Robertson,  1836;  Philander  Priestly,  1837;  Samuel  Mc- 
Manus, 1838;  George  Wilson,  1840;  Wilkins  Tannehill,  1841;  John 
Novell,  1843;  Edmund  Dillahunty,  1844;  William  L.  Martin,  1846; 
Hardy  M.  Burton,  1848;  Robert  L.  Caruthers,  1849;  Charles  A.  Fuller, 
1850;  A.  M.  Hughes,  1852;  John  S.  Dashiell,  1854;  Thomas  McCullocig 
1856;  John  Frizzell,  1858;  James  McCallum,  I860*;  A.  M.  Hughes, 
1863;  Thomas  Hamilton,  1864;  Joseph  M.  Anderson,  1866;  Jonathan  S. 
Dawson,  1868;  John  W.  Paxton,  1869;  John  C.  Brown,  1870;  W.  M. 
Dunaway,  1871;  D.  R.  Grafton,  1872;  James  D.  Richardson,  1873; 
Andrew  J.  Wheeler,  1874;  J.  C.  Cawood,  1875;  E.  Edmundson,  1876; 

A.  Y.  Warr,  1877 ; George  C.  Connor,  1878;  Wilbur  F.  Fowler,  1879; 
J.  T.  Irion,  1880;  N.  S.  Woodward,  1882;  N.  W.  McConnell,  1883; 

B.  R.  Harris,  1884;  H.  M.  Aiken,  1885;  Thomas  O.  Morris,  1886.  The 
following  is  a list  of  the  present  grand  officers: 

Thomas  O.  Morris,  Nashville,  M.  W.  Grand  Master;  Caswell  A.  Good- 
loe,  Alamo,  R.  W.  Deputy  Grand  Master ; H.  H.  Ingersoll,  Knoxville,  R, 
AY.  Senior  Grand  Warden;  John  T.  AYilliamson,  Columbia,  R.  AY.  Junior 
Grand  AYarden;  AVilliam  H.  Morrow,  Nashville,  R.  W.  Grand  Treasurer; 
John  Frizzell,  Nashville,  R.  W.  Grand  Secretary;  Rev.  C.  H.  Strickland, 
Nashville,  R.  AY.  Grand  Chaplain;  H.  W.  Naff,  Bristol,  Wor.  Senior 
Grand  Deacon;  H.  P.  Doyle,  Dyersburg,  AYor.  Junior  Grand  Deacon; 
P.  H.  Craig,  AVaynesboro,  Wor.  Grand  Marshal;  N.  A.  Senter,  Hum- 
boldt, AYor.  Grand  Sword  Bearer;  A.  C.  Robeson,  Athens,  Wor.  Grand 
Steward;  M.  P.  Prince,  Minor  Hill,  Wor.  Grand  Pursuivant;  Ewin 
Burney,  Nashville,  AYor.  Grand  Tyler.  The  Grand  Council  of  Tennes- 
see Royal  and  Select  Master  Masons  was  organized  October  13,  1847, 
with  the  following  officers: 

Dyer  Pearl,  T.  I.  Grand  Master;  William  R.  Hodge,  G.  Prin.  C.  of 
AVork;  Joseph  F.  Gibson,  Grand  Treasurer;  Charles  A.  Fuller,  Grand 
Recorder.  Since  that  time  the  following  have  filled  the  chair  of  Grand 
Master:  John  S.  Dashiell,  1849;  Henry  F.  Beaumont,  1850;  John  P. 
Campbell,  1851-52;  James  Penn,  1853;  Jonathan  Huntington,  1854; 
L.  Hawkins,  1855;  Edward  AY.  Kinney,  1856;  Robert  Chester,  1857; 
H.  M.  Lusher,  1858;  Jonathan  Huntington,  1859;  John  H.  Devereux, 
1860;  John  Frizzell,  1861;  William  Maxwell,  1865;  John  McClelland, 
1866;  William  H.  McLeskey,  1867;  David  Cook,  1868;  W.  F.  Foster,. 
1869;  A.  V.  Ware,  1870;  James  McCallum,  1871;  A.  P.  Hall,  1872;  E„ 


*No  meetings  held  in  1861  and  1862. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


312 

Edmundson,  1873;  W.  R.  Shaver,  1874;  H.  M.  Aiken,  1875;  B.  F. 
Haller,  1876;  Bradford  Nichol,  1877;  B.  R.  Harris,  1878;  George  H. 
Morgan,  1879;  Ewin  Burney,  1880-82;  William  Matthews,  1883;  P.  C. 
Wright,  1884. 

The  Grand  Chapter  was  organized  April  3,  1826,  with  the  following 
officers:  William  G.  Hunt,  Grand  High  Priest;  Wilkins  Tannehill, 
Deputy  Grand  High  Priest;  Ed  H.  Steele,  Grand  King;  Dyer  Pearl, 
Grand  Scribe;  Moses  Stevens,  Grand  Treasurer;  and  Charles  Cooper, 
Grand  Secretary. 

The  following  have  been  the  Grand  High  Priests:  William  G.  Hunt,* 
1826;  William  G.  Hunt,*  1827;  Moses  Stevens,*  1828;  Wilkins  Tan- 
nehill,* 1829;  William  G.  Dickinson,*  1830;  Hezekiah  Ward,*  1831; 
Hezekiah  Ward,*  1832;  Jacob  F.  Foute,*  1833;  Moses  Stevens,*  1834; 
T.  S.  Alderson,*  1835;  Dyer  Pearl,*  1836;  Benjamin  S.  Tappan,*  1837; 
Benjamin  S.  Tappan,  1838;  Moses  Stevens,*  1839;  Edmund  Dillahunty,* 
1840;  Edmund  Dillahunty,*  1841;  Henry  F.  Beaumont,*  1842;  James 
H.  Thomas,*  1843;  Dyer  Pearl,*  1844;  Dyer  Pearl,*  1845;  Dyer  Pearl,* 
1846;  P.  G.  Stiver  Perkins,*  1847;  P.  G.  Stiver  Perkins,*  1848;  Charles 
A.  Fuller,*  1849;  A.  M.  Hughes,  1850;  A.  M.  Hughes,  1851;  J.  M.  Gil- 
bert, 1852;  Edward  W.  Kenney,*  1853;  Edward  Kenney,*  1854;  Solomon 
W.  Cochran,  1855;  Solomon  W.  Cochran,  1856;  Robert  I.  Chester,  1857; 
Robert  S.  Moore,*  1858;  Roberts.  Moore,*  1859;  W.  FI.  Whiton,  1860; 
Jonathan  Huntington,*  1861  ; John  Frizzell,  1865;  Jonathan  S.  Dawson, 
1866;  Townsend  A.  Thomas,  1867;  William  Maxwell,  1868;  John  W. 
Hughes,  1869;  William  H.  Armstrong,  1870;  A.  J.  Wheeler,*  1871; 
John  W.  Paxton,*  1872;  Joseph  M.  Anderson,  1873;  Wilbur  F.  Foster,. 
1874;  Algernon  S.  Currey,  1875;  H.  M.  Aiken,  1876;  John  S.  Pride, 
1877;  Benjamin  F.  Haller,  1878;  Joe  H.  Bullock,  1879;  Gideon  R. 
Gwynne,  1880;  W.  E.  Eastman,  1882;  James  D.  Richardson,  1883; 
David  J.  Pierce,  1884;  William  S.  Matthews,  1885;  Bradford  Nichol, 
1886. 

The  following  is  a list  of  the  present  grand  officers:  Bradford  Nichol, 
Nashville,  Grand  High  Priest;  John  E.  Pyott,  Spring  City,  Deputy 
Grand  High  Priest;  Lewis  R.  Eastman,  Nashville,  Grand  King;  N.  F. 
Harrison,  Germantown,  Grand  Scribe;  N.  S.  Woodward,  Knoxville, 
Grand  Treasurer;  John  Frizzell,  Nashville,  Grand  Secretary;  Rev.  H. 
A.  Jones,  Memphis,  Grand  Chaplain;  Charles  Buford,  Pulaski,  Grand 
Captain  of  the  Host;  J.  W.  N.  Burkett,  Jackson,  Grand  Principal 
Sojourner;  John  B.  Garrett,  Nashville,  Grand  Royal  Arch  Captain; 
James  R.  Crowe,  Pulaski,  Grand  Master  Third  Yeil;  J.  T.  Williamson, 


* Deceased . 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


313 


Columbia,  Grand  Master  Second  Veil;  John  H.  Ferguson,  Dayton, 
Grand  Master  First  Veil;  Ewin  Burney,  Nashville,  Grand  Sentinel. 

The  Grand  Council  of  the  order  of  High  Priesthood  for  Tennessee 
was  organized  October  9,  1860,  by  Thomas  Ware,  of  Kentucky,  Grand 
President  pro  tem.  The  officers  installed  were  Bobert  S.  Moore,  Grand 
President;  John  M.  Morrill,  Vice  Grand  President;  Jonathan  Hunting- 
ton,  Grand  Chaplain;  John  Frizzell,  Grand  Treasurer,  and  John  McClel- 
land, Grand  Becorder. 

The  following  is  a list  of  the  Grand  Presidents  from  the  organization : 
Bobert  S.  Moore,  1860;  John  McClelland,  1861;  John  S.  Dashiell,  1864; 
John  Frizzell,  1866;  John  Bell,  1867;  John  W.  Paxton,  1868;  J.  M. 
Gilbert,  1869;  John  McClelland,  1870;  Wilbur  F.  Foster,  1871;  Wilbur 
F.  Foster,  1872;  A.  J.  Wheeler,  1873;  Morton  B.  Howell,  1874;  John 
B.  Morris,  1875;  George  S.  Blackie,  1876;  E.  Edmundson,  1877;  Gideon 
B.  Gwynne,  1878;  Benjamin  F.  Haller,  1879;  George  S.  Blackie,  1880; 
Henry  M.  Aiken,  1882;  Bradford  Nichol,  1883;  Bradford  Nichol,  1884; 
Bradford  Nichol,  1885;  D.  J.  Pierce,  1886. 

October  12,  1859,  the  four  commanderies  of  Knights  Templar  and 
appendant  orders  in  Tennessee,  working  under  charters  from  the  Grand 
Encampment  of  the  United  States,  assembled  in  Nashville  for  the  pur- 
pose of  organizing  a Grand  Commandery  for  Tennessee.  Twenty-six  Sir 
Knights  were  present.  The  officers  chosen  and  installed  were  Charles 
A.  Fuller,  Grand  Commander;  A.  M.  Hughes,  Deputy  Grand  Com- 
mander; Lucius  J.  Polk,  Grand  Generalissimo;  M.  Whitten,  Grand 
Captain  General ; W.  H.  Horn,  Grand  Treasurer ; W.  H.  Whiton,  Grand 
Becorder,  Jonathan  Huntington,  Grand  Prelate;  J.  J.  Worsham,  Grand 
Senior  Warden;  A.  S.  Currey,  Grand  Junior  Warden;  Thomas  McCulloch, 
Grand  Standard  Bearer;  J.  H.  Devereux,  Grand  Sword  Bearer;  Henry 
Sheffield,  Grand  Warden;  M.  E.  De  Grove,  Grand  Sentinel.  Annual 
meetings  have  since  been  held  with  the  exception  of  three  years  during 
the  war.  The  number  of  subordinate  commanderies  in  1885  was  14,. 
with  a membership  of  813. 

The  following  is  a list  of  the  Past  Grand  Commanders:  Charles  A. 
Fuller,  Lucius  J.  Polk,  J.  J.  Worsham,  A.  S.  Underwood,  John  McClel- 
land, John  Frizzell,  Dr.  J.  M.  Towler,  A.  D.  Sears,  George  S.  Blackie, 
J.  B.  Palmer,  George  Mellersh,  M.  B.  Howell,  H.  M.  Aiken,  W.  B.  But- 
ler, E.  B.  T.  Worsham,  W.  F.  Foster,  George  C.  Connor,  Joseph  H. 
Fussell,  B.  F.  Haller,  W.  D.  Bobison,  W.  P.  Bobertson,  G.  B.  Gwynne, 
J.  B.  Nicklin. 

The  Grand  Commandery  in  1886  assembled  at  Tullahoma  and  elected 
the  following  officers:  Henry  C.  Hensley,  Grand  Commander;  Charles 


314 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Mosby,  Deputy  Grand  Commander;  G.  B.  Wilson,  Grand  Generalissimo ; 
W.  C.  Smith,  Grand  Captain  General;  Bev.  J.  J.  Manker,  Grand  Pre- 
late; Joseph  H.  Bullock,  Grand  Treasurer;  W.  F.  Foster,  Grand 
Recorder;  N.  S.  Woodward,  Grand  Senior  Warden;  Dr.  Robert  Pillow, 
Grand  Junior  Warden;  T.  O.  Morris,  Grand  Standard  Bearer;  H.  C. 
Cullen,  Grand  Sword  Bearer;  D.  J.  Chandler,  Grand  Warden,  and  Ewin 
Burney,  Grand  Captain  of  the  Guard. 

The  first  lodge  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  was  in- 
stituted in  Nashville  on  the  evening  of  June  1,  1839,  and  was  known 
as  Tennessee  Lodge  No.  1.  This  lodge  is  still  in  existence.  The 
next  year,  1840,  a second  lodge  was  organized  at  Nashville.  The  Grand 
Lodge  of  Tennessee  was  instituted  under  authority  of  a charter  issued 
by  the  Grand  Lodge  of  the  United  States  August  10,  1841,  by  C.  C. 
Trabue,  Special  Deputy  Grand  Sire.  The  first  grand  officers  elected  and 
installed  were  Timothy  Kezer,  Grand  Master;  R.  A.  Barnes,  Deputy 
Grand  Master;  W.  H.  Calhoun,  Grand  Warden;  William  P.  Hume, 
Grand  Secretary;  George  R.  Forsyth,  Grand  Treasurer.  At  the  next 
meeting,  August  24,  the  constitution  and  by-laws  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
Ohio  was  adopted.  New  charters  were  granted  to  the  two  lodges  al- 
ready organized,  and  in  October  a charter  was  also  granted  to  Columbia 
Lodge  No.  3,  the  first  instituted  under  authority  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
Tennessee.  On  January  2,  1843,  Grand  Lodge  Hall,  over  the  postoffice, 
at  the  corner  of  Union  and  Cherry  Streets,  was  dedicated  with  appropri- 
ate ceremonies.  Soon  after  a committee  was  appointed  to  purchase  the 
old  Nashville  theater,  which  was  done  at  a cost  of  nearly  $10,000.  In 
order  to  raise  the  necessary  money  to  pay  for  the  building  and  fit  it  up, 
an  association  was  formed  and  incorporated  by  an  act  of  the  Legislature, 
under  the  name  of  the  Odd  Fellows  Hall  Association,  with  an  authorized 
capital  stock  of  $20,000,  divided  into  shares  of  $25  each.  Stock  was 
taken  by  individuals  and  also  by  subordinate  lodges.  In  January,  1850, 
the  committee  appointed  to  fit  up  the  hall  reported  the  work  finished, 
and  the  entire  cost  of  the  building  to  be  about  $30,000.  This  amount 
proved  to  be  greater  than  the  lodge  could  raise,  and  the  following  year 
the  property  was  sold  under  a decree  of  the  chancery  court  for  $9,500. 
This  sale  was  set  aside  by  the  supreme  court,  and  in  March,  1853,  the 
hall  was  sold  to  E.  H.  Childress  and  P.  W.  Maxey  for  $12,350.  The 
lodge  still  owed  $3,000,  and  they  were  obliged  to  sell  other  property  to  sat- 
isfy this  debt.  This,  however,  did  not  put  an  end  to  the  financial  difficul- 
ties, and  in  1857  the  indebtedness  of  the  lodge  amounted  to  over  $7,000. 
During  the  war  many  subordinate  lodges  were  suspended,  the  Grand 
Lodge  was  cut  off  from  communication  with  the  Grand  Lodge  of  the 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


315 


"United  States,  and  the  order  throughout  the  State  was  badly  disorganized. 
But  within  a few  years  after  the  cessation  of  hostilities  prosperity  re- 
turned, old  lodges  were  revived  and  a large  number  of  new  ones  insti- 
tuted. In  1885  the  number  of  subordinate  lodges  was  122,  with  a mem- 
bership of  3,302.  During  the  year  benefits  to  the  amount  of  $12,599.78 
were  paid,  and  the  total  revenue  from  all  sources  was  $26,345.11.  Since 
1853  the  Grand  Lodge  has  owned  no  hall,  but  has  held  its  meetings  in 
the  halls  of  subordinate  lodges  at  various  places,  Nashville,  Knoxville, 
Memphis  and  Chattanooga.  The  following  is  a list  of  the  Grand  Masters, 
with  the  year  in  which  they  were  elected:  Timothy  Kezer,  1841;  J.  G. 
Harris,  1842;  W.  F.  Tannehill,  1843;  James  It.  Shelton,  1844;  William 
H.  Calhoun,  1845;  W.  S.  McNairy,  1846;  G.  P.  Smith,  1847;  W.  K. 
Poston,  1848;  W.  S.  Howard,  1849;  W.  M.  Blackmore,  1850;  Robert 
Stark,  1851;  George  W.  Day,  1852;  Constantine  Perkins,  1853;  E.  A. 
Raworth,  1854;  George  Robertson,  1855;  E.  D.  Farnsworth,  1856;  A. 
A.  Barnes,  1857;  Robert  Hatton,  1858;  Benjamin  Johnson,  1859;  M.  D. 
Cardwell,  1860;  J.  D.  Danbury,  1861;  H.  C.  Hensley,  1862;  E.  D. 
Farnsworth,  1863;  William  Wood,  1864;  M.  C.  Cotton,  1865;  O.  F. 
Prescott,  1866;  William  H.  McConnell,  1867;  Hervey  Brown,  1868;  M. 
R.  Elliott,  1869;  J.  R.  Prescott,  1870;  James  Rodgers,  1871;  J.  L. 
Weakley,  1872;  A.  M.  Burney,  1873;  H.  T.  Johnson,  1874;  H.  P. 
Sehorn,  1875;  George  B.  Boyles,  1876;  S.  D.  J.  Lewis,  1877;  Charles 
M.  Carroll,  1878;  E.  G.  Budd,  1879;  R.  D.  Frayser,  1880;  E.  B.  Mann, 
1881;  James  H.  Crichlow,  1882;  C.  F.  Landis,  1883;  James  G.  Ayde- 
lotte,  1884;  Halbert  B.  Case,  1885. 

The  Grand  Encampment  of  Tennessee  was  organized  at  Nashville 
July  21,  1847,  by  T.  P.  Shaflher,  of  Louisville,  Ky.  The  first  officers 
elected  and  installed  were  George  W.  Wilson,  Grand  Patriarch ; Donald 
Cameron,  Grand  High  Priest;  N.  E.  Perkins,  Grand  Senior  Warden;  C. 
K.  Clark,  Grand  Junior  Warden;  G.  P.  Smith,  Grand  Scribe;  John  Col- 
tart,  Grand  Treasurer;  C.  G.  Weller,  Grand  Inside  Sentinel;  Charles 
Smith,  Grand  Outside  Sentinel.  The  constitution  and  by-laws  of  the 
Grand  Encampment  of  Maine  was  adopted.  At  this  time  there  were 
five  subordinate  encampments  in  the  State,  the  first  of  which  was 
Ridgely  Encampment,  No.  1,  organized  at  Nashville.  In  1849  the  num- 
ber of  encampments  had  increased  to  ten,  with  a membership  of  eighty- 
three;  in  1873  the  encampments  numbered  twenty -nine,  and  the  mem- 
bers 867.  The  present  membership  is  about  300,  divided  among  fifteen 
encampments. 

The  order  of  the  Knights  of  Honor  was  introduced  by  the  organiza- 
tion of  Tennessee  Lodge,  No.  20,  at  Nashville,  on  May  6,  1874,  with 


316 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


a membership  of  fifteen.  The  Grand  Lodge  of  Tennessee  was  organized 
in  Nashville  by  Supreme  Director  Dr.  A.  E.  Keys,  of  Mansfield,  Ohio, 
July  3,  1875,  at  which  time  D.  B.  Gaily  was  elected  Grand  Dictator, 
and  W.  H.  Trafford  Grand  Reporter.  The  constitution  and  by  daws  of 
the  Supreme  Lodge  was  adopted  for  the  government  of  the  Grand 
Lodge  until  a permanent  constitution  could  be  prepared,  which  was  done 
at  an  adjourned  meeting  held  in  October,  1875.  Since  the  organization 
of  the  first  lodge  in  the  State,  the  growth  of  the  order  has  been  steady. 
By  January  1,  1878,  the  membership  had  reached  3,814;  in  1880  it  was 
5,527,  and  in  1885,  6,858.  The  financial  condition  of  the  order  has  been 
equally  prosperous. 

During  the  yellow  fever  epidemic  of  1878  much  was  done  by  the 
order  to  alleviate  suffering.  Dr.  D.  F.  Goodyear,  Grand  Treasurer,  of 
Memphis,  with  other  members  of  the  relief  committee,  remained  in  that 
city  and  distributed  contributions,  which  were  received  from  all  parts  of 
the  State  and  of  the  United  States,  to  the  amount  of  nearly  $15,000. 
The  number  of  deaths  for  that  year  was  167,  of  which  131  were  caused 
by  yellow  fever.  The  amount  of  benefit  for  the  year  reached  $334,000. 

The  following  is  a list  of  the  Grand  Dictators:  D.  B.  Gaily,  of  Nash- 
ville; L.  A.  Gratz,  of  Knoxville;  John  W.  Childress,  of  Murfreesboro; 
E.  Smithson,  of  Pulaski;  J.  Bunting,  of  Bristol;  J.  P.  Young,  of  Mem- 
phis; W.  E.  Baskette,  of  Murfreesboro;  Creed  F.  Bates,  of  Cleveland; 
Warner  Moore,  of  Memphis;  P.  R.  Albert,  of  Chattanooga,  and  others. 
The  Grand  Reporters  have  been  W.  H.  Trafford,  1875-76;  L.  A.  Gratz, 
1877;  Ben  K.  Pullen,  1878-83,  and  W.  M.  Johnson,  1884.  Meetings  of 
the  Grand  Lodge  are  held  at  Nashville  in  April  of  each  year. 

The  Grand  Lodge,  Knights  and  Ladies  of  Honor  of  Tennessee,  was 
organized  in  the  hall  of  Harmony  Lodge,  at  Nashville,  April  7,  1879, 
under  a dispensation  from  the  Supreme  Protector,  by  D.  B.  Gaily.  The 
organization  was  effected  by  the  election  and  installation  of  the  follow- 
ing officers:  Ben  K.  Pullen,  Past  Grand  Protector;  D.  B.  Gaily,  Grand 
Protector;  Mrs.  Josephine  Mackenzie,  Grand  Vice-Protector;  George  F. 
Fuller,  Grand  Secretary;  George  F.  Hager,  Grand  Treasurer;  A.  A. 
Allison,  Grand  Chaplain;  Mrs.  Ada  McCullough,  Grand  Guide;  Miss 
Jessie  M.  Dorris,  Grand  Guardian;  Mrs.  D.  J.  Sanders,  Grand  Sentinel, 
and  W.  E.  Ladd,  W.  H.  Taylor  and  J.  A.  Kellogg,  Trustees.  The  con- 
stitution of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Missouri  was  adopted,  and  Nashville 
was  fixed  as  the  permanent  place  of  meeting.  The  first  annual  meeting 
was  held  April  12  and  13,  at  which  time  the  Grand  Protector  reported  that 
twelve  new  lodges  had  been  established,  making  a total  of  thirty-eight 
lodges  in  the  State,  with  a membership  of  about  1,200.  At  this  session 


RESIDENCE  OF  MAJOR  FAIRRANK; 


FIRST.  CHAPEL, 


LniHUlU 


^V'  - 


THOMPSON  HALL,  UNIVERSITY  OF  THE  SOUTH. 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


317 


Ben  K.  Pullen  was  elected  Grand  Protector,  but  refused  to  serve,  and 
F.  Smithson  was  chosen  in  his  place.  The  latter  failed  to  perform  the 
duties  devolving  upon  the  office,  and  a called  meeting  was  held  Septem- 
ber 30,  1880,  to  elect  a Grand  Protector  to  fill  out  the  unexpired  term. 
A.  A.  Allison,  of  Fidelia  Lodge,  No.  155,  of  Gallatin,  was  chosen  to  the 
office.  A second  special  session  of  the  Grand  Lodge  was  held  in  Knights 
of  Pythias  Hall  in  Nashville,  December  12  and  13,  1881. 

After  the  reports  of  several  committees,  and  that  of  the  Grand  Pro- 
tector had  been  received,  an  animated  discussion  arose  as  to  the  pow- 
ers of  the  Grand  Lodge  at  this  special  session.  The  Grand  Protect- 
or finally  decided  that  any  business  offered  could  be  transacted,  and  new 
officers  were  elected.  D.  B.  Gaily  was  chosen  Grand  Protector,  and 
Mrs.  E.  E.  De  Pass,  Grand  Vice-Protector.  The  Secretary  reported  a 
total  membership  of  about  1,500,  distributed  among  forty-two  working 
lodges.  The  first  biennial  session  of  the  Grand  Lodge  was  held  April 
2,  1883.  But  little  except  routine  business  was  transacted.  The  Secre- 
tary reported  forty-one  lodges  in  working  order,  with  an  aggregate  mem- 
bership of  1,650.  The  Protector  reported  that  up  to  that  time  there 
had  been  paid  to  the  families  of  deceased  members  in  Tennessee  benefits 
to  the  amount  of  over  $80,000.  At  this  meeting  B.  J.  F.  Owen  -was 
elected  Grand  Protector,  and  Mrs.  J.  E.  Jordan,  Grand  Vice-Protector, 
April  13,  1885,  the  Grand  Lodge  convened  in  second  biennial  session 
at  Nashville,  and  w^as  opened  in  due  form.  The  Grand  Protector  re- 
ported forty-five  lodges  in  the  State,  with  about  1,800  beneficiary  mem- 
bers. He  also  reported  that  the  State  had  drawn  benefits  to  the  amount 
of  $116,873.65,  and  paid  in  assessments  $73,908.15.  After  business  of  a 
miscellaneous  character  was  transacted  the  following  officers  were  elected : 
George  E.  Hawkins,  Grand  Protector;  Mrs.  Dosie  Brooks,  Grand  Vice- 
Protector;  George  Fuller,  Grand  Secretary;  R.  A.  Campbell,  Grand 
Treasurer;  Mrs.  Olive  Peacock,  Grand  Chaplain;  Mrs.  Josephine  Mac- 
kenzie, Grand  Guide;  I.  C.  Garner,  Grand  Guardian,  and  J.  T.  Macken- 
zie, Grand  Sentinel.  W.  L.  Grigsby  was  elected  representative  to  the 
Supreme  Lodge,  with  W.  R.  Kendall  as  alternate.  The  lodge  holds  its 
next  biennial  session  in  April,  1887. 

On  May  9,  1876,  fourteen  ladies  and  gentlemen  met  in  the  city  of 
Knoxville  and  resolved,  after  a preliminary  discussion,  to  apply  for  a 
charter  under  the  laws  of  Tennessee,  that  they  might  organize  an  order 
to  be  known  and  styled  the  United  Order  of  the  Golden  Cross,  together 
with  provisions  for  the  pecuniary  relief  of  sick  or  distressed  members, 
and  the  establishment  of  a benefit  fund  from  which  should  be  paid  to  the 
friends  of  deceased  members  a sum  not  to  exceed  $2,000.  The  charter 


2Q 


318 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


was  granted,  and  on  July  4,  1870,  tlie  Supreme  Commandery  was  organ- 
ized. The  first  Subordinate  Commandery  organized  was  Peace  No.  1,  at 
Knoxville,  on  July  11.  The  order  increased  quite  rapidly,  and  on  May 
10,  1877,  a called  meeting  of  the  Supreme  Commandery  of  the  World  was 
held  at  Knoxville  for  the  purpose  of  organizing  a Grand  Commandery  for 
the  State  of  Tennessee.  The  members  present  were  J.  H.  Morgan,  Su- 
preme Commander;  Addie  Wood,  Supreme  Vice-Commander ; Isaac 
Emory,  Supreme  Prelate;  D.  H.  Weaver,  Supreme  Keeper  of  Records; 
William  Wood,  Supreme  Treasurer;  R.  A.  Brown,  Supreme  Herald;  C. 

J.  Gocliwend,  Supreme  Warden  of  the  Inner  Gate;  E.  W.  Adkins,  Su- 
preme Warden  of  the  Outside  Gate;  Harvey  Clark,  Supreme  Post  Com- 
mander; W.  R.  Cooper,  Mary  Adkins,  Maggie  P.  Morgan,  M.  E.  Weav- 
ers and  A.  M.  Emory.  An  election  of  grand  officers  was  held,  which  re- 
sulted as  follows:  E.  E.  Young,  P.  G.  C. ; A.  J.  Baird,  G.  C. ; A.  M. 
Emory,  G.  V.  C. ; S.  H.  Day,  G.  P. ; George  W.  Henderson,  G.  K.  of  R. ; 

E.  W.  Adkins,  G.  T. ; J.  A.  Ruble,  G.  H. ; Addie  Wood,  G.  W.  I.  G. ; W. 

J.  Fagan,  G.  W.  O.  G.  J.  C.  Flanders  was  elected  Representative  to  the 
Supreme  Commandery  for  one  year,  and  George  B.  Staddan  for  two  years. 
The  whole  number  of  third  degree  members  reported  at  this  time  was 
317.  Both  the  first  and  second  annual  sessions  of  the  Supreme  Com- 
mandery were  held  in  Knoxville,  but  the  growth  of  the  order  was  rapid  in 
the  other  States,  and  the  third  session  was  held  at  Washington,  D.  C. 
The  Grand  Commandery  held  its  first  annual  meeting  in  Cleveland,  Tenn., 
on  April  16.  1878,  at  which  time  A.  J.  Baird  was  chosen  Grand  Com- 
mander, and  Addie  Wood,  Grand  Vice-Commander.  Seven  new  lodges 
were  organized  during  the  preceding  year,  which  increased  the  member- 
ship to  598.  The  second  annual  session  and  all  succeeding  ones  have  j 
been  held  at  Nashville.  At  the  meeting  in  1880  it  was  decided  to  hold 
biennial  instead  of  annual  sessions,  and  accordingly  the  next  convention  j 
e>f  the  Grand  Lodge  occurred  on  April  18,  1882.  Two  sessions  have 
since  been  held.  The  Grand  Commanders  elected  since  1878  have  been 
S.  H.  Day,  1879;  J.  H.  W.  Jones,  1880;  R.  G.  Rothrock,  1882;  C.  S. 
McKenna,  1884  and  R.  A.  Campbell,  1886.  The  other  officers  at  pres- 
ent are  E.  J.  Roach,  G.  V.  C. ; W.  W.  Ownby,  G.  P. ; George  B.  Stad- 
dan, G.  K.  of  R. ; E.  W.  Adkins,  G.  T. ; Belle  McMurray,  G.  H. ; J.  L. 
Webb,  G.  W.  I.  G. ; D.  S.  Wright,  G.  W.  O.  G.  The  membership  in 
1880  was  766;  in  1882,  1,036;  and  on  January  1,  1884,  1,114  The 
influence  of  this  order  is  always  for  good,  and  no  person  not  pledged  to 
total  abstinence  from  all  intoxicating  liquors  is  admitted  to  membership. 

The  order  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  was  introduced  by  the  estab- 
lishment of  Holston  Lodge,  No.  1,  at  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  in  March,  1872. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


319 


Soon  after  lodges  were  established  at  Chattanooga,  Nashville,  Memphis, 
and  other  points  throughout  the  State.  The  Grand  Lodge  was  organized 
at  Nashville,  April  2,  1872,  by  Supreme  Chancellor,  Samuel  Read,  of 
'New  Jersey.  There  Avere  present  representatives  from  six  lodges:  Hol- 
ston  Lodge,  No.  1,  of  Knoxville;  Damon  Lodge,  No.  2,  of  Chattanooga; 
Myrtle  Lodge,  No.  3,  of  Nashville;  Bayard  Lodge,  No.  4,  of  Murfreesboro; 
Tennessee  Lodge,  No.  5,  and  Memphis  Lodge,  No.  6,  both  of  Memphis. 
The  first  Grand  Chancellor  was  Calvin  McCorkle,  of  Knoxville.  The  rep- 
resentatives to  the  Supreme  Lodge  elected  at  the  same  time  are  W.  Brice 
Thompson,  of  Nashville,  and  W.  R.  Butler,  of  Murfreesboro.  Since  the 
organization  of  the  Grand  Lodge  the  chancellors  have  been  T.  S.  Jukes, 
of  Memphis;  Alexander  Allison,  of  Knoxville;  W.  P.  Robertson,  of  Jack- 
son  ; J.  J.  Atkins,  of  Knoxville ; B.  H.  Owen,  of  Clarksville ; H.  S.  Reyn- 
olds, of  Memphis:  R.  L.  C.  White,  of  Lebanon;  E.  S.  Mallory,  of  Jack- 
son;  R.  J.  Wheeler,  of  Nashville;  W.  C.  Caldwell,  of  Trenton;  W.  R. 
Carlile,  of  Chattanooga;  George  S.  Seay,  of  Gallatin;  L.  D.  McCord,  of 
Pulaski,  and  M.  M.  Niel,  of  Trenton,  the  present  incumbent. 

H.  S.  Reynolds,  was  chairman  of  K.  of  P.  Relief  Committee  at  Mem- 
phis during  the  yellow  fever  epidemic  of  1878,  and  remained  in  the  city, 
discharging  his  duties,  until  he  fell  ill  and  died  of  the  disease.  In  recog- 
nition of  his  noble  work  and  sacrifice  of  his  life  the  Supreme  Lodge  of 
the  World,  by  special  dispensation,  placed  his  name  on  the  roll  of  Past 
Grand  Chancellors  in  the  following  words:  “ The  name  of  Brother  Reyn- 
olds is  placed  upon  the  list  of  Past  Grand  Chancellors,  though  he  died 
during  his  term  as  Grand  Chancellor;  but  he  died  nobly  at  his  post  of 
duty,  and  immortalized  his  name  in  the  annals  of  Pythian  Knighthood.” 

There  are  at  present  twenty-six  lodges  in  the  State,  ivith  an  aggre- 
gate membership  of  2,012.  Financially  the  order  is  in  excellent  con- 
dition, there  being  on  hand  in  the  treasuries  of  subordinate  lodges  on 
December  31,  1885,  the  amount  of  $5,543.64  cash,  while  the  value  of 
lodge  furniture  and  real  estate  is  estimated  at  $21,597.  The  Grand  offi- 
cers, elected  at  Clarksville,  in  May  1886,  are  as  follows:  Sitting  Past 
Grand  Chancellor,  George  E.  Seay,  of  Gallatin;  Grand  Chancellor,  M. 
M.  Neil,  of  Trenton;  Grand  Vice-Chancellor,  Henry  W.  Morgan,  of 
Nashville;  Grand  Prelate,  G.  B.  Wilson,  of  Clarksville;  Grand  Keeper 
and  Recorder  of  Seals,  R.  L.  C.  White,  of  Lebanon ; Grand  Master  of  Ex- 
chequer, W.  A.  Wade,  of  Milan;  Grand  Master  of  Arms,  T.  C.  Latimore, 
of  Chattanooga;  Grand  Inner  Guard,  E.  L.  Bullock,  of  Jackson;  Grand 
Outer  Guard,  W.  G.  Sadler,  of  Nashville;  and  representatives  to  the 
Supreme  Lodge,  George  E.  Seay,  of  Gallatin,  and  R.  L.  C.  White,  of 
Lebanon. 


320 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE 


The  Grand  Council  of  the  American  Legion  of  Honor  Avas  organized 
at  Nashville,  August  3,  1882,  by  Deputy  Supreme  Commander  Michael 
Brooks.  Past  Commanders  from  ten  councils  throughout  the  State 
were  present,  and  the  folloAving  Grand  officers  Avere  elected:  George  F. 
Hager,  Past  Grand  Commander,  Nashville;  S.  H.  Day,  Grand  Command- 
er, Cleveland;  George  F.  Fuller,  Grand  Vice-Commander,  Nashville;  W. 
Z.  Mitchell,  Grand  Orator,  Memphis;  Frank  Winsliip,  Grand  Secretary, 
Pulaski;  Frank  A.  Moses,  Grand  Treasurer,  Knoxville;  J.  Radomsky, 
Grand  Guide,  Nashville;  E.  G.  Buford,  Grand  Sentry,  Pulaski;  W.  Z. 
Mitchell,  George  F.  Hager  and  Julius  Ochs,  Grand  Trustees.  George  F. 
Hager  was  also  chosen  representative  to  the  Supreme  Council. 

The  growth  of  this  order  in  Tennessee  as  in  other  States,  has  been 
rapid,  and  owing  to  its  careful  and  economical  management  it  is  in  a 
splendid  condition  financially.  There  are  uoav  in  the  State  sixteen  sub- 
ordinate councils  Avith  a membership  of  about  900.  The  Grand  Council 
now  holds  biennial  sessions.  The  following  are  the  present  officers: 
George  F.  Hager,  Grand  Commander,  Nashville;  Joseph  Wassaman, 
Grand  Vice-Commander,  Chattanooga;  W.  Z.  Mitchell,  Grand  Orator, 
Memphis;  Alexander  Allison,  Past  Grand  Commander,  Knoxville;  F.  C. 
Richmond,  Grand  Secretary,  Knoxville;  F.  A.  Moses,  Grand  Treasurer, 
Knoxville;  John  T.  Rogers,  Grand  Guide,  Cleveland;  Samuel  Strauss, 
Grand  Chaplain,  Chattanooga;  Henry  Benzing,  Grand  Warden,  Nash- 
ville; L.  Williams,  Grand  Sentry,  Cleveland.  W.  Z.  Mitchell,  Memphis; 
John  B.  Everitt,  Nashville;  Henry  Benzing,  Nashville,  Grand  Trustees. 

The  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen  originated  in  Meadville, 
Penn.,  in  October,  1868.  The  first  lodge  organized  in  Tennessee  Avas  Ten- 
nessee Lodge,  No.  2,  instituted  at  Nashville,  November  26,  1876.  When 
this  lodge  was  organized  it  Avas  supposed  that  Lodge  No.  1 had  been 
formed  at  Memphis,  but  this  was  found  to  be  a mistake,  and  consequent- 
ly there  has  been  no  lodge  of  that  number  in  the  State.  On  February- 
22,  1877,  representatives  from  six  subordinate  lodges  met  in  Nashville, 
and  organized  a Grand  Lodge  Avitli  the  folloAving  officers:  Dr.  G.  Schiff, 
Past  Grand  Master  Workman;  John  W.  Childress,  Grand  Master  Work- 
man; John  M.  Brooks,  Grand  Foreman;  D.  W.  Hughes,  Grand  Overseer ; 
Thomas  H.  Everett,  Grand  Recorder;  J.  M.  Barnes,  Grand  Receiver;  P. 
R.  Albert,  Grand  Guide;  C.  A.  Thompson,  Grand  Watchman;  Dr.  G. 
Schiff,  John  Frizzell  and  John  W.  Childress,  Supreme  Representatives. 
According  to  the  provisions  of  the  constitution  adopted,  the  meetings  of 
the  Grand  Lodge  are  held  at  Nashville  on  the  third  Tuesday  in  January. 
Annual  sessions  Avere  held  until  1883,  when  biennial  sessions  were  sub- 
stituted. In  1878  the  number  of  subordinate  lodges  Avas  thirteen,  with  a- 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


321 


membership  of  742.  There  are  now  in  the  State  fifty -four  lodges  and 
1,900  members.  The  A.  O.  U.  W.  is  said  to  be  the  oldest  beneficiary 
secret  society  in  this  country.  It  embraces  in  its  membership  men  of 
every  vocation,  profession  and  occupation,  employes  and  employers, 
workers  of  all  classes.  It  has  no  connection  with  any  religious  sect  or 
political  party,  but  is  designed  to  promote  mental  and  social  improve- 
ment and  mutual  assistance.  The  amount  paid  in  benefits  in  Tennessee 
since  its  introduction  into  the  State  is  over  $562,000. 

The  order  of  Eoyal  Arcanum  originated  in  Massachusetts,  where  the 

■ Supreme  Council  was  incorporated  November  5,  1877.  The  first  council 
established  in  Tennessee  was  Nashville  Council,  No.  98,  organized  May 
22,  1878,  with  twenty-eight  charter  members.  During  the  nest  eight- 
een months  councils  were  organized  at  Memphis,  Knoxville,  Chatta- 
nooga, Tracy  City,  Shelby ville,  Edgefield,  South  Nashville,  and  a second 
lodge  in  Nashville.  On  February  20,  1878,  official  notice  was  received 
that  a dispensation  to  form  a Grand  Council  of  the  Eoyal  Arcanum  for 
the  State  would  be  granted  upon  the  assembling  of  a sufficient  number 

■ of  Past  Eegents  to  constitute  the  same  at  Pythian  Hall,  Nashville,  on 
March  9,  following.  In  accordance  with  this  notice  a meeting  was  held 
at  which  were  present  twelve  Past  Eegents,  representing  seven  subordinate 
councils.  The  following  officers  were  elected:  A.  B.  Tavel,  Grand  Ee- 
gent;  W.  Z.  Mitchell,  Grand  Yice-Eegent;  A.  M.  Shook,  Grand  Orator;  J. 
B.  Everett,  Past  Grand  Eegent;  I.  Iv.  Chase,  Grand  Secretary;  T.  H. 
Everett,  Grand  Treasurer ; E.  A.  Campbell,  Grand  Chaplain ; W.  C.  Dib- 
rell,  Grand  Guide;  T.  M.  Sclileier,  Grand  Warden;  W.  P.  Phillips,  Grand 
Sentry.  Supreme  Eegent  J.  M.  Swain  then  proceeded  at  once  to  in- 
stall the  Grand  officers,  after  which  he  pronounced  the  Grand  Council 
legally  instituted.  A constitution  was  adopted,  and  the  first  session  was 
closed.  Since  that  time  meetings  of  the  Grand  Council  have  been  held 
in  Nashville  in  March  of  each  year.  Although  the  growth  of  the  order 
in  the  State  has  not  been  rapid,  it  has  been  remarkably  well  managed, 
and  is  now  one  of  the  most  prosperous  of  the  beneficiary  societies.  The 
number  of  members  in  Tennessee  January  1,  1880,  was  549.  January 
1,  1886,  it  was  1,106,  distributed  among  twelve  subordinate  councils. 
Since  that  time  Hermitage  Council  has  been  organized  in  North  Nash- 
ville, with  twenty-three  charter  members.  Of  the  Widows’  and  Ophans’ 
Benefit  Fund  there  was  received,  in  the  six  years  from  1880  to  1885  in- 
clusive, $105,383.01,  while  for  the  same  period  there  was  disbursed 
$168,000. 

The  following  have  been  the  Grand  Eegents  elected  since  the  first 
■meeting:  W.  Z.  Mitchell,  1881:  Charles  Mitchell,  1882;  L.  A.  Gratz, 


322 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


1883;  Joseph  Towler,  1884;  H.  W.  Morgan,  1885;  David  Douglas,  1886. 
The  Grand  Secretary,  up  to  1885,  was  Irvine  K.  Chase.  Since  that  time 
the  office  has  been  filled  by  Thomas  Taylor. 

On  the  27th  of  February,  1882,  George  H.  Thomas  Post,  No.  1, 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  was  organized  at  Nashville.  At  the  out- 
set the  Post  was  very  weak,  numbering  only  sixteen  charter  members. 
May  1,  1883,  the  Provisional  Department  of  Tennessee  and  Georgia  was 
formed,  with  four  posts  and  a membership  of  136.  The  posts  at  that 
time,  besides  the  one  mentioned,  were  Lookout,  No.  2,  at  Chattanooga; 
Memphis,  No.  3,  and  Lincoln,  No.  4,  at  Nashville.  The  Department  of 
Tennessee  and  Georgia,  comprising  the  States  of  Tennessee,  Georgia 
and  Alabama,  was  organized  February  26,  1884,  under  special  order  No. 
4,  from  national  headquarters.  The  following  were  the  department 
officers  elected:  Department  Commander,  Edward  S.  Jones,  Post  1;  S. 
Y.  Department  Commander,  S.  S.  Garrett,  Post  3;  J.  V.  Department 
Commander,  Newton  T.  Beal,  Post  17 ; Medical  Director,  Frank  Weise, 
Post  1 ; Department  Chaplain,  W.  J.  Smith,  Post  3 ; Assistant  Adjutant- 
General,  James  Chamberlin,  Post  1;  Acting  Assistant  Adjutant-General, 
Charles  W.  Norwood,  Post  2;  Assistant  Quartermaster-General,  Henry 
Trauernicht,  Post  1 ; Department  Inspector,  Henry  R.  Hinkle,  Post  6 ; 
Judge  Advocate,  L.  A.  Gratz,  Post  14;  Chief  Mustering  Officer,  J.  T. 
Wolverton,  Post  7 ; Council  of  Administration,  Edward  M.  Main,  Post  1;. 
T.  B.  Edgington,  Post  3;  Peter  Martin,  Post  4;  A.  B.  Wilson,  Post  8; 
Samuel  Long,  Post  17.  The  first  annual  encampment  was  held  at  Chat- 
tanooga February  26  and  27,  1885,  at  which  time  the  Department  Com- 
mander reported  twenty-eight  posts  on  the  rolls,  numbering  989  members 
in  good  standing.  The  department  now  numbers  fifty  posts,  having  an 
aggregate  membership  of  nearly  2,000. 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


323 


CHAPTER  XI. 


State  Institutions— Early  Management  of  the  Finances— The  Creation  of 
the  State  Debt — The  Bonds  Refunded— The  Question  of  Repudiation 
— Measures  to  Liquidate  the  Indebtedness— The  State  Banks— The  In- 
ternal Improvement  Era — State  Railroad  Stock— Improvement  of 
Navigable  Water-courses — The  Turnpike  Companies  — Illustrative 
Receipts  and  Disbursements — Internal  Railway  Projects — The  Intro- 
duction of  Steam  Water-craft — Catalog  of  State  Officers — Elec- 
tion Returns— Formation  of  Counties — Population  by  Decades — Sta- 
tistics, Etc. 

HAD  it  been  possible  to  maintain  the  primitive  simplicity  of  the 
early  government,  little  difficulty  would  have  arisen  concerning 
its  financial  management.  The  expenditures  and  receipts  were  very 
evenly  balanced,  the  former  consisting  mainly  in  defraying  the  expenses 
of  legislation.  In  the  Territorial  Assembly  of  1794  Mr.  Donelson,  from 
the  committee  appointed  to  estimate  the  expenses  for  that  year,  reported 
the  probable  expenditures  at  $2,390.  The  rates  of  taxation,  as  fixed  at 
this  session,  were  12^  cents  on  each  ivliite  poll;  50  cents  on  each  black 
poll;  $1  for  each  town  lot,  and  25  cents  on  each  100  acres  of  land.  The 
Council  had  strongly  urged  that  a tax  of  124  cents  upon  land  was  suffi- 
cient, but  after  considerable  discussion,  and  several  offers  to  compromise 
on  their  part,  they  were  forced  to  yield  to  the  House,  which  stood  firm 
for  the  rate  fixed. 

The  following  is  a detailed  account  of  the  expenses  of  the  Legislative 
Council  and  House  of  Representatives  for  the  session  beginning  August 
25,  1794,  and  ending  September  30,  1794.  The  per  diem  allowance  for 
each  member  and  each  clerk  was  $2.50,  and  for  each  door  keeper  $1.75. 
All  were  allowed  for  ferriages,  and  $2.50  for  each  twenty-five  miles  of 


travel. 

LEGISLATIVE  COUNCIL. 

Griffith  Rutherford,  37  days,  322  miles,  4 ferries $125  70 

John  Sevier,  37  days,  200  miles,  2 ferries 112  16£ 

Stockley  Donelson,  37  days,  130  miles,  4 ferries 105  83£ 

James  Winchester,  15  days,  312  miles,  4 ferries 69  70 

Parmenas  Taylor,  37  days,  102  miles,  2 ferries 102  86| 

G.  Roulstone,  clerk,  37  days 92  50 

Stationery  and  engrossing 47  50 

William  Maclin,  clerk,  37  days,  380  miles,  4 ferries 131  50 

Stationery  and  engrossing 47  50 

Christopher  Shoat,  doorkeeper,  37  days 64  75 

Thomas  Bounds,  doorkeeper,  34  days,  12  miles 60  70 

JohD  Stone,  house  rent 10  00 

> 


$970  71  f- 


324 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES. 


David  Wilson,  37  days,  310  miles,  4 ferries $124  00 

James  White,  37  days,  370  miles,  4 ferries 130  00 

James  Ford,  37  days,  420  miles,  4 ferries 135  00 

William  Cocke,  17  days,  100  miles,  2 ferries 52  33$ 

Joseph  McMinn,  37  days,  170  miles,  2 ferries 109  83$ 

George  Rutledge,  37  days,  240  miles,  2 ferries. ...  116  83$ 

Joseph  Hardin,  37  days,  150  miles,  2 ferries 107  60| 

Leroy  Taylor,  35  days,  200  miles,  2 ferries 107  66$ 

John  Tipton,  26  days,  218  miles,  2 ferries 86  91$ 

George  Doherty,  37  days,  60  miles,  2 ferries .■.  98  66$ 

Samuel  Wear,  37  days,  60  miles,  2 ferries 98,66$ 

Alexander  Kelly,  30  days,  25  miles,  2 ferries 77  66$ 

John  Baird,  31  days,  30  miles 80  50 

H.  Lacy,  clerk,  20  days,  100  miles,  2 ferries 60  33$ 

B.  Harle,  clerk,  37  days,  150  miles,  2 ferries 107  66$ 

W.  L.  Lovely,  clerk,  14  days,  200  miles,  2 ferries 55  66$ 

Richard  Mynat,  doorkeeper,  37  days,  40  miles 68  75 

Stationery  and  engrossing 102  00 

James  White,  house  rent 5 00 


$1,700  16$ 

The  tax  levy  made  at  this  session  proved  amply  sufficient.  The  joint 
committee  appointed  to  settle  with  the  treasurer  of  Washington  and 
Hamilton  Districts  for  the  following  year  reported  the  finances  to  be  in 
a very  flattering  condition. 

“Tour  committee  beg  leave  to  observe  that  the  moneys  arising  from 
the  tax  levied  by  the  last  General  Assembly  very  much  exceeded  their 
most  sanguine  expectations,  and  that  such  will  be  the  state  of  the  treas- 
ury department,  that  the  next  tax  to  be  levied  may  be  very  much  les- 
sened, and  then  be  fully  commensurate  and  adequate  to  defray  every  ex- 
penditure and  necessary  contingency  of  our  government.” 

At  that  time  the  drawing  of  lotteries  was  not  an  uncommon  mode  of 
raising  money  for  the  erection  of  public  buildings  and  the  support  of 
public  enterprises  of  all  kinds.  There  seems  to  have  been  no  thought  of 
any  immoral  tendency  in  the  promotion  of  these  lotteries,  as  schools  and 
churches  frequently  instituted  them.  The  following  is  taken  from  the 
journal  of  the  Assembly  of  1794:  “A  bill  to  authorize  the  drawing  of  a 
lottery  in  the  District  of  Mero  for  raising  a fund  for  erecting  a district 
gaol  and  stocks  in  Nashville;  endorsed,  read  the  third  time,  and  passed.” 
One  of  the  first  acts  passed  after  the  organization  of  the  State  gov- 
ernment was  that  establishing  a treasury  for  the  districts  of  Washing- 
ton and  Hamilton,  and  another  for  Mero  District.  The  treasurer  of 
Mero  District  was  ordered  to  turn  over  to  the  other  treasury  each  year 
all  the  money  remaining  on  hand,  within  six  days  after  the  meeting  of  the 
General  Assembly.  This  plan  was  followed  until  the  seat  of  government 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


325 


was  changed.  While  located  at  Nashville  or  Murfreesboro  the  transfer 
of  funds  was  reversed,  and  the  treasurer  of  East  Tennessee  reported  to 
the  treasurer  of  the  other  division  of  the  State.  After  the  settlement  of 
West  Tennessee  another  treasury  was  established,  and  the  balance  of 
money  remaining  on  hand  in  each  of  the  other  districts  at  the  end  of  the 
year  was  delivered  to  the  treasurer  of  Middle  Tennessee.  In  1836  the 
three  treasuries  were  consolidated,  and  the  first  State  treasurer  elected 
At  the  same  time  the  office  of  comptroller  was  created. 

The  following  is  the  report  of  the  Committee  on  Finance  at  the  first 
■General  Assembly  in  1796: 

Receipts  by  the  treasurer  of  Washington  and  Ham- 


ilton Districts $6,380  63 

Disbursements 5,838  03 

Balance  in  the  treasury $ 542  60 

Receipts  by  the  treasurer  of  Mero  District $4,900  37/G 

Disbursements  2,297  33f 

Balance  in  the  treasury $2,603  03^ 

Whole  amount  on  hand $3,145  63/g 


The  first  treasurer  of  Mero  District  was  Howell  Tatum;  of  the  dis- 
tricts of  Hamilton  and  Washington,  Landon  Carter.  The  expenses  of 
the  first  General  Assembly  were  $2,351.70.  For  the  two  years  1805  and 
1806  the  total  amount  of  revenue  collected  was  $36,181.72.  The  dis- 
bursements for  the  same  period  were  $30,110.18,  and  the  balance  re- 
maining in  the  treasury  was  $8,253.19.  For  the  years  1817  and  1818 
the  receipts  were  $118,008. 17-J,  the  disbursements  $62,689.31,  and  the 
balance  remaining  in  the  treasury  $83,183.35T.  These  amounts  do  not 
include  the  money  set  apart  for  the  use  of  school  and  academies.  In  the 
settlement  for  1825-26  an  item  of  $3,826.50  is  charged  for  the  expenses 
of  Gen.  Lafayette,  a large  amount  for  such  a purpose  at  that  time,  show- 
ing that  the  State  entertained  the  French  hero  of  the  Revolution  in  a 
fitting  manner.  The  following  is  an  itemized  account  of  the  expendi- 


tures for  the  years  1829  and  1830: 

Legislature $40,965  20 

Executive 5,687  50 

Judges 46,004  60 

Attorney-general 1,909  00 

Militia 708  88 

Public  printing 12,445  18 

Criminal  prosecutions 23,041  86 

County  Commissioners 1,912  27 

Sheriffs’ releases v 3,343  98 

Treasurers’  commissson 5,374  74 

Enumeration 31  86 


326 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Solicitors $3,518  05 

Revenue  paid  out 3,487  53 

Wolf  scalps 2,676  00 

Miscellaneous 18,171  20 


$169,277  85 

The  receipts  for  the  same  period  were $175,986  52 


Up  to  this  time  the  government  had  been  economically  administered, 
and  Avas  free  from  debt.  But  it  seems  impossible  for  any  State  to  emerge 
from  the  simplicity  of  the  pioneer  organization  to  the  full  development 
of  a great  commonAvealtli  Avithout  incurring  liabilities  beyond  its  potver  to 
meet  at  the  time  they  are  incurred,  and  it  requires  the  Avisest  and  most 
careful  management  not  to  overstep  the  limits  beyond  Avhich  it  is  impos- 
sible to  recover.  Tennessee  has  been  peculiarly  unfortunate  in  this  re- 
gard. Drawn  into  the  extravagant  schemes  of  the  internal  improvement 
era,  she  Avas  almost  overwhelmed  by  the  losses  and  disasters  of  the  civil 
war,  and  still  further  embarrassed  by  the  rash  and  inconsiderate  legisla- 
tion of  the  reconstruction  period;  and  it  is  only  during  the  present  ad- 
ministration that  the  question,  how  to  preserve  the  honor  and  credit  of 
the  State,  and  yet  Avork  no  hardship  to  the  taxpayer,  seems  to  have  been 
solved. 

The  first  indebtedness  of  the  State  was  incurred  in  1833,  Avlien  $500,- 
000  of  bonds  Avere  issued  for  stock  in  the  Union  Bank.  Under  the  acts 
providing  for  internal  improvements  and  the  State  Bank  the  bonded  in- 
debtedness rapidly  increased.  In  his  message  to  the  Legislature  in 
October,  1839,  Gov.  Polk  presents  the  folloAving  statement  of  the 
financial  condition  of  the  State:  “The  Avliole  public  debt,  exclusive  of  the 
internal  improvement  bonds  authorized  to  be  issued  by  the  last  General 
Assembly,  and  exclusive  of  the  State’s  portion  of  the  Federal  revenue  held 
on  deposit,  amounts  only  to  the  sum  of  $1,763,666,621.  To  meet  this  the 
State  oAvns  $646,600  of  stock  in  the  Union  Bank,  $1,000,000  in  the 
Bank  of  Tennessee,  and  $263,666.66§  in  internal  improvement  compa- 
nies, chartered  previous  to  the  last  session  of  the  General  Assembly. 
The  internal  improvement  bonds  which  have  been  issued  under  the  act 
of  the  last  General  Assembly  bearing  an  interest  of  5 per  cent  , amount 
to  $899,580,  making  the  Avliole  public  debt  of  the  State  of  every  de- 
scription, exclusive  of  the  Federal  surplus  revenue  which  she  holds  on 
deposit,  $2,666, 166. 66§.”  The  amount  of  the  surplus  revenue  received  by 
the  State  Avas  $1,353,209.55,  none  of  which  was  ever  returned  to  the 
General  Government. 

The  repeal  of  the  internal  improvement  laAvs  in  1840  stopped  the 
issue  of  bonds  to  neAv  companies,  but  as  it  did  not  interfere  Avith  work 
already  begun  bonds  to  a considerable  amount  were  afterward  issued 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


327 

under  those  laws,  so  that  the  liabilities  of  the  State  had  increased  by 
October,  1843,  to  $3,269,416.66.  During  the  next  eight  years  the  growth 
of  the  debt  was  not  so  great.  The  only  appropriations  made  except  for 
the  necessary  expenses  of  the  government,  were  for  the  erection  of  the 
capitol,  two  issues  of  bonds  being  made  under  acts  of  1848  and  1850. 
The  comptroller’s  report  for  1851  shows  the  total  indebtedness  to  be 
$3,651,856.66,  an  increase  of  less  than  $400,000  in  eight  years. 

The  General  Assembly  of  1851-52  passed  an  act  directing  the  Gov- 
ernor to  purchase,  for  the  State,  500  acres  of  land  belonging  to  the  estate 
of  Andrew  Jackson,  including  the  mansion  and  tomb.  This  was  accord- 
ingly done  at  a cost  of  $48,000,  for  which  bonds  were  issued.  During 
the  same  year  $30,000  of  bonds  were  also  issued  to  the  agricultural 
bureau.  Additional  capitol  bonds  were  issued  in  1852,  1854,  1856  and 
1860,  making  the  entire  amount  for  that  purpose,  $866,000.  These 
bonds  with  the  previous  issues,  which  had  not  been  taken  up  or  canceled, 
amounted  to  $3,896,606.06,  which  constituted  what  was  known  as  “the 
State  debt  proper,”  at  the  opening  of  the  war.  This  debt  bore  an  annual 
interest  of  $212,388.25.  At  the  same  time  the  bonds  loaned  and  endorsed 
to  the  various  railroad  companies  under  the  internal  improvement  sys- 
tem, established  by  the  Legislature  of  1851-52,  amounted  to  $13,959,000, 
the  interest  upon  which  was  paid  by  the  companies.  This  was  the  finan- 
cial condition  of  the  State  in  1861.  There  were  issued  to  railroads  im- 
mediately after  the  war,  bonds  to  the  amount  of  $14,513,000,  making  the- 
entire  liabilities  of  the  State,  including  unpaid  interest,  over  $35,000,000. 
The  settlement  of  this  enormous  debt  from  that  time  until  the  present 
lias  been  paramount  to  all  other  questions  of  legislation.  For  the  his- 
tory of  this  subject  since  the  war,  this  volume  is  largely  indebted  to  the- 
very  thorough  resume  by  Gov.  Bate  in  his  message  to  the  Legislature  of 
1883.  The  first  act  to  provide  for  the  funding  of  the  State’s  indebted- 
ness was  passed  November  23,  1865.  It  authorized  and  instructed  the 
governor  to  issue  6 per  cent  coupon  bonds  to  an  amount  sufficient  to 
pay  off  all  the  bonds  and  interest  past  due  as  well  as  that  to  fall  due 
during  the  two  following  years.  Under  this  act  there  were  funded 
$4,941,000  of  bonds.  A similar  act  passed  in  1868  provided  for  the 
funding  of  bonds  maturing  during  the  years  1868,  1869  and  1870,  and 
under  it  were  issued  $2,200,000  of  bonds  bearing  6 per  cent  interest. 
Under  an  act  of  1852  and  its  amendments  which  provided  for  the  substi- 
tution of  coupon  bonds  for  those  without  coupons,  there  were  issued 
$697,000  of  bonds  known  as  “renewals.” 

In  1873  the  Legislature  passed  another  act  known  as  “the  funding 
act”  under  which  various  classes  and  kinds  of  bonds  were  funded,  andr 


328 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


bonds  issued  for  past  due  interest  upon  them  amounting  to  $6,641,000. 
So  objectionable  was  this  to  the  people  that  at  the  ensuing  Legislature 
all  provisions  for  the  payment  of  interest  under  this  act  were  repealed. 

An  act  to  fund  the  State  debt  in  bonds  at  100  cents  on  the  dollar  and 
3 per  cent  annual  interest,  was  passed  by  the  Forty-second  General 
Assembly,  and  became  a law  on  April  6,  1881.  Before  this  was  in  full 
operation  it  was  thrown  into  the  courts  by  injunction,  and  finally  declared 
by  the  supreme  court  unconstitutional  and  void;  hence  no  bonds  were 
issued  under  this  act.  The  same  General  Assembly  was  convened  in  a 
third  extraordinary  session,  and  its  labors  during  this  extra  session  on 
May  19,  1882,  resulted  in  the  passage  of  what  is  known  as  the  “ 60-6 
act,”  authorizing  the  issue  of  bonds  at  the  rate  of  60  cents  on  the  dollar 
for  the  old  bonds  and  the  past  due  interest  upon  them,  payable  in  thirty 
years,  bearing  interest  as  follows:  The  first  two  years  3 per  cent  ; 

the  next  two  years  4 per  cent;  then  6 per  cent  for  two  years  and  6 per 
cent  for  the  remainder  of  the  time.  It  was  also  enacted  that  the  funding 
should  cease  after  January  1,  1883,  leaving  all  bonds  not  so  funded  un- 
provided for.  The  act  went  into  effect  immediately  after  its  passage,  and 
before  it  expired  by  limitation  there  had  been  funded  under  its  pro- 
visions $13,706,812.77,  nearly  one-tliird  of  which  was  made  up  of 
coupons.  None  of  these  five  funding  acts  were  satisfactory  to  both  the 
people  and  the  creditors.  During  the  entire  discussion  of  this  subject 
there  has  been  much  difference  of  opinion  as  to  the  State’s  moral  and 
legal  obligation  to  pay  the  debt  in  full.  Many  have  held  that  the  State 
should  pay  the  debt  in  full  without  regard  to  the  manner  in  which  it  was 
contracted.  The  sentiments  of  these  persons  are  expressed  by  Gov.  Por- 
ter in  a message  to  the  Legislature: 

“The  settlement  of  this  debt  is  paramount  to  all  questions  of  legisla- 
tion that  can  engage  the  attention  of  the  General  Assembly;  it  involves 
the  honor  and  good  name  of  the  State,  the  credit  and  honor  of  every  one 
of  its  citizens.  It  is  a liability  that  was  voluntarily  contracted,  and 
whether  it  was  wisely  created  or  not  cannot  now  be  a question.  I hold 
and  have  always  believed  that  in  the  light  of  moral  and  legal  duty,  as  a 
question  of  commercial  honor  and  State  pride,  the  best  settlement  of  the 
debt  for  Tennessee  would  be  to  pay  the  entire  debt  according  to  the 
terms  of  the  contract.” 

Gov.  Hawkins  expresses  the  same  opinion.  He  says:  “I  am  free  to 
declare  that  to  my  mind  there  can  be  no  well  founded  question  as  to  the 
moral  and  legal  obligation  of  the  State  for  the  ultimate  payment  of  the 
bonds.”  A large  part  of  those  who  entertained  no  doubts  as  to  the  va- 
lidity of  the  entire  debt  considered  its  payment  in  full  an  impossibility, 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


329 


and  that  taking  into  consideration  the  great  loss  m revenue  to  the  State 
occasioned  by  the  war,  it  would  be  no  dishonor  to  make  the  best  terms 
possible  with  the  owners  of  the  bonds.  This  class  in  general  supported 
the  “ 60-6  act,”  and  considered  it  an  equitable  settlement  of  the  debt. 

Others  held  that  the  bonds  issued  to  railroad  companies,  under  the 
act  of  1852,  formed  no  part  of  the  State’s  liabilities,  and  that  the  owners 
of  the  bonds  should  look  to  the  companies  for  their  payment. 

Another  class,  and  the  one  which  was  in  the  majority,  held  that  the 
liabilities  of  the  State  should  be  resolved  into  two  parts.  The  “ State 
debt  proper,”  and  the  railroad  debt  for  which  the  State  had  pledged  its 
“faith  and  credit.”  They  asserted  that  the  “State  debt  proper”  in  1882 


consisted  of  the  following  bonds: 

Capitol  bonds $493,000 

Hermitage  bonds 35,000 

Agricultural  Bureau  bonds 18,000 

Union  Bank  bonds 125,000 

Bank  of  Tennessee  bonds 214,000 

Bonds  issued  to  various  turnpike  companies 741,000 

Hiwassee  Railroad  bonds 280,000 

East  Tennessee  and  Georgia  Railroad  bonds 144,000 

Memphis  & La  Grange  Railroad  bonds 68,000 


Total $2,118,000 


These  bonds  with  the  unpaid  interest,  exclusive  of  the  interest  which 
accrued  from  April  12,  1861,  to  May  26,  1865,  it  was  held,  should  be 
funded  dollar  for  dollar,  and  that  the  new  bonds  should  bear  the  same 
rate  of  interest  which  the  original  bonds  surrendered  bore. 

It  was  contended  that  the  State,  as  a matter  of  right  and  equity,  was 
entitled  to  a large  abatement  of  the  remainder  of  the  debt.  The  grounds 
for  this  were  that  it  was  never  intended  that  the  State  would  be  called 
upon  to  pay  the  bonds  issued  to  railroad  companies ; that  a large  part  of 
those  bonds  were  issued  “by  authority  of  legislative  acts  passed  and  en- 
forced immediately  after  the  war,  and  by  Legislatures  elected  at  a time 
when  more  than  one-half,  if  not  three-fourths  of  all  the  citizens  of  Ten- 
nessee who  had  been  voters  were  disfranchised ;”  and  that  the  purchasers 
of  the  bonds  so  issued  on  account  of  this  irregularity  in  State  govern- 
ment at  the  time  of  their  issuance  and  sale  bought  them  at  greatly  re- 
duced prices.  It  was  therefore  considered  equitable  to  creditors  and  the 
State  alike  to  fund  this  part  of  the  debt  with  the  unpaid  interest,  exclu- 
sive of  that  which  accrued  during  the  war,  50  cents  on  the  dollar  and 
3 per  cent  interest.  The  only  exception  was  that  the  bonds,  no  mat- 
ter of  ^hat  issue,  held  by  literary,  educational,  and  charitable  institu- 
tions; also  those  owned  by  Mrs.  James  K.  Polk  should  be  funded  dollar 
for  dollar  at  6 per  cent  interest. 


330 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


This  plan  of  settlement  was  embodied  in  the  platform  adopted  by 
the  'Democratic  State  Convention  in  June,  1882.  Upon  that  platform  the 
canvass  was  made,  and  at  the  ensuing  election  a large  majority  of  the 
votes  were  cast  in  its  favor.  Thus  sanctioned  by  the  people  the  Governor 
reviewed  the  plan  in  his  message  to  the  Legislature,  and  a bill in  accord- 
ance with  its  provisions  was  passed  March  15,  1883.  At  that  time,  ac- 
cording to  the  closest  calculation,  the  entire  indebtedness  of  the  State 
including  principal  and  interest  amounted  to  $28,786,066.39.  Of  this 
sum  the  State  debt  proper  bonds  and  other  bonds  to  be  funded  at  6 per 
cent  made  up  $2,783,150,  leaving  $26,002,916.39  to  be  funded  at  50 
cents  on  the  dollar  and  3 per  cent  interest.  This  makes  the  total 
bonded  indebtedness  of  the  State,*  under  operation  of  the  act  of  1883, 
about  $15,784,608.19.  The  funding  board  consisting  of  the  governor, 
comptroller  and  treasurer  began  its  work  in  July,  1883,  and  on  March  8, 
1886,  bonds  to  the  amount  of  about  $19,000,000  had  been  funded. 

Since  this  plan  of  settlement  is  stamped  with  the  approval  of  the 
majority  of  the  citizens  and  taxpayers,  and  as  the  progress  of  funding 
evidences  the  acquiescence  of  the  creditors  of  the  State,  it  is  probable 
that  the  question  has  been  definitely  settled.  Should  all  the  bonds  be 
presented  for  funding,  the  State  will  ultimately  have  to  pay  $492,399 
interest  annually.  The  decisions  of  the  courts  making  the  State  liable 
for  the  payment  of  the  notes  of  the  old  Bank  of  Tennessee  have  added 
nearly  $1,000,000  to  the  debt  within  the  past  two  years.  An  act  of  the 
Legislature  of  1883  provides  for  the  issue  of  treasury  certificates  to  take 
the  place  of  bank  notes.  It  also  directs  that  $200,000  of  these  certificates 
should  be  taken  up  annually  in  the  payment  of  taxes.  No  steps  have 
yet  been  taken  toward  paying  the  bonded  indebtedness,  but  it  will  un- 
doubtedly be  a question  for  next  Legislature.  The  bonds  issued  under 
the  funding  act  of  1883  are  made  payable  in  thirty  years  and  redeem- 
able at  the  pleasure  of  the  State.  With  a continuation  of  the  present 
prosperous  and  healthy  growth,  and  with  wise  and  economical  manage- 
ment of  the  government,  the  State,  at  the  expiration  of  the  thirty  years, 
will  have  no  debt  to  refund. 

After  the  passage  of  the  ordinance  of  secession,  in  May  6,  1861,  the 
Governor  was  authorized  to  issue  $5,000,000  of  bonds  bearing  8 per 
cent  interest  payable  in  ten  years.  Only  two-fifths  of  these  bonds  were 
sold,  the  remaining  three-fifths  being  held  as  contingent,  subject  to  the 
orders  of  the  Governor  and  the  Military  and  Financial  Boards.  The 
following  month  the  act  was  amended  and  the  Governor  authorized  to 
issue  treasury  notes  in  denominations  of  from  $5  to  $100  bearing  6 
per  cent  interest  in  lieu  of  the  $3,000,000  of  bonds. 


*Gov.  Bate.  Message  of  January  12,  1885. 


HISTOEY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


331 


The  first  bank  in  which  the  State  became  a stockholder  was  incorpor- 
ated by  an  act  of  the  General  Assembly,  November  20,  1811,  under  the 
jiame  of  the  “President,  Directors  and  Company  of  the  Bank  of  the 
State  of  Tennessee.”  The  charter  provided  that  the  capital  stock  should 
not  exceed  $400,000,  divided  into  shares  of  $50  each.  Subscriptions 
for  stock  were  opened  on  January  1,  1812,  in  Knoxville,  and  in  the  fol- 
lowing counties:  Sullivan,  Carter,  Washington,  Greene,  Cocke,  Jefferson, 
Hawkins,  Sevier,  Blount,  Grainger,  Claiborne,  Anderson,  Campbell, 
Boane,  Bliea  and  Bledsoe,  to  each  of  which  were  assigned  440  shares. 
The  State  became  a stockholder  to  the  amount  of  $20,000,  but  reserved 
the  right  to  withdraw  at  the  end  of  ten  years.  The  subscriptions  were 
payable  in  gold  or  silver,  and  divided  into  eight  equal  installments.  As 
soon  as  $25,000  was  paid  in  the  stockholders  met  in  Knoxville  and  elect- 
ed officers,  except  one  director,  who  was  named  by  the  governor. 

The  main  bank  was  located  at  Knoxville,  with  branches  in  Clarksville, 
Columbia  and  Jonesboro.  No  notes  of  less  denomination  than  $5  could 
be  issued  until  1815,  when  the  limit  was  reduced  to  $1.  The  bank  was 
chartered  for  a period  of  thirty  years,  but  continued  only  until  1828, 
when  it  began  to  close  up  its  affairs,  which  was  accomplished  about 
three  years  later. 

During  the  year  1820  the  people  of  Tennessee,  in  common  with  those 
of  the  other  Western  States,  experienced  their  first  financial  panic,  and 
so  disastrous  were  the  consequences  that  Gov.  McMinn  convened  the 
Legislature  in  extra  session  to  provide  some  means  of  relief.  Accord- 
ingly, on  July  26  of  that  year,  an  act  was  passed  “to  establish  a bank 
of  the  State  of  Tennessee,  for  the  purpose  of  relieving  the  distresses  of 
the  community,  and  improving  the  revenues  of  the  State.”  The  capital 
stock  was  fixed  at  $1,000,000,  in  bills  payable  to  order  or  bearer,  to  be 
issued  on  the  credit  and  security  of  the  borrower,  and  the  whole  to  be 
warranted  by  the  State  on  the  proceeds  of  the  sales  of  public  lands. 
The  treasurers  of  East  and  West  Tennessee  were  ordered  to  deposit  all 
the  public  moneys  in  the  bank,  and  the  governor  was  authorized  to  issue 
stock  bearing  6 per  cent  interest,  to  an  amount  not  exceeding  $250,000. 
A branch  bank  was  established  at  Knoxville,  to  which  was  allowed  four- 
tenths  of  the  capital  stock.  An  agency  was  also  established  in  each 
county  in  the  State  formed  previous  to  the  year  1819.  The  president 
and  directors,  ten  in  number,  were  elected  on  a joint  ballot  of  the  Leg- 
islature. The  officers  were  instructed  to  put  the  bank  into  operation  by 
the  15th  of  the  next  October,  and  to  issue  $500,000  in  bills  of  denomi- 
nations of  not  less  than  $5  nor  more  than  $100.  Provision  was  after- 
ward made  for  the  issue  of  $75,000  in  fractional  notes.  According  to 


332 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


the  charter  either  the  Nashville  Bank  or  the  bank  at  Knoxville,  or  both, 
together  with  their  branches,  could  consolidate  and  incorporate  them- 
selves with  the  State  bank,  but  this  they  were  unwilling  to  do. 

The  bank  began  business  at  the  appointed  time,  and  at  first  seemed 
to  meet  the  expectations  of  its  founders,  but  its  capital  having  been  dis- 
tributed over  the  State,  large  amounts  were  lost  by  the  defalcations  of 
the  county  agents,  and  to  add  still  further  to  its  embarrassment,  the 
cashier  of  the  main  bank,  Joel  Parrish,  in  1832,  was  found  to  have  per- 
mitted overdrafts  to  the  amount  of  about  $80,000,  the  greater  part  of 
which  was  lost.  On  account  of  the  number  of  branches,  or  agencies, 
this  bank  was  sometimes  referred  to  as  the  “Saddle  Bags  Bank.”  Gov 
Carroll,  in  his  message  to  the  Legislature  in  1833,  discussed  the  subject 
at  considerable  length,  and  advised  the  closing  of  the  bank,  wisely  add- 
ing that  “the  establishment  of  banks  for  the  purpose  of  relieving  the 
people  from  pecuniary  distress,  is,  in  most  cases,  ruinous  to  those  who 
avail  themselves  of  such  relief.” 

In  conformity  Avith  the  recommendation  of  the  Governor,  the  Leg- 
islature, during  the  session,  passed  an  act  abolishing  the  bank,  and  pro- 
viding that  its  funds  should  be  deposited  in  the  Union  Bank,  then  just 
incorporated.  The  capital  stock  of  the  latter  bank  was  limited  to  $3,- 
000,000,  of  which  the  State  subscribed  $500,000,  in  her  own  bonds,  due 
in  fifteen,  twenty,  twenty -five  and  thirty  years,  bearing  5 per  cent  inter- 
est. In  consideration  of  this  support  the  bank  agreed  to  pay  annually 
to  the  State  a bonus  of  one-half  of  1 per  cent  on  the  capital  stock 
paid  in.  The  bank  began  business  March  4,  1833,  and  from  that  time 
until  the . civil  war  was  one  of  the  leading  monetary  institutions  of  Ten- 
nessee. Its  stock  was  mainly  held  by  Eastern  capitalists,  over  16,000 
shares  having  been  taken  in  Philadelphia. 

In  1846  the  president  of  the  Bank  of  Tennessee  was  authorized  to  dis- 
pose of  the  State’s  stock  in  the  Union  Bank,  then  amounting  to  $646,000, 
provided  he  could  obtain  for  it  an  amount  sufficient  to  pay  off  the  bonds 
issued  to  the  bank.  This  could  not  be  accomplished,  and  the  State  still 
had  $125,000  of  those  bonds  when  the  bank  went  out  of  existence.  The 
Planter’s  Bank,  contemporary  with  the  Union  Bank,  did  an  equally  ex- 
tensive business,  but  received  no  aid  from  the  State. 

In  1817  a petition  for  the  location  of  a branch  of  the  United  States 
Bank  at  Nashville  was  signed  by  a number  of  the  leading  men  of  the 
State  and  forwarded  to  Washington,  but  before  it  was  considered,  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly  passed  a law  forbidding  the  opening  of  such  a bank  in 
Tennessee.  Ten  years  later  the  law  was  repealed  and  the  bank,  with  a 
nominal  capital  of  $1,000,000,  was  established.  It  continued  to  do  busi- 


HISTORY  OB'  TENNESSEE. 


333 


ness  until  1832  when  President  Jackson’s  veto  of  the  bill  rechartering  the 
United  States  Bank  necessitated  the  closing  of  its  doors.  Stock  banks, 
like  the  Union  and  Planters,  were  established  to  take  its  place,  and  a dis- 
astrous system  of  over-banking  and  consequent  over-trading  was  the 
result. 

The  contraction  in  the  currency  and  the  great  depression  in  business 
following  the  panic  of  1837,  induced  the  Legislature  to  establish  the  Bank 
of  Tennessee.  By  an  act  passed  January  19,  1838,  this  institution  was 
chartered  in  the  name  and  for  the  benefit  of  the  State,  and  for  the  sup- 
port of  which  the  faith  and  credit  of  the  State  were  pledged.  The  capital 
stock  was  fixed  at  $5,000,000,  to  be  raised  and  constituted  as  follows: 
The  whole  of  the  common  school  fund,  the  proceeds  of  the  sale  of  the 
Ocoee  lands,  the  surplus  revenue  on  deposit  with  the  State,  and  an  addi- 
tional sum  in  specie  or  funds  convertible  into  specie  raised  on  the  credit 
of  the  State,  sufficient  to  make  up  the  $5,000,000.  The  Governor  was 
authorized  to  issue  bonds  to  the  amount  of  $2,500,000,  due  in  thirty 
years,  bearing  6 per  cent  interest,  payable  semi-annually.  The  act  al- 
so provided  that  the  bonds  should  not  be  sold  at  less  than  their  par 
value,  and  it  was  with  the  greatest  difficulty  that  any  of  them  were  dis- 
posed of,  the  “faith  and  credit”  of  all  the  Western  States  at  that  time,  be- 
ing at  a very  low  ebb.  The  American  Life  Insurance  & Trust  Com- 
pany of  New  York  finally  purchased  two-fifths  of  the  bonds,  and  the  re- 
mainder were  held  by  the  bank  for  several  months,  when  they  were  or- 
dered to  be  canceled. 

The  location  of  the  branch  banks  was  left  to  the  directors,  who  created 
considerable  dissatisfaction  in  distributing  them.  The  places  chosen 
were  Rogersville,  Athens,  Columbia,  Shelbyville,  Clarksville,  Trenton, 
and  Summerville.  Another  at  Sparta  was  afterward  created.  The  bank 
went  into  operation  in  the  early  part  of  1838  with  a capital  of  $1,000,000 
derived  from  the  sale  of  bonds  and  $90,893.71  of  school  fund.  By  April 
1,  1839,  this  had  been  increased  to  $2,073,356.45  by  the  addition  of  the 
surplus  revenue,  and  the  proceeds  of  the  Ocoee  lands.  The  redemption 
of  notes  in  specie  had  been  suspended  by  the  other  banks  of  the  State  in 
1837.  January  1,  1839,  a general  resumption  of  specie  payments  took 
place,  but  the  movement  was  found  to  be  premature,  and  in  the  follow- 
ing October  another  suspension  occurred.  At  that  time  the  Legislature 
had  just  assembled,  and  Gov.  Polk  devotes  nearly  the  whole  of  a long 
message  to  a discussion  of  the  financial  difficulties.  He  states  that  the 
banking  capital  of  the  State  exceeds  $10,000,000,  and  discourages  any 
attempt  to  increase  it.  He  refers  to  the  recent  suspension  of  specie  pay- 
ments as  a matter  of  great  regret,  and  adds  that  “the  only  substantial 


334 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


and  permanent  relief  is  to  be  found  in  habits  of  economy  and  industry, 
sand  the  productive  labor  of  our  people.” 

In  compliance  with  a resolution  adopted  by  the  next  General  Assem- 
bly,. the  banks  on  January  1,  1843,  once  more  began  the  redemption  of 
their  notes  in  specie,  and  the  succeeding  ten  years  were  the  most  pros- 
perous in  their  history.  Especially  was  this  the  case  with  the  Bank  of 
Tennessee,  which  was  carefully  managed,  and  was  looked  upon  with 
pride  by  the  citizens  of  the  State.  The  Legislature  of  1851-52,  how- 
ever, began  the  ruinous  policy  of  granting  charters  to  a large  number  of 
banks,  the  most  of  which  were  founded  upon  fictitious  capital.  Each  is- 
sued its  paper  to  any  extent  that  it  could  be  disposed  of,  at  no  matter 
how  great  a discount.  The  volume  of  currency  thus  unduly  expanded, 
the  credit  of  the  old  banks  was  impaired  and  their  profits  reduced.  This 
extravagant  system  of  over -banking,  which  had  invaded  every  State  in  the 
Union,  culminated  in  the  panic  of  1857,  in  which  the  experiences  of 
twenty  years  before  were  renewed.  Gov.  Johnson  foresaw  this  result, 
and  in  his  message  to  the  Legislature  in  1853  he  advised  the  gradual 
closing  up  of  the  business  of  the  State  bank.  This  advice  he  renews  in 
his  messages  of  1855  and  1857.  In  the  last  he  gives  a report  from  the 
directors  of  the  bank  in  which  they  state  that  they  have  come  to  the  con- 
clusion with  great  unanimity,  “and  from  a settled  conviction,  that  the  best 
interests  of  the  State  require  it,  that  the  Bank  of  Tennessee  should  be 
put  into  liquidation  and  its  concerns  closed  at  as  early  a period  as  the 
convenience  of  the  citizens  will  allow.”  These  recommendations  were 
disregarded  by  the  Legislature.  Had  they  been  acted  upon,  and  the  bank 
closed  up,  a large  reduction  of  the  State  debt  would  have  been  effected. 
In  October,  1857,  the  Bank  of  Tennessee  suspended  specie  payment 
and  began  to  curtail  its  business.  The  other  banks  did  likewise.  This 
was  continued  until  1801,  when  the  exigencies  of  war  required  an  in- 
crease in  the  circulating  medium,  and  a law  was  passed  compelling  them 
to  reverse  their  policy.  Accordingly  large  issues  of  new  notes  were 
made,  the  circulation  of  the  State  bank,  on  September  1,  1862,  reaching 
$4,710,660. 

When  the  Federal  occupation  of  the  State  became  imminent  the 
banks  were  given  permission  to  carry  their  assets  into  other  States.  The 
Bank  of  Tennessee  was  transferred  to  Georgia,  and  its  specie  deposited  ' 
at  Atlanta,  where  it  afterward  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  United  States 
authorities.  After  the  removal  of  the  bank  from  Nashville  its  assets,  to  jj 
the  amount  of  over  $8,000,000,  Avere  converted  into  Confederate  bonds, 
coupons  and  treasury  notes,  which  of  course  became  valueless  upon  the 
restoration  of  peace.  Goa\  Brownlow,  in  his  message  of  1865,  adA’ised 


HISTORY  OE  TENNESSEE. 


335 


the  closing  up  of  all  existing  banks,  declaring  them  insolvent,  and  se- 
verely criticising  their  management  previous  to  the  war.  In  February, 
1866,  an  act  “to  wind  up  and  settle  the  business  of  the  Bank  of  Ten- 
nessee ” was  passed.  Six  directors  were  appointed  for  this  purpose,  who 
were  instructed  to  receive  in  payment  for  debts  due  the  bank  United 
States  currency,  or  notes  of  the  bank  issued  prior  to  May  6,  1861.  The 
notes  issued  after  that  date  were  known  as  “New  Issue”  or  “Torbett  Is- 
sue,” from  the  name  of  the  president,  G.  C.  Torbett,  elected  May  9, 
1861.  These  were  declared  utterly  void. 

In  May,  1866,  by  appointment  of  the  chancery  court,  S.  Watson  be- 
came the  trustee  of  the  bank,  and  then  began  a series  of  litigations  ex- 
tending over  a period  of  twenty  years.  The  act  closing  the  bank  gave 
the  school  fund  the  preference  in  the  distribution  of  assets  over  all  other 
creditors.  The  depositors  secured  a decision  of  the  supreme  court 
against  the  validity  of  this  act,  and  the  holders  of  the  “ New  Issue”  de- 
manded the  redemption  of  their  notes,  also  obtained  a favorable  decision. 
The  assets  of  the  bank  were  not  sufficient  to  redeem  these  notes,  and  the 
State  is  compelled  to  receive  them  for  taxes.  The  amount  of  the  “New 
Issue”  has  not  yet  been  definitely  determined,  but  it  is  not  far  from 
.$1,000,000,  treasury  certificates  having  already  been  issued  for  nearly 
that  amount.  According  to  the  constitution  adopted  in  1870,  the  found- 
ing of  a bank  by  the  State  is  prohibited.  Section  31,  Article  2,  reads 
as  follows:  “The  credit  of  the  State  shall  not  be  hereafter  loaned  or  given 
to,  or  in  aid  of  any  person,  association,  company,  corporation  or  munici- 
pality. Nor  shall  the  State  become  the  owner  in  whole,  or  in  part,  of 
any  bank,  or  a stockholder  with  others  in  any  association,  company  or 
municipality.” 

In  1875  some  effort  was  made  to  amend  the  constitution  and  estab- 
lish another  State  Bank.  Comptroller  Burch  in  his  report  in  1874  ad- 
vocated this  measure.  He  proposed  that  the  State  issue  $5,000,000  of 
bonds,  which  he  thought  could  be  sold  at  90  per  cent.  This  would  yield 
$4,500,000  as  the  capital  stock  of  the  bank,  and  an  issue  of  notes  could 
then  be  made  to  the  amount  of  $13,500,000,  on  the  basis  of  $3  circula- 
tion to  $1  of  capital.  This  scheme  received  but  little  support,  and  it  is 
not  probable  that  so  long  as  the  present  system  of  national  banks  is 
maintained,  the  people  of  Tennessee  will  care  to  renew  their  experience 
with  State  banks. 

The  early  pioneers  depended  upon  trails  and  streams  for  their  routes 
of  travels,  but  with  the  growth  of  the  settlements  better  means  of  com- 
munication became  a necessity.  Streams  that  were  navigable  for  canoes 
and  small  boats  might  be  entirely  unfit  for  commercial  purposes  until 


336 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


the  obstructions  which  had  accumulated  for  centuries  were  removed.. 
The  narrow  trails  winding  through  the  forest  over  hills  and  down  deep 
ravines  were  impassable  to  the  vehicles  of  civilization. 

So  early  as  November,  1785,  the  General  Assembly  of  North  Carolina 
adopted  measures  for  the  better  protection  of  the  Cumberland  settle- 
ments, which  from  their  isolated  position  were  peculiarly  exposed  to 
Indian  depredations.  It  was  enacted  that  300  men  should  be  embodied 
for  the  protection  of  those  settlements,  and  that  when  assembled  at 
the  lower  end  of  Clinch  Mountain  the  troops  should  cut  and  clear  a 
road  from  that  point  by  the  most  eligible  route  to  Nashville,  making  the 
same  ten  feet  wide  and  fit  for  the  passage  of  wagons  and  carts.*  Dur- 
ing the  year  the  road,  as  directed  in  the  act,  was  opened.  Hereafter, 
instead  of  by  the  long  and  circuitous  route  through  the  wilderness  of 
Kentucky,  the  people  from  the  Atlantic  section  reached  the  Cumberland 
through  the  new  road  which  ran  by  the  way  of  the  Crab  Orchard  and  the 
Flat  Rock.  Two  years  later  the  road  Avas  found  insufficient  for  the  pur- 
poses of  the  vast  immigration  which  Avas  pouring  into  the  country.  Ac- 
cordingly at  the  representation  of  the  members  from  Davidson  and 
Sumner  Counties  the  General  Assembly  of  North  Carolina  authorized  the 
militia  officers  of  these  counties  to  appoint  two  or  more  persons  to  examine, 
survey  and  mark  out  the  best  and  most  convenient  way  from  the  lower 
end  of  Clinch  Mountain  to  the  settlement  of  Cumberland,  and  to  order 
out  the  militia  of  these  counties  to  cut  and  clear  the  road  so  marked. 
The  regiments  were  ordered  to  be  divided  into  classes  and  parts  of  classes, 
beginning  with  the  first,  and  so  on  in  rotation,  till  the  road  should  be 
cut.  A tax  was  also  assessed  to  defray  the  expense  of  opening  the  road. 
Under  the  provisions  of  this  act  the  old  road  was  widened  and  cleared, 
and  a road  leading  into  it  Avas  soon  afteiuvard  cut  from  Bledsoe’s  Lick. 
The  following  year  provision  Avas  made  for  still  further  improving  these1 
roads,  and  also  for  exploring  the  route  making  a road  through  the 
wilderness  lying  between  the  Cumberland  settlement  and  the  Holston 
counties.  From  this  time,  as  the  exigencies  of  the  country  demanded, 
other  roads  and  channels  of  communication  were  opened,  and  as  the 
country  still  further  filled  up  and  developed  the  question  of  internal  im- 
provement became  one  of  the  most  important  topics  for  the  legislators. 
Under  that  head  were  included  the  construction  of  roads,  the  improve- 
ment of  rivers  and  harbors,  and  later  the  building  of  railroads.  For 
several  years  after  the  adoption  of  the  United  States  Constitution  there  j| 
was  much  difference  of  opinion  as  to  the  right  of  the  National  Govern- 
ment to  appropriate  money  for  this  purpose,  the  Federalists  as  a party  J 


* Ramsey. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


337 


favoring  it,  and  tlie  Republicans  advocating  the  opposite  policy.  The 
opinion  of  the  former  finally  prevailed,  and  a system  of  internal  improve- 
ment was  inaugurated.  The  General  Government,  however,  undertook 
only  works  of  national  importance,  while  those  of  a more  local  nature 
were  left  to  the  individual  States. 

The  agitation  of  this  subject  after  the  organization  of  the  State  was 
begun  as  early  as  1801,  during  the  administration  of  Gov.  Sevier,  who, 
as  well  as  all  the  governors  succeeding  him  to  1837,  made  it  a special 
point  in  their  messages  to  the  Legislature  to  urge  the  adoption  of  meas- 
ures for  the  construction  of  highways  and  the  improvements  of  the 
navigable  streams.  The  delay  in  making  appropriations  for  this  purpose 
was  occasioned  by  the  opinion  prevalent  among  the  farming  community 
That  it  would  be  to  the  exclusive  interest  of  the  commercial  class.* 
Gov.  Carroll,  in  his  message  to  the  Legislature  of  1829-30,  after  review- 
ing the  work  done  by  the  General  Government  and  some  of  the  other 
States,  asks:  “With  these  bright  examples  before  us,  does  it  become 
Tennessee  to  be  idle?”  The  Legislature  undoubtedly  thought  that  this 
interrogatory  deserved  a negative  answer,  as  they  appropriated  $150,000 
for  removing  the  obstructions  in  streams,  and  for  other  improvements. 
Six  commissioners  were  elected  to  constitute  a board  of  internal  improve- 
ments, with  power  to  appoint  a civil  engineer  to  superintend  the  work; 
$30,000  was  to  be  used  in  West  Tennessee,  and  the  remainder  divided 
equally  between  the  other  two  divisions  of  the  State. 

The  constitution  of  1834  declared  that  a well  regulated  system  of 
internal  improvements  is  calculated  to  develop  the  resources  of  the 
State,  and  to  promote  the  happiness  and  prosperity  of  the  people,  there- 
fore it  ought  to  be  encouraged  by  the  General  Assembly.  In  1836,  in 
compliance  with  the  above  section  of  the  constitution,  a general  system 
• of  internal  improvements  was  established.  The  act  provided  that 
-when  two-thirds  of  the  capital  stock  of  any  conrpany,  organized  for  the 
purpose  of  constructing  any  railroad  or  macadamized  turnpike  within  the 
limits  of  the  State,  had  been  subscribed,  the  Governor,  in  behalf  of  the 
State,  should  subscribe  the  remaining  one-third,  and  issue  bonds  bear- 
ing 5^  per  cent  interest;  therefore  with  the  founding  of  the  Bank 
of  Tennessee  a more  extended  system  was  adopted.  Under  this  scheme 
the  State  became  subscriber  for  one-half  of  the  stock  in  all  rail- 
road and  turnpike  companies,  provided  that  the  whole  amount  of  stock 
taken  by  the  State  had  not  reached  $4,000,000.  The  profits  arising 
from  the  State  stock,  in  the  various  companies,  was  set  apart  to  constitute 
a fund  for  the  redemption  of  the  bonds  issued.  In  addition  to  the  above 


♦McMinn  in  his  message  to  the  Legislature  in  1817. 


338 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


$300,000  was  appropriated  for  improving  the  navigation  of  rivers,  to 
be  divided  equally  among  the  three  divisions  of  the  State.  Under  these 
acts  there  were  issued  to  the  various  turnpike  companies  bonds  to  the 
amount  of  nearly  $1,500,000,  and  to  railroads,  about  $800,000. 

By  the  latter  part  of  1839  a reaction  had  set  in  against  the  internal 
improvement  schemes.  It  was  found  that  the  State  was  becoming 
heavily  involved  in  debt,  and  that  the  results  were  not  commensurate 
with  the  outlay.  Many  of  the  improvements  were  of  permanent  value 
and  general  importance,  but  the  law  was  open  to  abuse,  and  charters  were 
frequently  granted  for  local  and  unimportant  work.  The  profits  arising 
from  these  companies  were  small,  and  the  bonds  issued  to  them  still 
form  a part  of  the  State’s  indebtedness.  Had  the  charters  been  granted 
with  greater  discrimination,  and  the  work  placed  under  efficient  superin- 
tendency, the  results  would  have  been  more  satisfactory. 

In  January,  1840,  all  the  laws  authorizing  the  Governor  to  subscribe' 
stock  on  behalf  of  the  State  in  internal  improvement  companies  were  re- 
pealed. This,  however,  was  not  to  interfere  with  any  work  heretofore 
commenced  and  carried  on  in  good  faith.  The  governor,  comptroller 
and  attoniey-general  were  constituted  a board  to  examine  the  reports 
of  special  commissioners,  and  to  decide  upon  the  policy  of  completing; 
any  work  already  begun.  This  board  was  afterward  made  to  consist  of 
the  comptroller,  secretary  of  state  and  the  president  of  the  Bank;  of  Ten- 
nessee. 

No  more  aid  was  granted  to  corporations  by  the  State  until  1852, 
when  the  Legislature  again  passed  an  act  creating  a general  system  of 
internal  improvements.  It  provided  that  when;  railroad  companies  had 
graded  a certain  amount  of  track,  that  bonds,  to  an  amount  not  exceed- 
ing $8,000  per  mile  (afterward  increased  to  $10,000),  should  be  issued 
to  equip  the  roads.  For  the  security  of  this  loan,  the  State  held  a lien 
upon  the  road  and  its  franchises.  The  companies  were  required  by  the 
act  and  its  amendments  to  provide  for  the  payment  of  the  coupons  on 
the  bonds  as  they  matured,  and  also  a sinking  fund  to  pay  the  bonds 
themselves.  This,  at  the  time  the  bonds  were  issued,  it  was  thought  the 
companies  would  be  able  to  do ; and  it  is  probable,  had  the  war  between 
the  States  not  occurred,  the  public  expectation  would  have  been  realized.* 
In  any  case,  it  appeared  as  if  the  State’s  investment  was  sufficiently  se- 
cured, since  the  lien  which  was  held  upon  the  roads  was  in  the  nature 
of  a first  mortgage,  and  took  precedence  over  all  other  claims.  But  the 
general  depreciation  in  values,  and  the  unproductive  character  of  much 
of  the  property  rendered  the  sale  of  the  roads,  at  anything  like  their 
actual  cost,  impossible.  From  the  statement  of  Gov.  Bate,  it  appears  that 


♦Governor  Bate. 


HISTOBY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


339 


twelve  railroads,  to  which  $20,502,684  of  bonds  had  been  issued,  were 
sold  under  judicial  proceedings  instituted  by  the  State,  with  a loss  to  the 
State  of  $13,804,684.  The  following  are  the  roads  with  the  respective 
amounts  annexed  to  each,  which  made  up  the  sum  of  this  loss. 


Memphis,  Clarksville  & Louisville 

McMinnville  & Manchester 

Nashville  & Northwestern.  

Edgefield  & Kentucky 

Knoxville  & Kentucky 

Cincinnati,  Cumberland  Gap  & Charleston 

Winchester  & Alabama 

Rogersville  & Jefferson 

East  Tennessee  & Western  North  Carolina 

Tennessee  & Pacific 

Knoxville  & Charleston 

Southern  Railroad  Company 

Totals 

Loss  on  sale 


Amt.  issued 
to  road. 

Amt.  for  which 
road  sold. 

$2,953,79.3 

$1,700,000 

1,091,578 

300,000 

4,541.129 

2,400,000 

2,081,429 

900,000 

2,816,176 

350,000 

1,657,208 

300,000 

1,790,536 

300,000 

532,013 

23,000 

448,000 

20,000 

1,220,530 

300,000 

816,500 

553,790 

150,000 

$20,502,684 

$6,698,000 

$13,804,684 

Under  the  various  internal  improvement  laws  there  was  granted,  or 
loaned  to  railroad  companies,  bonds  to  the  amount  of  over  $29,000,000, 
for  the  whole  of  which  the  State  became  responsible.  If  the  amount 
which  the  State  received  from  these  roads  is  alone  considered,  the  in- 
vestment must  be  regarded  as  a gigantic  failure,  but  the  benefits  result- 
ing indirectly  from  these  roads  should  not  be  overlooked.  Gov.  Hawkins, 
in  discussing  this  subject,  used  the  following  language:  “Subsequent  re- 
sults demonstrate  the  wisdom  and  foreisght  of  the  projectors  of  this 
grand  system  of  internal  improvement  in  our  State.  Under  the  encourage- 
ment which  was  thus  given,  various  railroads  were  projected  and  con- 
structed within  the  borders  of  our  State.  As  rapidly  as  the  several  com- 
panies could  meet  the  conditions  of  the  law,  the  bonds  were  issued, 
placed  upon  the  market  and  sold.  Our  State  immediately,  as  if  awak- 
ened to  a new  life,  took  rapid  strides  in  prosperity.  The  aggregate  value 
of  taxable  property  in  the  State,  as  shown  by  the  comptroller’s  report  for 
1855,  was  $219,012,051.81.  In  1861  it  had  increased  to  $368,202,050, 
a gain  of  $149,189,998  in  six  years.” 

No  bonds  wmre  granted  to  railroad  companies  after  1867,  and  the 
constitution  of  1870  forbids  the  loaning  or  giving  of  the  credit  of  the 
State  to  any  corporation  or  company,  although  it  reaffirms  the  section  of 
the  old  constitution  which  declared  that  a well  regulated  system  of  inter- 
nal improvement  is  calculated  to  develop  the  resources  of  the  State  and 
to  promote  the  happiness  and  prosperity  of  the  people,  therefore  it  ought 
to  be  encouraged.  The  constitution  of  1870  also  prohibits  the  State 


340 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


from  becoming  a stockholder  in  any  company.  This,  however,  does  not 
interfere  with  the  rights  of  counties  or  incorporated  towns  to  vote  aid  to 
railroads  or  other  enterprises  of  a like  character.  Previous  to  May  26, 
1886,  the  principal  railroads  of  the  State,  with  the  exception  of  the  Illi- 
nois Central  system  and  the  Mobile  & Ohio,  were  five  feet  gauge.  The 
question  of  reducing  them  to  a conformity  with  the  standard  gauge  had 
been  agitated  for  several  years,  but  nothing  in  this  direction  was  done 
until  the  spring  of  1886,  when  a convention  of  railroad  officials  was  held  in 
Atlanta,  Ga.,  and  the  matter  taken  up  in  earnest.  It  was  decided  by  the 
convention  to  adopt  the  gauge  of  the  Pennsylvania  Road,  which  is  four 
feet  and  nine  inches,  and  during  the  last  week  in  May  the  change  was 
made.  The  Mobile  & Ohio  Road  changed  its  gauge  in  the  fall  of  1885. 

The  following  table  shows  the  receipts  and  disbursements  of  the  State 
government  from  1837 : 


Year. 

Receipts. 

Disbursements. 

Balances. 

October  1,  1837 

$ 231,596  63 

$ 156,159 

32 

$ 75,437  31 

October  1,  1839 

533,920  73 

429,758 

61 

116,599  43 

October  1,  1841 

543,739  79 

470,748 

75 

189,590  47 

October  1,  1843 

473,022  01 

623,737 

27 

38.875  21 

October  1,  1845 

576,942  71 

506,688 

40 

109,329  52 

October  1,  1847 

710,907  61 

642,314 

32 

177,281  73 

October  1,  1849 

790,695  53 

802,436 

66 

152,198  11 

October  1,  1851 

1,004,004  94 

933,431 

25 

222,771  80 

October  1,  1853 

1,202,047  04 

1,218,387 

04 

206,431  80 

October  1,  1855 

1,035.715  22 

1,154,307 

79 

87,839  23 

October  1,  1857 

1,451,175  87 

1,502,519 

04 

36,496  06 

October  1,  1859 

1,848,094  88 

1,704,287 

61 

180,303  33 

October  1, 1865* 

129,991  38 

130,670 

15 

October  1 

1,098,970  55 

1,128,986 

86 

October  1,  1867 

3,508,586  91 

2,948,652 

68 

589,950  54 

October  1,  1869 ' 

5,386,537  56 

5,858,004 

06 

28,649  42 

October  1,  1871 

3,590,926  95 

3,142.282 

01 

159  44 

October  1,  1871,  to  December  3,  1872 

2,420,091  17 

2,432,858 

00 

159  44 

January  1,  1873,  to  December  2.0,  1874  

3,618,703  52 

3,290,158 

41 

328,704  55 

December  20,  1876 

4,526,422  76 

4,715,795 

12 

139,332  19 

December  20,  1878 

2,000,883  64 

1,661,869 

79 

478,346  04 

December  20,  1880 

1,144,349  82 

1,400,316 

47 

222,424  39 

December  20,  1882 

1,870,224  02 

1,584,633 

33 

508,015  08 

December  20,  1884 

2,194,886  98 

1,765,072 

38 

645,214  83 

♦From  May  to  October  1. 


The  history  of  railroad  enterprises  in  Tennessee  is  one  of  singular 
and  absorbing  interest.  The  movement  toward  awakening  public  in- 
terest in  railroad  construction,  occurred  as  early  as  the  year  1835,  when 
in  the  language  of  Gov.  Cannon,  “ the  spirit  of  internal  improvement 
was  abroad  in  the  land.”  During  that  year  Col.  Robert  T.  Hayne,  of 
South  Carolina,  whose  debate  with  Daniel  Webster  on  the  Foster  reso- 
lutions gave  him  a world  wide  reputation,  visited  Nashville,  and  in  an 
able  address  advocated  the  construction  of  a railway  from  Memphis  to 
Knoxville,  thence  to  Charleston,  S.  C.,  so  as  to  connect  the  sea-board  with 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE, 


341 


the  Mississippi  River,  the  great  inland  route  of  navigation.  No  attempt 
however,  was  made  to  put  the  plan  into  operation. 

A second  effort  was  made  the  next  year  by  William  Armour,  repre- 
sentative to  the  Legislature  from  Shelby  County,  to  unite  the  Mississippi 
with  the  sea-board  by  constructing  a line  “from  the  most  eligible  point  on 
said  river,  as  near  the  center  of  the  State  as  practicable,  to  the  Tennessee 
River ; thence  near  the  center  of  the  State  to  a point  on  the  Virginia  line.” 
October  10,  1836,  a convention  was  held  in  the  Federal  court  room  at  the 
capitol  for  the  purpose  of  discussing  the  subject  of  internal  improvement. 
Sixteen  counties  was  represented,  and  Col.  Robert  Allen  was  chosen  chair- 
man. The  session  lasted  four  days,  during  which  time  a resolution  advocat- 
ing the  construction  of  the  above  road  was  adopted.  The  subject  was  pre- 
sented to  the  Legislature,  which  was  in  session  at  that  time,  and  $15,000 
was  appropriated  for  surveying  a route  for  the  “Central  Railway.” 
Albert  M.  Lea  was  appointed  chief  engineer,  with  instructions  to  survey 
the  line  through  the  State,  and  to  estimate  the  cost  of  both  a single  and 
double-tracked  railway ; also,  the  comparative  cost  of  a turnpike  over  the 
same  route  through  Middle  and  East  Tennessee.  His  estimate  placed 
the  cost  of  a single-tracked  road  from  Perryville,  on  the  Tennessee  River, 
to  the  Virginia  line,  at  $6,421,718.60,  and  for  the  the  entire  distance, 
500  miles,  at  $7,841,718.60.  A double-tracked  road  over  the  same  route, 
he  thought  would  cost  $11,154,968.60.  He  also  estimated  the  receipts 
and  expenditures  of  such  a road.  Through  Middle  and  East  Tennessee 
he  placed  the  number  of  passengers  to  be  carried  at  an  average  of  100  per 
day  each  way,  which  at  5 cents  per  mile  would  produce  a yearly  income 
of  $1,370,575.  The  same  number  of  tons  of  freight,  at  6 cents  per  mile, 
would  produce  $1,644,690,  a total  of  $3,015,265.  The  cost  of  carrying 
the  passengers  at  cent  per  mile,  and  freight  at  1 cent  per  mile,  would 
amount  to  $696,565,  which  added  to  the  cost  of  repairs,  $659,298.11 
makes  a total  annual  expenditure  of  $1,355,863,11,  leaving  a net  revenue 
of  $1,659,401.49.  The  estimates  for  West  Tennessee  are  made  on  the 
same  scale,  except  that  the  rate  for  carrying  freight  is  fixed  at  3 cents  per 
mile,  and  the  amount  of  business  is  placed  at  only  one-half  that  of  the 
other  division  of  the  State.  The  net  earnings  of  this  part  of  the  road 
would  thus  amount  to  $214,615.-96. 

These  estimates  both  as  to  the  construction  and  operation  of  such  a 
road,  would  scarcely  coincide  with  those  of  an  experienced  railroad  oper- 
ator of  to-day,  and  they  serve  to  illustrate  how  little  was  then  known 
about  such  enterprises.  Railroads  were  projected  on  a grand  scale,  but 
seemingly  with  little  regard  to  the  demands  of  the  trade  and  commerce  of 
sections  through  which  they  were  to  pass,  or  the  comparative  cost  of 


342 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


construction  over  a less  direct  route.  The  engineer  of  the'  above  road 
strongly  advocated  its  construction,  but  the  great  financial  crash  of  that 
year  rendered  a successful  movement  in  that  direction  impossible. 

During  the  same  year  that  the  Central  Road  was  projected  a charter 
was  procured  for  the  Hiwassee  Railroad,  through  the  influence  of  Gen. 
James  H.  Reagan,  representative  to  the  Legislature  from  McMinn 
County.  The  charter  required  that  stock  amounting  to  $600,000  should 
be  subscribed  within  two  years.  On  July  4,  1836,  a railroad  convention 
composed  of  delegates  from  all  the  Northern  States,  Maryland  and  the 
Southern  States  met  in  Knoxville ; Robert  T.  Hayne,  of  South  Carolina, 
was  made  president.  The  convention  adopted  measures  for  the  construc- 
tion of  a road  from  Cincinnati  or  Louisville,  through  Cumberland  Gap, 
up  the  French  Broad  River  and  on  to  Charleston.  This  route  was  not 
satisfactory  to  the  delegates  from  Georgia  and  lower  East  Tennesse.  The 
delegates  from  McMinn  County,  one  of  whom  was  T.  N.  Vandyke,  brought 
to  the  notice  of  the  Georgia  delegation  the  Hiwassee  charter. 

Upon  a conference  it  was  decided  that  by  adopting  this  route,  a road; 
from  Knoxville,  through  Georgia  to  Charleston,  could  be  put  into  opera- 
tion before  the  work  would  commence  on  the  Cumberland  Gap  route, 
and  it  was  agreed  that  the  McMinn  County  delegation  should  go  home, 
open  books  and  secure  subscriptions,  while  the  members  from  Georgia 
should  procure  a charter  from  their  State,  and  meet  at  the  State  line. 

The  delegates  from  McMinn,  upon  their  return  home,  set  immediately' 
to  work,  but  it  was  a new  enterprise  and  one  not  well  understood  by  the 
people.  The  taking  of  stock  advanced  so  slowly  that,  in  order  to  prevent 
the  forfeiture  of  the  charter,  six  residents  of  McMinn  County,  Gen. 
Nathaniel  Smith,  Onslow  G.  Murrell,  Ashbury  M.  Coffey,  James  H. 
Tyffe,  Alexander  D.  Keys  and  T.  N.  Vandyke,  agreed  to  subscribe  each 
$100,000.  Upon  examination  of  the  subscription  books,  it  was  found 
that  $120,000  of  stock  had  been  taken,  so  that  the  subscription  of  the 
six  men  named  had  to  be  reduced  to  $80,000  each.  These  men  refused 
to  permit  an  organization  of  the  company  until  they  could  distribute 
their  stock  in  such  a manner  that  the  stockholders  could  meet  the  calls 
without  embarrassment.  This  was  accomplished  within  a year,  and  an 
organization  was  effected  with  Solomon  P.  Jacobs  as  president  and  Ash- 
bury M.  Coffey  secretary  and  treasurer.  J.  C.  Trautwine,  of  Philadel- 
phia, was  engaged  as  chief  engineer.  The  road  was  surveyed  and  ground 
was  broken  two  miles  west  of  Athens,  in  1837,  being  the  first  work  ever 
done  on  a railroad  in  the  State.  With  the  exception  of  a few  intervening 
gaps,  the  road  was  graded  from  the  State  line  to  Loudon,  and  a bridge; 
built  over  the  Hiwassee  River.  Meantime  it  was  ascertained  that 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


343 


$600,000  was  insufficient  to  build  the  road,  and  upon  application  to  the 
Legislature,  the  State  agreed  to  subscribe  stock  to  the  amount  of 
$650,000  in  5 per  cent  State  bonds  to  be  paid  upon  call  pari  passu, 
with  the  payments  of  the  individual  stockholders.  The  financial  embar- 
rassments of  1837  compelled  a suspension,  and  the  company  was  forced 
to  execute  a deed  of  trust,  authorizing  the  sale  of  the  road.  The  State 
filed  a bill  enjoining  the  trustees  from  acting  under  the  deed,  and  sought 
to  amend  the  charter.  The  suit  was  carried  to  the  supreme  court  and 
finally  decided  against  the  State.  The  debts  amounted  to  about 
$130,000,  and  the  sum  due  from  the  State  upward  of  $80,000,  but  by 
skillful  management  the  debts  were  all  compromised  and  liquidated  by 
the  creditors  taking  one-half  of  tire  debt  in  5 per  cent  State  bonds;  and 
the  remainder  in  the  stock  of  the  company  at  par.  After  various  unsuc- 
cessful attempts  to  procure  money  to  complete  the  road,  the  company 
finally  made  a contract  with  Gen.  Duff  Green,  who  agreed  upon  certain 
conditions  to  build  the  road  from  Dalton,  Ga.,  to  Knoxville.  Gen. 
Green  after  doing  a considerable  amount  of  work  failed  and  surrendered 
his  contract.  The  company  then  entered  into  a contract  with  William, 
Grant  & Co.,  who  finished  the  road  from  Dalton  to  the  Hiwassee  River. 
J.  G.  Dent  & Co.  built  the  road  from  there  to  Loudon  in  1852,  and  in 
1856  the  portion  from  Loudon  to  Knoxville  was  completed.  Through 
repeated  failures,  delays  and  litigations  the  name  Hiwassee”  became 
so  obnoxious  that  in  1848  it  was  changed  to  East  Tennessee  & Georgia. 

In  1852  the  East  Tennessee  & Virginia  Railroad  was  chartered. 
The  portion  of  this  road  in  Tennessee  extended  from  Knoxville  to  Bris- 
tol on  the  Virginia  line,  and  formed  a connecting  link  between  the  two 
great  systems  of  roads  those  in  the  Northeast,  and  those  of  Alabama, 
Georgia  and  South  Carolina.  It  was  completed  in  1858,  and  later  was 
consolidated  with  the  East  Tennessee  <fc  Georgia,  under  the  name  of  the 
East  Tennessee,  Virginia  & Georgia. 

The  first  railroad  chartered  by  the  Legislature  was  the  La  Grange  & 
Memphis.  The  company  was  incorporated  in  December,  1835,  and  was 
soon  after  organized.  Subscriptions  to  the  amount  of  $250,000  were 
made  by  individuals,  and,  in  accordance  with  the  act  of  1835,  the  gov- 
ernor subscribed  $125,000  on  behalf  of  the  State.  The  road  was  located 
in  September  following,  and  during  1837  the  grading  of  the  track  was 
begun.  Owing  to  financial  embarrassments  and  inexperience  on  the 
part  of  the  management,  the  work  progressed  slowly,  and  after  dragging 
along  for  several  years,  was  finally  abandoned.  February  2,  1846,  a 
charter  was  granted  to  the  Memphis  & Charleston  Railroad,  authorizing 
a capital  stock  of  $800,000,  and  under  the  persevering  efforts  of  Ex- Gov, 


344 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


James  C.  Jones,  the  first  president,  Col.  Sam  Tate,  Joseph  Lenow,  Minor 
Meriwether  and  others,  was  brought  to  a successful  completion  in  1857. 
In  constructing  the  road  the  old  road  bed  of  the  La  Grange  & Memphis 
was  purchased  and  utilized. 

The  Nashville  & Chattanooga  Railroad  was  constructed  simultaneous- 
ly with  the  building  of  the  Memphis  & Charleston.  This  enterprise 
originated  with  Dr.  James  Overton,  a man  of  remarkable  sagacity  and 
undaunted  resolution.  During  a contest  for  legislative  honors  in  1843, 
he  advocated  the  building  of  a road  from  Nashville  to  Chattanooga  to 
connect  with  the  Western  Atlantic,  a road  chartered  about  ten  years  pre- 
vious to  that  time.  He  failed  to  enlist  any  considerable  support  in  what 
was  then  looked  upon  as  a visonary  scheme,  and  on  account  of  his  en- 
thusiastic advocacy  of  the  project,  he  was  dubbed  “ old  Chattanooga.” 
Although  the  efforts  of  Overton  were  barren  of  any  immediate  results,  yet 
they  served  to  direct  public  attention  to  the  advantages  of  railroads. 
About  1845  the  depression  which  had  prevailed  so  long  in  business  cir- 
cles began  to  be  relieved.  The  growing  trade  of  Nashville  demanded 
other  outlets  than  that  afforded  by  the  Cumberland  River.  Other  por- 
tions of  the  State  began  to  awaken  to  the  necessity  of  providing  better 
means  of  transportation,  and  in  this  they  were  stimulated  somewhat  by 
the  action  of  Georgia  in  chartering  a road  to  run  from  Augusta  to  Chat- 
tanooga. The  subject  was  brought  before  the  Legislature,  and  under  the 
pressure  of  influential  citizens  of  Nashville,  an  act  was  passed  December 
11,  1845,  to  incorporate  “a  railroad  from  Nashville  on  the  Cumberland 
River,  to  Chattanooga  on  the  Tennessee  River.”  The  internal  improve- 
ment laws  having  been  repealed,  no  State  aid  was  granted  to  this  road  at 
-that  time,  but  an  act  passed  by  the  next  Legislature  authorized  the  may- 
or and  aldermen  of  Nashville  to  subscribe  $500,000  to  the  enterprise. 
This  measure  met  with  considerable  opposition,  and  a bill  was  filed  in 
chancery  to  enjoin  the  subscription  to  the  road  or  the  issuing  of  bonds 
by  the  corporation.  On  appeal  it  was  taken  to  the  supreme  court,  and 
finally  decided  at  the  December  term,  1848.  The  opinion  delivered  by 
Judge  Turley  decided  that  the  Legislature  of  Tennessee  had  the  consti- 
tutional power  to  authorize  the  corporation  of  Nashville  to  take  stock  in 
the  Nashville  & Chattanooga  Railroad,  and  that  the  making  of  this  road 
was  a legitimate  corporate  purpose  of  the  corporation,  acting  under  the  au- 
thority of  the  act;  thus  sustained  by  the  court’s  decision,  the  city  voted 
the  $500,000  to  be  expended  in  the  construction  of  the  road.  During  the 
two  years  previous  the  subject  had  been  thoroughly  canvassed  through- 
out the  city  and  a strong  public  sentiment  had  been  enacted  in  favor  of 
the  enterprise.  Most  prominent  among  those  to  whom  this  result  was 


HISTOBY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


34& 


due  was  Vernon  K.  Stevenson,  and  upon  the  organization  of  the  compa- 
ny in  1848  he  was  elected  its  president,  which  position  he  held  until  the 
breaking  out  of  the  civil  war.  In  addition  to  the  amount  obtained  from 
the  corporation  of  Nashville,  he  secured  a subscription  of  an  equal 
amount  from  Charleston,  S.  C.,  $250,000  from  the  Georgia  Railroad  & 
Banking  Company,  and  $30,000  from  the  corporation  of  Murfreesboro, 
which  enabled  him  with  the  private  subscriptions  that  were  afterward  re- 
ceived, and  the  aid  which  the  State  rendered  by  endorsing  the  company’s 
bonds,  to  enter  upon  the  work  of  construction.  The  first  passenger 
train  on  the  road  was  run  out  as  far  as  Antioch,  April  13,  1851,  and  the 
first  through  train  ran  into  Chattanooga  January  18,  1853.  In  I860 
the  company  leased  the  Nashville  & North-Western  Railroad  for  a term 
of  six  years,  but  before  the  lease  expired,  a two-thirds  interest  in  the  road 
was  purchased  from  the  commissioners  appointed  by  the  Legislature 
and  the  chancery  court  to  sell  delinquent  railroads  in  the  State,  individ- 
uals in  Tennessee  and  New  York  taking  the  other  one-third.  Subse- 
quently the  directors  of  the  Nashville  & Chattanooga  bought  the  one- 
third  interest  held  by  individuals,  and  that  company  now  owns  the  en- 
tire road  from  Chattanooga  to  Hickman,  Ky.,  together  with  its  branches. 
The  name  of  the  consolidated  road  is  the  Nashville,  Chattanooga  & St. 
Louis. 

The  Nashville  & North-Western  was  chartered  as  early  as  1852,  but 
subscriptions  to  it  were  secured  with  difficulty,  and  the  work  of  construc- 
tion was  not  begun  for  several  years.  When  the  Avar  opened  only  a lit- 
tle over  thirty  miles  had  been  graded,  and  only  that  portion  between 
Nashville  and  Kingston  Springs  was  in  operation.  During  the  Avar  the 
United  States  Government,  for  military  purposes,  built  the  road  to  the 
Tennessee  River  at  Johnsonville.  At  the  close  of  hostilities  application 
was  made  to  the  Legislature  for  the  amount  due  the  road  under  the  then 
existing  laws.  This  was  granted,  and  the  road  was  completed  during  the 
latter  part  of  1868. 

The  Nashville,  Chattanooga  & St.  Louis  Railroad  has  several  branches. 
The  Winchester  & Alabama,  and  the  McMinnville  & Manchester  Avere 
both  chartered  in  1850,  but  neither  was  completed  for  several  years. 
In  1872,  upon  their  failure  to  pay  the  interest  on  the  bonds  issued  by 
the  State  in  aid  of  their  construction,  they  were  sold  to  the  Memphis  & 
Charleston  Railroad.  The  Tennessee  & Pacific,  another  branch,  Avas- 
projected  to  run  from  Nashville  to  Knoxville,  but  financial  embarrassments 
checked  its  progress,  and  it  was  completed  only  to  Lebanon,  a distance 
of  thirty-one  miles.  It  was  incorporated  in  1866,  and  work  of  construc- 
tion Avas  begun  in  1869. 


346 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


One  of  tlie  largest  corporations  in  the  South  at  the  present  time  is  the 
Louisville,  Nashville  & Great  Southern  Railroad.  The  lines  forming: 
this  system  were  built  under  separate  charters,  and  afterward  consoli- 
dated. The  road  connecting  Louisville  and  Nashville,  which  forms  the 
main  stem,  was  chartered  in  1851,  and  was  opened  for  business  in  1859, 
the  first  train  through  from  Louisville  having  passed  over  the  bridge 
into  Nashville  on  September  28  of  that  year.  The  Memphis  branch, 
extending  from  Bowling  Green,  Ky.,  to  Memphis,  embraces  the  Memphis 
& Ohio,  and  the  Memphis,  Clarksville  & Louisville  Railroads.  The 
former  was  chartered  February  4,  1852,  under  the  name  of  the  Nashville 
& Memphis  Railroad.  Two  years  later,  by  Legislative  authority,  the 
name  was  changed  to  the  Memphis  & Ohio,  and  in  May,  1860,  the  road 
was  completed  from  Memphis  to  Paris.  In  1871,  in  order  to  prevent 
the  sale  of  the  road  by  the  State  the  Louisville  & Nashville  Company 
loaned  to  the  Memphis  Ohio  State  bonds  sufficient  to  pay  off  its 
debt  to  the  State,  and  the  two  roads  were  then  consolidated.  The  Mem- 
phis, Clarksville  & Louisville  Railroad  received  its  charter  January  28, 
1852,  and  the  road  was  opened  in  September,  1861.  July  1,  1865,  the 
company  having  defaulted  on  the  interest  on  the  State  bonds  loaned  to 
them,  a receiver  was  appointed,  and  the  road  continued  to  be  operated  by 
receivers  from  that  time  until  1871,  when  it  was  purchased  by  the  Louis- 
ville & Nashville  Company  for  the  sum  of  $1,700,000. 

The  Edgefield  & Kentucky  Railroad,  extending  from  Nashville  to 
Guthrie,  Ky.,  was  chartered  February  13,  1852,  and  finished  in  1860. 
This  road  formed  a part  of  the  Evansville,  Henderson  & Nashville  Road 
which  was  not  entirely  completed  until  1872.  The  line  was  then  consol- 
idated with  the  Nashville,  Chicago  & St.  Louis  Railroad  into  what  was 
known  as  the  St.  Louis  & Southeastern.  In  1879  the  Louisville  & Nash- 
ville Company  purchased  the  whole  line,  and  it  is  now  operated  as  the  St. 
Louis  division  of  that  company’s  system.  Another  important  division  is 
the  Nashville  & Decatur.  This  was  formed  in  1866  by  the  consolidation 
of  the  Tennessee  & Alabama,  the  Tennessee  & Alabama  Central,  and  the 
Central  Southern  Roads.  The  Tennessee  & Alabama  was  chartered  in  1852 
to  run  from  Nashville  by  the  way  of  Franklin  to  the  Alabama  State  line, 
in  the  direction  of  Florence,  but  in  1858  the  company  asked  authority  to 
terminate  the  road  at  Mt.  Pleasant,  which  request  was  granted.  In  1853 
the  Central  Southern  Railroad  Company  was  incorporated  for  the  pur- 
pose of  constructing  a line  from  Columbia,  Tenn.,  to  the  Alabama  State 
line  in  the  direction  of  Decatur.  This  line  was  completed  November  20, 
1860.  May  4,  1871,  the  consolidated  roads  were  leased  by  the  Louis- 
ville & Nashville  Railroad  Company  for  a period  of  thirty  years. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


347 


The  Mobile  & Ohio  Railroad  extends  from  Mobile,  Ala.,  to  the  Ohio 
River  at  Cairo,  entering  Tennessee  from  the  south  near  Corinth,  Miss. 
It  was  originally  projected  to  strike  some  point  on  the  Tennessee  River, 
and  run  thence  to  the  month  of  the  Ohio.  The  company  was  organized 
in  Alabama,  and  in  1848  received  a charter  from  Tennessee.  At  the  time 
of  its  inception  this  was  the  greatest  railroad  enterprise  that  had  been 
inaugurated  on  either  continent;  and  it  was  not  until  1859,  after  many 
years  of  the  most  persistent  effort,  that  the  road  was  completed.  During 
the  war  the  road  suffered  greatly,  and  at  the  close  of  the  conflict  it  was  a 
splendid  wreck.  Sixty -five  per  cent  of  its  original  cost  was  lost ; but  by 
skillful  and  economical  management,  the  road  in  a few  years  was  put  into 
a prosperous  condition.  The  indebtedness  to  the  State  was  paid  off,  and 
in  1870  the  company  resumed  the  payment  of  interest  on  all  classes  of  its 
bonds. 

On  January  29,  1858,  the  Tennessee  Legislature  authorized  the  Miss- 
issippi River  Railroad  to  be  constructed  from  Memphis  to  the  Kentucky 
State  line  in  the  direction  of  Cairo.  The  work  of  grading  was  not  com- 
menced until  1869,  and  was  then  soon  after  suspended.  In  1871  it  was 
consolidated  with  the  Paducah  & Gulf  Railroad,  a Kentucky  corporation, 
under  the  name  of  the  Memphis  & Paducah.  The  whole  line  was  after- 
ward sold  under  mortgage,  and  reorganized  as  the  Memphis,  Paducah 
& Northern.  It  is  now  known  as  the  Chesapeake,  Ohio  & Southwestern, 
extending  from  Cecilia,  Ky.,  by  way  of  Paducah  to  Memphis,  a distance 
of  about  345  miles. 

Another  important  road  in  West  Tennessee  forms  a part  of  a great 
.system  extending  from  Chicago  to  New  Orleans  and  known  as  the  Chi- 
cago, St.  Louis  & New  Orleans  Railroad,  the  entire  length  of  which  is 
about  1,700  miles.  The  part  in  Tennessee  was  chartered  as  two  separate 
companies,  the  Mississippi  Central,  and  the  New  Orleans,  Jackson  & 
Northern.  These  roads  were  consolidated  in  November,  1877.  Running 
arrangements  were  then  made  with  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  Com- 
pany by  which  the  entire  system  is  practically  placed  under  one  manage- 
ment, though  operated  by  two  charters. 

One  of  the  most  important  roads  passing  through  Tennessee  is  the 
Cincinnati  Southern,  extending  from  Cincinnati  to  Chattanooga.  The 
company  was  incorporated  by  the  General  Assembly  of  Ohio  in  1869, 
and  received  a charter  from  the  Legislature  of  Tennessee  January  20, 
1870.  The  road  was  completed  and  opened  for  business  in  1880,  and 
now  forms  a part  of  the  system  known  as  the  Cincinnati,  New  Orleans  & 
Texas  Pacific.  Several  other  roads  besides  those  mentioned  have  been 
constructed  and  are  now  successfully  operated,  but  the  greater  number 
of  them  are  narrow  gauge  roads,  or  are  of  but  limited  extent. 


348 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


The  General  Assembly,  in  March,  1883,  passed  an  act  for  the  regula- 
tion of  railroad  companies,  to  prevent  unjust  discrimination  in  tariffs 
and  rates,  and  to  this  end  provided  for  the  appointment  of  a railroad 
commission  to  consist  of  three  persons,  one  for  each  grand  division  of 
the  State.  To  this  commission  was  given  general  supervision  of  all 
railroads  in  Tennessee,  with  power  to  revise  all  tariffs  of  charges  for 
transportation,  and  to  reduce  the  rate  of  charges  if  in  any  case  they  were 
found  to  be  unjust  or  to  discriminate  against  any  person,  corporation  or 
locality.  It  was  made  the  duty  of  the  several  companies  operating  rail- 
roads in  the  State  to  make  annual  returns  of  their  business  to  the  com- 
missioners in  such  manner  as  the  latter  might  prescribe. 

In  April,  1883,  the  governor  appointed  John  H.  Savage,  J.  A.  Tur- 
ley and  G.  W.  Gordon  as  commissioners,  who  immediately  qualified  and 
entered  upon  the  discharge  of  their  official  duties.  Letters  were  ad- 
dressed to  the  representatives  of  the  various  railroads  requesting  them 
to  make  out  and  deliver  to  the  commission  for  revision  a schedule  of  the 
rates  of  charges  for  transportation.  This  several  of  the  companies  re- 
fused to  do,  and  two  of  the  leading  roads  obtained  from  John  Baxter, 
United  States  Circuit  Judge,  an  order  restraining  the  commissioners 
from  interfering  in  any  way  with  the  tariffs  of  their  roads.  After  the 
motion  for  an  injunction  was  heard  Judge  Baxter  pronounced  certain 
sections  of  the  act  creating  the  commission  unconstitutional,  and  granted 
the  injunctions.  The  cases  were  then  appealed  to  the  Federal  Supreme 
Court,  and  were  then  pending  when  the  Legislature  of  1885  convened. 
Gov.  Bates  in  his  message  advised  that  the  commission  bill  of  1883  be 
not  repealed,  but  that  it  be  revised  and  made  to  conform  to  the  constitu- 
tion. The  bill,  however,  had  never  been  very  popular,  and  it  was  re- 
pealed and  the  commission  abolished.  The  following  figures  show  the 
growth  of  railroads  in  Tennessee:  In  1850  there  was  no  road  in  opera- 
tion; from  1850  to  1860  1,253  miles  of  railroad  were  constructed;  the 
decade  which  follows  shows  an  increase  of  only  239  miles,  making  a 
total  in  1870  of  1,192  miles;  in  1880  there  were  1,872  miles  of  com- 
pleted road,  with  an  assessed  valuation  of  $16,375,891.50.  The  comp- 
troller’s report  for  1885  places  the  whole  number  of  miles  of  road  at 
2,091.5,  with  an  assessed  valuation  of  $31,350,170.81. 

The  history  of  steam-boat  navigation  on  the  Western  rivers  dates  back 
to  1812.  In  the  winter  of  that  year  the  steamer  “Orleans,”  built  at 
Pittsburgh,  made  the  first  trip  from  that  city  to  New  Orleans.  The  suc- 
cess of  this  venture  revolutionized  river  navigation  and  efforts  were  at 
once  made  to  place  steam -boats  upon  the  Mississippi  and  all  of  its 
navigable  tributaries.  The  message  of  Willie  Blount  to  the  Legislature 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


349 


of  1812  contains  tlie  following:  “The  petition  of  Messrs.  Fulton  & 
Livingstone,  of  New  York,  addressed  to  the  Legislature  of  Tennessee, 
proposing  to  bring  the  steam-boats  into  use  in  our  waters  in  aid  of  our 
present  usual  boats  employed  in  navigation,  if  encouraged  by  your  honor- 
able body,  is  herewith  laid  before  you,  together  with  their  letters  to  me 
touching  their  petition.”  No  action  seems  to  have  been  taken  upon  the 
petition  by  the  Legislature,  and  it  was  not  until  the  spring  of  1818  that 
the  first  steam-boat,  the  “General  Jackson,”  arrived  at  Nashville.  It 
was  built  at  Pittsburgh  for  Gov.  Cannon.  During  the  next  two  or  three 
years  the  steam-boat  business  increased  rapidly.  Wharves  and  landing 
place  were  built  at  all  the  leading  towns  along  the  rivers,  and  commis- 
sion and  forwarding  houses  were  opened.  In  1825  there  were  from  fif- 
teen to  twenty  steam-boats  plying  between  Nashville  and  New  Orleans, 
and  during  that  year  over  $1,000,000  worth  of  cotton  was  shipped  from 
the  former  port.  The  steamers  “General  Robertson,”  “Rifleman,”  “James 
Ross,”  “Fayette”  and  “Feliciana”  were  all  running  on  the  Cumberland  as 
early  as  1821.  The  pioneer  boat,  “General  Jackson,”  was  snagged  and 
sunk  on  Harpeth  Shoals,  on  January  20,  of  that  year,  and  on  May  3,  the 
“Feliciana”  exploded  with  a loss  of  six  or  seven  lives.  During  the  follow- 
ing years  great  improvement  was  made  in  the  construction  of  boats,  both  as 
to  speed  and  safety.  May  15,  1820,  the  “Rifleman”  arrived  at  Nashville 
from  New  Orleans,  having  made  the  trip  in  thirty  days,  which  was  con- 
sidered very  fast  time.  In  May,  1843,  the  steamer  “Nashville”  made  the 
same  trip  in  six  days  and  thirteen  hours.  The  “Tallyrand”  a short 
time  after  made  it  in  five  days  and  twenty-three  hours,  and  the  “Nash- 
ville” on  the  next  trip,  in  five  days  and  nineteen  hours.  The  steam-boat 
has  been  an  important  factor  in  the  material  development  of  the  State, 
and  although  in  a measure  it  has  been  superseded  by  the  railroad,  its 
value  has  been  little  diminished.  In  1873  the  total  trade  of  the  Tennes- 
see River  approximated  $5,000,000,  while  that  of  the  Cumberland  for 
the  same  time  was  estimated  at  about  double  that  amount. 

The  first  steam-boat  to  navigate  the  Hatchie  River  was  the  “Rover,” 
which  made  its  appearance  at  the  Brownsville  Landing  in  the  fall  of 
1827.  Not  one  in  twenty  of  the  vast  crowd  assembled  on  the  banks  of 
the  river  had  ever  seen  a steam-boat,  and  when  the  “puff”  of  the  boat 
was  heard  all  were  on  tiptoe;  as  it  hove  in  sight  the  excitement  be- 
came intense,  and  as  it  moved  to  shore  with  banners  flying,  amid  the 
shouts  of  the  multitude,  the  engineer  turned  off  steam,  scaring  men,  women 
and  children  nearly  out  of  their  wits.  Several  of  them  ran  for  their  lives, 
shrieking  and  screaming  amid  the  deafening  noise.  Horses  took  fright, 
broke  loose  and  scampered  off  through  the  woods  in  every  direction, 

22 


350 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


Tne  orator  of  the  day  delivered  an  address  of  welcome  to  the  commander 
of  the  “Rover,”  Capt.  Newman,  who,  with  his  officers,  was  feasted  and 
toasted  the  next  day  at  Brownsville1 * *.  The  first  steam-boat  to  pass  up 
the  Forked  Deer  was  the  “Grey  Eagle,”  in  1886. 

STATE  OFFICERS. 

Governors. — William  Blount,  1792-96;  John  Sevier,  1796-1801; 
Archibald  Roane,  1801-03;  John  Sevier,  1803-09;  Willie  Blount,  1809- 
15;  Joseph  McMinn,  1815-21;  William  Carroll,  1821-27;  Samuel  Hous- 
ton, 1827—29® ; William  Hall,  1829s ; William  Carroll,  1829-35;  New- 
ton Cannon,  1835-39 ; James  K.  Polk,  1839-11 ; James  C.  Jones,  1841-45 ; 
Aaron  V.  Brown,  1845-47 ; Neill  S.  Brown,  1847-49;  William  Trousdale, 
1849-51;  William  B.  Campbell,  1851-53;  Andrew  Johnson,  1853-57; 
Isliam  G.  Harris4,  1857-625;  Andrew  Johnson6,  1862-65;  William  G. 
Brownlow,  1865-68;  D.  W.  C.  Senter,  1868-71;  John  C.  Brown,  1871-75; 
James  D.  Porter,  1875-79;  Albert  S.  Marks,  1879-81;  Alvin  Hawkins, 
1881-83;  William  B.  Bate,  1883. 

Secretaries  of  State. — William  Maclin,  1796-1807  ; Robert  Houston, 
1807-11;  William  G.  Blount,  1811-15;  William  Alexander,  1815-19; 
David  Graham,  1819-30;  Thomas  H.  Fletcher,  1830-31;  Samuel  G. 
Smith,  1831-33;  David  Graham,  1833-35;  Luke  Lea,  1835-39;  John  S. 
Young,  1839-47 ; W.  B.  A.  Ramsey,  1847-55 ; F.  N.  W.  Burton,  1855-59; 
John  E.  R.  Ray,  1859-62;  A.  J.  Fletcher,  1865-70;  Thomas  H.  Butler, 
1870-73;  Charles  N.  Gibbs,  1873-81;  David  A.  Nunn,  1881-85;  John 
Allison,  1885. 

Treasurers. — William  Black,  Mero  District,  1796-99;  Landon  Carter, 
Washington  and  Hamilton  Districts,  1796-1800;  Robert  Searcy,  Mero 
District,  1799-1803;  John  Maclin,  Washington  and  Hamilton  Districts, 
1800-03;  Thomas  Crutcher,  West  Tennessee,  1803-29;  Thomas  McCorry, 
East  Tennessee,  1803—13;  Matthew  Nelson,  East  Tennessee,  1813-27; 
Thomas  Crutcher,  Middle  Tennessee,  1829-36 ; Miller  Francis,  East  Ten- 
nessee, 1827-36;  James  Caruthers,  Western  District,  1829-36 7 ; Miller 
Francis,  1836-43;  Matthew  Nelson,  1843-45;  Robert  B.  Turner,  1845-47 ; 
A.  Dibrell,  1847-55;  G.  C.  Torbett,  1855-59;  W.  F.  McGregor,  1859; 
R.  L.  Stanford,  1865-67;  John  R.  Henry,  1867-68;  James  E.  Rust, 
1868-70;  W.  Morrow,  1870-77;  M.  T.  Polk,  1877-18838 ; Atha  Thomas, 
1883-85;  J.  W.  Thomas,  1885. 

Comptrollers  of  the  Treasury. — F.  K.  Zollicoffer,  1843-49;  B.  H. 

1 MSS.  in  possession  of  Tennessee  Historical  Society.  2 Resigned  in  April,  1829.  3 Served  out  the  un- 

expired term  of  Gov.  Houston.  4 Governor  of  the  Confederate  State  Government  to  March  4,  1862.  5 Robert 

L.  Caruthers  was  elected  in  1863  by  the  Confederate  Army,  but  did  not  take  his  seat.  6 Military  Governor 

Treasuries  consolidated.  8 Absconded  January  5, 1883. 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


851 


Sheppard,  1849-51;  Arthur  B.  Crozier,  1851-55;  James  C.  Luttrellv 
1855-57;  James  T.  Dunlap,  1857-61;  Joseph  S.  Fowler,  — 1865;  S. 
W.  Hatchett,  1865-66 1 ; G.  W.  Blackburn,  1866-70;  E.  E.  Pennebaker, 
1870—73;  W.  IV.  Hobbs2,  1873;  John  C.  Burch,  1873-75;  James  L. 
Gaines,  1875-81;  James  N.  Nolan,  1881-83;  P.  P.  Pickard,  1883. 

Librarians. — W.  B.  A.  Bamsey3,  1854-56;  Eeturn  J.  Meigs,  1856-61; 
Joseph  S.  Fowler,  1861-644 ; A.  G.  Gattinger,  1864—69 5 ; Dr.  JVharton, 
1869-71;  Mrs.  Paralee  Haskell,  1871-79;  Mrs  S.  K.  Hatton,  1879. 

Commissioners  of  Agriculture,  Statistics  and  Mines.— 3 . B.  Killbrew, 
1875-81;  Alvin  W.  Hawkins,  1881-83;  A.  J.  McWhirter,  1883. 

State  Geologists. — Gerard  Troost,  1831-50;  James  M.  Safford,  18546. 
Superintendents  of  Public  Instruction. — -Eobert  H.  McEwen,  1836- 
40;  E.  P.  Currin,  1840-44 7 ; John  M.  Fleming,  1873-75;  Leon  Trousdale, 
1875-81;  W.  S.  Doak,  1881-82;  G.  S.  W.  Crawford,  July  1,  1882-83; 
Julia  A.  Doak,  May  23  to  July  1,  18828  ; Thomas  H.  Paine,  1883. 

Judges,  Territorial. — David  Campbell,  1790-96;  Joseph  Anderson, 
1791-96;  John  McNairy,  1790-96. 

Superior  Court  of  Law  and  Equity. — John  McNairy,  1796 9 ; Willie 
Blount,  179610;  Archibald  Boane,  1796-1801;  Howell  Tatum,  1797-98; 
W.  C.  C.  Claiborne,  1796-97;  Andrew  Jackson,  1798-1804;  Hugh  L. 
White,  1801-07;  John  Overton,  1804-10;  Thomas  Emmerson,  180711; 
Parry  W.  Humphreys,  1807-10;  Samuel  Powell.  1807-10. 

Supreme  Court  of  Errors  and  Appeals. — George  W.  Campbell, 
1809-11;  Hugh  L.  White,  1809-14;  John  Overton,  1811-16;  William  W. 
Cooke,  1815—16 1 2 ; Archibald  Boane,  1816 1 3 ; Eobert  Whyte,  1816-34; 
John  Haywood,  1816—26 1 4 ; Thomas  Emmerson,  1818-22;  Jacob  Peck, 
1822-34;  William  L.  Brown,  1822-34;  John  Catron,  1824-34-  Henry 
Crabb,  1827 15  ; Nathan  Green,  1831-34. 

Supreme  Court. — William  B.  Turley,  1834-50;  William  B.  Eeese, 
1834-48;  Nathan  Green,  1834-52;  Eobert  J.  McKinney,  1848;  A. 
W.  O.  Totten,  1850-55 ; Eobert  L.  Caruthers,  1852-41;  William  E.  Har- 
ris, 1855-58;  Archibald  Wright,  1858;  William  F.  Cooper,  1861; 
Samuel  Milligan,  1865-68;  J.  O.  Shackleford,  1865-67;  Alvin  Hawkins, 
1865-68;  Horace  H.  Harrison,  1867-68;  Henry  G.  Smith,  1868-69; 
George  Andrews,  1868-70;  Andrew  McClain,  1869-70;  Alvin  Hawkins, 
1869-70;  Alfred  O.  P.  Nicholson,  1870-76;  James  W.  Deaderick, 

1 Elected  in  May,  1865.  T.  R.  Dillon  was  elected  April  25,  but  was  found  to  be  ineligible.  2 From 

January  to  May.  3 Secretary  of  State;  ex  officio  Librarian.  4 Acting.  5 Appointed  Aug.  14,  1864.  6 After 

the  death  of  Gerard  Troost,  no  geologist  was  appointed  until  February,  1854.  7 Office  abolished  January  12, 

1844 ; created  again  1871  and  state  treasurer  made  superintendent,  ex  officio.  8 Acting.  9 Declined  the  ap- 

pointment. 10  Appointed  in  April,  resigned  in  September.  11  Resigned  during  the  year.  12  Died  July 

20, 1816.  13  The  vacancy  had  been  tendered  to  Samuel  Powell,  Enoch  Parsons,  George  Duffield  and  John 

Williams,  but  all  declined.  14  Died  December  22,  1826.  15  Died  the  same  year. 


352 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


1870;  Peter  Turney,  1870;  Thomas  A .R.  Nelson,  1870-71;  John  L. 
T.  Sneed,  1870-78;  Thomas  J.  Freeman,  1870;  Robert  McFarland, 
1871-84;  J.  B.  Cooke,  1884;  W.  F.  Cooper,  1878. 

Court  of  Referees. — At  Nashville,  TV.  L.  Eakin,  1883-86;  W.  C.  Cald- 
well, 1883-86;  John  A.  Tinnon,  1883-86.  At  Knoxville,  John  Frizzell, 
1883-85;  John  L.  T.  Sneed,  1883-85;  R.  T.  Kirkpatrick,  1883-85.  At 
Jackson,  David  L.  Snodgrass,  1883-85;  David  Bright,  1883-85;  John 
E.  Garner,  from  April  to  July,  1883;  E.  L.  Gardenhire,  1883-85. 

Attorney-Generals. — George  S.  Yerger,  1835-39 ; W.  H.  Humphreys, 
1839-51 ; William  G.  Swann,  1851-53;  John  L.  T.  Sneed,  1853-58; 
John  TV.  Head,  1858-61;  Horace  Maynard,  1863-65;  Thomas  H.  Cald- 
well, 1865-70;  Joseph  B.  Heiskell,  1870-75;  B.  J.  Lea,  1875. 

Representatives.- — IV  Congress,  1796-97,  Andrew  Jackson;  V Con- 
gress, 1797-99,  TVilliam  C.  C.  Claiborne;  VI  Congress,  1799-1801,  same;, 
VII  Congress,  1801-03,  TVilliam  Dickson;  VIII  Congress,  1803-05, 
George  TV.  Campbell,  TVilliam  Dickson  and  John  Rhea;  IX  Congress, 
1805-07,  same;  X Congress,  1807-09,  George  W.  Campbell,  John  Rhea 
and  Jesse  TVliarton;  XI  Congress,  1809-11,  Pleasant  M.  Miller,  John 
Rhea  and  Robert  Weakley;  XII  Congress,  1811-13,  Felix  Grundy,  John 
Rhea  and  John  Sevier;  XIII  Congress,  1813-15,  John  H.  Bowen,  New- 
ton Cannon,  Felix  Grundy*,  Thomas  K.  Harris,  John  Rhea,  Parry  W. 
Humphreys  and  John  Sevier;  XIV  Congress,  1815-17,  William  G. 
Blount,  Bennet  H.  Henderson,  J ames  B.  Reynolds,  Samuel  Powell,  Isaac 
Thomas  and  Newton  Cannon;  XV  Congress,  1817-19,  William  G.  Blount, 
Thomas  Claiborne,  Samuel  Hogg,  Francis  Jones,  George  W.  L.  Marr 
and  John  Rhea;  XVI  Congress,  1819-21,  Robert  Allen,  Henry  H. 
Bryan,  Newton  Cannon,  John  Cocke,  John  Rliea  and  Francis  Jones; 
XVII  Congress,  1821-23,  Robert  Allen,  Henry  H.  Bryan, f Newton  Can- 
non, John  Cocke,  Francis  Jones  and  John  Rhea;  XVIII  Congress,  1823 
-25,  A.  R.  Alexander,  Robert  Allen,  John  Blair,  John  Cocke,  Samuel 
Houston,  Jacob  C.  Isacks,  James  B.  Reynolds,  James  T.  Sandford  and 
James  Standifer;  XIX  Congress,  1825-27,  A.  R.  Alexander,  Robert  Al- 
len, John  Blair,  John  Cocke,  Samuel  Houston,  Jacob  C.  Isacks,  John  H. 
Marable,  James  C.  Mitchell  and  James  K.  Polk;  XX  Congress,  1827-29,. 
John  Bell,  John  Blair,  David  Crockett,  Robert  Desha,  Jacob  C.  Isacks, 
Pryor  Lea,  John  H.  Marable,  James  C.  Mitchell  and  James  K.  Polk: 
XXI  Congress,  1829-31,  John  Bell,  John  Blair,  David  Crockett,  Robert 
Desha,  Jacob  C.  Isacks,  Cave  Johnson,  Pryor  Lea,  James  K.  Polk  and 
James  Standifer;  XXII  Congress,  1831-33,  Thomas  D.  Arnold,  John 


^Resigned  in  1814. 

fls  said  not  to  have  taken  his  seat. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


353 


Bell,  John  Blair,  William  Fitzgerald,  William  Hall,  Jacob  C.  Isacks, 
Cave  Johnson,  James  K.  Polk  and  James  Standifer;  XXIII  Congress, 
1833-35,  John  Bell,  John  Blair,  Samuel  Bunch,  David  Crockett,  David 
W.  Dickinson,  William  C.  Dunlap,  John  B.  Forester,  William  M.  Inge, 
Cave  Johnson,  Luke  Lea,  Bailie  Peyton,  James  K.  Polk  and  James  Stan- 
difer; XXIY  Congress,  1835-37,  John  Bell,  Samuel  Bunch,  William  B. 
Carter,  William  C.  Dunlap,  John  B.  Forester,  Adam  Huntsman,  Cave 
Johnson,  Luke  Lea,  Abraham  P.  Maury,  Bailie  Peyton,  James  K.  Polk, 
Ebenezer  J.  Shields  and  James  Standifer;  XXY  Congress,  1837-39, 
John  Bell,  William  B.  Campbell,  Ylilliam  B.  Carter,  Richard  Cheatham, 
John  W.  Crockett,  Abraham  P.  Maury,  Abraham  McLellan,  James  K. 
Polk,  Ebenezer  J.  Shields,  William  Stone,  Hopkins  L.  Turney,  C.  H. 
Williams  and  Joseph  L.  Williams;  XXYI  Congress,  1839-41.  John  Bell, 
Julius  W.  Blackwell,  Aaron  Y.  Brown,  William  B.  Campbell,  William  B. 
Carter,  John  W.  Crockett,  Meredith  P.  Gentry,  Cave  Johnson,  Abraham 
McLellan,  Hopkins  L.  Turney,  Harvey  M.  Watterson,  C.  H.  Williams 
and  Joseph  L.  Williams;  XXYII  Congress,  1841-43,  Thomas  Arnold, 
Aaron  Y.  Brown,  Milton  Brown,  Thomas  J.  Campbell,  William  B.  Camp- 
bell, Robert  L.  Caruthers,  Meredith  P.  Gentry,  Cave  Johnson,  xlbraham 
McLellan,  Hopkins  L.  Turney,  Harvey  M.  Watterson,  C.  H.  Williams 
and  Joseph  L.  Williams;  XXYIII  Congress,  1843-45,  John  B.  Ashe. 
Julius  W.  Blackwell.  Aaron  Y.  Brown,  Milton  Brown.  Alvan  Cullom,  D. 
W.  Dickinson,  Andrew  Johnson,  Cave  Johnson,  George  W.  Jones,  Joseph 
H.  Peyton  and  William  T.  Senter;  XXIX  Congress,  1845-47,  Milton 
Brown,  Lucien  B.  Chase,  William  M.  Cocke,  John  H.  Crozier,  Alvan 
Cullom,  Edwin  H.  Ewing,  Meredith  P,  Gentry,  Andrew  Johnson.  George 
W.  Jones,  Barclay  Martin,  Frederick  P.  Stanton;  XXX  Congress,  1847- 
49,  Washington  Barrow,  Lucien  B.  Chase,  William  M.  Cocke,  John  H. 
Crozier,  Meredith  P.  Gentry,  William  T.  Haskell,  Hugh  L.  W.  Hill,  An- 
drew Johnson,  George  W.  Jones,  Frederick  P.  Stanton  and  James  H. 
Thomas;  XXXI  Congress,  1849-51,  Josiah  M.  Anderson,  Andrew  Ew- 
ing, Meredith  P.  Gentry,  Isham  G.  Harris,  Andrew  Johnson,  George  W. 
Jones,  John  H.  Savage,  Frederick  P.  Stanton,  James  H.  Thomas,  Albert 
G.  Watkins  and  C.  H.  Williams;  XXXII  Congress,  1851-53,  William  M. 
Church  well,  William  Cullom,  Meredith  P.  Gentry,  Isham  G.  Harris,  An- 
drew Johnson,  George  W.  Jones,  William  H.  Polk,  John  H.  Savage, 
Frederick  P.  Stanton,  Albert  G.  Watkins  and  C.  H.  Williams;  XXXIII 
Congress,  1853-55,  Robert  M.  Bugg,  William  M.  Cliurchwell,  William 
Cullom,  Emerson  Etheridge,  George  W.  Jones,  Charles  Ready,  Samuel 
A.  Smith,  Frederick  P.  Stanton,  Nathaniel  G.  Taylor  and  Felix  K.  Zolli- 
■eoffer;  XXXIY  Congress,  1855-57,  Emerson  Etheridge,  George  W. 


854 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Jones,  Charles  Ready,  Thomas  Rivers,  John  H.  Savage,  Samuel  A. 
Smith,  William  H.  Sneed,  A.  G.  Watkins,  John  V.’  Wright  and  Felix  K. 
Zollicoffer;  XXXY  Congress,  1857-59,  John  D.  C.  Atkins,  William  T. 
Avery,  George  AY.  Jones,  Horace  Maynard,  Charles  Ready,  John  H. 
Savage,  Samuel  A.  Smith,  A.  G.  AAratkins,  John  Y.  AVright  and  Felix  K. 
Zollicoffer;  XXXATI  Congress,  1859— Gl,  William  T.  Avery,  Reese  B. 
Brabson.  Emerson  Etheridge,  Robert  Hatton,  Horace  Maynard,  Thomas 
A.  R.  Nelson,  James  M.  Quarles,  AYilliam  B.  Stokes,  James  H.  Thomas 
and  John  Ar.  Wright;  XXXAHI  Congress,  1861-63,  George  AA'".  Bridges,* 
Andrew  J.  Clements'!-  and  Horace  Maynard;  XXXAHII  Congress,  1863- 
65,  vacant;  XXXIX  Congress,  1865-67,  Samuel  M.  Arnell,  AYilliam  B. 
Campbell,  Edmund  Cooper,  Isaac  R.  Hawkins,  John  W.  Leftwich,  Hor- 
ace Maynard,  William  B.  Stokes  and  Nathaniel  J.  Taylor;  XL  Congress, 
1867-69,  Samuel  M.  Arnell,  Roderick  R.  Butler,  Isaac  R.  Hawkins,  Hor- 
ace Maynard,  James  Mullins,  David  A.  Nunn,  AYilliam  B.  Stokes  and 
John  Trimble;  XLI  Congress,  1869-71,  Samuel  M.  Arnell,  Roderick  R. 
Butler,  Isaac  R,  Hawkins,  Horace  Maynard,  William  F.  Prosser,  AYill- 
iam J.  Smith,  William  B.  Stokes  and  Lewis  Tillman;  XLII  Congress, 
1871-73,  John  M.  Bright,  Roderick  R.  Butler,  Robert  P.  Caldwell,  Abra- 
ham E.  Garrett,  Edward  L.  Galladay,  Horace  Maynard,  AYilliam  W 
Vaughan  and  AV.  C.  Whitthorne;  XLIII  Congress,  1873—75,  John  D.  C. 
Atkins,  John  M.  Bright,  Roderick  R.  Butler,  AYilliam  Crutchfield,  Hor- 
ace H.  Harrison,  Barbour  Lewis,  Horace  Maynard,  David  A.  Nunn,  Ja- 
cob M.  Thornburgh  and  AY.  C.  Whitthorne;  XLIV  Congress,  1875-77, 
John  D.  C.  Atkins,  John  M.  Bright,  William  P.  Caldwell,  G.  G.  Dibrell. 
John  F.  House,  AYilliam  McFarland,  Haywood  Y.  Riddle,  Jacob  M. 
Thornburgh,  AAA  C.  Whitthorne  and  Casey  Young;  XLV  Congress,  1877 
79,  J.  D.  C.  Atkins,  John  M.  Bright,  AY.  P.  Caldwell,  George  G.  Dib- 
rell, John  F.  House,  James  H.  Randolph,  AY.  M.  Randolph,  H.  T.  Rid- 
dle, J.  M.  Thornburgh,  W.  C.  Whitthorne  and  Casey  Young;  X LArI 
Congress,  1879-81,  R.  L.  Taylor,  L.  C.  Houk,  George  G.  Dibrell,  Ben- 
ton McMillin,  John  M.  Bright,  John  F.  House,  AY.  C.  AVhitthorne,  John 
D.  C.  Atkins,  Charles  B.  Simonton  and  Casey  Young;  XLAHI  Congress, 
1881-83,  A.  H.  Pettibone,  Leonidas  C.  Houk,  George  G.  Dibrell,  Ben- 
ton McMillin,  Richard  Warner,  John  F.  House,  W.  C.  AVhitthorne,  John 
D.  C.  Atkins,  Charles  B.  Simonton  and  William  R.  Moore;  XL VIII 
Congress,  1883-85,  A.  H.  Pettibone,  L.  C.  Houk,  George  G.  Dibrell, 
Benton  McMillin,  Richard  Warner,  A.  J.  Caldwell,  John  M.  Taylor, 
Rice  A.  Pierce,  Casey  Young  and  John  G.  Ballentine;  XLIX  Congress, 
1885-87,  A.  H.  Pettibone,  L.  C.  Houk,  J.  R.  Neal,  Benton  McMillin, 


♦Took  his  seat  February  25,  1863. 


fTook  his  seat  January  13,  1862. 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


355 


James  D.  Richardson,  A.  J.  Caldwell,  J.  G.  Ballentine,  J.  M.  Taylor,  P. 
G.  Glass  and  Zachariah  Taylor. 

Senators.- — IV  Congress,  1796-97,  William  Blount  and  William 
Cocke;  Y Congress,  1797-99,  William  Blount1,  William  Cocke,  Joseph 
Anderson,  Andrew  Jackson2,  Daniel  Smith;  VI  Congress,  1799-1801, 
Joseph  Anderson  and  William  Cocke;  YII  Congress,  1801-03,  same; 
VIII  Congress,  1803-05,  same;  IX  Congress,  1805-07,  Joseph  Ander- 
son and  Daniel  Smith;  X Congress,  1807-09,  same;  XI  Congress, 
1809-11,  Joseph  Anderson,  Daniel  Smith3  and  Jenkin  Whiteside4; 

XII  Congress,  1811-13,  Joseph  Anderson  and  George  W.  Campbell; 

XIII  Congress,  1813-15,  Joseph  Anderson,  George  W.  Campbell5  and 
Jesse  Wharton;  XIV  Congress,  1815-17,  George  W.  Campbell  and  John 
Williams;  XV  Congress,  1817-19,  George  W.  Campbell6,  John  Will- 
iams and  John  H.  Eaton;  XVI  Congress,  1819-21,  John  H.  Eaton  and 
John  Williams;  XVII  Congress,  1821-23,  same;  XVIII  Congress, 
1823-25,  John  H.  Eaton  and  Andrew  Jackson;  XIX  Congress,  1825-27, 
John  H.  Eaton,  Andrew  Jackson7  and  Hugh  Lawson  White;  XX  Con- 
gress, 1827-29,  John  H.  Eaton  and  Hugh  L.  White;  XXI  Congress, 
1829-31,  John  H.  Eaton8,  Hugh  L.  White  and  Felix  Grundy;  XXII 
Congress,  1831-33,  Felix  Grundy  and  Hugh  L.  White;  XXIII  Congress, 
1833-35,  same;  XXIV  Congress,  1835—37,  same;  XXV  Congress, 
1837-39,  Hugh  L.  White,  Felix  Grundy9  and  Ephraim  H.  Foster: 
XXVI  Congress,  1839-11.  Hugh  L.  White10,  Felix  Grundy11,  Alex- 
ander Anderson  and  A.  O.  P.  Nicholson  ; XXVII  Congress,  1841-43. 
A.  O.  P.  Nicholson12;  XXVIII  Congress,  1843—45,  Ephraim  H.  Foster 
and  Spencer  Jarnagin:  XXIX  Congress,  1845-47,  Spencer  Jarnagin  and 
Hopkins  L.  Turney;  XXX  Congress,  1847-49,  John  Bell  and  Hopkins 
L.  Turney;  XXXI  Congress,  1849-51,,  same;  XXXII  Congress,  1851-53, 
John  Bell  and  James  C.  Jones;  XXXIII  Congress,  1853-55,  same: 
XXXIV  Congress,  1855-57,  same;  XXXV  Congress,  1857-59,  John  Bell 
and  Andrew  Johnson;  XXXVI  Congress,  1859-61,  Andrew  Johnson  and 
A.  O.  P.  Nicholson  ; XXXVII  Congress.  1861-63,  Andrew  Johnson13; 
XXXVIII  Congress,  1863-65,  vacant;  XXXIX  Congress,  1865-67. 
Joseph  S.  Fowler  and  David  T.  Patterson;  XL  Congress,  1867-69,  same: 
XLI  Congress,  1869-71,  William  G.  Brownlow  and  Joseph  S.  Fowler: 
XLII  Congress,  1871-73,  William  G.  Brownlow  and  Henry  Cooper: 
XLIII  Congress,  1873-75,  same;  XLIV  Congress,  1875-77,  James  E. 
Bailey,  Henry  Cooper,  Andrew  Johnson14  and  David  M.  Key15: 

1 Expelled  for  high  misdemeanors,  July  8, 1797.  2 Resigned  in  1798.  3 Resigned  in  1809.  4 Resigned 

in  1811.  5 Resigned  in  1814.  6 Resigned  in  1818.  7 Resigned  in  1825.  8 Resigned  in  1829.  9 Resigned  in 

1838.  10  Resigned  in  1840.  11  Died  December  19,  1840.  12  Other  seat  vacant.  13  Other  seat  vacani. 

14  Died  July  31, 1875.  15  Appointed  pro  tern,  in  place  of  Andrew  Johnson. 


356 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


XLY  Congress,  1877-79,  James  E.  Bailey  and  Isliam  G.  Harris;  XLYI 
Congress,  1879-81,  same;  XLYII  Congress,  1881-83,  Isliam  G.  Harris 
and  Howell  E.  Jackson;  XLYIII  Congress,  1883-85,  same;  XLIX  Con- 
gress, 1885-87,  same. 


GUBERNATORIAL  ELECTION  RETURNS. 

1815,  Robert  Weakley,  6,028 ; Joseph  McMinn,  14, 980E  1817,  Rob- 
ert C.  Foster,  15,460;  Joseph  McMinn,  28,402.  1819,  Enoch  Parsons, 

8,079 ; Joseph  McMinn,  33,524.  1821,  Edward  Ward,  7,294;  William 

Carroll,  31,029.  1823,  No  opposition;  William  Carroll,  32,597.  1825, 

no  opposition;  William  Carroll.  1827,  Newton  Cannon;  Samuel  Hous- 
ton2. 1829,  no  opposition;  William  Carroll,  57,551.  1831,  no  opposi- 

tion; William  Carroll.  1833,  no  opposition;  William  Carroll,  51,184. 
1835,  Newton  Cannon,  42,795;  William  Carroll,  35,247.  1837,  Newton 

Cannon,  52,660;  — Armstrong,  32,695.  1839,  Newton  Cannon,  50,841; 

James  K.  Polk,  52,899.  1841,  James  C.  Jones,  53,586;  James  K.  Polk, 

50,343.  1843,  James  C.  Jones,  57,491;  James  K.  Polk,  52,692.  1845, 

Ephraim  H.  Foster,  56,646;  Aaron  Y.  Brown,  58,269.  1847,  Niell  S. 

Brown,  61,372;  Aaron  Y.  Brown,  60,004.  1849,  Niell  S.  Brown,  60,350; 

William  Trousdale,  61,740.  1851,  William  B.  Campbell,  63,333;  Will- 
iam Trousdale,  61,673.  1853,  Gustav  A.  Henry,  61,163;  Andrew  John- 
son, 63,413.  1855,  Meredith  P.  Gentry,  65,343;  Andrew  Johnson,  67, - 

499.  1857,  Robert  Hatton,  59,807;  Isliam  G.  Harris,  71,178.  1859, 

John  Netherland,  68,042;  Isliam  G.  Harris,  76,073.  1861,  Isliam  G. 

Harris,  70,273  (Confederate) ; W.  H.  Polk,  37,915.  1865,  William  G. 

Brownlow,  23,222  (Republican) ; William  B.  Campbell,  25.  1867,  Will- 
iam G.  Brownlow,  74,034;  Emerson  Etheridge,  22,250.  1869,  1).  W. 

C.  Senter,  120,234;  — Stokes,  55,046.  1870,  W.  H.  Wisener,  41,500; 

J.  C.  Brown,  78,979.  1872,  A.  A.  Freeman,  84,089;  John  C.  Brown, 

97,700.  1874,  Horace  Maynard,  55,847;  James  D.  Porter,  105,061;  — 

Brooks,  222.  1876,  George  Maney,  10,436;  James  D.  Porter,  123,740; 

Dorsey  B.  Thomas,  73,693s;  W.  F.  Yardley,  2,1654.  1878,  E.  M. 

Wight,  42,328;  A.  S.  Marks,  89,018;  R.  M.  Edwards,  15,1965 *.  1880, 

Alvin  Hawkins,  102,969;  John  V.  Wright,  79,191;  S.  F.  Wilson,  57,- 
42JC;  p j\£  Edwards,  3,641 5.  1882,  Alvin  Hawkins,  90,660;  William 

B.  Bate,  118,821;  Joseph  H.  Fussell,  4,599  7 ; John  R.  Beasley,  9,5725. 
1884,  Frank  T.  Riecl,  125,276;  William  B.  Bate,  132,201;  W.  J.  Bu- 
chanan, 636 5 . 


1 Also  Jesse  Wharton,  5,918 ; Robert  C.  Foster,  3,626,  and  Gen.  Johnson,  2,417.  2 Houston’s  majority  i 

12,000.  3 Independent  Democrat.  4 Independent  Republican.  5 Greenback.  6 “Low'Tax”  Democrat. 

7 ‘ State  Credit”  or  “Sky-blue”  Democrat. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


357 


The  following  table  shows  the  total  number  and  amount  of  bonds  is- 
sued by  the  State  from  1832  to  1881,  the  rate  of  interest,  and  the  purpose 
for  which  they  were  issued. 


Number. 

Rate. 

Amount. 

500 

5 

8500,000  00 
2,500,050  00 
66,666  66 

2,500 

67 

6 

5U 

132 

m 

132,500  00 

Chambers  & Purdy  Turnpike  Company «. 

Franklin  & Columbia  Turnpike  Company 

7 

75 

150 

1 5 
5 
5 
5 

7,000  00 
75,900  00 
150,000  00 

30 

5 

30^00  00 
16,000  00 

44.000  00 
127,600  00 

37,500  00 

7.000  00 

14.000  00 

6.000  00 

49.000  00 

35.000  00 
6,000  00 

85.000  00 

50.000  00 

596.000  00 

1.999.000  00 

398.000  00- 

1.289.000  00 

1.582.000  00 

1.180.000  00 

385.000  00 

1.296.000  00 

2.350.000  00 

1.373.000  00 

710.000  00 

3.222.000  00 

395.000  00 

1.185.000  00 

1.124.000  00 

503.000  00 

400.000  00 
100  000  00 

16 

5 

44 

5 

127 

5 

37 

5 

7 

5 

14 

5 

6 

5 

49 

5 

35 

5 

6 

5 

85 

5 

5 

596 

6 

1,999 

398 

6 

6 

1,289 

1,582 

1,180 

385 

6 

6 

Edgefield.  & Kentucky  Railroad  Company 

6 

G 

1 296 

6 

2,350 

1-373 

6 

G 

’710 

3.222 

6 

6 

395 

G 

1,185 

1,124 

503 

6 

6 

400 

6 

100 

G 

900 

6 

200,000  00 

350.000  00 

32.000  00 

866.000  00 

30.000  00 

49.000  00 

39.000  00 
107,000  00 

81.000  00 

350 

6 

32 

6 

1,166 

30 

49 

5 

39 

107 

5 

81 

RK 

5 

45.000  00 
6,000  00 
8,000  00 

16.000  00 

25.000  00 

20.000  00 
20,000  00 

15.000  00 
8,000  00 

50.000  00 

10.000  00 
1,614,000  00 

449  000  00 

6 

6 

8 

16 

6 

25 

G 

20 

15 

6 

6 

-8 

G 

50 

10 

1,614 

449 

1,700 

2,202 

445 

Mansker’s  Creek  & Springfield  Turnpike  Company 

East  Tennessee  & Georgia  Railroad  Company 

6 

<5 

5 

1,700*000  00 
2,202,000  (0 
445  000  00 

6 

G 

200 

J«l4 

217,250  00 

772 

i5 

0 

772.000  00 

1.173.000  00 
48,000  00 

4.941.000  00 

2.200.000  00 
6,641,000  00 

697.000  00 

1,173 

48 

4,941 

2,200 

6,657 

697 

6 

6 

G 

Grand  total 

1 

849,102,416.66 

Only  1,000  of  these  bonds  were  sold, 
f Rejected 


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(359) 


Three  counties  not  reported.  fVoted  in  1880  with  the  counties  from  which  they  were  formed. 


360 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


AGGREGATE  POPULATION  OP  THE  STATE. 


Counties. 

1700. 

1800. 

1810. 

1820. 

1830. 

1840. 

1850. 

I860. 

1870. 

1880. 

3959 

8242 

4668 

16012 

5310 

30396 

5658 

20546 

4772 

5676 

11745 

7385 

6149 

7163 

12362 

5372 

6938 

21511 

6315 

5959 

12424 

12259 

6068 

8982 

15967 

6296 

7068 

21584 

8463 

4459 

13270 

11701 

6712 

9509 

17437 

7124 

7258 

8704 

24333 

8234 

4870 

14237 

11652 

7445 

10502 

19447 

7909 

6678 

10820 

26025 

9780 

5617 

15985 

12124 

10005 

11859 

•22103 

10019 

7956 

3259 

8839 

5005 

11258 

4648 

11028 

5587 

2668 

4224 

5110 

9397 

6414 

4813 

4190 

4835 

4798 

5508 

8470 

9474 

9369 

9643 

9321 

13373 

6987 

14808 

12894 

14109 

4538 

79026 

8498 

14813 

12460 

15118 

31871 

5941 

17178 

32685 

36014 

12384 

24005 

4592 

10187 

23642 

9098 

22921 

14793 

20610 

26063 

17430 

22142 

12095 

4295 

11379 

12008 

5187 

15846 

7766 

39124 

3968 

14918 

10383 

2181 

26960 

9148 

9321 

30874 

10910 

19259 

39904 

15064 

17271 

7117 

14283 

28481 

6233 

5156 

22912 

12153 

7174 

5154 

4892 

6017 

6992 

8184 

8300 

8351 

10408 

9689 

12458 

10237 

3460 

47055 

6276 

10573 

9982 

10536 

24327 

5054 

13848 

21777 

26166 

19004 

19004 

3093 

3461 

62897 

7772 

11425 

9340 

13706 

26145 

4717 

14970 

25666 

32413 

21668 

21668 

3250 

3459 

9965 

15608 

20154 

28122 

30509 

38882 

6003 

8016 

8404 

6361 

26719 

4454 

13768 

19548 

25949 

17824 

17824 

2773 

DeKalb 



5868 

7074 

4484 

21501 

3550 

12033 

13689 

21494 

10572 

16076 

4516 

5190 

7265 

1904 

8652 

2748 

15620 

5801 

18703 

10066 

14410 

5730 

16571 

4546 

6397 

9713 

12558 

7651 

11324 

7367 

7610 

7741 

821 

2276 

8175 

10075 

6660 

17456 

10328 

13370 

17259 

13164 

18233 

9397 

13258 

7020 

17769 

11214 

16162 

19232 

14491 

19133 

9312 

17241 

7148 

18074 

11768 

15837 

25094 

14217 

20380 

9856 

11655 
4863 
. 13683 
5334 
8748 
12249 
8119 

14563 

8245 

15035 

13870 

11875 

14906 

8618 

1462 

10949 

6970 

6563 

7643 

2583 

6080 

1511 

5401 

4067 

7593 

6187 

9698 

5195 

12872 

6422 

15673 

9096 

11725 

9326 

12583 

9017 

7309 

8953 

11801 

12076 

2658 

15485 

13204 

3705 

18807 

16043 

5018 

22813 

19476 

5852 

28990 

2428 

10838 

7601 

1986 

28050 

12446 

10171 

13034 

14498 

3435 

7121 

5169 

9280 

4438 

23492 

7559 

9320 

2241 

22828 

3271 

5411 

6104 

1476  L 

22075 

21493 

6948 

21470 

6314 

15616 

29520 

13906 

12864 

4879 

11874 

21045 

7290 

21535 

6190 

14592 

32498 

13555 

14732 

4667 

12607 

20895 

6633 

23480 

6841 

16207 

36289 

13969 

12726 

4511 

12589 

24747 

11594 

5508 

16530 

6070 

14555 

28186 

12719 

9385 

4794 

12056 

16927 

3888 

10359 

22089 

1623 

27665 

14460 

5697 

Monroe 

2529 

12219 

13708 

14349 

^Montgomery 

1357 

2899 

8021 

1676 

2582 

2099 

8242 

7094 

2660 

4814 

9279 

7419 

3430 

7633 

11211 

5821 

3353 

12817 

12637 

6042 

2969 

15584 

11297 

6925 

Obion 

5643 

7128 

2384 

Perry 

Pickett 

Polk 

3570 

6338 

8726 

8558 

4991 

13583 

15265 

27918 

3519 

2120 

9122 

48092 

7369 

8698 

6538 

15622 

16166 

33289 

4054 

2335 

11028 

76378 

7269 

11501 

7073 

15237 

18862 

36741 

6021 

2565 

15541 

78430 

Putnam 

2504 

6581 

7270 

10265 

4215 

7895 

9938 

19562 

8186 

11341 

13272 

26134 

3985 

10948 

13801 

14280 

4415 

12185 

16145 

29122 

1905 

Roane 

Robertson 

4280 

Rutherford 

*>cott 

3619 

3419 

4595 

4772 

364 

5717 

5648 

6442 

14721 

6920 

31157 

Shelbv 

' 





* Tennessee  County. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


361 


AGGREGATE  POPULATION  OF  THE  STATE. 


Counties. 

1790. 

1800. 

1310. 

1820. 

1830. 

1840. 

1850. 

1860. 

1870. 

1880. 

4294 

11649 

17580 

19906 

21179 

18412 

16357 

15994 

12019 

17799 

4262 

8397 

6968 

8587 

9719 

9896 

13552 

12690 

18321 

23625 

21033 

4447 

2196 

10218 

6847 

7015 

10073 

20569 

10736 

11742 

13136 

23711 

14884 

4616 

13729 

19211 

22445 

22717 

8887 

22030 

5317 

6800 

10705 

6646 

3645 

6117 

2581 

7605 

2725 

12714 

16317 

10260 

2933 

14079 

2674 

10179 

5725 

10384 

15210 

10803 

11147 

14829 

5872 

6379 

7740 

9557 

2459 

10995 

11751 

13861 

16181 

6013 

7705 

8170 

9115 

10209 

20755 

9375 

25328 

25881 

11301 

. 

4797 

9870 

14608 

18216 

24538 

4028 

8701 

9907 

10747 

11444 

9381 

11176 

2868 

13153 

20640 

26638 

27006 

27201 

23827 

26072 

28313 

3261 

11952 

18730 

25472 

24460 

27443 

23747 

Totals 

35691 

105602 

261727 

422771 

681904 

829210 

1002717 

1109801 

1258520 

1542359- 

THE  FORMATION  OF  COUNTIES. 


NAMES. 

Date  of 
Cre- 
ation. 

FROM  WHAT  FORMED. 

IN  WHOSE  HONOR  NAMED. 

"Washington 

1777 

1779 

Wilkes  and  Burke  Cos.,  N.  C 

Gen.  Geo.  Washington. 

1783 

Gen.  Nathaniel  Greene. 
Gen.  William  Davidson. 
Col.  Jethro  Sumner. 

1783 

1786 

1786 

1788 

1792 

Indian  name  Tenassee*. 

1792 

Gen.  Henry  Knox. 

1794 

Jefferson  Co 

1795 

Knox  Co 

1796 

Washington  Co 

1796 

1796 

Mary  Grainger  (Mrs.  Blount). 
Col.  John  Montgomery. 

1796 

1797 

Jefferson  Co 

Gen.  William  Qocke. 

1799 

1799 

Maj.  David  Wilson. 

Gen.  Williamson,  of  N.  C. 
Hon.  Joseph  Anderson. 

1799 

1801 

1801 

1801 

1801 

1803 

1803 

1803 

1806 

1806 

1806 

1807 

1807 

1807 

1807 

1807 

1807 

1807 

1809 

1809 

1809 

1817 

1817 

1817 

1817 

1819 

Claiborne 

Grainger  and  Hawkins  Cos 

Campbell 

Anderson  and  Claiborne  Cos 

Col.  Arthur  Campbell. 

Edmund  Hickman,  surveyor. 

Thomas  Bedford. 

Abram  Maury. 

Parry  W.  Humphreys. 

Gen.  Benjamin  Lincoln. 

Gen.  William  B.  Giles,  of  Ya. 
Gen.  Daniel  Morgan. 

Gen.  Anthony  Wayne. 

Hardin 

Western  Hist,  under  control  of  Stewart 

1819 

1819 

1819 

1819 

1819 

1821 

and  Wayne  Cos 

Col.  Joseph  Hardin. 

Gov.  Joseph  McMinn. 
Com.  Oliver  H.  Perry. 
Isaac  Shelby. 
Alexander  Hamilton. 
Patrick  Henry. 

Henry 

Western  Dist.  under  control  of  Stewart  Co. 

302 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


THE  FORMATION  OF  COUNTIES. 


j Date  ol' 

.names.  Cre- 


FROM  WHAT  FORMED 


Carroll 

Madison 

Henderson... 

Hardeman... 

Haywood 

Dyer 

Ciibson 

Weakley 

Fentress 

Obion 

Tipton 

MeNairy 

Fayette 

Coffee 

Lauderdale.. 

Benton 

Johnson. „.... 

Meigs;:;. ;. 

Cannon  

Marshall 

Bradley 

DcKalb 

Polk 

Van  Buren... 

Putnam 

Macon 

Lewis 

Grundy 

Hancock 

Decatur 

Scott 

*Union 

Cumberland. 

Cheatham 

Sequatchie... 

Crockett 

Hamblen  .... 
Trousdale  ... 

Clay 

Lake 

Loudon 

Houston 

James 

Moore 

Unicoi 

Pickett 

Chester 


ation. 


1821 

1821 

1821 

182.8 

1823 

1823 

1823 

1823 

1823 

1823 

1823 

1823 

1824 
1835 


Western  Dist.  under  control  ot  Stewart  Co 
Western  Dist.  under  control  ot  Stewart  Co. 
Western  Dist.  under  control  of  Stewart  Co 

Hardin  Co 

Western  Dist.  under  control  of  Stewart  Co 
Western  Dist.  under  control  of  Stewrart  Co. 
Western  Dist.  under  control  of  Stewart  Co. 
Western  Dist.  under  control  of  Stewart  Co. 

Overton  and  Morgan  Cos 

Western  Dist.  under  control  of  Stewart  Co. 
Western  Dist.  under  control  of  Stewart  Co. 
Western  Dist.  under  control  of  Stewart  Co. 

Hardeman  and  Shelby  Cos 

Warren,  Franklin  and  Bedford  Cos 


1835 

1835 

1835 

1835 

1835 

1835 

1835 

1837 

1839 

1840 
1842 

1842 

1843 

1844 

1844 

1845 

1849 

1850 

1855 

1856 

1857 
1870 
1870 
1870 
1870 
1870 

1870 

1871 

1871 

1872 
1875 
1879 
1879 


Humphreys  and  Henry  Cos. 
Carter  Co 


Bedford,  Maury,  Lincoln  and  Giles  Cos. 


White,  Warren,  Cannon,  Wilson,  Jackson. 

Bradley  and  McMinn  Cos 

White,  Warren  and  Bledsoe  Cos 

White,  Overton,  Jackson,  Smith,  DeKalb.. 

Smith  and  Sumner  Cos 

Maury,  Lawrence,  Wayne  and  Hickman... 

Franklin,  Coffee  and  Warren  Cos 

Claiborne  and  Hawkins  Cos 

Perry  Co 

Anderson,  Campbell,  Fentress  and  Morgan 
Grainger,  Claiborne,  Campbell,  Anderson 

and  Knox  Cos 

White,  Van  Buren,  Bledsoe,  Rhea,  Roane, 

Morgan  and  Putnam  Cos 

Davidson, Robertson  and  Montgomery  Cos. 

Hamilton  Co 

Gibson,  Haywood,  Dyer  and  Madison  Cos. 

Grainger,  Jefferson  and  Hawkins  Cos 

Sumner, Macon, Smith  and  Williamson  Cos. 

Jackson  and  Overton  Cos 

Obion  Co 

Roane,  Monroe  and  Blount  Cos 

Dickson,  Humphreys,  Stewart  and  Mont- 
gomery Cos '. 

Hamilton  and  Bradley  Cos 

Lincoln  and  Franklin  Cos 

Washington  and  Carter  Cos 

Overton  and  Fentress  Cos 

Madison,  Henderson,  MeNairy  and  Har- 


deman Cos. 


IN  WHOSE  HONOR  NAMED. 


Gov.  William  Carroll. 
■James  Madison. 

Col.  Thomas  J.  Hardeman 
JudgeJohn  Haywood 
Col.  Henry  Dyer. 

Col.  Thomas  Gibson. 


From  Obion  River. 
Jacob  Tipton. 
JudgeJohn  MeNairy 


Col.  James  Lauderdale. 
Thomas  H.  Benton. 

Return  J.  Meigs. 

Gov.  Newton  Cannon. 


Baron  De  Kalb 
James  K.  Polk. 

Martin  Van  Buren. 
Israel  Putnam. 

Meriwether  Lewis. 
Felix  Grundy. 

John  Hancock. 

Com.  Stephen  Decatur 
Gen.  Winfield  Scott. 


David  Crockett. 
Hezekiah  Hamblen. 

Gov.  William  Trousdale. 
Henry  Clay. 

For  Obion  Lake. 

Fort  Loudon. 

Gen.  Sam  Houston. 

Jesse  J.  James. 


*This,  as  well  as  several  other  counties,  was  not  organized  for  a few 
ating  it. 


years  after  the  passage  of  the  act  ere- 


{ 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


363 


CHAPTER  XII. 

The  Bench  and  Bar  of  Tennessee— The  Judicial  System  of  the  Watauga 
Association— The  Courts  Established  by  North  Carolina— Extracts 
from  the  Early  Records— Jurisdiction — The  Conflict  of  Authority 
at  Watauga— County,  District,  Supreme  and  United  States  Courts 
— Judicial  Procedure  Under  the  Territorial  Government — The  Ad- 
ministration of  Justice  Under  the  Constitutions— Expenses  of  the 
Judiciary — Illustrative  Anecdotes— Equity  and  Appellate  Tribu- 
nals— Formation  of  Circuits — Professional  Character  of  the  More 
Eminent  Practitioners. 

THE  early  judicial  system  of  Tennessee  was  modeled  after  that  of 
North  Carolina.  In  fact  the  system  was  established  while  the  Ter- 
ritory was  still  under  the  jurisdiction  of  that  State.  But  the  first  court 
established  in  what  is  now  Tennessee  ivas  an  entirely  original  creation  of 
the  Watauga  settlers,  and  was  formed  to  meet  the  exigencies  of  that  fron- 
tier colony.  It  consisted  of  five  members,  embracing,  it  is  believed,  the 
following  persons:  John  Carter,  Charles  Robertson,  James  Robertson, 
Zach  Isbell  and  John  Sevier,  with  W.  Tatliam,  as  clerk.  The  jurisdic- 
tion of  this  court  included  the  legislative,  the  judicial  and  the  executive 
function^  of  the  infant  government.  All  of  the  judges,  or  commissioners 
as  they  were  sometimes  called,  were  men  of  distinguished  ability,  and 
under  their  rule  the  colony  experienced  a peace  and  prosperity  which  it 
did  not  again  know  for  many  years.  This  court  continued  to  exercise  its 
authority  until  1777,  when  in  April  of  that  year  the  General  Assembly 
of  North  Carolina  passed  an  act  for  the  establishment  of  courts  of  pleas 
and  quarter  sessions,  and  also  for  appointing  and  commissioning  justices 
of  the  peace  and  sheriffs  for  the  several  courts  in  the  district  of  Wash- 
ington. In  the  following  November  the  district  of  Washington  was 
organized  into  a county.  The  act  and  its  amendments  establishing  the 
court  of  pleas  and  quarter  session  defined  their  jurisdiction  as  follows: 
“The  court  of  pleas  and  quarter  session  shall  have  original  jurisdiction  to 
hear  all  cases  whatsoever  at  the  common  law  within  their  respective 
counties  when  the  debt  exceeds  £5,  breaches  of  the  peace  and  other  mis- 
demeanors of  what  kind  soever  of  an  inferior  nature,  and  all  actions  of 
detinue,  trover,  suits  for  filial  portions,  legacies  and  distributive  shares  of 
intestate  estates  and  all  other  matters  relating  thereto.  ” In  addition  to  this 
they  were  invested  with  the  powers  and  duties  of  a court  of  probate,  and 
later  the  establishment  of  roads,  ferries  and  the  like  was  imposed  upon 
them.  They  also  had  appellate  jurisdiction  in  all  cases  tried  before  a 


364 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


single  justice.  This  court  was  composed  of  all  the  magistrates  within 
its  jurisdiction,  all  of  whom  sat  together,  but  any  three  of  whom  were  a 
sufficient  number  to  transact  business.  A single  justice  had  original 
jurisdiction  to  hear  all  cases  brought  for  debt  of  £5  or  under,  and  could 
also  try  all  misdemeanor  cases  coming  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  court 
of  pleas  and  quarter  sessions.  Superior  courts  were  established  by  the 
General  Assembly  of  North  Carolina  in  1767.  They  were  composed  of 
three  judges,  two  of  whom  were  sufficient  to  hold  court.  They  had  orig- 
inal jurisdiction  in  cases  brought  for  debts  of  £100  or  more,  where 
the  parties  to  the  suit  lived  in  the  same  district.  If  the  parties  lived 
in  different  districts  the  limit  was  placed  at  £50.  These  courts  also  had 
original  jurisdiction  over  all  crimes  of  a serious  nature,  and  appellate 
jurisdiction  in  all  cases  from  the  courts  of  pleas  and  quarter  sessions. 

The  first  court  of  pleas  and  quarter  sessions  in  Washington  County 
met  in  February,  1778.  The  following  extract  is  from  the  journal  of 
that  court  at  its  first  session,  Washington  County,  February  23.  “ Court 

Journal:  At  a court  begun  and  held  for  the  county  of  Washington, 

February  23,  1778;  Present,  John  Carter,  chairman;  John  Sevier,  Jacob 
Womack,  Robert  Lucas,  Andrew  Greer,  John  Shelby,  George  Russell, 
William  Bean,  Zachariah  Isbell,  John  McNabb,  Thomas  Houghton, 
William  Clark,  John  McMahan,  Benjamin  Gist,  John  Chisholm,  Joseph 
Willson,  William  Cobb,  James  Stuart,  Michael  Woods,  Richard  White, 
Benjamin  Willson,  James  Robertson  and  Valentine  Sevier,  Esquires.  On 
Tuesday,  next  day,  John  Sevier  was  chosen  clerk  of  the  county;  Valen- 
tine Sevier,  sheriff;  James  Stuart,  surveyor;  John  Carter,  entry  taker; 
John  McMahan,  register;  Jacob  Womack,  stray  master,  and  John 
McNabb,  coroner.  William  Cocke,  by  W.  Avery,  moved  to  be  admitted 
clerk  of  Washington  County,  which  motion  was  rejected  by  the  court, 
knowing  that  John  Sevier  is  entitled  to  the  office.  The  following  extracts 
serve  to  show  the  prompt  and  vigorous  manner  in  which  this  court  dis- 
pensed justice: 

T 


It  is  the  opinion  of  the  court  that  the  defendant  he  imprisoned  during  the  present  war 
with  Great  Britain,  and  the  sheriff  take  the  whole  of  his  estate  into  custody,  which  must 
be  valued  by  a jury  at  the  next  court,  one-half  of  said  estate  to  be  kept  by  said  sheriff 
for  the  use  of  the  State,  and  the  other  half  to  be  remitted  to  the  family  of  defendant. 

The  following  also  appears  upon  the  records  of  the  W asliington  County 
Court: 

On  motion  of  E.  Dunlap,  State’s  attorney,  that  J.  H.,  for  his  ill  practices  in  harboring 
and  abetting  disorderly  persons  who  are  prejudicial,  and  inimical  to  the  common  cause  bf 
liberty,  and  frequently  disturbing  our  tranquility  in  general,  be  imprisoned  for  a term  of 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


365 


one  year.  The  court,  duly  considering  the  allegations  alleged  and  objected  against  the 
said  J.  H.,  are  of  opinion  that  for  his  disorderly  practices  as  aforesaid,  from  time  to  time, 
and  to  prevent  the  further  and  future  practice  of  the  same  pernicious  nature,  do  order 
him  to  be  imprisoned  for  the  term  of  one  year,  and  is,  accordingly,  ordered  into  the  cus- 
tody of  the  sheriff.  On  motion  of  E.  Dunlap,  Esq.,  that  a sum  of  money  of  £1,500  cur- 
rent money  due  from  R.  C.  to  said  J.  H.  for  two  negroes,  be  retained  in  the  hands  of  said 
R.  C.,  as  there  is  sufficient  reason  to  believe  that  the  said  J.  H.’s  estate  will  be  confiscated 
to  the  use  of  the  State  for  his  misdemeanors,  etc.  The  court,  considering  the  case,  are  of 
opinion  that  the  said  moneys  ought  to  be  retained.  On  motion  that  commissioners  ought 
to  be  appointed  to  take  into  possession  such  property  as  shall  be  confiscated.  The  court, 
on  taking  the  same  under  consideration,  do  nominate  and  appoint  John  Sevier,  Jesse 
Walton  and  Zachariah  Isbell,  Esqs.,  for  the  aforesaid  purpose. 

In  some  instances  the  action  of  these  courts  may  have  assumed  or 
encroached  upon  the  legislative  prerogative,  but  these  were  stormy  times 
and  rigorous  and  energetic  measures  were  necessary.  In  1782  the  dis- 
trict of  Salisbury  was  divided,  and  the  district  of  Morgan,  which  in- 
cluded Washington  and  Sullivan  Counties,  was  established.  Section  5 
of  the  act  creating  the  district  is  as  follows : 

And  Whereas,  The  extensive  mountains  that  lie  desolate  between  the  inhabited  parts 
of  Washington  and  the  inhabited  parts  of  Berke  Counties  make  the  transportation  of 
criminals  from  the  former  to  the  latter  difficult,  and  on  the  way  many  frequently  find 
means  to  break  custody  and  escape;  Wherefore,  that  offenders  in  said  counties  of  Wash- 
ington and  Sullivan  may  be  more  easily  and  certainly  brought  to  justice,  Beit  enacted 
by  the  authority  aforesaid,  that  one  of  the  judges  of  the  superior  court  and  some  other 
gentleman  commissioned  for  the  purpose,  or  one  of  them,  twice  in  every  year  at  the  court 
house  in  Washington  County,  sit  and  hold  a court  of  oyer  and  terminer  and  general  gaol 
delivery  for  the  trial  of  all  criminal  cases  whatsoever  within  the  limits  of  the  courts  of 
Washington  and  Sullivan  Counties,  one  session  thereof,  beginning  on  the  15th  day  of 
February,  and  the  other  on  the  15th  day  of  August,  and  every  session  shall  be  continued 
by  adjournment  for  five  days  exclusive  of  Sunday,  unless  the  business  shall  be  sooner  fin- 
ished, and  said  court  shall  possess  and  exercise  as  full  and  ample  power  and  authority  in 
all  criminal  matters  within  the  limits  aforesaid  as  the  judges  of  the  superior  court  of  law 
possess  and  exercise  in  other  districts,  and  shall  also  have  power  to  receive  and  try 
appeals  from  the  county  courts  of  Washington  and  Sullivan  Counties. 

The  first  session  of  this  court  was  begun  and  held  on  August  15, 
1782,  the  Hon.  Spruce  McCay,  presiding.  Waiglitstill  Avery,  was  ap- 
pointed attorney  for  the  State,  and  John  Sevier,  clerk.  How  long  this 
court  continued  is  not  definitely  known,  but  if  it  continued  until  the 
establishment  of  a superior  court  in  Washington  District,  it  failed  to  ac- 
complish the  purpose  for  which  it  was  created.  In  writing  of  this  period, 
Ramsey,  who  followed  Haywood,  says  that  violations  of  law  were  permitted 
to  pass  unpunished,  except  by  the  summary  process  of  the  regulators 
appointed  for  that  purpose  by  the  people  themselves,  and  this  is  assigned 
as  one  of  the  causes  for  the  organization  of  the  State  of  Franklin.  It  is 
certain  that  soon  after  that  act  of  the  colonies  had  taken  place,  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly  of  North  Carolina  taking  notice  of  the  disaffection  existing 
in  the  western  counties  passed  an  act  organizing  the  counties  of  Wash- 
ington, Sullivan,  Davidson,  and  Greene  into  a judicial  district,  and  ap- 

23 


HISTORY  OR  TENNESSEE. 


366 

pointed  an  assistant  judge  and  an  attorney-general  for  the  Superior 
Court,  which  was  directed  to  be  held  at  Jonesboro.  This  with  the  other 
acts  passed  for  the  redress  of  their  grievances  Avere  not  sufficient  to  restore 
confidence  to  the  disaffected  colonists,  and  one  of  the  first  acts  passed  by 
the  Legislature  chosen  for  the  State  of  Franklin  established  a judicial 
system.  David  Campbell  Avas  elected  judge  of  the  superior  court  and 
Joshua  Gist  and  John  Anderson,  assistant  judges.  Soon  after  Gov. 
Sevier,  by  proclamation,  announced  the  appointment  of  F.  A.  Ramsey, 
Esq.,  as  clerk  of  the  superior  court.  County  courts  Avere  also  established, 
and  justices  of  the  peace  appointed.  The  salary  of  the  judge  of  the  su- 
perior court  Aims  fixed  at  £150  per  annum,  and  that  of  the  assistant  judges 
£25  for  each  court.  By  the  early  part  of  1786  these  courts  were  all  or- 
ganized. At  the  same  time  commissions  had  been  sent  to,  and  accepted 
by,  several  in  Washington,  Sullivan,  and  Hawkins  counties  as  justices  of 
the  peace,  under  the  authority  of  North  Carolina,  and  by  them  courts 
were  held  and  law  administered  as  though  the  State  of  Franklin  did  not 
exist.  In  Gi’eene  County,  and  the  new  counties  below  it,  men  could  not 
be  found  willing  to  accept  the  offered  commissions.*  Then  the  authority 
of  Franklin  Avas  supreme  and  no  conflict  of  jurisdiction  occurred.  It  was 
very  different  elsewhere,  and  especially  in  Washington  County,  when  those 
who  adhered  to  the  government  of  North  Carolina  were  nearly,  if  not  quite 
equal  in  numbers  to  the  friends  of  the  new  State.  Col.  John  Tipton  refused 
obedience  to  the  new  government,  and  under  the  authority  of  North  Caro- 
lina held  courts  at  Davis’,  ten  miles  above  Jonesboro,  on  Buffalo  Creek. 
Both  superior  and  county  courts  Avere  also  held  in  Jonesboro  by  the  judges 
commissioned  by  the  State  of  Franklin.  As  the  process  of  these  courts  fre- 
quently required  the  sheriffs  to  pass  within  the  jurisdiction  of  each  other, 
in  the  discharge  of  their  official  duties,  collisions  Avere  sure  to  occur.  But 
they  did  not  confine  themselves  to  these  casual  encounters.  Whilst  a county 
court  Avas  sitting  at  Jonesboro,  for  the  county  of  Washington,  Col.  Tip- 
ton  Avith  a party  of  men  entered  the  court  house,  took  away  the  papers 
from  the  clerk  and  turned  the  justices  out  of  court.  Not  long  after  a 
party  of  adherents  to  the  neAv  government  went  to  the  house  where  a 
county  court  was  sitting  under  the  authority  of  North  Carolina  and  took 
aAvay  the  clerk’s  papers,  and  turned  the  court  out  of  doors. f The  like 
acts  were  several  times  repeated  during  the  existence  of  the  Franklin 
government.  Frequently  records  were  taken  and  retaken  several  times, 
and  in  that  way  many  valuable  papers  were  lost,  causing  much  annoy- 
ance and  loss  to  persons  interested  in  them. 

In  1788  the  government  of  Franklin  came  to  an  end  and  the  au- 
thority of  North  Carolina  Avas  again  undisputed.  In  May  of  that  year 


-Tiarasey.  fHavwood. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


367 


courts  under  the  authority  of  that  State  were  held  in  Greeneville  without 
interruption,  and  Andrew  Jackson,  John  McNairy,  David  Allison,  Archi- 
bald Roane  and  Joseph  Hamilton,  who  were  licensed  by  North  Carolina, 
were  admitted  as  attorneys.  The  General  Assembly  of  the  previous  year 
had  elected  David  Campbell,  a former  adherent  of  Franklin,  to  be  judge 
of  the  superior  court  for  the  district  of  Washington. 

Whilst  this  conflict  between  the  State  of  Franklin  and  North  Carolina 
was  going  on,  the  people  of  the  Cumberland  settlement  remained  undis- 
turbed in  their  loyalty  to  the  latter  government.  In  1783  the  county  of 
Davidson  was  organized  and  provision  was  made  for  the  establishment  of 
a court  of  pleas  and  quarter  sessions.  The  governor  of  North  Carolina 
commissioned  Anthony  Bledsoe  Daniel  Smith,  James  Robertson,  Thom- 
as Mulloy,  Isaac  Bledsoe,  Samuel  Barton,  Francis  Prince  and  Isaac 
Lindsey  as  justices  to  organize  the  court.  The  four  last  mentioned  ac- 
cordingly met  at  Nashville  October  6,  1783,  and  qualified  in  the  fol- 
lowing manner:  ‘‘The  next  junior  to  the  senior  member  present  men- 

tioned in  the  commission  administered  the  oath  of  office  prescribed  for 
the  qualification  of  public  officers  to  the  senior  member,  and  then  he  to 
the  others  present.”  The  remainder  of  the  justices  appeared  and  quali- 
fied at  the  next  term  of  the  court.  Two  years  later  an  act  was  passed  es- 
tablishing a superior  court  of  law  and  equity  for  the  county  of  Davidson 
to  be  held  twice  in  each  year  and  to  have  exclusive  jurisdiction  west  of 
the  Cumberland  Mountains.  The  first  session  of  this  court  was  to  have 
been  held  on  the  first  Monday  in  May,  1786,  but  a young  man  only 
twenty-four  years  of  age  was  appointed  to  be  judge,  who  upon  more  ma- 
ture reflection  becoming  fearful  that  his  small  experience  and  stock  of  le- 
gal acquirements  were  inadequate  to  the  performance  of  those  great  du- 
ties which  the  office  devolved  upon  him.  chose  rather  to  resign  than  to 
risk  the  injustice  to  suitors  which  others  of  better  qualification  might 
certainly  avoid.*  This  delayed  the  organization  of  the  court,  and  it  was 
not  until  November,  1788,  that  Judge  McNairy,  who  was  appointed  to  fill 
the  vacancy,  arrived  in  Nashville.  The  following  is  the  first  entry  in 
the  journal  of  the  supreme  court: 

North  Carolina — At  a superior  court  of  law  and  equity  begun  and  held  for  the  coun- 
ties Davidson  and  Sumner,  at  the  court  house  in  Nashville,  on  the  first  Monday  in  Novem- 
ber, 1788.  Present,  the  Honorable  John  McNairy,  judge.  Proclamation  was  made  com- 
manding silence  under  pain  of  imprisonment,  while  the  judge  proceeded  in  the  public 
business. 

The  Court  then  appointed  John  McCay,  clerk  and  Andrew  Jackson, 
attorneys  in  behalf  of  the  State  for  that  term.  During  this  year  Tennes- 
see County  was  created  and  with  Davidson  and  Sumner  Counties  were 


* Hay  wood. 


368 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


organized  into  the  district  of  Mero,*  at  the  same  time  the  jurisdiction 
of  the  superior  court  was  somewhat  enlarged,  and  the  salary  of  the  judge 
increased. 

A somewhat  peculiar  and  yet  wholesome  regulation  of  legal  practice 
was  made  by  the  General  Assembly  of  North  Carolina  in  1786.  An  act 
was  passed  making  it  unlawful  for  either  the  plaintiff  or  defendant  to  em- 
ploy more  than  one  attorney  “to  speak  to  any  suit  in  court.”  It  also 
made  it  lawful  for  any  plaintiff  or  defendant  to  enter  his  own  plea  or  de- 
fend his  own  cause,  and,  to  encourage  this  practice,  it  was  provided  that 
“no  instrument  of  writing  which  contained  the  substance  should  be  lost 
or  destroyed  for  want  of  form,  any  law  to  the  contrary  notwithstanding.” 
A scale  of  attorneys  fees  in  various  cases  was  fixed  by  this  act  and  any 
attorney  convicted  of  taking  more  or  greater  fees  than  those  established 
by  law  was  suspended  from  practice  for  a term  of  one  year. 

Upon  the  organization  of  the  Territory  of  the  United  States  of  Amer- 
ica south  of  the  River  Ohio,  no  material  change  was  made  in  the  courts. 
Those  holding  office  under  the  authority  of  North  Carolina  generally 
continued  to  serve  in  the  same  capacity  under  the  Territorial  Govern- 
ment, though  a new  constitution  and  a new  oath  of  office  were  required. 
The  two  judges  of  the  superior  court,  David  Campbell  and  John  McNairy, 
were  re-appointed  by  the  President.  Joseph  Anderson  was  added  as  the 
third  judge  required  by  the  ordinance  establishing  the  Territory.  That 
ordinance  also  provided  that  previous  to  the  organization  of  the  Legisla- 
tive Assembly,  the  three  judges  of  the  superior  court,  or  two  of  them, 
should  be  associated  with  the  governor  in  administering  both  the  legis- 
lative and  executive  departments  of  the  government.  Judges  Campbell 
and  Anderson  seem  to  have  been  the  only  ones  who  served  in  this  capac- 
ity, Judge  McNairy’s  name  not  appearing  in  any  of  their  proceedings. 

The  Territorial  Assembly,  soon  after  its  organization  in  1794,  passed 
an  act  establishing  courts,  but  it  was  little  more  than  a confirmation  of 
those  already  in  existence,  with  the  exception  that  provision  was  made 
for  the  appointment  of  a State’s  attorney  in  each  county.  No  change 
was  made  in  the  judges,  and  they  continued  to  hold  their  office  until  the 
admission  of  Tennessee  as  a State,  1796.  The  constitution  adopted  in  that 
year  did  not  establish  any  courts,  but  left  the  matter  entirely  to  the  Leg- 
islature. The  following  is  the  article  relating  to  the  judiciary: 

ARTICLE  Y. 

Section  1.  The  judicial  power  of  the  State  shall  be  vested  iu  such  superior  and  in 
ferior  courts  of  law  and  equity  as  the  Legislature  shall  from  time  to  time  direct  and  estab- 
lish. 


*Thi6  district,  for  some  reason  not.  satisfactorily  known,  was  named  for  a Spanish  officer  residing  in  the 
Mississippi  Country,”  with  whom  the  Cumberland  settlements  had  some  sort  of  dealings  and  disagreements. 


HISTORY  OE  TENNESSEE. 


369 


Sec.  2.  The  General  Assembly  shall  by  joint  ballot  of  both  houses  appoint  judges  of 
the  several  courts  of  law  and  equity,  also  an  attorney  or  attorneys  for  the  State  who  shall 
bold  their  respective  offices  during  good  behavior. 

Sec.  3.  The  judges  of  the  superior  courts  shall  at  stated  times  receive  a compensa- 
tion for  their  services  to  be  ascertained  by  law,  but  shall  not  be  allowed  any  fees  of  office, 
nor  shall  they  hold  any  other  office  of  trust  or  profit  under  this  State,  or  the  United 
States. 

Sec.  4.  The  judges  of  the  superior  courts  shall  be  justices  of  oyer  and  terminer,  and 
general  jail  delivery  throughout  the  State. 

Sec.  5.  The  judges  of  the  superior  and  inferior  courts  shall  not  charge  juries  with 
respect  to  matters  of  fact,  but  may  state  the  testimony  and  declare  the  law. 

Sec.  6.  The  judges  of  the  superior  court  shall  have  power  in  all  civil  cases  to  issue 
writs  of  certiorari  to  remove  any  ease  or  transcript  thereof,  from  any  inferior  court  of  re- 
cord into  the  superior,  on  sufficient  cause  supported  by  oath  or  affirmation. 

Sec.  7.  The  judges  or  justices  of  the  inferior  courts  of  law  shall  have  power  in  all 
cases  to  issue  writs  of  certiorari  to  remove  any  case  or  a transcript  thereof  from  any  inferior 
jurisdiction,  into  their  court  on  sufficient  cause  supported  by  oath  or  affirmation. 

Sec.  8.  No  judge  shall  sit  on  the  trial  of  any  cause  wherein  the  parties  shall  be  con- 
nected with  him  by  affinity  or  consanguinity,  except  by  consent  of  the  parties.  In  case 
all  the  judges  of  the  superior  court  interested  in  the  event  of  any  cause,  or  related  to  all 
or  either  of  the  parties,  the  governor  of  the  State  shall  in  such  case  specially  commission 
three  men  of  law  knowledge  for  the  determination  thereof. 

Sec.  9.  All  writs  and  other  processes  shall  run  in  the  name  of  the  State  of  Tennessee 
and  bear  test  and  be  signed  by  the  respective  clerks.  Indictments  shall  conclude  "against 
the  peace  and  dignity  of  the  State.” 

Sec.  10.  Each  court  shall  appoint  its  own  clerk,  who  may  hold  office  during  good 
behavior. 

Sec.  11.  No  fine  shall  be  laid  on  any  citizen  of  the  State  that  shall  exceed  fifty  dol- 
lars, unless  it  be  assessed  by  a jury  of  his  peers,  who  shall  assess  the  fine  at  tjie  time  they 
find  the  fact,  if  they  think  the  fine  ought  to  be  more  than  fifty  dollars. 

Sec.  12.  There  shall  be  justices  of  the  peace  appointed  for  each  county,  two  for  each 
captain’s  company,  except  the  company  which  includes  the  county  town,  which  shall  not 
exceed  three,  who  shall  hold  their  office  during  good  behavior. 

The  failure  of  this  constitution  to  establish  any  court  may  justly  be 
considered  as  one  of  its  weakest  points.  A supreme  court  which  owes 
its  existence  to  the  legislative  body,  and  which  at  any  time  by  the  re- 
peal or  the  amendment  of  a single  act  might  be  altered  or  abolished, 
could  scarcely  be  expected  to  retain  its  independence,  nor  could  it  be  ex- 
pected to  endanger  its  own  life  by  calling  into  question  the  validity  of  a 
law.  For  such  a court  to  pronounce  an  act  unconstitutional  would  be 
useless,  as  the  Legislature,  having  a sufficient  majority  to  pass  such  an 
act,  would  upon  any  question  of  importance,  have  a majority  to  repeal 
the  law  creating  the  court  itself.  The  danger  from  this  was  manifested 
in  several  instances,  and  was  one  of  the  strongest  arguments  in  favor  of 
the  adoption  of  the  new  constitution  in  1834.  In  1829  a controversy 
arose  between  the  judiciary  and  the  Legislature,  and  the  result  was  the 
introduction  of  a bill  which,  had  it  become  a law,  would  have  abolished 
the  then  existing  supreme  court.  The  bill  failed  to  pass  by  a single  vote. 

The  first  General  Assembly  convened  on  the  28th  of  March,  1796, 


370 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


and  soon  after  passed  an  act  establishing  a superior  court  of  law  and 
equity,  and  a court  of  pleas  and  quarter  sessions,  and  defining  their 
jurisdiction  and  mode  of  procedure,  which  did  not  differ  materially 
from  that  of  the  courts  under  the  authority  of  North  Carolina  and  the 
Territory.  In  1806  the  district  of  Mero  was  divided  into  three  separate 
and  distinct  judicial  districts.  The  counties  of  Robertson,  Montgom- 
ery, Dickson  and  Stewart  were  constituted  one  district  by  the  name  of 
Robertson,  for  which  the  courts  were  held  at  Clarksville.  Jackson,  Smith 
and  Wilson  Counties  were  organized  into  the  district  of  Winchester, 
and  courts  were  held  at  Carthage.  The  remaining  counties,  Davidson, 
Sumner,  Williamson  and  Rutherford  constituted  the  district  of  Mero, 
with  the  seat  of  justice  at  Nashville.  The  district  of  Hamilton  had 
been  formed  in  1793  from  the  counties  of  Jefferson  and  Knox. 

On  November  16,  1809,  an  act  was  passed  abolishing  the  superior  court 
and  establishing  circuit  courts,  a supreme  court  of  errors  and  appeals  in  its 
stead.  The  former  was  made  to  consist  of  one  judge,  and  was  to  be  held 
twice  annually  in  each  county.  It  was  given  the  same  jurisdiction  in  all 
matters  in  common  law  and  equity  as  belonged  to  the  former  superior 
court,  exclusive  jurisdiction  in  all  criminal  causes  and  appellate  jurisdic- 
tion in  all  cases  from  the  court  of  pleas  and  quarter  sessions.  A solicitor- 
general  and  a judge  for  each  circuit  were  elected  by  a joint  vote  of  both 
houses  of  the  General  Assembly.  The  State  was  divided  into  five  ju- 
dicial circuits,  as  follows : First  Circuit,  Greene,  Washington,  Carter,  Sul- 
livan, Hawkins,  Grainger,  Claiborne  and  Campbell.  Second  Circuit,  Cocke, 
Jefferson,  Sevier,  Blount,  Knox,  Anderson,  Roane,  Rhea  and  Bledsoe. 
Third  Circuit,  Smith,  Warren,  Franklin,  Sumner,  Overton,  White  and 
Jackson.  Fourth  Circuit,  Davidson,  Wilson,  Rutherford,  Williamson, 
Maury,  Giles,  Lincoln  and  Bedford.  Fifth  Circuit,  Montgomery,  Dick- 
son, Hickman,  Humphreys,  Stewart  and  Robertson. 

The  supreme  court  of  errors  and  appeals  was  made  to  consist  of  two 
judges  in  error  and  one  circuit  judge,  and  was  to  be  held  annually  at  the 
following  places:  Jonesboro,  Knoxville,  Carthage,  Nashville  and  Clarks- 
ville. The  jurisdiction  of  this  court  was  appellate  only.  The  act  creat- 
ing these  courts  went  into  effect  January  1,  1810,  and  Hugh  L.  White 
and  George  W.  Campbell  were  appointed  judges  of  the  supreme  court. 
In  1811  that  part  of  the  act  which  required  the  attendance  of  a circuit 
judge  in  the  court  of  errors  and  appeals  was  rescinded,  and  it  was  pro- 
vided that  when  the  two  judges  of  that  court  differed,  the  judgment  of 
the  circuit  court  was  to  be  sustained.  By  the  same  act  the  supreme 
court  was  given  exclusive  jurisdiction  in  all  cases  in  equity  arising  in 
the  circuit  courts.  In  1813  a change  was  made  in  the  court  of  pleas 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


371 


and  quarter  sessions,  by  which  five  justices  were  appointed  to  hold  the 
court,  although  the  county  business  was  transacted  as  before  by  all  the 
magistrates  on  the  first  day  of  the  session.  New  judicial  circuits  were 
formed  from  time  to  time  as  new  counties  were  organized.  In  1817  the 
Sixth  Circuit  was  established  from  the  counties  of  Lincoln.  Giles,  Maury, 
Bedford  and  Lawrence.  Two  years  later  the  counties  of  Roane,  Rhea, 
Bledsoe,  Marion.  McMinn,  Hamilton  and  Monroe  were  constituted  the 
Seventh  Circuit.  The  counties  of  Henry,  Carroll.  Madison,  Shelby, 
Wayne,  Hardeman.  Hardin  and  Perry  were  erected  into  the  Eighth 
Circuit  in  1821.  The  Ninth  Circuit  was  formed  in  1823.  from  the  coun- 
ties of  Perry,  Henderson,  Carroll  and  Henry,  and  all  the  counties  to  be 
established  west  of  Carroll  and  Henry.  The  Tenth  Circuit,  composed  of 
Wayne,  Hardin,  McNairy,  Hardeman,  Fayette  and  Shelby  was  formed  in 
1830.  At  the  same  time  Warren,  Franklin,  Bedford,  Rutherford  and 
Wilson  Counties  were  constituted  the  Eleventh  Circuit,  and  Henderson 
and  Perry  were  attached  to  the  eighth.  In  1815  the  number  of  judges 
of  the  supreme  court  was  increased  to  three,  and  Archibald  Roane  was 
appointed  as  the  third  judge.  A fourth  judge  was  added  in  1823,  and 
the  following-  year  a fifth.  In  a few  months,  however,  it  was  again  re- 
duced  to  four  and  so  continued  until  the  change  in  the  constitution  was 
made.  In  1831  the  office  of  chief  justice  was  created. 

As  has  been  stated,  the  Legislature  of  1829  discussed  and  voted  upon 
a bill  amending  the  judiciary  system.  The  Senate  committee  in  report- 
ing upon  a bill  from  the  House  making  some  changes  in  the  inferior 
courts,  stated  that  they  considered  the  judiciary  system  of  Tennessee  the 
most  expensive  and  the  least  efficient  of  any  in  the  United  States.  The 
objections  to  it  as  stated  by  them  were  “the  multiplicity  of  courts  which, 
either  as  original  or  appellete,  can  take  jurisdiction  of  the  same  subject 
matter,  the  defective  mode  by  which  these  courts  are  governed,  the 
great  delay  of  common  right  to  the  parties,  and  the  unnecessary  expense 
incurred  by  the  number  of  courts  in  which  the  same  cause  may  be  in- 
vestigated. 

The  following  description  of  the  “law's  delay,"  as  given  by  this  com- 
mittee, leads  one  to  infer  that  modern  law  courts  are  not  so  degenerate 
as  they  are  usually  considered:  “A  suit  may  be  commenced  before  a jus- 
tice of  the  peace  for  a sum  not  exceeding  50  cents,  trial  be  had  thereon, 
and  an  appeal  taken  to  the  county  court;  and  notwithstanding  the  small 
sum  in  dispute,  ambition,  spite  and  other  malicious  motives  frequently 
operate  so  as  to  influence  one  or  both  of  the  parties  into  a determination 
to  run  his  adversary  into  as  much  cost  and  trouble  as  possible.  For  this 
purpose  lawyers  are  employed  on  either  side,  witnesses  are  summoned  by 


372 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


neighborhoods  to  attend  court,  often  at  the  most  busy  season  of  the  year, 
much  to  their  inconvenience  and  greatly  to  the  injury  of  their  private 
affairs.  The  cause  may  be  continued  from  term  to  term  for  years,  during 
which  time  ill-will,  strife,  and  party  animosity  prevail,  not  only  between 
the  parties  litigant,  but  unfortunately,  the  surrounding  neighborhood  often 
engages  in  feuds  in  consequence  of  it.  At  length  the  cause  is  tried  in 
the  county  court  where,  in  all  well  regulated  governments,  it  should  end 
so  far  as  relates  to  matters  of  fact.  But  instead  of  ending  there,  and  re- 
storing tranquillity  to  the  neighborhood  and  relieving  a host  of  witnesses 
who  have  been  drawn  from  the  cultivation  of  their  farms  or  from  pursuit 
of  their  ordinary  employment,  an  appeal  is  taken  to  the  circuit  court, 
where  additional  fees  must  be  given  to  lawyers,  clerks,  sheriffs,  consta- 
bles and  jurymen,  and  the  parties  have  not  gained  one  inch  of  ground 
toward  terminating  their  controversy,  but  must  travel  over  the  same 
ground  in  relation  to  law  and  facts  in  the  circuit  court,  and  if  their  purses 
have  not  increased  in  size  their  animosity  toward  each  other  has  in- 
creased threefold.  An  appeal  then  is  taken  to  the  supreme  court.  Law- 
yers1 and  clerks’  fees  are  again  to  be  paid,  and  should  judgment  be  ob- 
tained for  the  plaintiff  he  may  conclude  that  notwithstanding  his  road  to 
justice  has  been  tedious,  yet  he  has  at  length  reached  the  end  of  his 
trouble.  But  even  here  his  hopes,  perhaps,  are  succeeded  by  disappoint- 
ment. A bill  in  equity  may  be  filed  in  the  circuit  court  or  district 
chancery  court  and  the  neighborhood  again  be  disturbed  in  the  taking 
of  depositions.  The  parties  are  again  compelled  to  give  additional  fees 
to  lawyers,  clerks  and  sheriffs.  At  length  the  cause  is  tried  before  the 
fifth  tribunal.  An  appeal  is  again  taken  to  the  supreme  court  from  the 
decree  of  the  chancellor  where  it  is  tried  a sixth  time  with  additional  fees 
to  clerks  and  other  officers.” 

In  estimating  the  expense  of  the  courts  to  the  State,  the  committee 
placed  the  cost  of  jurors  in  the  county  courts  alone  at  $58,652  per  an- 
num, “an  amount  more  than  sufficient  to  defray  the  whole  expense  of  our 
government,  including  a session  of  the  Legislature  each  year.”  The 
costs  in  cases  taken  by  appeal  to  the  circuit  court  are  estimated  at  $46,- 
500  annually,  and  the  cost  of  grand  jurors  at  $30,876. 

Previous  to  1834  the  finding  of  articles  of  impeachment  against 
judges  and  other  officers  was  of  quite  frequent  occurrence.  The  first  case 
of  the  kind  was  that  of  David  Campbell,  one  of  the  judges  of  the  supe- 
rior court  of  law  and  equity,  impeached  in  1803.  The  articles  as  pre- 
sented by  the  House  of  Representatives  charged  him  with  taking  a 
bribe  to  the  value  of  $50  from  one  James  Miller,  for  which  he  agreed  to 
procure  a favorable  decision  for  the  latter  in  a case  brought  by  John  Den 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


373 


to  recover  the  possession  of  two  tracts  of  land  situated  in  the  county  of 
Knox.  The  managers  on  the  part  of  the  House  were  Wharton,  Kennedy 
and  Claiborne,  who  procured  Jenkin  Whiteside  as  counsel  for  the  prose- 
cution. The  counsel  for  the  defense  was  Edward  Scott,  John  Williams 
and  Robert  Whyte.  The  oath  was  administered  to  the  senators  by  Hugh 
L.  White,  and  Senator  McMinn  was  chosen  to  preside.  After  hearing 
the  evidence  and  the  arguments  by  the  counsel  a ballot  was  taken,  which 
resulted  in  a verdict  of  not  guilty,  the  vote  standing  three  for  conviction 
and  nine  for  acquittal.  Leave  was  then  given  to  the  senators  to  have 
the  reasons  for  their  votes  recorded,  when  the  following  svere  given  by 
John  Gass:  “My  reasons  for  saying  not  guilty  on  the  articles  of  im- 

peachment exhibited  against  David  Campbell,  one  of  the  judges  of  the 
superior  court  of  law  and  equity  in  this  State,  are  because,  if  the  wit- 
ness in  behalf  of  the  prosecution  could  have  such  a corrupted  heart  as  to 
attempt  to  bribe  a judge  to  the  injury  of  another  man,  it  is  a doubtful 
case  whether  the  evidence  ought  to  be  taken  in  such  latitude  as  to  con- 
vict any  person,  therefore  as  it  appears  to  me  to  be  a doubtful  case,  if  I 
should  err  at  all,  I wish  to  err  on  the  side  of  mercy.” 

In  1811  articles  of  impeachment  were  exhibited  by  the  House 
against  William  Cocke,  judge  of  the  First  Circuit.  The  first  two  articles 
charged  him  with  neglecting  to  hold  court  on  various  occasions,  and 
with  failing  to  open  and  close  the  sessions  of  the  court  properly.  The 
third  article  charged  that  “for  the  corrupt  purpose  of  partiality  to  his 
friend,”  he  had  refused  on  one  occasion  to  issue  cei’tain  writs,  to  the 
great  injury  of  the  defendant.  The  case  was  continued  until  the  next 
session  of  the  Legislature,  when  the  defendant  was  acquitted  on  the  first 
two  articles  but  convicted  on  the  third  by  a vote  of  ten  to  three,  and  was 
accordingly  removed  from  his  office.  One  of  the  most  ably  contested 
cases  of  impeachment  in  the  history  of  the  State  was  that  of  Samuel  H. 
Williams,  surveyor  of  the  Seventh  District  of  the  Congressional  Reser- 
vation. He  was  charged  with  having  demanded  and  taken  extortionate 
fees,  and  with  having  allowed  false  entries  to  be  made.  The  trial  was 
begun  during  the  session  of  1821,  but  was  continued  at  the  request  of 
the  defendant  until  the  next  session  of  the  Legislature  in  1822.  It  was 
taken  up  again  on  July  24,  of  that  year,  and  continued  for  nearly  a month, 
when  he  was  found  guilty  upon  four  of  the  eleven  articles.  The  attor- 
neys for  the  defense  were  Jenkin  Whiteside,  Samuel  Houston,  Thomas 
Washington,  Alfred  Ralcli  and  Charles  G.  Olmstead,  while  one  of  the 
managers  on  the  part  of  the  House  was  Felix  Grundy. 

In  1829  articles  of  impeachment  were  found  against  Joshua  Haskell, 
n judge  of  the  Eighth  Circuit,  charging  him  with  having,  on  several  oa- 


374 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


casions,  left  the  court  house  during  the  progress  of  a trial  to  engage  in 
conversation,  business  and  amusement.  The  testimony  given  at  these 
trials  throws  some  light  on  the  character  of  the  courts  of  those  early 
times  and  of  the  houses  in  which  they  were  held.  During  the  trial  of 
Judge  Haskell  a witness  testified  that  the  house  in  which  the  court  was 
held  in  one  of  the  counties  was  a very  uncomfortable  one — “occupied  by 
hogs  during  the  recess  of  the  court  and  infested  with  fleas.”  Another 
witness,  an  attorney,  stated  that  during  the  progress  of  a certain  trial 
the  judge  was  off  the  bench  from  between  9 and  10  o’clock  until  12 
o’clock,  and  that  upon  another  occasion  during  the  argument  of  the 
counsel,  the  judge  went  with  him  outside  of  the  court  house  and  ate 
a part  of  a watermelon — a doubtful  example  of  judical  dignity.  Gabriel 
Fowlkes  testified  that  at  one  time  during  a trial  he  was  sent  for  the 
judge,  and  found  him  “either  at  the  show  or  in  the  court  house  yard;”  he 
was  not  positive  at  which  place.  During  the  progress  of  this  trial  a diffi- 
culty arose  between  the  counsel  employed  as  to  the  admissibility  of  testi- 
mony; the  question  was  referred  to  a disinterested  attorney,  the  judge 
being  absent,  who  gave  a decision,  and  the  cause  progressed.  Judge 
Haskell,  however,  seems  to  have  been  a universal  favorite  on  his  circuit; 
and  notwithstanding  the  testimony  he  was  acquitted  of  the  charge,  4he 
vote  of  the  Senate  being  equally  divided. 

In  1829  N.  W.  Williams,  judge  of  the  Third  Judical  Circuit,  was 
tried  upon  charges  of  neglect  of  official  duty.  One  of  the  articles  of 
impeachment  charged  that  “while  Hopkins  L.  Turney,  an  attorney  of 
that  court,  was  arguing  before  him  a certain  civil  suit  concerning  an  In- 
dian reservation,  which  suit  then  and  there  was  and  had  been  on  trial  for 
one  day,  he,  the  said  judge,  unmindful  of  the  duties  of  his  office  and  his 
obligation  to  perform  them  faithfully  and  impartially  to  the  best  of  his 
skill  and  ability,  did  carelessly,  negligently  and  unlawfully  go  to  sleep 
and  continue  asleep  for  the  space  of  one  hour;  waking  from  his  sleep  he 
inquired  what  suit  it  was,  and  being  told  by  said  attorney,  said  he  was 
related  to  some  of  the  parties,  and  could  not  sit  in  that  case.”  Charges 
of  partiality  were  also  preferred  against  him.  He  was  acquitted,  and  it 
was  generally  believed  that  the  prosecution  was  inspired  by  the  animosity 
of  some  of  the  attorneys  who  practiced  before  him. 

The  new  constitution  of  1834  made  no  radical  change  in  the  judicial 
system  then  in  existence,  but  the  supreme  court  was  rendered  indepen- 
dent of  the  Legislature  by  embodying  provision  for  its  establishment  in 
that  constitution.  For  the  purpose  of  comparison,  the  article  relating  to 
the  judiciary  is  given  in  full : 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


375 


ARTICLE  VI. 

Section  1.  The  judicial  power  of  this  State  shall  be  vested  iu  one  supreme  court,  in 
such  inferior  courts  as  the  Legislature  shall  from  time  to  time  ordain  and  establish,  and 
the  judges  thereof,  and  in  justices  of  the  peace.  The  Legislature  may  also  vest  such  juris- 
diction as  may  be  deemed  necessary  in  corporation  courts. 

Sec.  2.  The  supreme  court  shall  be  composed  of  three  judges,  one  of  whom  shall  re- 
side in  each  of  the  three  grand  divisions  of  the  State;  the  concurrence  of  two  of  said 
judges  shall  in  every  case  be  necessary  to  a decision.  The  jurisdiction  of  this  court  shall 
be  appellate  only,  under  Such  restrictions  and  regulations  as  may  from  time  to  time  be 
prescribed  by  law;  but  it  may  possess  such  other  jurisdiction  as  is  now  conferred  by  law  on 
the  present  supreme  court.  Said  court  shall  be  held  at  one  place,  at  one  place  only,  in 
each  of  the  three  grand  divisions  in  the  State. 

Sec.  3.  The  General  Assembly  shall,  by  joint  vote  of  both  houses,  appoint  judges  of 
the  several  courts  of  law  and  equity;  but  courts  may  be  established  to  be  holden  by  jus- 
tices of  the  peace.  Judges  of  the  supreme  court  shall  be  thirty-five  years  of  age,  and 
shall  be  elected  for  the  term  of  twelve  years. 

Sec.  4.  The  judges  of  such  inferior  courts  as  the  Legislature  may  establish  shall  be 
thirty  years  of  age,  and  shall  be  elected  for  the  term  of  eight  years. 

Sec.  5.  The  Legislature  shall  elect  attorneys  for  the  State  by  joint  vote  of  both  houses 
of  the  General  Assembly,  who  shall  hold  their  offices  for  the  term  of  six  years.  In  all 
cases  when  an  attorney  for  any  district  fails  or  refuses  to  attend  and  prosecute  according 
to  law,  the  court  shall  have  power  to  appoint  an  attorney  pro  tempore. 

Sec.  6.  Judges  and  attorneys  for  the  State  may  be  removed  from  office  by  a concur- 
rent vote  of  both  houses  of  the  General  Assemby,  each  house  voting  separately,  but  two- 
thirds  of  all  the  members  elected  to  each  house  must  concur  in  such  vote;  the  vote  shall  be 
determined  by  ayes  and  noes.and  the  names  of  the  members  voting  for  or  against  the  judge 
or  attorney  for  the  State,  together  with  the  cause  or  causes  of  removal,  shall  be  entered 
on  the  journals  of  each  house,  respectively.  The  judge  or  attorney  for  the  State,  against 
whom  the  Legislature  may  be  about  to  proceed,  shall  receive  notice  thereof,  accompanied 
with  a copy  of  the  cause  alleged  for  his  removal,  at  least  ten  days  before  the  day  on  which 
either  house  of  the  General  Assembly  shall  act  thereupon. 

Sec.  7.  The  judges  of  the  supreme  and  inferior  courts  shall,  at  stated  times,  receive 
a compensation  for  their  services,  to  be  ascertained  by  law,  which  shall  not  be  increased 
or  diminished  during  the  term  for  which  they  are  elected.  They  shall  not  be  allowed  any 
fees  or  perquisites  of  office,  nor  hold  any  other  office  of  trust  or  profit  under  this  State  or 
the  United  States. 

Sec.  8.  The  jurisdiction  of  such  inferior  courts  as  the  Legislature  may  from  time  to 
time  establish  shall  be  regulated  by  law. 

Sec.  9.  Judges  shall  not  charge  juries  with  respect  to  matters  of  fact,  but  may  state 
the  testimony  and  declare  the  law. 

Sec.  10.  The  judges  or  justices  of  such  inferior  courts  of  law  as  the  Legislature  majr 
establish  shall  have  power  in  all  civil  cases  to  issue  writs  of  certiorari  to  remove  any 
cause  or  transcript  thereof,  from  any  inferior  jurisdiction,  into  said  court  on  sufficient 
cause,  supported  by  oath  or  affirmation. 

Sec.  11.  No  judge  of  the  supreme  or  inferior  courts  shall  preside  in  the  trial  of  .any 
cause  in  the  event  of  which  he  may  be  interested  or  where  either  of  the  parties  shall  be 
connected  with  him  by  affinity  or  consanguinity  within  such  degrees  as  may  be  prescribed 
bylaw,  or  in  which  he  may  have  been  of  counsel  or  in  which  he  may  have  presided  in  any 
inferior  court,  except  by  consent  of  all  the  parties.  In  case  all  or  any  of  the  judges  of 
the  supreme  court  shall  be  thus  disqualified  from  presiding  on  the  trial  of  any  cause  or 
causes  the  court  or  the  judges  thereof  shall  certify  the  same  to  the  governor  of  the  State, 
and  he  shall  forthwith  specially  commission  the  requisite  number  of  men  of  law  knowledge 
for  the  trial  and  determination  thereof.  In  case  of  sickness  of  any  of  the  judges  of  the  su- 
preme or  inferior  court  so  that  they,  or  any  of  them,  are  unable  to  attend,  the  Legisla- 


376 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


ture  shall  be  authorized  to  make  provision  by  general  laws  that  special  judges  may  be  ap- 
pointed to  attend  said  courts. 

Sec.  12.  All  writs  and  other  processes  shall  run  in  the  name  of  the  State  of  Tennessee, 
and  bear  test  and  be  signed  by  the  respective  clerks.  Indictments  shall  conclude  “against 
the  peace  and  dignity  of  the  State.” 

Sec.  13.  Judges  of  the  supreme  court  shall  appoint  their  clerks,  who  shall  hold  their 
offices  for  the  period  of  six  years.  Chancellors  (if  courts  of  chancery  shall  be  established) 
shall  appoint  their  clerks  and  masters,  who  shall  hold  their  offices  for  a period  of  six  years. 
Clerks  of  such  inferior  courts  as  may  be  hereafter  established,  which  shall  be  required  to 
be  holden  in  the  respective  counties  of  the  State,  shall  be  elected  by  the  qualified  voters 
thereof  for  the  term  of  four  years.  They  shall  be  removed  from  office  for  malfeasance, 
incompetency  or  neglect  of  duty  in  such  manner  as  may  be  prescribed  by  law. 

Sec.  14.  No  fine  shall  be  laid  on  any  citizen  of  the  State  that  shall  exceed  fifty  dol- 
lars, unless  it  shall  be  assessed  by  a jury  of  his  peers,  who  shall  assess  the  fine  at  the  time 
they  find  the  fact,  if  they  think  the  fine  should  be  more  than  fifty  dollars. 

Sec.  15.  The  different  counties  in  the  State  shall  be  laid  off, as  the  General  Assembly 
may  direct,  into  districts  of  convenient  size,  so  that  the  whole  number  in  each  county  shall 
not  be  more  than  twenty-five,  or  four  for  every  one  hundred  square  miles.  There  shall 
be  two  justices  of  the  peace  and  one  constable  elected  in  each  district  by  the  qualified 
voters  therein,  except  districts  including  county  towns,  which  shall  elect  three  justices  and 
two  constables.  The  jurisdiction  of  said  officers  shall  be  co-extensive  with  the  county. 
Justices  of  the  peace  shall  be  elected  for  the  term  of  two  years.  Upon  the  removal  of 
either  of  said  officers  from  the  district  in  which  he  was  elected  his  office  shall  become  va- 
cant from  the  time  of  such  removal.  Justices  of  the  peace  shall  be  commissioned  by  the 
governor.  The  Legislature  shall  have  power  to  provide  for  the  appointment  of  an  addi- 
tional number  of  justices  of  the  peace  in  incorporated  towns. 

The  General  Assembly,  which  convened  after  the  adoption  of  the 
constitution  in  1835,  passed  an  act  establishing  a supreme  court  with  the 
same  jurisdiction  it  had  previously  possessed;  also  chancery,  circuit  and 
county  courts.  The  State  was  divided  into  three  chancery  divisions,  for 
each  of  which  a chancellor  was  appointed.  These  divisions  were  in  turn 
divided  into  chancery  districts,  there  being  nine  in  East  Tennessee,  fif- 
teen in  Middle  Tennessee  and  six  in  West  Tennessee.  Chancery  courts, 
however,  were  not  held  in  many  of  the  counties  until  several  years  after 
the  passage  of  this  act. 

The  circuit  courts  were  made  courts  of  general  jurisdiction,  and  were 
given  exclusive  jurisdiction  in  all  cases  triable  by  jury,  both  criminal 
and  civil,  which  had  previously  come  before  the  county  court.  The  State 
was  divided  into  eleven  judicial  circuits  as  follows:  First  Circuit,  Greene; 
Washington,  Sullivan,  Johnson,  Hawkins,  Grainger  and  Claiborne  Coun- 
ties. Second,  Cooke,  Jefferson,  Sevier,  Blount,  Knox,  Campbell,  Anderson 
and  Morgan.  Third,  Roane,  Rhea,  Meigs,  Bledsoe,  Marion,  Hamilton, 
McMinn  and  Monroe.  Fourth,  Smith,  Overton,  White,  Jackson,  Fentress 
and  Warren.  Fifth,  Wilson,  Rutherford,  Bedford,  Coffee  and  Franklin. 
Sixth,  Williamson,  Davidson  and  Sumner.  Seventh,  Dickson,  Hickman 
Humphreys,  Stewart,  Montgomery  and  Robertson.  Eighth,  Lincoln, 
Giles,  Maury  and  Lawrence.  Ninth.  Henry,  Weakley.  Obion,  Dyer,  Gib- 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


377 


son,  Carroll  and  Benton.  Tenth,  Perry,  Henderson,  Madison,  Haywood^ 
Tipton  and  Lauderdale.  Eleventh,  Shelby,  Fayette,  Hardeman,  McNafry, 
Hardin  and  Wayne.  County  courts  were  established  to  be  held  by  all 
the  magistrates  in  the  county,  but  one-third  of  them  were  made  a quo- 
rum to  transact  all  business  except  the  levying  of  taxes  and  the  appro- 
priating of  sums  amounting  to  more  than  $50.  The  same  jurisdiction 
was  given  to  the  single  justice  that  he  had  previously  exercised. 

In  1837  three  new  judicial  circuits  were  established,  the  Twelfth  con- 
sisting of  Cocke,  Sevier,  Jefferson,  Grainger,  Claiborne  and  Campbell; 
the  Thirteenth,  of  Warren,  Lincoln,  Franklin  and  Coffee;  and  the  Four- 
teenth of  Lawrence,  Wayne,  Hardin,  Perry,  Carroll  and  Benton.  At  the 
same  time  the  counties  of  Monroe  and  Roane  were  attached  to  the  Second 
Circuit.  In  1843  criminal  courts  were  established  in  Shelby  and  David- 
son Counties,  and  were  given  exclusive  jurisdiction  over  all  crimes  and 
misdemeanors.  Similar  courts  were  established  in  Montgomery,  Ruther- 
ford and  Wilson  Counties  in  1848.  Sections  3 and  5 of  Article  VI  of 
the  constitution  were  amended  to  read  as  follows: 

Sec.  3.  The  judges  of  the  Supreme  Court  shall  be  elected  by  the  qualified  voters  of 
the  State  at  large,  and  the  judges  of  such  inferior  courts  as  the  Legislature  may  establish 
shall  be  elected  by  the  qualified  voters  residing  within  the  bounds  of  any  district  or  circuit 
to  which  such  inferior  judge,  or  judges,  either  of  law  or  equity  may  be  assigned,  by  ballot, 
in  the  same  manner  that  members  of  the  General  Assembly  are  elected.  Courts  may  be 
established  to  be  holden  by  Justices  of  the  Peace.  Judges  of  the  Supreme  Court  shall 
be  thirty-five  years  of  age,  and  shall  be  elected  for  the  term  of  eight  years. 

Sec.  5.  An  Attorney-General  for  the  State  shall  be  elected  by  the  qualified  voters  of 
the  State  at  large,  and  the  Attorney  for  the  State,  for  any  circuit  or  district  to  which  a j udge 
of  an  inferior  court  may  be  assigned,  shall  be  elected  by  the  qualified  voters  within  the 
bounds  of  such  district  or  circuit  in  the  same  manner  that  members  of  the  General 
Assembly  are  elected  ; all  said  attorneys,  both  for  the  State  and  circuit  or  district,  shall 
hold  their  offices  for  the  term  of  six  years.  In  all  cases  where  the  attorney  for  any  dis- 
trict fails  or  refuses  to  attend  and  prosecute  according  to  law,  the  court  shall  have  power 
to  appoint  an  attorney  pro  tempore. 

Upon  the  reorganization  of  the  supreme  court  in  1835,  William  B. 
Turley,  William  B.  Reese  and  Nathan  Green  were  elected  judges,  all  of 
whom  had  resigned  previous  to  the  adoption  of  the  above  amendment, 
Judge  Reese  in  1848,  Turley  in  1850,  and  Green  in  1852.  Their  places 
were  supplied  by  the  election  of  Robert  J.  McKinney,  A.  W.  O.  Totten 
and  Robert  L.  Caruthers.  At  the  election  in  1853,  these  men  were  all 
re-elected  by  the  people.  Judge  Totten  resigned  two  years  later  and 
William  R.  Harris  was  elected  to  succeed  him.  The  latter  continued  to 
hold  the  office  until  his  death  on  June  19,  1858,  when  Archibald  Wright 
was  chosen  to  fill  the  vacancy.  In  1861  Judge  Caruthers  resigned,  and 
was  succeeded  by  William  F.  Cooper.  During  the  civil  Avar  no  term  of 
this  court  was  held,  and  nearly  all  of  the  inferior  courts  Avere  also  sus- 


378 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


pended.  At  the  close  of  hostilities  Gov.  Brownlow  declared  the  supreme 
bench  vacant  and  appointed  Samuel  Milligan,  J.  O.  Shackleford  and 
Alvin  Hawkins  as  judges.  In  1867  Judge  Shackleford  resigned,  but  dur- 
ing the  following  year  was  reappointed,  Horace  H.  Harrison  having- 
held  the  office  during  the  interim.  During  1868  both  Hawkins  and  Mil- 
ligan presented  their  resignations,  and  their  places  were  filled  by  the 
appointment  of  Henry  G.  Smith  and  George  Andrews.  In  May  of  the 
next  year  there  was  an  election  by  the  people  under  the  restricted  suffra- 
ges which  then  prevailed,  and  George  Andrews,  Andrew  McLain  and 
Alvin  Hawkins  were  chosen  judges. 

The  new  constitution  of  1870  made  but  little  change  in  the  judicial 
system,  except  to  increase  the  number  of  judges  of  the  supreme  court 
to  five;  a large  number  of  cases  had  accumulated,  owing  to  the  immense 
amount  of  litigation  immediately  following  the  war;  and  to  expedite  bus- 
iness, it  was  provided,  that  at  the  first  election  six  judges  should  be 
chosen,  and  that  they  should  be  divided  into  two  sections,  who  should 
hold  court  simultaneously  in  the  same  division  of  the  State.  It  was  fur- 
ther provided,  should  any  vacancy  occur  after  January  1,  1873,  it  should 
remain  unfilled.  An  election  was  held  in  August,  1870,  at  which  the 
judges  chosen  were  Alfred  O.  P.  Nicholson,  James  W.  Deaderick,  Peter 
Turney,  Thomas  A.  B.  Nelson,  John  L.  T.  Sneed,  and  Thomas  J.  Free- 
man. The  first  named  was  chosen  chief  justice,  which  position  he  held 
until  his  death,  in  1876,  when  James  W.  Deaderick,  the  present  incum- 
bent, succeeded  him.  In  1871  Judge  Nelson  resigned  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Robert  McFarland.  At  the  election  in  August,  1878,  all  of 
the  judges  then  on  the  bench  were  re-elected,  with  the  exception  of  J.  L. 
T.  Sneed,  whose  place  was  filled  by  William  F.  Cooper.  The  large 
number  of  cases  coming  before  the  supreme  court  impelled  the  Legis- 
lature, in  1875,  to  pass  an  act  providing  for  the  appointment  of  a special 
commission,  to  try  causes  referred  to  them,  upon  the  written  agreement 
of  all  the  parties  to  the  suit,  or  of  their  attorneys.  Their  decisions  were 
made  final,  but  were  submitted  to  the  supreme  court  for  approval. 
This  commission  was  appointed  to  sit  for  a few  months  only,  at  Jackson 
and  Memphis.  By  a similar  act  passed  two  years  later,  two  commissions 
were  appointed,  one  to  sit  at  Nashville,  and  the  other  at  Jackson,  from 
May  until  December  of  that  year.  In  1883  a court  of  referees  was  es- 
tablished for  each  of  the  three  grand  divisions  of  the  State,  to  hear  civil 
causes,  and  to  present  a statement  of  each  to  the  supreme  court  for  a 
final  decision,  privilege  being  given  to  either  party  to  the  suit,  dissatis- 
fied with  the  decree  of  the  referees,  to  file  objection  to  it.  The  judges 
appointed  for  Middle  Tennessee  were  W.  L.  Eakin,  W.  C.  Caldwell  and 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


379 


John  Tinnon;  for  East  Tennessee,  John  Frizzell,  John  L.  T.  Sneed  and 
E.  T.  Kirkpatrick;  for  West  Tennessee,  D.  A.  Snodgrass,  David  Bright 
and  John  E.  Garner.  Judge  Garner  resigned  in  July,  1883  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  E.  L.  Gardenhire.  The  court  of  referees  for  the  eastern  and 
western  divisions  of  the  State  expired  by  limitation  January  1,  1885, 
and  the  one  for  Middle  Tennessee,  April  30,  1886.  The  present  su- 
preme court  consists  of  the  following  judges:  James  W.  Deaderick, 

Peter  Turney,  Thomas  J.  Freeman,  W.  F.  Cooper  and  J.  B.  Cooke. 

In  many  of  the  States  within  the  past  few  years,  the  distinction  be- 
tween law  and  equity  courts  has  been  abolished,  and  equity  jurisdiction 
given  to  the  law  courts.  The  same  has  been  done  in  Tennessee,  to  some 
extent,  with  this  difference,  that  law  jurisdiction  has  been  given  to  equity 
courts.  In  1877  an  act  was  passed  conferring  upon  the  chancery  court 
concurrent  jurisdiction  with  the  circuit  court  of  all  civil  cases,  except 
for  injuries  to  person,  property  or  character,  involving  unliquidated 
damages.  A large  number  of  suits  are,  therefore,  brought  in  the  chan- 
cery court,  since  upon  appeal  they  are  tried  cle  novo  by  the  supreme 
court.  In  1870  the  State  was  divided  into  twelve  chancery  districts,  for 
each  of  which  a chancellor  is  elected.  Several  special  courts,  probate, 
criminal  and  others,  have  been  established  to  meet  the  wants  of  towns, 
and  the  more  populous  counties.  In  1870  the  law  court  of  Nashville  was 
established  to  have  concurrent  jurisdiction  with  the  circuit  court  of 
Davidson  County,  and  to  be  held  quarterly.  It  continued  until  1877, 
when  it  was  abolished. 

The  jurisdiction  of  the  circuit  courts  has  not  been  materially  changed 
since  the  adoption  of  the  constitution  of  1834;  but  owing  to  the  creation 
of  new  counties,  the  judicial  circuits  have  been  subject  to  frequent 
alterations.  As  now  constituted  they  are  as  follows:  First  Circuit — -Carter, 
Greene,  Hancock,  Hawkins,  Johnson,  Sullivan,  Unicoi  and  Washington. 
Second  Circuit— -Claiborne,  Campbell,  Grainger,  Union,  Hamblen,  Jef- 
ferson, Cocke,  Anderson  and  Sevier.  Third  Circuit — Blount,  Monroe,  Lou- 
don, Boane,  Morgan  and  Scott.  Fourth  Circuit — Bradley,  Polk,  Meigs, 
Ehea,  Bledsoe,  Sequatchie,  Marion,  Hamilton,  McMinn  and  James.  Fifth 
Circuit — Pickett,  Fentress,  Cumberland,  Putnam,  Overton,  Clay,  Jackson, 
Smith,  Macon  and  Trousdale.  Sixth  Circuit — Van  Buren,  Grundy,  Frank- 
lin, Coffee,  Warren,  Moore,  Lincoln,  De  Kalb  and  White.  Seventh  Cir- 
cuit— Davidson,  Williamson  and  Cheatham.  Eighth  Circuit — Wilson, 
Kutherford,  Cannon,  Bedford  and  Marshal.  Ninth  Circuit — -Maury,  Giles, 
Lawrence,  Wayne,  Hardin,  Lewis  and  Hickman.  Tenth  Circuit — Sumner, 
Bobertson,  Montgomery,  Stewart,  Houston,  Dickson  and  Humphreys. 
Eleventh  Circuit — McNairy,  Chester,  Madison,  Henderson,  Decatur  and 


380 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Perry.  Twelfth  Circuit — Obion,  Weakley,  Henry,  Carroll,  Gibson,  Crock- 
ett, Haywood-  and  Benton,  Thirteenth  Circuit — Hardeman,  Fayette,  Tip- 
ton,  Lauderdale,  Dyer  and  Lake.  Shelby  County  constitutes  the  Four- 
teenth Circuit;  it  also  has  a criminal  court.  Knox  County  has  a criminal 
court,  the  judge  of  which  presides  over  the  circuit  court  of  that  county. 
Davidson  and  Rutherford,  each  have  a criminal  court;  but  both  are  pre- 
sided over  by  the  same  judge.  Montgomery  Comity  also  has  a criminal 
court. 

By  the  act  of  1885,  the  State  is  also  divided  into  eleven  chancery  divis- 
ions as  follows:  First — Johnson,  Carter,  Washington,  Sullivan,  Hawkins, 
Greene,  Hancock,  Claiborne,  Jefferson,  Cocke,  Hamblen,  Uiiicoi  and 
Grainger.  Second — Knox,  Campbell,  Sevier,  Union,  Anderson,  Blount, 
Roane,  Loudon,  Morgan,  Scott.  Third — Bradley,  Polk,  Rhea,  Marion, 
McMinn,  Hamilton,  Monroe,  Meigs,  Bledsoe,  Sequatchie,  Van  Buren, 
Coffee,  Grundy.  Fourth — Warren,  Cannon,  Rutherford,  Bedford,  Frank- 
lin, Lincoln,  Moore  and  Marshall.  Fifth — Cumberland,  Fentress,  Pickett, 
Overton,  Clay,  Jackson,  Putnam,  White,  De  Kalb,  Smith  and  Macon. 
Sixth — Davidson,  Williamson.  Seventh — Maury,  Giles,  Lawrrence,  Lewis, 
Wayne,  Hickman,  Hardin,  Perry,  Decatur,  Dickson,  Benton.  Eighth — 
Sumner,  Robertson,  Montgomery,  Wilson,  Stewart,  Houston,  Cheatham, 
Humphreys  and  Trousdale.  Ninth — Hardin,  McNairy,  Chester,  Madi- 
son, Crockett,  Henderson,  Carroll  and  Henry.  Tenth — Fayette,  Tipton, 

Haywood,  Lauderdale,  Dyer,  Obion,  Weakley,  Gibson.  Eleventh — 

Shelby. 

The  act  creating  Tennessee  a judicial  district  was  passed  by  the  Fifth 
Congress,  and  was  approved  January  31,  1797.  The  first  session  of  the 
court  was  ordered  to  be  held  at  Nashville,  on  the  first  Monday  of  the  fol- 
lowing April,  and  thereafter,  quarterly,  at  Knoxville  and  Nashville,  alter- 
nately. For  some  reason  the  court  was  not  organized  until  July.  The 
following  is  the  first  entry  in  the  records  of  this  court:  “Be  it  remem- 

bered that  on  the  third  day  of  July,  1797,  a commission  from  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States,  and  under  seal  thereof,  directed  to  John 
McNairy,  Esq.,  to  be  judge  of  the  court  of  the  United  States  for  the 
district  of  Tennessee,  bearing  date  the  twentieth  of  February,  1797,  was 
produced  and  read,  whereupon  Archibald  Roane,  a judge  of  the  superior 
court  of  law  and  equity,  in  and  for  the  State  of  Tennessee,  administered 
to  the  said  John  McNairy  the  oath  to  support  the  Constitution  of  the 
United  States  and  the  oath  of  office.”  Robert  Hays  produced  his  com- 
mission as  marshal  and  qualified,  giving  Janies  White  and  Willie  Blount 
as  his  securities ; Thomas  Gray,  qualified  as  United  States  Attorney,  and 
appointed  Henry  Brazeale  his  deputy,  Randal  McGavock  ivas  appointed 


KISTOKY  OB  TENNESSEE. 


381 


clerk  of  tlie  court.  No  other  business  was  transacted  at  this  session 
except  to  admit  W.  C.  C.  Claiborne  to  practice,  and  nothing  more  was 
done  except  to  open  and  adjourn  the  court  until  April.  1798,  at  which 
time  the  following  grand  jury  was  empaneled:  Daniel  Smith,  foreman; 
Joel  Rice,  Thomas  James,  Abram  Maury,  John  Nichols,  John  Hoggatt, 
William  Turnbull,  John  Donelson,  Thomas  Smith,  George  Ridley, 
Edmund  Gamble,  John  Childress,  Sr.,  Alexander  Ewing,  James  Mulher- 
rin,  and  Jones  Manifee.  The  jury  brought  in  bills  of  indictment  against 
Robert  Trimble  and  Archibald  Lackey  for  entering  the  Cherokee  coun- 
try without  obtaining  a pass.  They  were  tried  at  the  October  term  and 
fined  $25  and  $10,  respectively.  In  1801  Tennessee  was  divided  into 
two  districts,  and  at  the  same  time  the  Sixth  Judicial  Circuit  was  estab- 
lished to  consist  of  the  districts  of  East  and  West  Tennessee,  Kentucky 
and  Ohio.  The  court  was  made  to  consist  of  one  circuit  judge,  and  the 
judges  of  the  districts  of  Kentucky  and  Tennessee,  two  of  whom  consti- 
tuted a quorum.  The  first  session  of  this  court  was  begun  and  held  at 
Nashville,  April  20,  1802.  James  Robertson  administered  the  oath  of 
office  to  Henry  Innis,  of  Kentucky,  and  John  McNairy,  of  Tennessee,  as 
judges  of  the  circuit  court.  Robert  Hays  qualified  as  marshal,  and 
Randal  McGavock,  as  clerk.  At  the  October  term  William  McClung  was 
admitted  as  judge  of  the  circuit  court  and  presiding  judge.  The  act  of 
1802  was  repealed  in  1807,  and  the  Seventh  Circuit,  embracing  Ohio, 
Kentucky  and  Tennessee,  was  established.  The  court  convened  June  13, 
1808,  Thomas  Todd,  associate  justice,  and  John  McNairy,  district  judge, 
being  present.  Robert  Searcy  was  elected  clerk,  and  John  Childress 
qualified  as  marshal.  But  little  business  of  importance  was  transacted 
by  this  court  for  several  years.  In  1827  Judge  Todd  was  succeeded  by 
Robert  Trimble  as  associate  justice. 

John  McNairy  continued  judge  of  the  district  of  Tennessee  until 
1834,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Morgan  W.  Brown,  who  held  the  office 
until  1853.  In  1838  an  act  was  passed  requiring  a session  of  the  dis- 
trict court  to  be  held  at  Jackson  in  September  of  each  year.  The  fol- 
lowing year  the  territory  west  of  the  Tennessee  River  was  constituted  a 
separate  district.  One  judge  continued  to  preside  over  the  courts  of  the 
three  districts  of  the  State  until  1877,  when  E.  S.  Hammond  was  appointed 
judge  for  the  district  of  West  Tennessee.  In  1853  West  H.  Humphreys 
was  appointed  district  judge  for  Tennessee  by  President  Pierce.  He 
continued  to  hold  the  office  until  1861,  when  he  accepted  a commission  as 
judge  under  the  Confederate  Government.  He  was  then  convicted  on  a trial 
of  impeachment  by  the  United  States  Senate,  and  Connolly  F.  Trigg  was 
appointed  to  succeed  him.  No  session  of  the  district  court  was  held  at 

24 


382 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Nashville  from  April,  1861,  until  June  3,  1862.  The  following  is  in  the 
records  at  the  opening  of  the  court  on  that  day:  “Be  it  remembered 

that  on  the  third  day  of  June,  eighteen  hundred  and  sixty-two,  the  Dis- 
trict Court  of  the  United  States  for  the  district  of  Middle  Tennessee,  was 
opened  for  the  transaction  of  business.  Present,  the  Hon.  John  Catron, 
associate  justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States,  assigned  to 
hold  court  in  the  Eighth  Circuit,  and  authorized  by  law  to  hold  the  United 
States  District  Court  for  this  district  in  the  absence  of  the  district  judge. 
Present,  also,  H.  H.  Harrison,  clerk,  and  E.  R.  Glasscock,  marshal.”  At 
the  March  term,  1863,  it  was  ordered  by  the  court  that  no  attorney  be 
allowed  to  practice  who  had  not  taken  the  oath  to  support  the  constitu- 
tion, since  the  restoration  of  Federal  authority  in  the  district.  Accord- 
ingly several  attorneys  appeared  and  took  the  oath.  During  the  three  or 
four  years  following  the  attention  of  the  court  was  chiefly  occupied 
with  cases  of  conspiracy  and  confiscation.  On  J uly  15,  1862,  an  act  was 
passed  increasing  the  number  of  associate  justices  of  the  United  States 
Supreme  Court,  which  also  increased  the  number  of  judicial  circuits, 
the  States  of  Louisiana,  Texas,  Arkansas,  Kentucky  and  Tennessee  being 
constituted  the  Sixth  Circuit.  In  1866  the  circuits  were  again  changed, 
and  Ohio,  Michigan,  Kentucky  and  Tennessee  have  since  formed  the 
Sixth  Circuit.  H.  H.  Emmons  was  appointed  circuit  judge  in  1869,  and 
continued  in  the  office  until  1877,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  John  Baxter. 
Judge  Baxter  died  in  April,  1886,  and  was  succeeded  by  Howell  E. 
J ackson. 

The  bench  and  bar  of  Tennessee  have  always  been  able  to  challenge 
comparison  with  that  of  any  other  State  in  the  Union  in  point  of  ability, 
and  especially  was  this  true  during  the  early  part  of  the  present  century. 
The  data  for  the  characterization  of  some  of  the  most  eminent  lawyers 
and  jurists  has  been  obtained  from  personal  recollection  and  from  various 
publications.  Of  those  who  were  identified  with  the  courts  while  they 
were  yet  under  the  authority  of  North  Carolina,  and  later  under  the 
Territorial  government,  none  occupied  a higher  position  in  the  estima- 
tion of  the  people  than  Col.  David  Campbell,  who,  it  has  been  said,  “left 
the  savor  of  a good  name  wherever  he  was  known.”  For  some  twenty- 
five  years  of  his  life,  he  was  in  the  public  service,  either  as  judge  or 
legislator,  and  was  ever  distinguished  for  his  wise  council,  and  sound 
judgment.  He  was  a judge  of  the  superior  court  under  the  authority  of 
North  Carolina,  both  before  and  after  the  existence  of  the  State  of  I 
Franklin,  under  which  he  also  held  the  same  position.  In  the  spring  of 
1790  he  was  appointed  Territorial  judge  by  the  President,  which  office 
he  held  until  the  organization  of  the  State.  Upon  the  resignation  of 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


383 


W.  C.  C.  Claiborne,  a judge  of  the  superior  court  in  1797,  he  was  ap- 
pointed to  nil  the  vacancy,  and  continued  on  the  bench  until  the  abolition 
of  the  court.  He  Avas  soon  after  made  one  of  the  judges  of  the  Missis- 
sippi Territory,  and  died  in  the  fall  of  1812.  Associated  with  him  upon 
the  bench  of  the  Superior  Court  of  North  Carolina,  and  also  as  a Terri- 
torial judge,  Avas  John  McN ai ry,  a man  some  years  his  junior,  but  not  his 
inferior  in  point  of  ability.  Judge  McNairy  organized  the  first  superior 
court  Avest  of  the  Cumberland  Mountains,  and  on  his  journeys  through 
the  wilderness  from  Jonesboro  to  Nashville  he  had  several  narrow  escapes 
from  the  Indians,  and  on  one  occasion  lost  his  horses,  camp  equipage 
and  clothing.  He  continued  upon  the  bench  of  the  superior  court  after 
the  organization  of  the  State  for  about  a year,  Avhen  he  was  appointed 
district  judge  of  the  Federal  courts  for  Tennessee,  which  office  he  held 
until  1834.  He  died  three  years  later  at  an  advanced  age,  having  served 
upon  the  bench  for  the  extraordinary  period  of  forty-six  years.  His 
whole  judicial  service  was  distinguished  by  a disregard  of  persons  and 
parties,  and  an  unswerving  devotion  to  truth  and  justice.  The  following 
epitaph,  written  by  his  nephew,  is  very  appropriate : 

In  council  wise,  of  artless  mind, 

E’er  honest  he  and  passing  kind; 

Fair  Peace  through  life  her  smiles  did  lend; 

None  knew  but  loved  this  gentle  friend. 

Accompanying  Judge  McNairy  on  his  first  trip  to  hold  court  at  Nash- 
ville in  1788  Avas  a young  man  just  entering  upon  the  practice  of  law, 
and  who  subscribed  himself  A.  Jackson.*  It  proved  to  be  a most  oppor- 
tune arrival  for  the  young  advocate,  as  his  peculiar  talents  were  in  de- 
mand at  that  time.  “The  only  licensed  lawyer  in  West  Tennessee  being 
engaged  in  the  service  of  the  debtors,  who,  it  seems,  made  common  cause 
against  their  common  enemy,  the  creditors,  -f-”  Attorney  Jackson  was 
made  public  prosecutor,  and  immediately  secured  a large  patronage  from 
the  creditor  class,  whose  rights  he  fearlessly  championed.  He  continued 
the  practice  of  his  profession  without  interruption  until  the  organization 
of  the  State,  after  which  he  was  almost  continuously  in  the  public  seiwice 
until  the  close  of  his  presidential  term.  He  was  upon  the  bench  of  the 
supreme  court  for  a period  of  six  years,  but  neither  as  a lawyer  nor  as  a 
jurist  can  he  be  said  to  have  exhibited  any  great  ability,  although  there  is 

*Previou3  to  the  appointment  of  John  McNairy  to  be  judge  of  the  superior  court,  the  office,  in  1784, 
as  stated  by  Haywood,  was  tendered  to  a “ young  man  of  the  age  of  twenty-four  years.”  Putnam,  in  his  history 
of  Middle  Tennessee,  page  235,  quotes  the  passage  referred  to  and  adds:  “This  same  ‘ young  man  ’ advanced  in 
years,  increased  in  qualifications,  attained  to  honors  and  office,  until  he  received  for  eight  consecutive  years 
from  the  people  of  the  United  States  and  the  national  treasury  a salary  of  twenty-five  thousand  dollars  per  an- 
num. Such  was  the  career  of  Judge  Jackson,  the  ‘ young  man,’  and  Gen.  Jackson,  hero  of  New  Orleans  and 
President  of  the  United  States.”  As  Gen.  Jackson  was  born  in  1767,  at  the  time  the  appointment  to  the  office 
was  made  he  was  only  seventeen  years  of  age,  which  would  clearly  indicate  that  Putnam  was  mistaken  as  to 
the  identity  of  the  “ young  man.  ” 
tParton’s  Life  of  Jackson. 


3S4 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


little  doubt  that,  had  he  chosen  to  devote  himself  to  the  study  of  his  pro- 
fession with  the  unremitting  diligence  necessary  to  the  acquisition  of 
deep  and  varied  legal  knowledge,  he  might  have  attained  very  high  rank. 
His  temper,  however,  was  too  fiery  and  impetuous  and  his  inclination  to 
an  over-hasty  avowal  of  expressions,  which  had  not  solidified  into  opin- 
ions, too  great  to  have  secured  for  him  the  reputation  of  a sound  and  im- 
partial judge.  Gen.  Jackson  and  Judge  McNairy  were  closely  associated 
for  many  years,  but  t'he  removal  of  Gen.  Robertson  from  the  Chickasaw 
agency  through  the  influence  of  the  latter,  produced  a breach  between 
them  which  was  never  entirely  healed. 

John  Overton,  the  successor  of  Gen.  Jackson  upon  the  bench  of  the 
superior  court,  was  a native  of  Virgin  ia,  where  he  received  his  education. 
Before  attaining  his  majority  he  removed  to  Kentucky,  and  there  began 
the  study  of  law.  After  completing  his  legal  education  he  came  to  Ten- 
nessee and  opened  an  office  at  Nashville  in  1798.  The  litigation  at  that 
time  was  chiefly  concerning  the  titles  to  real  estate,  and  the  best  lawyers 
made  that  part  of  their  practice  a specialty.  Judge  Overton  at  once  ob- 
tained a large  practice,  which  he  held  until  he  was  transferred  to  the 
bench  in  1804.  “During  the  protracted  period  of  his  service  upon  the 
bench  he  delivered  many  able  and  luminous  opinions,  which  are  yet  held 
in  high  respect  in  the  courts  of  Tennessee  and  the  adjoining  States ; opin 
ions  bearing  conclusive  evidence  of  deep  legal  learning,  of  unsurpassed 
labor  and  research,  and  of  a vigorous  and  elastic  intellect.  Judge  Over- 
ton’s knowledge  of  the  common  law  was  such  as  few  of  his  contempo- 
raries had  succeeded  in  acquiring,  and  his  mind  seemed  to  be  singularly 
adapted  to  the  disentangling  of  complex  questions  of  mixed  law  and  fact, 
and  to  the  attainment  of  sure  and  satisfactory  conclusions  by  processes 
which  owed  their  effectiveness  far  more  to  the  exercise  of  a solid  and 
penetrating  common  sense  than  to  the  often  misapplied  rules  of  a subtle 
and  artificial  logic.”*  After  his  retirement  from  the  bench  in  1816  he 
ao-ain  entered  into  the  field  of  litigation,  where  he  continued  to  add  to  the 
already  high  reputation  which  he  had  acquired  as  a judge. 

The  successor  of  Judge  Overton  was  Robert  Whyte,  a native  of  Scot- 
land, and  a very  excellent  lawyer  and  judge.  He  continued  to  serve  up- 
on the  bench  of  the  supreme  court  until  the  adoption  of  the  new  consti- 
tution, in  1834,  when  lie  retired  from  public  life.  He  was  a laborious 
and  accurate  lawyer,  and,  like  most  of  his  countrymen,  exceedingly  tena- 
cious of  his  views  and  opinions. 

George  W.  Campbell  was  an  early  member  of  the  bar  at  Nashville, 
and  at  different  times  during  his  long  and  varied  career  enjoyed  a large 


*Bench  and  Bar  of  the  South  and  Southwest. 


HISTORY  OE  TENNESSEE. 


385 


and  lucrative  practice.  He  was  a native  of  Scotland  and  possessed  all 
tlie  indomitable  perseverance  of  his  race.  He  was  reared  in  poverty, 
and  at  an  early  age  was  thrown  upon  his  own  resources  by  the  death  of 
his  father.  By  teaching  school  he  worked  his  way  through  Princeton 
College,  taking  the  junior  and  senior  courses  in  one  year  and  yet  gradu- 
ating with  third  honors.  He  then  resumed  teaching  school  in  New  Jer- 
sey,  and  meanwhile  began  the  study  of  law.  He  completed  his  legal 
education  in  North  Carolina  and  soon  after  located  at  Knoxville,  where 
he  immediately  took  rank  with  the  best  lawyers  in  Tennessee.  He  was 
not  what  is  usually  termed  a ready  debater,  and  rarely  spoke  upon  any 
important  question  without  previous  preparation.  During  his  brief  ca- 
reer upon  the  bench  he  exhibited  the  same  untiring  diligence  which 
characterized  him  in  every  other  sphere.  He  removed  to  Nashville  in 
1810  and  served  as  judge  of  the  supreme  court.  For  about  a year  after 
his  resignation  he  filled  successively  the  offices  of  United  States  senator, 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury  and  Minister  to  Russia. 

Parry  W.  Humphreys  was  appointed  a judge  of  the  superior  court  in 
1807  and  continued  to  act  as  such  for  three  years.  He  was  afterward 
elected  a member  of  the  XIII  Congress,  and  was  also  one  of  the  com- 
missioners elected  to  settle  the  disputed  boundary  line  between  Ken- 
tucky and  Tennessee.  He  was  finally  appointed  by  the  Legislature  to 
be  judge  of  what  was  then  the  Fourth  Judicial  Circuit,  which  position 
he  filled  for  a period  of  fifteen  years.  He  is  still  remembered  for  the 
courtesy  and  urbanity  of  his  deportment  to  the  bar  and  for  his  incorrupt- 
ible integrity. 

One  of  the  best  known  and  most  highly  esteemed  members  of  the 
legal  profession  in  East  Tennessee  during  the  early  times  was  Pleasant 
M.  Miller.  He  was  born  and  reared  in  Virginia,  but  immigrated  to  Ten- 
nessee in  1796,  locating  at  Rogersville.  Four  years  later  he  removed  to 
Knoxville,  where  he  remained  until  1824,  when  he  again  removed,  locat- 
ing this  time  in  West  Tennessee.  He  is  said  to  have  been  a most  civil 
and  affable  gentleman,  easy  and  unaffected  in  conversation,  and  a great 
lover  of  wit.  He  w'as  consequently  a general  favorite  with  other  mem- 
bers of  the  bar,  as  well  as  with  the  public. 

In  making  mention  of  the  early  members  of  the  profession  in  Ten- 
nessee, the  name  of  Gen.  Sam  Houston  must  not  be  omitted,  although 
he  never  won  much  distinction  at  the  bar.  After  the  war  of  1812  he 
read  law  for  a short  time  with  James  Trimble  and  was  admitted  to  prac- 
tice. His  legal  knowledge  was  not  very  extensive,  nor  was  the  profes- 
sion much  suited  to  his  taste.  He  consequently  soon  abandoned  it  for 
the  more  congeniaL  sphere  of  politics,  where  his  native  ability,  strong 


386 


HISTOKY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


force  of  character  and  fine  personal  appearance  gave  him  great  influence 
with  the  people.  With  his  entrance  into  political  life  his  connection 
with  the  profession  ended. 

Of  the  many  illustrious  names  in  the  history  of  the  bar  of  Tennessee 
during  the  early  part  of  the  century  none  is  more  conspicuous  than  that 
of  Jenkin  Whiteside.*  Jenkin  Whiteside  has  come  down  to  the  men  of 
this  generation  exclusively  as  a-  great  land  lawyer.  No  one  was  more 
familiar  than  he  with  all  that  Coke  and  Blackstone  and  the  other  En- 
glish writers  have  said  in  their  labored  and  profoundly  reasoned  treatises 
upon  the  laws  of  real  property.  No  one  had  mastered  more  fully  than 
himself  the  principles  involved  in  the  doctrine  of  executory  devises  and 
contingent  remainders.  No  lawyer  of  his  time  could  talk  more  learned- 
ly and  luminously  upon  the  celebrated  rule  in  Shelley’s  case,  and  he  man- 
ifested a steady  energy  and  masterly  dexterity  in  the  management  of  all 
the  sharp  points  and  subtle  devices  that  appertain  to  the  trial  of  actions 
of  ejectment,  which  things  gave  him  many  advantages  over  a sluggish 
and  less  wily  adversary.  No  man  could  be  more  conversant  than  was 
Jenkin  Whiteside  with  the  whole  history  of  land  titles  in  Tennessee,  as 
well  as  with  the  operations  of  the  land  offices  both  in  that  State  and 
North  Carolina — a species  of  knowledge  quite  indispensable  to  success  in 
the  arduous  but  profitable  vocation  in  which  he  had  enlisted  and  upon 
which  his  attention  had  been  concentrated  in  a manner  rarely  exempli- 
fied. He  was  undoubtedly  a man  of  vigorous  understanding,  of  wonder- 
ful sagacity  and  acuteness,  devoted  much  to  money-making,  and  especial- 
ly delighting  in  what  was  known  as  speculation  in  uncultivated  lands,  of 
which  he  had,  in  one  way  and  another,  at  different  times-  accumulated 
large  bodies,  the  titles  to  which  were  not  rarely  involved  in  troublesome 
and  expensive  litigation. 

Personally  he  is  described  as  a man  of  rough  and  unimposing  ex- 
terior, of  awkward  and  ungainly  manners,  and  had  no  relish  whatever 
for  those  elegant  and  refined  pursuits  which  are  understood  to  distin- 
guish polished  and  aristocratic  communities.  He  was,  however,  civil 
and  unobtrusive  in  his  general  demeanor,  not  deficient  in  public  spirit, 
and  of  a coarse  and  unpretending  cordiality  which  made  him  many 
friends  and  no  enemies. 

Contemporary  with  this  great  land  lawyer  was  Felix  Cfrundy,  the 
greatest  criminal  advocate  that  ever  practiced  in  the  courts  of  Tennessee. 
As  a more  extended  sketch  of  him  is  given  in  another  chapter,  only  a 
brief  characterization  by  Judge  Guild  is  here  inserted.  “Judge  Grundy 
was  not  what  may  be  called  a book  man  or  a book  lawyer.  To  his  fine 


* Bench  and  bar  of  the  South  and  Southwest. 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


387 


voice  and  inimitable  action  there  was  added  a brilliant  intellect,  through 
which  ran  a vein  of  strong  common  sense.  He  was  good  at  repartee, 
and  his  wit  fairly  sparkled.  He  possessed  in  a marked  degree  the  pow- 
er to  arouse  and  sway  the  passions  of  the  heart,  to  excite  sympathy  or 
indignation,  to  parry  the  blows  of  an  adversary,  and  to  carry  his  point 
by  brilliant  charge.  He  was  a consummate  judge  of  human  nature,  and 
this  rendered  him  unrivaled  in  the  selection  of  a jury.  He  was  unsur- 
passed in  developing  the  facts  of  a case,  and  wonderful  in  the  cross-ex- 
amination of  a witness  introduced  against  his  client.  He  generally  re- 
lied upon  his  associate  council  to  bring  into  court  the  books  containing 
the  law  of  the  case  on  which  they  were  employed,  and  the  law  was  read 
and  commented  upon  by  those  associates,  and  then  when  Mr.  Grundy 
came  to  close  the  case,  so  clear  were  his  deductions,  so  striking  his  illustra- 
tions, so  systematically  would  he  tear  to  pieces  the  superstructure  of  the  op- 
posing council,  and  so  vividly  portray  the  right  and  justice  for  which  he 
contended,  that  all  who  heard  him  regarded  him  as  the  finest  lawyer  of 
that  or  any  other  age.  So  thoroughly  did  he  carry  the  crowd  with  him 
that  he  may  be  aptly  likened  to  Paul  when  he  made  his  great  speech  be- 
fore King  Agrippa,  and  extorted  from  that  monarch  the  expression  ‘al- 
most thou  persuadest  me  to  be  a Christian.5” 

Another  contemporary,  in  many  respects  the  opposite  of  Judge 
Grundy,  was  Hugh  Lawson  White,  a man  remarkable  alike  for  his  eccen- 
tricities, and  for  the  very  high  order  of  his  mental  and  moral  endow- 
ments. He  had  but  little  taste  for  general  literature,  but  in  all  that  per- 
tains to  his  profession  he  was  well  versed,  and  there  was  no  one  for 
whom  he  had  greater  contempt  than  for  the  “ case  lawyer,”  except  it  was 
a mere  “ case  judge.”  His  incorruptible  integrity,  and  his  straightfor 
ward  contempt  for  any  advantage  obtained  from  legal  quibbles  gave  him 
so  strong  a hold  upon  the  esteem  and  confidence  of  the  community,  that 
it  would  have  been  difficult  to  empanel  a jury  not  biased  in  his  favor. 
He  was  a deep  and  comprehensive  thinker,  was  remarkable  for  his  powers 
of  comparison,  had  an  acute  sense  of  the  ludicrous  and  was  a lover  of  wit. 
His  sentences  were  generally  short,  and  so  selected  and  arranged  that 
whatever  he  said  could  be  readily  followed.  He  was  appointed  a judge  of 
the  superior  court  of  law  and  equity  in  the  fall  of  1801,  and  continued 
on  the  bench  until  April,  1807.  Two  years  later  he  was  elected  a judge 
of  the  supreme  court  of  errors  and  appeals,  which  office  he  held  until 
December,  1814.  While  on  the  bench  his  intercourse  with  the  members 
of  the  bar  was  marked  by  that  kindness  and  genuine  courtesy  which 
characterized  him  in  every  relation  in  life.  The  perspicuity,  accuracy 
and  uncompromising  honesty  of  his  opinions  raised  him  into  such  high 


388 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


and  universal  estimation  that  his  final  resignation  of  his  seat  was  re- 
ceived with  great  regret. 

Another  member  of  this  galaxy  of  brilliant  legal  minds  was,  for  a 
time,  Thomas  H.  Benton,  who  removed  from  the  State  in  1810.  He  be- 
gan the  practice  of  law  in  Franklin,  and  it  is  said  that  from  the  first  he 
was  “much  fonder  of  political  pursuits  than  of  the  study  of  law  books, 
and  greatly  preferred  the  making  of  stump  speeches  to  the  argument  of 
legal  cases.”  He  seems  not  to  have  applied  himself  with  diligence  to 
his  profession,  and  his  practice  as  a lawyer  was  never  large.  But  he  was 
destined  for  a broader  field  of  usefulness.  Possessed  of  a commanding 
intellect,  of  large  and  liberal  culture,  industrious,  temperate,  resolute 
and  endowed  with  a memory  whose  tenacity  was  marvelous,  he  soon 
placed  himself  in  the  front  rank  of  those  who  shaped  the  councils  of  the 
nation,  and  for  many  years  he  exercised  almost  unbounded  control  over 
the  politics  of  not  only  his  own  State  but  the  entire  West,  where  he 
molded  public  opinion  to  suit  himself.  His  history,  however,  belongs 
rather  to  Missouri  than  to  Tennessee. 

Without  doubt  the  greatest  jurist  ever  upon  the  bench  in  Tennessee 
was  John  Haywood,*  who,  previous  to  his  coming  to  the  State  in  1807, 
had  already  secured  the  highest  judicial  and  professional  honor  in  the 
courts  of  North  Carolina.  That  he  was  especially  adapted  to  his  chosen 
profession  is  evident  from  the  fact  that  without  the  advantages  of  a 
library,  or  the  benefit  of  legal  tuition  in  a lawyer’s  office,  he  fitted  him- 
self for  the  practice  of  law,  and  so  thorough  was  his  preparation  that 
when  at  the  age  of  twenty-four  years  he  made  his  first  argument  before 
the  supreme  court,  he  is  said  to  have  displayed  as  much  learning  and 
as  comprehensive  a view  of  the  great  landmarks  of  the  law  as  any  argu- 
ment that  had  ever  been  made  before  it.  The  following  characterization 
of  him  by  a contemporary  is  an  eminently  correct  one:  “Judge  Haywood 

was.  a fine  genius  and  a most  powerful  and  unrivaled  advocate.  In  tact 
and  eloquence — such  eloquence  as  reaches  the  heart  and  convinces  the 
judgment — he  had  no  equal  in  Tennessee.  He  was  often  employed  Avith 
and  against  the  late  Felix  Grundy  in  the  most  critical  criminal  cases,  and 
it  would  not  be  saying  too  much,  perhaps,  to  say  that  as  an  orator  he 
was  equal  if  not  superior  to  that  distinguished  adATocate.  Both  had  been 
on  the  supreme  bench  of  their  respective  States,  and  both  came  to  Ten- 
nessee preceded  by  the  most  brilliant  reputations.  Both  were  men  of 
great  learning  and  attainments,  but  in  all  the  learning  which  pertained  to 
his  profession  Judge  Haywood  stood  far  in  advance  of  his  great  rival. 
He  possessed  inexhaustible  stores  of  imagination;  was  quick  and  ready 

*The  publishers  designed  to  have  the  portrait  of  Judge  Haywood  appear  in  this  work,  but  notwith- 
standing wide  inquiries  were  made,  no  likeness  of  him  of  auv  description  could  be  found. — Ed. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


389 


in  argument,  and  prompt  in  reply.  But  withal  his  judgment  was  too 
much  under  the  dominion  of  imaginative  faculty,  which  gave  to  some  of 
his  opinions  too  great  an  air  of  eccentricity  and  uncertainty.  He  had 
many  sympathies  in  common  with  his  fellow-men,  and  highly  cherished 
their  good  opinion,  particularly  of  his  own  fame.  He  was  ambitious  in 
the  highest  degree,  somewhat  overbearing  in  his  desire  to  be  considered 
‘the  court,’  and  perhaps  thought  too  highly  of  his  own  and  too  little  of 
his  brother  judges’  opinions,  and  felt  that  he  was  the  master-spirit  in  the 
settlement  and  determination  of  all  leading  questions  of  jurisprudence. 
I do  not  think  I should  do  him  injustice  if  I should  say  he  never  deliv- 
ered an  opinion  without  desiring  the  presence  of  a large  audience.” 

Associated  with  Judge  Haywood  for  a time,  upon  the  bench  of  the 
supreme  court  of  Tennessee,  was  William  L.  Brown,  a man  possessing 
many  traits  of  character  in  common  with  that  eminent  jurist.  He  began 
the  practice  of  his  profession  in  Clarksville,  Tenn.,  but  considering  that 
field  too  narrow  for  his  abilities  he  removed  to  Nashville.  He  was  ambi- 
tious in  the  highest  degree,  and  his  tenacity  of  purpose  was  such  that  no 
difficulty,  however  great,  could  deter  him  from  an  undertaking.  His 
knowledge  of  the  law  was  such  as  few  men  succeed  in  acquiring,  and  his 
scholarly  attainments,  although  not  so  extensive,  were  yet  respectable. 
Gov.  Foote  says  of  him:  “A  man  of  a more  fervid  and  insatiable  ambi- 
tion has  never  lived,  though  the  purity  and  elevation  of  his  nature  effect- 
ually held  him  from  all  those  low  and  debasing  arts  by  which  a mere- 
tricious fame  is  so  often  acquired.  A legitimate  and  honest  celebrity  he 
sought  for  with  all  the  earnestness  of  a zealous  and  hopeful  tempera- 
ment; he  toiled  for  it  with  exhaustless  assiduity.  He  meditated  upon 
the  means  by  which  it  was  to  be  realized  through  many  an  anxious  day 
and  many  a restless  night.  He  seemed  to  have  been  born  with  an  indom- 
itable confidence  in  his  own  capacity  for  self-advancement,  and  his  ulti- 
mate realization  of  a splendid  destiny  commensurate  with  his  aspirations 
and  indispensable  to  his  earthly  happiness.”  In  1822  he  was  appointed 
a judge  of  the  supreme  court,  but  remained  upon  the  bench  only  two 
years.  The  duties  of  the  office  were  distasteful  to  him,  and  he  preferred 
the  excitement  of  the  advocate  rather  than  the  calm  dignity  of  the  judge. 
The  chief  cause  of  his  resignation,  however,  is  said  to  have  been  that 
“he  was  not  content  to  occupy  a place  where  the  overshadowing  influence 
of  Judge  Haywood’s  long  established  fame  necessarily  held  him  in  sec- 
ondary dignity.”  His  retirement  was  a subject  of  universal  regret. 

In  striking  contrast  with  this  remarkable  man  was  his  successor,  John 
Catron,  a man  as  “simple  minded  and  as  simple  mannered  as  a child.” 
Yet  with  all  his  innocence  and  generous  simplicity  he  had  a mind  of 


390 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


wonderful  vigor  and  acuteness,  and  his  powers  of  judicial  analysis  have 
rarely  been  excelled.  His  capacity  for  labor  was  enormous,  and  his 
incorruptible  integrity  as  a judge  was  never  questioned.  Born  of 
obscure  parentage  and  reared  in  poverty  his  early  education  was  some- 
what limited,  and  he  Avas  never  able  in  later  years  to  entirely  supply  its 
deficiency.  He  began  his  legal  career  in  the  toAvn  of  Sparta,  where  he 
soon  gained  a reputation  for  ability,  but  like  many  other  ambitious  young 
men  he  longed  for  a broader  field  of  activity,  and  accordingly,  in  a short 
time,  removed  to  Nashville,  Avhere  his  superior  talents  in  a few  years 
elevated  him  to  the  highest  judicial  position  in  the  State.  He  remained 
on  the  bench  of  the  supreme  court  until  the  change  of  the  judicial  sys- 
tem by  the  constitution  of  1834,  when  he  again  resumed  the  practice  of 
his  profession.  President  Jackson,  on  the  last  day  of  his  second  term, 
appointed  him  as  a judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States, 
which  office  he  held  until  his  death,  a period  of  more  than  thirty  years. 

Henry  Crabb,  the  successor  of  Judge  HayAvood  upon  the  bench  of 
the  supreme  court,  Avas  for  many  years  a member  of  the  Nashville  bar, 
and  a rival  of  William  L.  Brown,  in  opposition  to  Avhom  he  often  ap- 
peared in  the  most  important  cases.  He  was  a well-balanced,  dignified, 
imperturbable,  polished  gentleman,  of  more  than  ordinary  talents  and  of 
considerable  learning.  He  had  a decided  advantage  over  his  more  ex- 
citable rival  Avhenever  they  were  thrown  into  professional  antagonism. 
His  calm  self-possession,  quiet  sarcasm,  and  half -concealed  raillery  so 
excited  the  feelings  of  his  adversary  that  on  more  than  one  occasion  an 
appeal  to  “the  code”  seemed  imminent.  The  opinions  delivered  by  him 
during  the  brief  period  that  he  occupied  his  seat  upon  the  bench  show 
him  to  have  possessed  a thoroughly  judicial  mind.  Cave  Johnson,  a 
sketch  of  Avhom  appears  in  another  chapter,  was  for  many  years  a prac- 
titioner of  law,  and  accumulated  a handsome  fortune  by  his  energy, 
shreAvdness  and  practical  intelligence.  He  was  always  a persuasive,  ear- 
nest and  eloquent  speaker,  and  thoroughly  skilled  in  debate,  but  for  some 
thirty  years  of  his  life  he  was  too  deeply  immersed  in  politics  to  achieve 
the  highest  distinction  in  his  profession. 

William  E.  Anderson,  who  came  to  Nashville  about  1825,  was  a man 
who  attracted  universal  attention,  not  only  on  account  of  his  gigantic 
stature,  but  from  his  othenvise  commanding  appearance.  His  distiu- 
guishing  characteristic  was  strength,  both  physical  and  mental.  He  was 
not,  however,  a very  diligent  student,  and  Avas  somewhat  inclined  to  ex- 
cessive  self-indulgence  and  conviviality.  He  stood  high  at  the  bar  and 
his  services  were  eagerly  sought,  but  he  Avas  too  negligent  in  the  prepar- 
ation of  his  cases  to  be  a truly  successful  lawyer.  He  was  for  a time  a 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


391 


judge  of  tlie  circuit  court,  and  removed  to  Mississippi  about  1815.  Sev- 
eral other  members  of  the  profession  of  this  period  possessed  scarcely 
less  ability  than  those  already  noticed,  but  perhaps  through  force  of  cir- 
cumstance or  lack  of  ambition  did  not  attain  the  eminent  distinction 
accorded  to  their  more  fortunate  contemporaries.  In  this  class  may  be 
mentioned  James  Trimble,  who  practiced  his  profession  in  Knoxville  and 
Nashville  for  nearly  twenty  years,  and  for  a time  was  upon  the  bench  of 
the  circuit  court.  He  was  well  acquainted  with  all  that  pertained  to  his 
profession,  and  was  also  a thorough  student  of  general  literature.  In  his 
law  cases  he  was  laborious,  and  was  indefatigable  in  his  efforts  for  his 
clients.  His  style  of  speaking  was  conversational,  but  the  zeal  and  interest 
which  was  manifested  by  the  tone  of  his  voice  and  the  flash  of  his  eye 
carried  conviction  to  the  minds  of  a jury.  His  energy,  however,  proved 
too  much  for  his  strength,  and  while  yet  in  the  prime  of  life  he  died 
from  the  effects  of  overwork. 

Another  talented  member  of  the  profession  at  this  time  who  was  cut 
off  in  early  manhood  was  John  Dickinson.  Born  and  educated  in  Mas- 
sachusetts he  came  to  Nashville  a young  man,  and  while  serving  as 
deputy  clerk  of  the  United  States  Court  prosecuted  the  study  of  law.  His 
energy  and  industry  soon  qualified  him  for  his  profession,  in  which  he 
soon  rose  to  distinction  and  took  his  place  by  the  side  of  the  ablest  advo- 
cates of  the  time.  He  was  faithful  to  his  business,  and  manifested  the 
most  unswerving  honesty  in  all  his  dealings.  He  was  one  of  the  able 
land  lawyers  of  his  day,  and  acquired  a large  and  remunerative  practice. 
Had  a longer  life  been  granted  him  it  is  doubtful  if  his  fame  would  have 
been  circumscribed  by  the  narrow  limits  of  the  State. 

“Toward  the  close  of  the  last  century  a very  worthy  Dutch  family  was 
residing  in  the  town  of  Lebanon,  Tenn.,  now  so  celebrated  for  its  institu- 
tion of  learning  and  specially  for  its  law  school.  The  Yerger  mansion  is 
still  standing  and  in  a comfortable  state  of  preservation.  In  this  house 
were  born  eight  worthy  gentlemen,  all  brothers,  and  all  but  one  of  them 
practitioners  of  law.”*  None  of  the  brothers  remained  permanently  in 
Tennessee,  but  at  least  two  of  them  won  high  reputations  before  remov- 
ing from  the  State.  George  S.  Yerger,  the  eldest  brother,  officiated  for 
some  years  as  reporter  of  the  judicial  decisions  of  the  Supreme  Court  of 
Tennessee,  at  first  alone  and  afterward  with  his  younger  brother.  His 
early  education  was  somewhat  limited,  but  this  deficiency  was  more  than 
supplied  by  his  great  store  of  legal  knowledge,  which,  although  it  had 
been  obtained  in  a somewhat  irregular  manner,  was  thoroughly  digested 
and  ready  for  use  at  any  moment  it  might  be  wished.  He  possessed  in- 


*Beneh  and  Bar  of  the  South  and  Southwest. 


392 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


teliectual  faculties  of  a high  order,  was  kind  and  generous  in  all  his  im- 
pulses, and  was  alike  “devoid  of  envy,  of  low  selfishness,  of  narrow  and  ir- 
rational prejudices  and  of  overweening  ambition.”  He  moved  to  Missis- 
sippi in  1839,  and  in  the  courts  of  that  State  he  succeeded  in  maintaining 
his  high  reputation  unimpaired  to  the  end  of  his  life.  J.  S.  Yerger  pos- 
sessed many  qualities  of  mind  in  common  with  his  elder  brother,  but  was 
perhaps  of  a more  sociable  disposition,  and  possessed  conversational  pow- 
ers of  a most  entertaining  and  instructive  order.  He  Avas  widely  read, 
and  his  general  education  was  thorough  and  complete.  He  was  a good 
judge  of  both  men  and  their  motives  of  action,  and  consequently  was  un- 
surpassed in  the  selection  of  a jury.  He,  too,  removed  to  Mississippi, 
where  he  became  eminent  both  as  a judge  and  an  advocate. 

Thomas  H.  Fletcher  began  life  as  a merchant,  but  becoming  in- 
volved financially  during  the  crisis  of  1818-19,  he  was  led  to  the  study 
of  law,  and  soon  came  to  be  recognized  as  one  of  the  leading  members  of 
the  bar.  “Although  he  had  a large  and  general  practice,  he  stood  pre-em- 
inently high  as  a criminal  advocate,  and  possessed  all  the  requirements 
for  success  in  that  special  forensic  field.  A good  judge  of  human  nature, 
knowing  its  strong  and  its  weak  side,  he  selected  his  jury  with  great  dis- 
crimination, and  having  a heart  as  tender  as  a woman’s  his  feelings  were 
naturally  with  his  clients  in  their  distress,  and  he  always  made  their 
cause  his  own.  There  have  been  great  criminal  lawyers  in  Tennessee, 
but  few  his  equal  and  none  his  superior.  His  voice  was  clear  and  strong, 
his  manner  earnest  and  excited  but  never  rude  and  boisterous ; pathetic  or 
humorous  as  the  occasion  suggested,  he  always  spoke  with  good  taste 
and  made  perhaps  fewer  failures  than  almost  any  other  lawyer  at  the 
bar.  He  was  very  popular  with  the  profession,  especially  among  the 
younger  lawyers,  whom  he  always  treated  Avith  the  utmost  kindness  and 
courtesy.  His  reading  was  extensive,  and  not  confined  to  professional 
works,  and  often  beguiled  his  leisure  hours  in  composition  for  the  neAvs- 
papers  on  the  ephemeral  subjects  of  the  day.  There  was  in  his  manner 
no  rudeness,  in  his  speech  no  coarseness  or  invective,  and  his  sympathy 
for  the  misfortunes  of  his  fellow-men  Avas  unbounded.”*  His  death, 
which  occurred  from  apoplexy  brought  on  by  over-exertion,  Avas  the  sub- 
ject of  universal  regret. 

Jacob  Peck,  for  twelve  years  a judge  of  the  supreme  court  of  errors 
and  appeals,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  one  of  the  oldest  attorneys 
in  the  State,  Avas  licensed  to  practice  in  1808.  He  Avas  a native  of  Vir- 
ginia, but  removed  to  Tennessee  at  a very  early  period  of  his  life.  He 
was  a man  of  varied  talents  and  extensive  knoAvledge,  and  his  genius  was 


*John  M.  Lea  in  Nashville  Banner 


HISTOBY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


393 


of  a high  order.  He  had  an  especial  fondness  for  painting,  poetry,  and 
music,  and  also  took  much  delight  in  the  study  of  zoology  and  mineral- 
ogy, in  which  sciences  he  was  looked  upon  as  an  authority. 

Edward  Scott,  who  presided  on  the  bench  of  the  Knoxville  Circuit 
for  nearly  thirty  years,  was  a man  of  great  eccentricities,  and  many  amus- 
ing stories  are  told  of  him.  He  was  a native  af  Virginia,  but  came  at  an 
early  day  to  Tennessee.  He  was  a hard  student  of  text-books  and  re- 
ports, but  failed  to  get  down  to  the  broad,  underlying  principles  of  the 
law,  and  was  consequently  looked  upon  as  a case  lawyer.  While  on  the 
bench,  he  administered  the  law  as  he  remembered  it,  and  seldom  threw 
himself  upon  his  own  mental  resources.  He  was  never  partial  to  young 
lawyers  either  in  manner  or  speech,  but  was  frequently  rude  and  uncivil, 
though  he  was  a man  of  kindness  and  tender  sensibilities.  In  1820  he 
published  his  revisal  of  the  laws  of  Tennessee  in  two  large  volumes. 
This  served  the  lawyers  and  judges  of  the  State  for  their  principal  refer- 
ence until  the  compilation  of  Caruthers  & Nicholson  was  published  in 
1838. 

Pryor  Lea  was  a prominent  member  of  the  early  bar  of  East  Tennes- 
see. He  was  a native  of  Grainger  County,  and  attended  Blount  College 
while  under  the  presidency  of  Samuel  Carrick.  He  was  an  indefatigable 
student,  and  at  the  bar  his  forte  was  special  pleading.  He  removed  to 
Mississippi  about  1836  or  1837,  and  later  went  to  Texas,  where  he  re- 
cently died  at  a very  advanced  age. 

Col.  John  Williams  was  one  of  the  pioneer  lawyers  of  East  Tennes- 
see, but  his  career  as  a politician  eclipsed  his  legal  career.  He  served  as 
a member  of  the  General  Assembly,  as  a United  States  Senator,  and  was 
sent  as  minister  to  Guatemala  by  President  Adams.  He  was  a brother 
of  Thomas  L.  Williams,  who  rather  excelled  him  as  a lawyer.  He  was 
most  courtly  and  fascinating  in  his  manners,  and  although  not  an  elo- 
quent speaker,  possessed  a wonderful  personal  magnetism. 

If  it  be  possible  to  divide  the  history  of  the  legal  profession  in  Ten- 
nessee into  eras,  it  may  be  said  that  the  reorganization  of  the  courts  in 
1834  marks  the  beginning  of  a new  era.  At  that  time  those  intellectual 
giants  Whiteside,  Grundy,  Haywood,  White  and  others,  around  whom 
the  events  of  the  first  two  or  three  decades  of  the  century  cluster,  had 
almost  without  exception  retired  from  practice  or  had  been  removed  to  the 
higher  courts  above.  But  as  they  disappeared,  one  by  one,  their  places 
were  filled  by  men  of  scarcely  less  ability  and  renown.  The  new  supreme 
court  was  organized  with  Nathan  Green,  William  B.  Reese  and  William 
B.  Turley,  as  judges,  and  it  is  doubtful  if  the  bench  of  that  court  has  ever 
been  filled  by  men  of  more  uniformly  distinguished  ability.  Judge 


394 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Green  was  a native  of  Virginia.  He  possessed  but  few  advantages  of 
education,  but  with  a strong  will,  a vigorous  intellect  and  an  eager  thirst 
for  distinction,  he  soon  placed  himself  upon,  a level  with  those  who  had 
been  favored  by  higher  opportunities.  He  began  his  career  as  a lawyer 
in  the  Mountain  District  where  he  soon  took  a prominent  stand  among 
the  members  of  the  bar.  In  his  practice  he  preferred  the  chancery  de- 
partment, and  loved  especially  to  deal  with  the  great  and  broad  principles 
of  the  law.  For  nearly  a quarter  of  a century  he  occupied  a place  upon 
the  bench,  and  was  ever  distinguished  for  his  amenity  and  courtesy,  his 
learning  and  ability,  his  truth  and  integrity.  His  opinions  do  not  abound 
with  brilliant  passages  like  some  of  Judge  Turley’s,  nor  are  they  marked 
by  the  pure  and  elegant  though  somewhat  involved  style  of  Judge  Reese, 
but  are  always  clear  and  discriminating  and  logical.  Personally  he  is 
described  as  a man  of  majestic  stature,  of  a highly  commanding  aspect, 
and  of  sedate  and  gentlemanly  manners.  After  his  retirement  from  the 
bench  he  was  associated  with  Judge  Caruthers  as  professor  of  the  law 
department  of  Cumberland  County,  at  Lebanon.  Judge  Reese  was  a man 
of  unquestioned  uprightness,  and  of  the  most  ample  legal  attainments. 
His  general  scholarship  and  literary  culture  probably  excelled  that  of 
either  of  his  colleagues.  His  style  as  exhibited  in  his  opinions  is  marked  by 
elegance,  and  is  in  full  keeping  with  his  excellence  of  reasoning.  He  was 
eminently  qualified  by  nature  and  education  for  the  duties  of  the  bench. 
“ An  impartiality  that  knew  no  bias,  an  inborn  love  of  justice  that  experi- 
enced no  abatement,  an  almost  instinctive  perception  of  the  truth  joined  to 
his  profound  knoAvledge  of  the  law,  his  patience  and  industry  in  research, 
his  enlargement  of  mind  by  a general  and  varied  learning,  his  solidity  of 
judgment,  combined  to  make  him  one  of  the  first  judges  that  Tennessee 
has  yet  produced as  an  attorney  he  possessed  scarcely  less  ability.  His 
care  in  the  preparation  of  cases,  his  logical  reasoning  and  terrible  sar- 
casm, and  his  thorough  acquaintance  with  legal  science,  made  him  a for- 
midable adversary  to  even  the  distiguished  men  who  adorned  the  bar 
of  East  Tennessee  when  he  practiced  in  her  courts. 

William  B.  Turley  was  at  one  time,  a member  of  the  Clarksville  bar, 
where  he  laid  the  foundations  for  a brilliant  career.  Previous  to  his  eleva- 
tion to  the  supreme  bench  he  served  for  many  years  as  a judge  of  the  circuit 
court,  where  he  was  distinguished  for  an  uncommon  facility  in  the  dis- 
patch of  business.  He  brought  to  the  discharge  of  his  duties  an  enlight- 
ened mind,  well  stored  with  legal  knowledge,  and  his  temper,  without 
being  imperious  or  irascible,  was  firm  and  decided.  His  opinions  are 
distinguished  for  their  perspicuity,  polished  language  and  exact  and  log- 
ical reasoning.  He  was  an  industrious  student,  very  fond  of  reading, 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


395 


-extensively  informed  and  had  a memory  of  wonderful  tenacity;  but  he 
was  not  remarkable  for  close  and  persevering  application  to  business. 
After  his  retirement  from  the  supreme  court,  in  1850,  he  was  judge  of 
the  common  law  and  chancery  court  of  Memphis  until  his  death  about 
eighteen  months  later. 

The  bar  of  East  Tennessee  has  always  been  distinguished  for  its  su- 
perior ability,  but  of  the  long  list  of  illustrious  names  engraven  in  its 
temple  of  fame,  none  occupy  a higher  position  than  that  of  Robert  J. 
McKinney,  the  successor  of  Judge  Reese.  He  was  a native  of  Ireland, 
but  spent  the  greater  part  of  his  life  in  Tennessee.  His  arguments  at 
the  bar  were  always  remarkable  for  their  logical  force  and  precision, 
their  freedom  from  all  circumlocution  or  mere  parade  of  words,  and  were 
occasionally  tinctured  with  something  approaching  sarcasm  and  irony. 
On  the  bench  he  was  diligent,  painstaking  and  unrelaxing  in  his  labors, 
as  his  reported  opinions  so  satisfactorily  attest.  He  was  accused  of  being 
occasionally  a little  too  stern  and  austere  in  his  demeanor  toward  mem- 
bers of  the  bar,  and  was  not  a little  inclined  to  caution  attorneys  to  avoid 
anything  at  all  approaching  a superfluity  of  illustration. 

Robert  Looney  Caruthers,  the  successor  of  Judge  Green,  has  been 
said,  by  those  who  knew  him,  to  have  been  the  best  advocate  that  Ten- 
nessee ever  produced.  That  he  was  a most  remarkable  man  is  evident 
from  the  fact  that  reared  in  comparative  poverty,  without  influential 
fi-iends,  he  raised  himself  by  his  own  efforts  to  the  foremost  place  in  the 
estimation  of  the  people.  Although  he  held  several  official  positions  he 
had  but  little  fondness  for  political  life,  and  it  was  in  the  law  that  he 
found  what  was  most  congenial  to  his  taste,  and  which  best  occupied  his 
great  intellect.  His  marked  characteristic  as  a lawyer  was  persuasive 
logic,  based  upon  a substratum  of  common  sense.  His  powers  as  a de- 
claimer  merely  were  not  of  the  first  order.  He  perhaps  despised  the 
mere  tinsel  and  glare  of  what  is  frequently  mistaken  for  true  eloquence. 
Gentle  of  nature,  both  in  manner  and  feeling,  he  preferred  to  carry 
with  him  the  conviction  of  the  audience  by  soft  and  mild  leading  rather 
than  bold  assertion  and  overwhelming  dominance.  But  to  attain  his 
ends,  success  in  his  profession  and  success  in  his  courses,  he  never  con- 
descended to  trickery  or  unworthy  arts  of  any  description.  He  was  labor- 
ious in  the  preparation  of  cases ; he  trusted  nothing  to  chance  or  inspira- 
tion; he  left  down  no  gaps;  he  tightened  up  the  loose  joints,  and  always 
came  to  the  battle  fully  armed  and  equipped.  He  had  great  power  of 
labor,  which  if  not  genius  or  talent  is  yet  their  neccessary  concomitant, 
if  success  is  to  follow.  But  above  all  things  perhaps  liis  most  available 
means,  especially  before  juries,  was  he  “ knew  what  was  in  man,”  motive, 


396 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


probable  action,  influence  of  surroundings,  the  strength  and  weakness  of 
man,  varieties  of  character,  and  upon  a knowledge  of  these  he  built  up 
his  argument.  There  is  a variety  of  opinion  whether  Judge  Caruthers 
shone  more  brilliantly  at  the  bar  or  on  the  bench;  the  opinion  is  unan- 
imous, however,  that  he  was  an  able,  upright,  laborious  and  conscientious 
expounder  of  the  laws  in  his  official  capacity.  He  bi'ouglit  to  the  bench 
the  same  broad  common  sense,  the  same  effective  learning,  the  same  com- 
prehensive mind  that  had  characterized  him  throughout  his  previous  life ; 
and  all  through  his  opinions  there  is  apparent  a careful  judicial  search 
for  truth,  and  a firm  determination  to  uphold  the  right  in  morals  and 
in  law.  The  last  years  of  his  life  were  spent  as  the  leading  professor  of 
the  law  department  of  Cumberland  University,  of  which  he  was  one  of 
the  principal  founders. 

Archibald  W.  O.  Totten,  the  successor  of  Judge  Turley,  was  born  in 
Middle  Tennessee,  but  at  an  early  age  removed  with  his  father  to  the 
western  division  of  the  State.  He  studied  lawv  and  was  admitted  to 
practice  in  Gibson  County.  His  temperate  and  regular  habits,  his 
laborious  investigations  of  the  cases  intrusted  to  his  care,  and  his  fidelity 
to  all  his  professional  engagements,  secured  to  him  a full  and  lucrative 
practice,  and  he  rose  rapidly  to  independence  and  distinction.  His 
person  was  tall,  manly  and  striking ; his  manners  bland  and  courteous  in 
a high  degree,  and  his  general  deportment  dignified,  without  stiffness  or 
reserve.  In  the  most  exciting  debates  at  the  bar,  he  never  descended  to 
wrangling  or  lost  the  serenity  of  his  temper,  or  the  tranquillity  of  his 
manner.  He  retired  from  the  supreme  bench  in  August,  1855,  and  was 
succeeded  by  William  R.  Harris,  of  Memphis.  Judge  Harris  was  born 
in  North  Carolina,  but  was  reared  chiefly  in  Bedford  County,  Tenn 
His  educational  advantages  were  somewhat  meager,  but,  notwithstanding 
this  hindrance,  his  strong,  native  talents  enabled  him  to  reach  high  rank 
in  his  profession.  He  began  the  practice  of  law  in  Paris,  Henry  County, 
where,  in  a few  years,  he  evinced  so  much  ability  that  he  was  made 
judge  of  the  circuit  court,  a position  which  he  held  until  1845.  Six 
years  later  he  removed  to  Memphis,  where  he  presided  over  the  com- 
mon law  and  chancery  court  until  his  elevation  to  the  supreme  bench. 
As  an  advocate  he  was  earnest  and  forcible,  and  neither  in  his  oral 
or  written  productions  was  he  ever  known  to  affect  mere  ornaments 
of  speech.  In  his  judicial  capacity  he  was  cautious,  laborious  and 
circumspect  in  arriving  at  his  conclusions,  and  inflexible  in  main- 
taining them.  Judge  Harris  was  killed  in  a steam-boat  explosion  on 
the  Mississippi  River  in  1858.  The  vacancy  occasioned  by  his  death 
was  filled  by  the  appointment  of  Archibald  Wright,  also  of  Memphis, 


FROM  PHOTO  BY  TRUSS.  HOFUELH  & G/ERS  NASH  TILLS 


James  K.  Polk 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


391 


but  a native  of  Maury  County.  He  obtained  a fairly  good  education 
before  entering  upon  bis  career  as  a lawyer,  which  he  did  in  1832. 
He  possessed  great  capacity  for  labor,  and  by  sheer  strength  and 
directness,  attention  to  business  and  tenacity  of  purpose,  he  won  his  way 
to  distinction.  During  his  brief  career  upon  the  supreme  bench  he 
manifested  his  eminent  fitness  for  that  high  position.  His  opinions  are 
models  of  judicial  style — clear,  forcible,  direct,  tersely  stating  the  points 
and  deciding  the  matter  before  him,  briefly  reaching  his  conclusions 
without  verbiage  or  over-argumentation.  In  both  his  physical  and  men- 
tal qualities  he  was  a man  of  striking  individuality.  He  possessed  a 
magnificent  physique,  and  a constitution  equal  to  any  strain  upon  its 
powers  of  endurance.  The  salient  traits  of  his  character  were  his  origi- 
nality, strength  and  clearness  of  intellect,  tenacity  of  purpose  and  indom- 
itable energy. 

These  were  all  the  men  who  occupied  a position  upon  the  supreme 
bench  previous  to  the  civil  war.  W.  F.  Cooper  was  appointed  to  succeed 
Robert  L.  Caruthers  in  1861,  but  the  supension  of  the  court  prevented 
his  taking  his  seat.  It  now  remains  to  notice  some  of  the  distinguished 
members  of  the  bar  during  the  period  from  1834  to  1861. 

One  of  the  most  talented  men  whom  Tennessee  has  given  to  the 
world  was  John  Bell,  whose  career  as  a politician  and  statesman,  how- 
ever, over-towers  his  reputation  as  an  advocate.  As  a sketch  of  his 
life  appears  elsewhere,  only  brief  mention  of  him  is  made  in  this  con- 
nection. He  began  his  career  as  a lawyer  in  Williamson  County,  but 
soon  after  removed  to  Nashville  and  formed  a partnership  with  Judge 
Crabb.  Although  he  entered  Congress  when  he  was  little  more  than 
thirty  years  of  age,  he  had  acquired  a high  standing  at  the  bar  as  a law- 
yer of  great  acuteness,  research  and  ability,  and  as  a speaker  of  no  ordi- 
nary merit. 

James  K.  Polk  was  a contemporary  of  Bell,  both  having  been  born 
in  the  same  year.  The  former,  not  quite  so  precocious  as  his  rival,  did  not 
begin  the  practice  of  law  until  about  twenty -five  years  of  age,  but  when 
he  did  begin  he  was  thoroughly  equipped  for  his  forensic  struggles.  He 
opened  an  office  at  Columbia,  where  almost  from  the  first  he  occupied  a 
front  rank  in  the  profession.  His  naturally  strong  intellect,  disciplined 
bT'  years  of  study  to  close  and  accurate  reasoning,  together  with  his 
known  moral  integrity,  made  him  a most  powerful  adversary  before  the 
bar.  His  early  entrance  into  the  field  of  politics,  however,  practically 
closed  his  legal  career. 

Ephraim  H.  Foster,  a prominent  contemporary  of  the  above,  was  a 
native  of  Kentucky,  but  when  a small  child  came  with  his  father’s  family 

25 


398 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


to  Tennessee.  He  received  as  good  an  education  as  tlie  times  afforded, 
graduating  with  the  first  class  matriculated  in  Cumberland  College  in 
1818.  He  then  studied  law  with  John  Trimble.  Very  soon  after  begin- 
ning its  practice,  his  close  application  to  business,  together  with  his 
natural  ability  and  prepossessing  appearance,  placed  him  in  the  front 
rank  of  his  profession.  His  practice  becoming  too  large  for  one  person, 
he  formed  a partnership  with  William  L.  Brown,  with  whom  he  remained 
until  the  latter’s  elevation  to  the  bench  of  the  supreme  court.  From  that 
time  until  his  retirement  from  practice  he  was  associated  with  Francis  B. 
Fogg.  Col.  Foster  was  a fine  speaker,  but  he  had  by  nature  a quick  and 
violent  temper  which  he  did  not  always  control.  It  is  said  that  on  one 
occasion,  while  arguing  a case  in  which  he  was  greatly  interested,  he  be- 
came angry  at  some  remark  made  by  the  judge,  and  threw  a book  at 
him.  The  judge,  unmindful  of  his  position,  sprang  at  Col.  Foster,  with  a 
heavy  walking  stick  in  his  hand,  and  but  for  the  interference  of  friends  a 
serious  difficulty  would  have  been  the  result.  “Peace,  however,  was  restored 
without  bloodshed.  The  offender  made  the  proper  apology,  paid  a heavy 
fine  for  his  rashness,  and  the  honorable  but  belligerent  court  adjourned.” 
Col.  Foster  lived  in  elegant  style,  and  entertained  in  a princely  man- 
ner. This,  with  his  vivacity,  wit  and  brilliant  conversation,  made  him  a 
universal  favorite  in  society.  During  the  last  twenty  years  of  his  life, 
he  gave  the  greater  part  of  his  attention  to  political  matters,  into  which 
he  entered  with  great  spirit.  He  was  twice  elected  to  the  United  States  j 
senate,  the  first  time  in  1837,  to  fill  out  the  unexpired  term  of  Felix 
Grundy.  He  was  again  chosen  in  1843,  but  resigned  two  years  later. 
In  1845  he  was  the  Whig  candidate  for  governor,  but  was  defeated  by  A. 
V.  Brown,  by  a small  majority.  He  then  withdrew  from  active  life,  and 
died  in  1854. 

Francis  B.  Fogg,  for  many  years  a partner  of  the  above,  was  a native 
of  Connecticut,  where  he  received  a thorough  literary  education,  and  also 
prepared  himself  for  his  chosen  profession.  He  then,  in  1818,  came  to 
Tennessee  and  located  at  Columbia,  but  in  less  than  a year  removed  to 
Nashville,  where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  a long  life.  “Upon  his  settle- 
ment in  Tennessee  he  commenced  the  practice  of  law  which  he  pursued 
with  unremitting  diligence  for  half  a century,  until  age  and  disease  dis- 
qualified him  for  labor.  It  is  no  disparagement  to  his  many  distin- 
guished contemporaries  in  the  profession  during  that  long  and  eventful 
period  to  say  that  he  had  few  rivals  and  no  superiors.  His  success  wan 
eminent.  He  commanded  the  confidence  of  the  community  in  a remark 
able  degree.  To  a mind  naturally  strong  and  vigorous  he  united  rare! 
industry,  and  with  original  scholarship  of  a high  order  he  was  able  t< 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


399 


amass  stores  of  learning  on  all  subjects.  He  possessed  a wonderful 
memory,  by  which  he  could  recall  cases  and  incidents  that  most  others 
had  forgotten.  He  was  familiar  not  only  with  the  history  of  the  law, 
but  with  the  history  of  this  and  other  countries.  Mr.  Fogg  was  not 
ambitious  for  office  and  never  sought  promotion,  but  in  1834  he  was,  by 
the  voluntary  action  of  the  community,  elected  a member  of  the  Constitu- 
tional Convention  and  took  a prominent  part  in  its  deliberations.  In 
1851-52  he  was  elected  to  the  State  Senate  from  Davidson  County  and 
raided  efficiently  in  inaugurating  the  system  of  internal  improvements 
which  has  done  so  much  for  the  State.”  “It  is  impossible  now  to  tell  how 
many  of  the  statutes  that  adorn  our  code  and  measure  and  regulate  the 
rights  of  persons  and  property,  he  was  the  author  of.  It  was  the  habit 
■of  Legislatures  to  call  upon  him  on  all  occasions  for  aid  in  the  preparation 
■of  bills.”* 

No  member  of  the  Nashville  bar  is  remembered  with  a feeling  of 
greater  kindliness  and  respect  than  Josephus  C.  Guild.  Of  his  early 
professional  life  he  has  given  many  interesting  incidents  in  his  “Old 
Times  in  Tennessee,”  which  are  told  in  his  inimitable  style.  He  was  a 
man  of  strong  and  vigorous  intellect,  and  at  the  bar,  especially  before  a 
jury,  he  had  but  few  equals.  He  was  not  a student  of  books  nor  a fin 
ished  scholar,  but  was  a close  observer  of  human  nature  and  possessed  a 
fund  of  practical  knowledge  which  was  always  ready  for  use.  As  a 
judge  he  was  distinguished  for  his  strong  sense  of  justice  and  his  deep 
love  of  natural  equity,  which  made  suitors  feel  that  their  causes  would  be 
impartially  tried.  There  was  also  a natural  cheerfulness  and  liveliness 
of  his  disposition  which  would  crop  out  even  in  the  midst  of  the  decorum 
•of  the  bench,  and  a lively  sally  of  wit  or  a gleam  of  humor  from  him 
•often  brightened  the  otherwise  dull  tedium  of  legal  procedure.  Judge 
Guild  began  the  practice  of  law  in  1822,  in  Sumner  County,  where  he 
remained  until  the  close  of  the  civil  war.  He  was  three  times  elected  to 
the  House  of  Representatives,  and  twice  to  the  State  Senate,  was  a presi- 
dential elector  for  James  K.  Polk  in  1844  and  for  Franklin  Pierce  in 
1852;  was  elected  chancellor  for  the  Seventh  Chancery  Division  in  1860, 
and  in  1870  was  made  judge  of  the  law  court  of  Nashville,  which  position 
he  held  until  the  abolition  of  the  court  in  1878.  He  died  January  8, 
1883,  after  sixty  years  of  active  professional  life. 

Bailie  Peyton,  a contemporary  and  intimate  personal  friend  of  Judge 
Tuild,  was  associated  with  him  in  his  early  practice.  He  was  born  in 
Sumner  County  in  1803.  At  the  age  of  twenty-one  he  was  admitted  to 
he  bar,  and  soon  after  formed  a partnership  with  Henry  A.  Wise,  a 


*The  above  extracts  are  taken  from  the  resolutions  passed  by  the  bar  at  his  death  in  April,  1880. 


400 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


young  man,  also  just  entering  upon  the  practice  of  law.  Being  of  sim- 
ilar disposition  they  at  once  became  intimate  friends,  but  neither  pos- 
sessed much  taste  for  the  arduous  duties  of  the  profession,  and  soon 
drifted  into  the  more  congenial  sphere  of  politics.  The  partnership  con- 
tinued for  two  years,  when  the  latter  returned  to  his  native  State.  His 
subsequent  career  is  familiar  to  all  students  of  history.  Peyton  did  not 
rank  very  high  as  a lawyer,  but  as  a political  speaker  he  had  few  supe- 
riors, possessing  in  a high  degree  that  peculiar  quality  known  as  per- 
sonal magnetism.  He  was  elected  to  Congress  on  the  Whig  ticket  when 
barely  thirty  years  of  age,  and  was  twice  returned,  serving  from  1833  to 
1839.  He  Avas  appointed  United  States  District  Attorney  at  New  Orleans 
by  President  Taylor,  and  soon  after  was  sent  as  minister  to  Chili.  He 
afterward  practiced  laAv  for  a time  in  California,  but  later  returned  to  his 
old  home  at  Gallatin,  Avhere  he  died  in  1878. 

For  several  years  one  of  the  leading  law  firms  in  Nashville  was  com- 
posed of  Edwin  H.  and  Andrew  Ewing,  sons  of  Nathan  EAving  and  grand- 
sons of  Andrew  Ewing,  the  first  clerk  of  the  Davidson  County  Court. 
Edwin  H.  Ewing  graduated  at  the  Nashville  University  in  1827,  and  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  1831.  He  then  formed  a partnership  with  James 
Grundy,  which  continued  until  1837,  when  he  associated  himself  Avith 
his  younger  brother.  For  a number  of  years  he  took  an  active  interest 
in  politics,  serving  one  term  in  the  State  Legislature  and  one  term  in 
Congress.  Meanwhile  he  kept  up  the  practice  of  law,  and  added  to  his 
already  high  reputation.  He  sat  frequently  upon  the  bench  of  the  su- 
preme court  as  special  judge,  and  delivered  opinions  in  several  important 
cases.  In  1851  the  partnership  Avith  his  brother  was  dissolved,  and  he 
did  but  little  practice  thereafter  until  the  close  of  the  war,  at  Avhich  time 
he  resumed  his  professional  labors  and  has  only  recently  entirely  with- 
drawn from  active  life. 

AndreAV  EAving  also  received  a collegiate  education  and,  in  point  of 
ability,  Avas  not  inferior  to  his  brother.  He  Avas  an  easy,  graceful  and 
persuasive  speaker,  a thorough  and  diligent  student,  and  an  energetic 
and  active  advocate.  While  in  partnership  he  performed  the  law  prac-S 
tice,  leaving  the  chancery  business  to  his  associate.  He  made  a careful | 
study  of  each  case,  but  he  was  too  thorougly  imbued  with  a knowledge  I 
of  the  elements  and  principles  of  laiv  to  be  classed  as  a mere  case  lawyer. 
While  giving  diligent  attention  to  professional  business  he  also  mingled] 
considerably  in  the  politics  of  the  day  as  a speaker  and  counselor.  Whilel 
his  brother  Avas  a Whig  he  was  a moderate  Democrat,  and  in  1849  was 
elected  to  Congress  in  the  face  of  a strong  opposition.  He  was  appointed 
one  of  a permanent  court-martial  of  lawyers  by  the  Confederate  Govern 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


401 


merit  in  1862,  and  two  years  later  died  from  exposure  and  overwork  at 
Atlanta,  Ga. 

One  of  tlie  best  educated  and  most  brilliant  men  ever  at  the  bar  in 
Tennessee  was  Return  J.  Meigs,  who  practiced  law  for  many  years  in 
Athens,  McMinn  County,  and  afterward  removed  to  Nashville.  He  was 
the  author  of  a voluminous  digest  of  the  judicial  decisions  of  the  State, 
and  was  one  of  the  compilers  of  a “ Code  of  Tennessee.’’  He  was  not 
only  learned  in  the  law,  but  in  ancient  and  modern  languages,  and  was  a 
comparative  philologist  of  no  ordinary  attainments.  Indeed,  there  seemed 
to  be  no  branch  of  human  knowledge  with  which  he  was  not  in  some  de- 
gree familiar.  At  the  beginning  of  the  war,  being  a strong  Union  man, 
he  was  compelled  to  leave  Nashville,  and  he  afterward  made  his  home  in 
Washington,  where,  for  a number  of  years,  he  held  a responsible  posi- 
tion under  the  Government. 

William  T.  Haskell,  at  one  time  a prominent  member  of  the  bar  of 
Tennessee,  was  almost  diametrically  opposite  in  character  to  Meigs.  He 
was  a brilliant  and  effective  speaker,  possessing  a mind  of  much  quick- 
ness and  energy,  and  an  imagination  of  exceeding  fertility.  He  had 
great  powers  of  ridicule,  and,  when  opportunity  afforded,  could  use  in- 
vective with  crushing  effect.  He  was  not,  however,  a thorough  and  dili- 
gent student,  and  was  somewhat  too  fond  of  social  pleasure  to  attain  to 
that  high  rank  to  which,  with  proper  application,  his  talents  would  have 
raised  him. 

Spencer  Jarnagin,  a student  at  law  under  Hugh  L.  White,  was  born 
and  reared  in  East  Tennessee,  where  he  attained  to  considerable  distinc- 
tion in  his  profession.  He  was  a plain  unimaginative  man  with  a clear 
head  and  sound  judgment.  His  language  was  simple,  well  chosen  and 
straightforward,  and  he  rarely  indulged  in  impassioned  flights  of  oratory, 
yet  he  never  failed  to  elicit  the  closest  attention  from  his  hearers.  His 
success  as  a jury  lawyer  has  rarely  been  excelled,  and  litigants  always  felt 
confident  of  success  when  they  had  secured  him  to  advocate  their  cause. 

One  of  the  leading  lawyers  in  the  western  division  of  the  State  for 
many  years  was  Milton  Brown,  a native  of  Ohio,  who  located  in  Tennes- 
see in  early  manhood.  During  his  long  practice  in  the  various  courts  of 
the  State  he  maintained  a high  reputation  for  industry,  probity  and 
legal  acumen,  and  succeeded  in  accumulating  an  ample  fortune.  His 
knowledge  of  the  law  was  full  and  accurate,  his  reasoning  powers  much 
above  mediocrity,  and  his  astuteness  and  skill  in  the  management  of 
cases  were  universally  acknowledged. 

John  A.  Nooe  was  at  one  time  prominently  identified  with  the  Mem- 
phis bar.  He  was  a man  of  high  character,  mild,  affable,  benignant  and 


402 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE'.. 


of  unimpeachable  integrity.  He  was  thoroughly  well  read  in  the  law, 
and  could  effectively  apply  the  learning  which  he  had  acquired.  Al- 
though he  always  expressed  himself  with  fluency  and  in  elegant  language, 
his  diffidence  in  public  was  a serious  drawback  upon  his  complete  suc- 
cess as  a forensic  advocate. 

Neill  Smith  Brown,  the  thirteenth  governor  of  Tennessee,  was  a native- 
of  Giles  County  and  a descendant  of  Scotch  Presbyterians.  His  parents 
were  poor,  and  unable  to  give  him  more  than  the  rudiments  of  an  educa- 
tion. At  the  age  of  seventeen  he  was  thrown  upon  his  own  resources,, 
and  took  to  teaching  school  to  enable  him  to  secure  a more  thorough 
education.  After  completing  a college  course  he  studied  law,  and  began 
the  practice  at  Matagorda.  Tex.,  then  a part  of  Mexico.  Not  finding  the 
society  congenial,  he  soon  after  returned  to  his  native  State,  where  he 
took  an  active  part  in  politics  until  the  beginning  of  the  war,  serving  as 
a member  of  the  General  Assembly,  governor,  minister  to  Russia,  and  as 
presidential  elector  on  the  Whig  ticket  in  1856.  His  career  as  a lawyer 
began  in  1835,  and  except  for  his  frequent  diversion  in  the  field  of  poli- 
tics, he  practiced  his  profession  for  a period  of  fifty  years;  It  could  not 
perhaps  be  said  that  his  legal  acquirements  were  the  most  comprehensive, 
or  that  in  grasp  of  thought  and  aggressive  force  of  character  he  was  not 
excelled,  but  his  native  talents  were  of  a high  order,  and  had  been  well 
cultivated  for  the  part  he  essayed  in  life,  and  they  won  for  him  just  and 
deserved  distinction. 

John  Trimble,  a son  of  James  Trimble,  who  has  been  previously  men- 
tioned, attained  a high  degree  of  eminence  in  the  profession.  At  the 
age  of  twenty-four  he  was  elected  attorney-general  for  the  Nashville  Dis- 
trict, a position  which  he  held  for  six  years.  In  1843  he  was  elected  a 
member  of  the  lower  house  of  the  General  Assembly,  and  two  years  later 
to  the  Senate.  He  refused  a renomination,  and  for  the  next  few  years.  , 
devoted  himself  to  his  professional  labors,  acquiring  a large  practice. 
In  1859  he  again  entered  politics,  being  elected  to  the  State  Senate.  He 
was  a stanch  Union  man,  and  during  the  extra  session  of  1861  did  all  in 
his  power  to  defeat  the  passage  of  the  ordinances  of  secession.  In  1862 
he  was  commissioned  United  States  district  attorney,  which  office  he 
held  for  two  years.  In  1865  he  was  again  elected  to  the  State  Senate, 
and  two  years  afterward  was  chosen  to  represent  his  district  in  the  XL 
Congress.  He  had  a taste  for  literary  pursuits,  which  at  times  became 
almost  a passion,  and  for  several  years  of  his  life  he  devoted  himself 
almost  entirely  to  study.  Had  he  been  ambitious  to  rise  either  in  his 
profession  or  in  the  political  world,  he  could  have  attained  to  the  highest 
position  in  either. 


HI-STORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


403 


Judge  Thomas  L.  Williams,  for  a long  time  chancellor  of  East  Ten- 
nessee, was  one  of  the  most  highly  respected  members  of  the  profession 
who  ever  practiced  in  the  courts  of  the  State.  He  was  a man  of  strong 
constitution  and  of  great  energy  and  force.  He  scorned  all  effeminate 
self-indulgence,  and  his  powers  of  endurance  seemed  almost  unlimited. 
He  held  thirty-eight  courts  in  nineteen  different  counties  in  a year,  and 
in  going  from  one  point  to  another  had  to  travel  over  rough  mountain 
roads,  at  times  almost  impassable.  His  judicial  career  presents  an  ex- 
ample of  industry  and  adherence  to  official  duty  rarely  excelled. 
Although  he  possessed  highly  respectable  attainments  in  his  profession, 
he  was  not  a learned  lawyer  nor  an  accomplished  scholar;  but  be  pos- 
sessed in  an  eminent  degree  that  highest  and  most  valuable  of  all  intel- 
lectual gifts,  strong,  vigorous,  practical,  common  sense.  He  retired  from 
the  chancellorship  in  1854,  and  died  at  Nashville,  December  2,  1856. 

Thomas  C.  Lyon,  of  the  Knoxville  bar,  was  a native  of  Roane  Coun- 
ty, born  in  1810.  He  enjoyed  the  reputation  of  an  able  and  successful 
lawyer,  and  a thorough  and  profound  jurist.  He  was  a man  of  fine 
sensibilities  and  a high  sense  of  honor.  He  sat  frequently  upon  the 
supreme  bench  as  a special  judge,  and  his  opinions  are  generally  re- 
garded as  not  inferior  to  those  of  the  most  learned  jurists.  He  was  a fine 
linguist  and  an  accomplished  scholar,  with  considerable  taste  for  poetical 
composition.  When  he  was  quite  young  his  father  removed  to  Knox- 
ville, where  he  received  his  education,  graduating  from  East  Tennessee 
College.  During  the  Mexican  war  he  served  on  the  staff  of  Gen.  W ool, 
with  the  rank  of  major.  He  died  in  Richmond,  Va.,  October  1,  1864. 

William  H.  Sneed,  another  prominent  member  of  the  Knoxville 
bar,  was  born  in  Davidson  County  in  1812,  and  soon  after  attaining 
his  majority  began  the  practice  of  law  at  Murfreesboro.  He  early  at- 
tained a high  standing,  which  he  fully  maintained  to  the  end  of  his  life. 
In  1843  he  was  chosen  to  the  State  Senate,  and  soon  after  the  expiration 
of  his  term  of  office  married  the  only  daughter  of  Alexander  Williams,  of 
Greeneville,  whore  he  then  located,  and  in  partnership  with  Robert  J. 
McKinney  practiced  his  profession  for  about  a year.  In  1845  he  re- 
moved to  Knoxville,  where  he  at  once  took  a prominent  position,  and  in 
1855  was  elected  to  represent  his  district  in  Congress.  He  died  at  his 
home  in  1869. 

Horace  Maynard,  for  many  years  a leading  lawyer  and  politician  of 
East  Tennessee,  was  born  in  Massachusetts  in  1814.  He  received  his 
early  education  in  Charleston,  S.  C.,  but  graduated  from  Amherst  Col- 
lege in  1838.  He  soon  after  removed  to  East  Tennessee,  locating  at 
Knoxville,  where  he  was  employed  as  a professor  in  the  University  of 


404 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


East  Tennessee  until  1844.  He  tlien  entered  upon  the  practice  of  law 
and  soon  was  recognized  as  one  of  the  leading  attorneys  in  that  division 
of  the  State.  In  1857  he  took  his  seat  as  a member  of  the  XXXY 
Congress,  and  continued  as  a member  of  that  body  until  the  expiration 
of  the  XLIII  Congress,  with  the  exception  of  from  1863  to  1865, 
when  he  ivas  attorney -general  of  Tennessee.  Having  with  Andrew  John- 
son espoused  the  principles  of  the  Republican  party,  he  remained  faithful 
to  them.  He  served  during  the  greater  portion  of  President  Hayes' 
administration  as  minister  to  Turkey,  and  also  for  a short  time  as  Post- 
master-General. He  was  a man  of  distinguished  ability,  was  a forcible 
and  clear  speaker  and  always  entertaining.  He  died  May  3,  1882. 

At  the  close  of  the  civil  war,  the  supreme  court  was  reorganized 
with  Samuel  Milligan,  J.  O.  Shackleford  and  Alvin  Hawkins,  as  judges 
appointed  by  the  governor.  Frequent  changes  occasioned  by  resignation 
occurred,  until  the  adoption  of  the  new  constitution  in  1870. 

Samuel  Milligan  was  born  in  Greene  County,  Tenn.,  “of  poor  but 
respectable  parents.”  His  father  was  unable  to  give  him  a better  educa- 
tion, than  could  be  obtained  at  an  old  field  school ; but  being  possessed 
of  a well  balanced  and  indomitable  energy  he  determined  to  take  a 
college  course.  In  this  he  was  successful  and  graduated  from  Tusculum 
College.  He  studied  law  with  Robert  J.  McKinney,  but  before  begin- 
ning practice  he  was  elected  to  the  General  Assembly,  serving  two 
terms.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1846,  but  soon  after  joined  the 
army  and  served  as  a major  in  the  Mexican  war.  After  his  return  home 
he  practiced  his  profession  until  the  civil  war.  In  1868  he  resigned  his 
seat  upon  the  supreme  bench,  and  was  made  one  of  the  judges  of  the 
court  of  claims  at  Washington,  a position  he  held  until  his  death  in  1874. 
He  was  an  able  advocate,  and  an  impartial  and  incorruptible  judge. 

Alvin  Hawkins  entered  the  profession  of  the  law  as  a student  under 
Judge  Totten  at  the  age  of  nineteen.  About  two  years  later  he  located 
at  Camden,  Benton  County,  where  he  remained  only  a short  time,  when 
he  returned  to  Huntington.  In  1854  he  was  chosen  to  represent  his 
county  in  the  General  Assembly,  and  in  1862  was  elected  to  Congress 
but  did  not  take  his  seat.  He  remained  loyal  to  the  Union,  however,  and 
in  1864  was  appointed  United  States  District  Attorney  for  West  Tennes- 
see, by  President  Lincoln,  a position  which  he  resigned  the  following 
year  to  accept  a seat  upon  the  Supreme  Bench.  As  an  advocate  he  has 
few  superiors,  and  is  especially  strong  before  a jury.  He  is  an  effective 
speaker  at  all  times,  and  possesses  oratorical  powers  of  a high  order.  His 
native  talents  are  of  a high  order  and  have  been  well  cultivated,  and  they 
have  won  for  him  just  and  deserved  distinction. 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


405 


James  O.  Shackleford  was  a native  of  Kentucky,  but  at  an  early  age 
removed  with  his  parents  to  Missouri.  During  his  early  manhood  he 
was  engaged  in  trapping  in  New  Mexico  and  other  parts  of  the  Southwest. 
After  his  return  he  studied  law  and  began  practice  at  Dover,  Stewart 
County.  Later  he  removed  to  Clarksville,  and  formed  a partnership  with 
James  Rivers,  with  whom  he  practiced  for  a time.  He  afterward  was 
associated  with  Gustav  A.  Henry,  continuing  until  the  beginning  of  the 
civil  war.  During  that  struggle  he  espoused  the  Union  cause,  yet  he 
always  sympathized  with  the  misfortunes  of  his  neighbors  on  the  other 
side,  and  through  his  influence  prevented  much  suffering.  In  1865,  with 
Hawkins  and  Milligan,  he  was  placed  upon  the  supreme  bench  by  ap- 
pointment of  Gov.  Brownlow.  He  resigned  in  1867,  but  was  reappointed 
the  following  year.  In  1869  he  resumed  the  practice  of  his  profession 
in  Nashville;  there  he  continued  until  about  1875,  when  he  moved  to 
Colorado.  Judge  Shackleford  was  a man  of  good  ability  and  consider- 
able learning.  He  was  not  an  eloquent  speaker,  but  possessed  reasoning 
powers  of  a high  order. 

Andrew  McLain,  one  of  the  supreme  judges  elected  in  1869,  was  born 
in  Smith  County  and  began  his  career  as  a lawyer  at  Carthage.  He 
soon  became  one  of  the  leading  attorneys  in  that  county  and  was  made 
judge  of  the  circuit  court.  After  his  retirement  from  the  supreme  bench 
in  1870  he  practiced  law  in  Nashville  until  February,  1882,  when  he 
received  the  appointment  to  the  office  of  United  States  District  Attorney. 
Upon  the  change  in  the  administration  of  the  Federal  Government  in 
1885  he  was  retired,  and  now  resides  in  San  Diego,  Cal.  He  is  well 
read  in  his  profession,  but  is  not  a successful  advocate,  being  somewhat 
lacking  in  tact  and  skill.  He  is  a man,  however,  of  unquestioned  integ- 
rity, and  of  the  strictest  moral  rectitude. 

George  Andrews  was  born  in  Putney,  Vt.,  in  1826.  His  boyhood  was 
spent  in  his  native  State,  in  western  New  York  and  in  Michigan.  He 
studied  law  in  Detroit,  where  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1857,  and 
continued  to  practice  his  profession  until  1865,  when  he  came  to  Ten- 
nessee. In  December,  1868,  he  was  appointed  by  Gov.  Brownlow  a 
judge  of  the  supreme  court,  to  fill  the  vacancy  caused  by  the  resignation 
of  Judge  Milligan.  He  was  elected  to  the  same  position  at  the  judicial  elec- 
tion in  May,  1869,  and  continued  upon  the  bench  until  the  adoption  of 
the  new  constitution  in  1870.  In  December,  1871,  he  was  appointed 
United  States  District  Attorney  for  the  eastern  district  of  Tennessee, 
which  position  he  continued  to  hold  until  his  resignation  in  February, 
1879.  Since  that  time  he  has  practiced  his  profession  in  Knoxville; 
since  January  1,  1881,  in  partnership  with  J.  M.  Thornburgh. 


406 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


Henry  Gratton  Smith,  .the  successor  of  Judge  Hawkins  upon  the  su- 
preme bench,  was  for  a long  time  a distinguished  member  of  the  bar  of 
Tennessee.  His  entire  career  was  marked  by  a love  of  truth  and  upright- 
ness, a scrupulous  fairness  toward  adversary  counsel  and  parties,  and 
a laborious,  painstaking  attention  to  ascertain  the  true  principle  of  law. 
It  could  not  be  claimed  for  him,  perhaps,  that  he  had  no  superiors  in  the 
profession,  yet  his  learning  and  ability  were  decidedly  above  mediocrity. 
During  the  civil  war  he  remained  loyal  to  the  National  Government,  yet. 
lie  conducted  himself  with  such  rare  discretion  and  dignity  as  to  win  the 
esteem  of  even  his  enemies.  His  opinions  and  judgments  as  they  are 
found  in  the  official  reports  attest  to  his  ability  and  his  devotion  to  the 
duties  of  his  high  office. 

Horace  H.  Harrison  was  born  in  Lebanon,  Wilson  County,  August  7, 
1829.  In  1841  the  family  removed  to  McMinnville,  having  meanwhile 
resided  in  Sumner  and  Robertson  Counties.  The  father  died  in  1845, 
leaving  young  Harrison,  at  the  age  of  fifteen,  the  sole  support  of  his 
mother,  Up  to  that  time  he  had  received  a liberal  education,  but  this 
event  prevented  him  from  completing  his  college  course.  He  entered  the 
office  of  the  county  clerk,  and  during  the  next  seven  years  served  in  that 
office,  the  office  of  the  clerk  and  master  of  the  chancery  court,  and  that  of 
the  register  of  deeds.  In  1853  he  was  elected  a director  of  the  Mc- 
Minnville & Manchester  Railroad,  and  two  years  later  began  the  prac- 
tice of  law  in  the  Mountain  Circuit,  where  he  enjoyed  a large  practice 
from  the  first.  In  1859  he  removed  to  Nashville.  In  1862  he  was  ap- 
pointed clerk  of  the  Federal  courts  for  Middle  Tennessee.  August  15, 
1863,  he  was  commissioned  United  States  District  Attorney,  a position  he 
held  until  1866.  He  was  then  appointed  chancellor  by  Brownlow,  and 
the  following  year  was  elected  to  the  supreme  bench.  In  1872  he  was 
again  appointed  United  States  District  Attorney,  and  afterward  was. 
elected  to  Congress  from  the  Nashville  District.  At  the  end  of  his  time  he 
resumed  the  practice  of  law,  continuing  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
December  20,  1885.  Judge  Harrison  was  able  and  scholarly,  and  even 
his  political  opponents  always  conceded  his  purity  and  honesty.  As  a 
speaker  and  writer  he  was  noted  for  clearness  of  statement  and  earnest- 
ness of  manner. 

Robert  McFarland  was  for  many  years  an  able  member  of  the  East 
Tennessee  bar,  ranking  with  Reese  and  McKinney.  He  was  a born  law- 
yer and  a judge  by  nature.  He  had  a logical  mind,  patient  of  investi- 
gation and  trained  by  reflection  rather  than  much  reading.  He  was 
singularly  free  from  prejudices,  and  if  as  a judge  he  was  not  famed  for 
erudition,  he  fully  compensated  for  its  absence  by  an  accurate  discrimin- 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


407 


ation,  sound  judgment  and  rare  practical  wisdom.  His  opinions  are  not 
distinguished  for  beauty  of  style  or  wealth  of  illustration,  but  they  are  al- 
ways clear  and  convincing.  In  correctness  of  decision,  the  highest  test 
of  a supreme  judge,  he  had  no  superior.  He  was  not  as  learned  a lawyer 
as  Reese,  nor  as  exact  and  precise  as  McKinney,  but  in  clearness  of  per- 
ception, soundness  of  judgment  and  correctness  of  decision  he  rivalled 
either*.  He  served  upon  the  supreme  bench  for  a period  of  eleven 
years,  retiring  on  account  of  failing  health  in  December,  1882.  He  died 
in  1884. 

Thomas  A.  R.  Nelson,  one  of  the  supreme  judges  elected  in  1870, 
was  a native  of  Roane  County,  Tenn.  He  graduated  from  East  Tennes- 
see College  in  1828,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  before  he  attained  his 
majority.  He  was  one  of  the  most  brilliant  and  versatile  of  men  and 
soon  won  his  way  to  distinction.  He  figilred  quite  prominently  in  poli- 
tics, and  while  in  Congress  delivered  a speech  which  was  published  in  full 
by  the  London  Times,  and  which  that  paper  pronounced  to  be  “one  of  the 
finest  forensic  efforts  of  modern  American  lawgivers.”  His  reasoning 
powers  were  of  a very  high  order,  his  imagination  uncommonly  fertile^ 
and  his  power  of  satire  unexcelled.  During  all  the  years  of  his  long  life, 
while  not  engaged  in  politics,  he  was  vigorously  prosecuting  his  profes- 
sional labors,  and  in  everything  Ire  undertook  he  was  earnest,  laborious 
and  indefatigable.  During  his  short  term  of  service  as  a supreme  judge 
he  delivered  a number  of  opinions  which  give  evidence  of  his  eminent 
ability  as  a jurist. 

John  Louis  Taylor  Sneed,  one  of  the  six  supreme  judges  elected  un- 
der the  revised  constitution  in  1870,  is  a native  of  North  Carolina.  His 
mother  died  when  he  was  quite  a child  and  he  was  taken  in  charge  and 
educated  by  his  uncle,  then  living  in  Granville  County,  N.  C.,  but  who 
soon  after  removed  to  West  Tennessee.  There  young  Sneed,  after  re- 
ceiving an  academic  education,  began  the  study  of  law  with  Y.  D.  Barry. 
In  1843  he  settled  in  Memphis  for  the  practice  of  his  profession,  and  two 
years  later  he  was  elected  to  the  General  Assembly.  In  1846  and  1847 
he  was  a captain  of  volunteers  in  the  Mexican  war,  and  served  with  dis- 
tinction until  its  close.  In  1851  he  was  elected  attorney-general  of  the 
Memphis  Judicial  District,  but  resigned  three  years  later  to  become  a 
candidate  for  the  office  of  attorney-general  of  Tennessee.  He  was  elected 
and  held  the  office  for  five  years,  during  which  time  he  published  the  five 
volumes  of  reports  known  as  Sneed’s  Reports.  After  his  retirement  from 
that  office  he  became  a candidate  for  Congress  on  the  Whig  ticket,  but- 
was  defeated,  the  distinct  being  overwhelmingly  Democratic.  He  then  re- 

*Tribute  to  his  memory  from  the  Supreme  Court  Bar  of  East  Tennessee. 


408 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


turned  to  the  practice  of  law  and  was  so  engaged  when  the  civil  war  be- 
gan. A Union  man  at  first,  like  many  others,  he  was  made  a rebel  “by 
the  tramp  of  an  invading  army,”  and  although  he  never  held  office  in  the 
Confederate  Army,  yet  he  was  thoroughly  identified  with  its  interests, 
and  devoted  to  its  cause.  On  his  retirement  from  the  supreme  bench  in 
1878  a feeling  of  general  regret  was  expressed.  He  afterward  served  as 
judge  of  the  court  of  arbitration  and  also  of  the  court  of  referees.  As  a 
judge  he  was  patient,  courteous,  discriminately  just  and  capable.  In 
careful  consideration,  scholarly  composition,  lucidity  of  argument  and 
thorough  interpretation  of  the  law,  his  opinions  compare  favorably  with 
any  of  his  predecessors.  He  is  an  especally  brilliant  speaker,  and  a 
forcible  and  ready  orator.  Personally  he  is  very  popular,  being  a man 
of  commanding  presence,  easy  and  graceful  in  his  manners,  and  possess- 
ing rare  conversational  powers 

Alfred  Osborne  Pope  Nicholson,  the  first  chief  justice  under  the  con- 
stitution of  1870,  was  born  in  Williamson  County,  Term,  in  1808.  He 
received  a collegiate  education,  graduating  from  the  University  of  North 
Carolina  in  1827.  He  then  began  the  study  of  medicine,  but  soon 
abandoned  it  for  the  law,  and  was  licensed  to  practice  in  1831.  The  fol- 
lowing year  he  became  the  editor  of  the  Western  Mercury , at  Columbia. 
From  that  time  until  the  war  he  was  too  thoroughly  engrossed  in  politics 
to  achieve  very  great  success  at  the  bar,  although  he  combined  in  a re- 
markable degree  the  application  and  acumen  of  the  jurist  and  the  sagacity 
of  the  politician.  He  was,  however,  too  retiring  in  his  disposition  and 
by  nature  too  prudent  and  timid  to  be  a great  leader;  yet  he  was  fre- 
quently elected  to  office,  serving  three  terms  in  the  lower  house  of  the 
General  Assembly  and  one  term  in  the  State  Senate.  In  1840  he  was 
appointed  to  fill  out  the  unexpired  term  of  Felix  Grundy  in  the  United 
States  Senate,  and  was  elected  to  represent  the  State  in  that  body  for  the 
term  beginning  in  December,  1859.  Upon  the  secession  of  the  Southern 
States  he  resigned  his  seat,  and  Avas  not  again  in  office  until  elected  to 
the  bench  of  the  supreme  court.  Although  he  was  perhaps  not  the  peer 
of  Haywood  and  some  others  of  the  profession  in  the  depth  and  grasp  of 
his  intellect,  yet  he  possessed  the  power  of  concentration  to  a high  de- 
gree, and  had  the  faculty  of  elucidating  a subject  and  bringing  forth 
great  results  from  his  cool  and  deliberate  judgment.  Whether  at  the 
bar,  on  the  bench,  or  in  political  life,  he  always  gave  his  views  in  such 
plain  words  that  the  humblest  hearer  could  understand  them. 

William  Frierson  Cooper,  at  one  time  a partner  of  Judge  Nicholson, 
as  a chancery  lawyer,  jurist  and  thorough  literary  scholar,  has  no  supe- 
rior in  the  State.  During  his  practice  of  the  law  he  devoted  himself  al- 


HISTOKY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


109 


most  exclusively  to  the  chancery  department,  which,  with  his  experience 
of  nearly  seven  years  as  chancellor,  has  made  him  the  leading  authority 
in  the  State  in  that  branch  of  jurisprudence.  His  decisions  while  upon 
the  bench  of  the  chancery  court  have  been  published  in  three  volumes, 
and  are  exceedingly  valuable.  His  knowledge  of  law  in  other  depart- 
ments is  also  thorough  and  extensive.  With  Return  J.  Meigs  he  pre- 
pared the  present  “Code  of  Tennessee,”  and  afterward  edited  forty  volumes 
of  the  “Tennessee  Reports”  upon  their  republication.  He  has  also  re- 
edited  an  edition  of  “Daniels’  Chancery  Practice,”  bringing  down  the 
references  and  annotations  to  the  present  time.  January  1,  1879,  he  took 
his  seat  upon  the  bench  of  the  supreme  court,  and  has  since  discharged 
the  duties  of  the  office  with  that  fidelity  and  ability  which  has  character- 
ized him  in  all  his  official  and  professional  relations. 

Peter  Turney  received  his  knowledge  of  the  law  under  the  direction 
of  his  father,  the  late  Hopkins  L.  Turney,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar 
in  1848,  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  years.  For  the  first  two  or  three  years 
he  obtained  few  cases,  but  after  that  time  he  did  a good  practice  until 
the  beginning  of  the  civil  war.  He  then  entered  the  Confederate  Army 
as  colonel  of  the  First  Confederate  Tennessee  Regiment,  in  which  posi- 
tion and  elsewhere  he  made  a gallant  record  during  four  years1  service. 
At  the  close  of  hostilities  he  resumed  the  practice  of  his  profession, 
which  he  continued  with  success  until  1870,  when  he  took  his  seat  upon 
the  supreme  bench.  He  is  a man  of  great  native  ability  and  strong  in- 
dividuality, is  firm  and  positive  in  his  opinions,  and  as  a judge  is  not  at 
all  subject  to  the  influence  or  domination  of  any  other  member  of  the 
court.  He  is  perhaps  not  as  widely  read  in  his  profession,  nor  in  general 
literature,  as  some  of  his  colleagues,  yet  his  opinions  are  as  generally 
accurate  as  those  of  any  other  judge. 

James  W.  Deaderick,  the  present  chief  justice  of  the  Supreme  Court 
of  Tennessee,  was  born  in  Jonesborough,  Washington  County,  in  1812, 
He  received  a thorough  education,  having  attended  East  Tennesse  Col- 
lege and  Central  College  at  Danville,  Ky.  He  married  before  complet- 
ing his  course  at  the  latter  school,  and  soon  after,  in  1833,  began  mer- 
chandising in  what  is  now  Hamblen  County.  Not  being  very  successful 
in  that  business,  about  1842  he  took  up  the  study  of  law,  and  in  due  time 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  of  his  native  town.  He  there  opened  an  office 
and  continued  to  practice  with  reasonable  success  until  the  close  of  the 
civil  war.  In  1866  he  removed  to  Bristol,  and  the  following  year  to 
Knoxville,  where  he  remained  until  his  election  to  the  supreme  bench  in 
1870.  Judge  Deaderick,  while  not  a learned  jurist,  is  a man  of  fine 
practical  sensevof  sterling  probity  and  of  persistent  energy.  He  is  mod- 


410 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


est,  even  to  diffidence,  and  his  unobtrusive,  kindly  demeanor,  united  with 
his  uniform  fairness,  has  won  for  him  a host  of  friends  among  the  mem- 
ber^ of  the  bar. 

Thomas  J.  Freeman  is  a native  of  West  Tennessee,  having  been  born 
in  Gibson  County,  in  1827.  His  early  education  was  limited  to  the 
country  schools  and  the  county  academy,  yet  at  the  age  of  seventeen  he 
had  completed  a course  of  medical  reading.  Not  finding  that  profession 
to  his  liking,  he  turned  his  attention  to  the  law,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
one  was  admitted  to  the  bar.  He  at  once  opened  an  office  in  Trenton, 
where  he  practiced  until  1861,  when  he  removed  to  Haywood  County. 
After  the  close  of  the  war  he  removed  to  Brownsville,  where  he  contin- 
ued to  practice  his  profession  until  his  elevation  to  the  Supreme  Bench  in 
1870.  Judge  Freeman  has  always  been  a close  student  not  only  in  his 
profession  but  of  general  literature,  and  is  considered  one  of  the  most 
broadly  cultured  men  in  the  State.  He  possesses  what  may  be  denomi- 
nated a metaphysical  mind — reasons  logically  and,  in  general,  accurately. 
His  written  opinions  are  usually  quite  long,  but  are  clearly  stated.  As 
a lawyer  he  was  eminently  successful  in  practice.  He  was  critically 
careful  in  the  preparation  of  his  cases  and  was  a skillful  and  eloquent 
advocate  and  a thorough  master  of  technical  pleading. 

John  B.  Cooke,  the  successor  of  Judge  McFarland  upon  the  supreme 
bench,  was  appointed  in  1883  to  fill  out  the  unexpired  term  of  the  latter. 
He  is  a resident  of  Chattanooga,  and  is  a lawyer  and  jurist  of  excellent 
judgment  and  high  ability. 

Morgan  W.  Brown,  the  successor  of  John  McNairy  as  judge  of  the 
Federal  court  for  the  District  of  Tennessee,  was  a brother  of  William  L. 
Brown,  one  of  the  judges  of  the  supreme  court.  He  was  a man  of  con- 
siderable reading  and  correct  literary  taste,  a fine  miscellaneous  writer, 
and  was  for  some  time  editor  of  a Nashville  paper.  He  was  appointed 
to  a seat  upon  the  bench  of  the  Federal  court  in  1834,  and  continued  to 
hold  that  position  until  his  death  in  1853. 

West  H.  Humphreys,  the  successor  of  Judge  Brown,  was  born  in 
Montgomery  County,  in  1805.  Soon  after  preparing  himself  for  the  law, 
he  located  in  Somerville,  Fayette  County,  where  he  began  his  profes- 
sional career,  and  in  a very  short  time  rose  to  distinction.  So  great  was 
his  popularity  that  he  was  sent  as  a delegate  to  the  Constitutional  Con- 
vention of  1834,  and  the  following  year  was  elected  to  the  General  As- 
sembly, in  which  body  he  occupied  a prominent  position.  In  1839  he 
was  elected  attorney-general  and  reporter  of  the  supreme  court,  and  re- 
elected in  1844.  From  the  date  of  his  appointment  to  be  judge  of  the 
Federal  court,  he  held  the  position  until  the  opening  of  the  war,  when  he 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


411 


received  a commission  to  the  same  office  from  the  Confederate  Govern- 
ment. After  the  war  he  returned  to  his  practice  and  continued  until 
within  a few  years  of  his  death  which  occurred  in  October,  1882.  • He 
was  a man  of  large  acquirements  not  only  in  his  profession,  but  in  gen- 
eral knowledge.  He  was  industrious  and  painstaking  in  the  preparation 
of  his  cases,  and  earnest  and  vehement  in  his  advocacy.  As  a judge  he 
was  just,  and  exceedingly  courteous  to  the  bar  and  to  all  with  whom  he 
came  in  contact. 

Connolly  F.  Trigg  was  appointed  United  States  District  Judge  for 
4he  District  of  Tennessee  by  President  Lincoln,  in  July,  1862.  He  was 
a native  of  Virginia,  where  he  received  his  education  and  where  he  prac- 
ticed law  until  near  middle  life.  He  then  came  to  Tennessee  and  here 
■spent  several  years  of  useful  and  successful  toil  in  his  profession,  before 
and  up  to  the  war.  During  that  trying  period,  although  a Southerner 
in  his  sentiments  and  dearest  relations,  he  clung  to  the  Union  with  un- 
swerving devotion,  and  at  the  close  of  hostilities  he  was  the  sole  Federal 
judge  in  Tennessee  to  administer  and  enforce  the  penal  laws  of  the 
United  States.  It  was  a time  to  test  the  courage  and  integrity  of  a judge 
to  the  utmost.  The  excitement  and  animosities  of  the  war  had  not  yet 
begun  to  subside,  and  the  courts  were  filled  with  proscription,  confisca- 
tion and  test-oath  cases.  It  now  lay  in  his  power  to  revenge  himself 
upon  his  former  enemies,  but  “Judge  Trigg,  with  the  same  undaunted 
courage  that  he  displayed  in  turning  his  back  on  secession,  now  calmly 
and  serenely  opposed  and  drove  from  the  temple  of  justice  the  spirit  of 
hate  and  revenge.  Indictments  for  treason,  libels  for  confiscation  and 
test-oaths  all  disappeared  at  his  rebuke,  and  the  people  resumed  their 
wonted  callings  with  a cheerful  confidence  in  the  ample  protection  of  the 
laws  of  the  United  States.”  It  has  been  truly  said  that  the  State  owes 
to  Judge  Trigg  a debt  of  gratitude  greater  than  to  any  other  man  who 
has  exercised  judicial  functions  within  her  boundaries.  He  was  not  a 
great  man,  nor  was  he  an  accomplished  jurist,  but  he  had  an  abiding 
faith  in  the  rudimental  truths  of  jurisprudence,  and  his  decisions  always 
bear  the  test  of  right  and  justice. 

John  Baxter,  a judge  of  the  Federal  Circuit  Court,  was  a native  of 
North  Carolina,  where  he  was  reared  upon  the  farm,  and  enjoyed  only  the 
educational  advantages  of  the  country  schools  of  that  sparsely  settled 
State.  At  the  age  of  twenty  he  began  the  study  of  law,  and  in  due  time 
was  admitted  to  practice.  He  located  in  western  North  Carolina,  where 
he  immediately  rose  to  prominence,  and  was  several  times  elected  to  the 
General  Assembly.  In  1856  he  removed  to  Knoxville,  where  he  ever 
after  made  his  home.  He  was  appointed  judge  of  the  United  States  Cir- 


412 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


ouit  Court  in  1877,  and  continued  upon  the  bench  until  his  death  in  1886. 

•Gifted  by  nature  with  an  intellect  of  extraordinary  vigor  and  compre- 
hension, of  untiring  energy  and  diligence,  he  rose  from  the  humblest  and 
most  adverse  condition  to  commanding  power  and  influence  as  an  advo- 
cate. When  he  came  upon  the  Federal  bench  the  massive  proportions  of 
his  mind,  the  force  and  sweep  of  his  faculties  developed  and  strengthened 
like  the  trunk  of  a giant  oak,  though  the  struggle  of  many  years  and  the 
buffeting  of  many  a storm  enabled  him  to  grapple  with  just  confidence 
with  the  many  new  and  difficult  questions  which  confronted  him.  Law- 
yers soon  found  throughout  the  circuit  that  they  had  before  them  one 
who  was  the  equal,  if  not  the  superior  in  many  respects,  of  the  greatest 
of  them,  and  one  who  was  determined  to  dispose  of  the  cases  in  court  with 
as  much  dispatch  as  possible.  He  elevated  the  tone  of  the  bar;  he  put 
new  life  and  energy  in  those  who  practiced  before  him ; he  infused  into 
them  something  of  his  own  spirit,  and  the  courts  in  his  circuit  became 
moving  and  active  in  the  performance  of  the  functions  belonging  to  them 
as  organs  of  the  Government.  Business  was  disposed  of,  the  rights  of 
litigants  settled  promptly  and  with  able  discrimination.”* 

Howell  E.  Jackson,  the  successor  of  Judge  Baxter,  is  a native  of  Paris, 
Tenn.,  born  in  1832.  He  received  his  early  education  in  the  country, 
after  which  he  attended  the  West  Tennessee  College  and  the  University 
of  Virginia.  He  then  read  law  for  two  years  with  Judges  Totten  and 
Brown,  of  Jackson,  and  finally  graduated  from  the  Lebanon  Law  School 
in  1855.  From  that  time  until  1859  he  practiced  the  profession  at  Jack- 
son,  after  which  removed  to  Memphis,  where  he  remained  until  1876. 
He  then  returned  to  Jackson.  He  took  his  seat  in  the  United  States 
Senate  in  1881,  where  he  remained  until  receiving  his  present  appoint- 
ment. He  is  a man  of  unquestioned  character  and  ability  as  a lawyer, 
ranking  with  the  best  in  the  State.  He  has  a thoroughly  judicial  mind, 
and  although  he  has  been  upon  the  Federal  bench  but  a short  time,  lie 
has  heard  two  or  three  important  cases,  in  all  of  which  he  has  displayed 
conspicuous  ability. 

David  McKendree  Iiey,  judge  of  the  Federal  Court  for  the  Districts 
of  East  and  Middle  Tennessee,  was  born  in  Greene  County  in  1824.  He 
obtained  his  early  education  while  laboring  upon  the  farm,  and  afterward 
made  his  way  through  college.  He  came  to  the  bar  in  1853  at  Chatta- 
nooga, where  he  has  since  resided.  In  1870  he  was  elected  chancellor  of 
nis  district,  which  position  he  continued  to  hold  until  appointed  to  fill  the 
vacancy  caused  by  the  death  of  Andrew  J ohnson.  Upon  the  formation 

of  a cabinet  by  President  Hayes,  in  1876,  he  was  made  Postmaster-General, 


^Memorial  resolution  adopted  by  the  Nashville  bar. 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


413 


which  position  he  resigned  in  1880,  and  succeeded  Connolly  F.  Trigg  as 
judge  of  the  Federal  District  Court,  As  a lawyer  he  was  distinguished 
for  clear  insight  and  remarkable  comprehension  of  the  facts  of  the  case. 
Upon  the  bench  he  is  characterized  by  an  unerring  instinct  in  grasp- 
ing the  equities  of  the  cause  before  him,  and  in  presenting  a sound  de- 
cision. Although  not  especially  active  and  energetic,  he  disposes  of 
cases  rapidly,  and  the  docket  is  never  allowed  to  become  crowded. 


Educational  History — The  University  of  North  Carolina — The  Estab- 
lishment of  Academies— Pioneer  Teachers— Early  Colleges  and  Uni- 
versities— Educational  Endowments — The  Foundation  of  the  County 
System  of  Academies— Private  or  Tuition  Schools — Comparison  of  In- 
structive Systems— Congressional  School  Lands— The  Pauper  Schools 
—Renaissance  of  Learning— The  Founding  of  the  Common  Schools — 
Creation  of  the  Public  Educational  Funds — Their  Permanent  Invest- 
ment—Defalcation— The  Infancy  of  the  Common  Schools— Their  Im- 
provement— Specific  Taxation  for  Educational  Support— The  Public 
Graded  Schools — The  Conflict  of  the  Public  and  the  Private  Sys- 
tems—The  Law  of  1867  and  its  Practical  Working — The  Peabody  Dona- 
tion-Education of  the  Colored  Race— The  Law  of  1870— The  State 
Teachers’  Association — The  Present  Common  School  System  and  Funds 
— Scholastic  Taxation — The  Superintendents  of  Public  Instruction- 
State  Academies,  Colleges,  Universities  and  Normal  Schools— Sta- 
tistics, ETC. 

TENNESSEE  was  the  pioneer  in  the  dissemination  and  promotion  of 
learning  in  the  Southwest.  Considering  that  up  to  1790  she  formed 
a part  of  North  Carolina,  in  educational  matters  the  most  backward  of 
the  States,  this  is  a remarkable  fact.  From  the  earliest  settlement  of 
that  colony  down  to  the  Revolutionary  war  we  find  many  acts  for  the  es- 
tablishment of  an  orthodox  ministry  and  vestries;  provisions  for  court 
houses,  jails,  stocks,  prisons  and  pillories,  and  very  few  for  the  encour- 
agement of  institutions  of  learning,  not  above  ten  in  all.  About  the  be- 
ginning of  the  eighteenth  century  when  there  was  not  a church  nor  more 
than  one,  if  there  was  one,  schoolhouse  in  the  province,  the  efforts  of 
Blair,  aided  by  Bishop  Compton,  of  London,  with  an  offer  of  £20  to 
teachers  and  preachers  of  the  province  induced  a few  to  enter  the  field 
where  the  harvest  was  ripe  and  the  laborers  few.*  But  at  the  end  of  the 
colonial  government  literature  was  hardly  known.  There  were  within 
the  whole  province  but  two  schools — those  of  Newbern  and  Eden  ton.  f 

^Address  of  H.  M.  Doak.  fMartin. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


26 


414 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Outside  of  the  Scotch  Presbyterian  the  great  mass  of  the  community  did 
not  possess  even  the  rudiments  of  an  education.  The  wealthier  members 
of  society,  however,  especially  among  the  Scotch,  must  have  made  con- 
siderable advances,  since  even  before  the  Revolution  they  were  sending 
their  sons  to  complete  their  education  at  Princeton.  ' > if  ^ \o 

The  constitution  adopted  at  Halifax  December  IS,  1870,  declared  that 
a school  or  schools  should  be  established,  and  “all  useful  learning-  shall 
be  duly  encouraged  and  promoted  in  one  or  more  universities.”  The 
unsettled  condition  of  the  country,  however,  during  the  Revolutionary 
war,  and  for  several  years  subsequent,  prevented  compliance,  and  it  was 
not  until  1789  that  the  act  establishing  the  Universityjaf  North  Carolina 
was  passed.  It  was  still  six  years  later  before  the  university  Avas  opened 
to  receive  pupils.  This  college,  with  the  possible  exception  of  Princeton, 
has  exerted  a greater  influence  upon  the  culture  and  education  of  Tennes- 
see than  any  other  foreign  institution  of  learning.  It  has  educated 
many  of  her  most  illustrious  sons,  among  whom  were  James  K.  Polk, 
Aaron  V.  Brown,  A.  O.  P.  Nicholson  and  many  others  of  scarcely  less 
distinction. 

That  the  ignorance  and  lack  of  educational  facilities  which  existed 
during  the  colonial  days  Avas  not  in  accord  with  the  wish  of  the  people  is 
manifest  in  the  vigorous  interest  in  educational  matters  Avhich  immedi- 
ately sprang  up  after  the  overthrow  of  those  proprietary  and  royal  gov- 
ernments which  for  more  than  a century  had  rested  like  an  incubus  upon 
all  the  colonies.  From  the  formation  of  the  Federal  Union  to  the  close 
of  the  century  numerous  acts  establishing  academies  and  other  schools 
were  passed  by  the  Legislature  of  North  Carolina,  and  more  was  done 
for  the  encouragement  of  learning  than  had  been  accomplished  in  the 
last  hundred  years. 

In  the  matter  of  colleges  and  academies  Virginia  was  somewhat  more 
fortunate,  but  with  her  the  popular  diffusion  of  knowledge  by  schools 
previous  to  the  Revolution  was  almost  unknown,  although  domestic  in- 
struction among  those  capable  of  affording  it  Avas  almost  universal. 
“Every  man,”  said  Sir  William  Berkely,  in  1671,  “instructs  his  children 
according  to  his  ability,”  a method  which  left  the  children  of  the  ignor- 
ant in  helpless  ignorance.*  The  only  Virginian  school  which  seems  to 
have  exerted  much  influence  upon  Tennessee  was  Augusta^Academy,  which 
after  undergoing  many  changes  in  organization  and  name  is  now  known 
as  the  Washington  and  Lee  College.  At  that  school  two  of  the  educa- 
tional pioneers,  Garrick  and  Doak,  laid  the  foundation  of  their  careers. 
The  most  potent  of  all  the  influences  on  the  early  education  in  both 


* Raaoroft. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


415 


North  Carolina  and  Tennessee  was  the  college  of  New  Jersey  at  Prince- 
ton, from  which  graduated  Doak,  Balch,  Craighead  and  many  other 
eminent  educators  and  divines. 

The  first  school  established  in  Tennessee,  and,  it  is  believed,  the  first 
west  of  the  Alleghany  Mountains,  was  Martin  Academy,  founded  under 
an  act  “ for  the  promotion  of  learning  in  the  county  of  Washington,” 
passed  by  the  General  Assembly  of  North  Carolina  in  1785.  Rev.  Sam- 
uel Doak,  mentioned  above  as  the  graduate  of  PrincetoifCollege,  or  as  it 
was  then  known  Nassau  Hall,  was  the  founder  and  first  president.  He 
was  a member  of  the  Franklin  Assembly,  and,  it  is  said,  was  the  author 
of  the  clause  concerning  education  in  the  rejected  constitution.*  He  was  ri' 
a man  of  great  ability  and  force  of  character  and  of  great  learning, 
especially  in  the  classics.  His  schoolhouse,  a plain  log  building  erected 
•on  his  farm,  stood  a little  west  of  the  site  afterward  selected  for  Wash- 
ington Academy.  For  many  years  it  was  the  only,  and  for  still  more  the 
principal,  seat  of  classical  education  for  the  western  country,  f 

During  the  same  year  but  at  the  next  session  of  the  General  Assem- 
bly, through  the  influence  of  Gen.  Robertson,  “ an  act  for  the  promotion 
of  learning  in  Davidson  County  ” was  passed.  Rev.  Thomas  Craighead, 
Hugh  Williamson,  Daniel  Smith,  William  Polk,  Anthony  Bledsoe,  Lard- 
ner  Clarke,  Ephraim  McLean,  Robert  Hays  and  James  Robertson  were 
appointed  trustees  and  constituted  a body  politic  under  the  name  of  the 
“ President  and  Trustees  of  Davidson  Academy.”  Two  hundred  and  forty 
acres  of  land  adjoining  the  town  of  Nashville,  on  the  Cumberland  River, 
were  granted  by  this  act,  which  also  encouraged  private  “bequests,  gifts 
and  purchases.”  It  was  further  provided  that  all  the  “lands,  tene- 
ments or  hereditaments  ” vested  in  the  trustees  of  the  academy  should  be 
exempt  from  taxation  for  a period  of  ninety-nine  years. 

At  the  first  meeting  of  the  trustees,  which  was  held  in  August,  1786, 

Rev.  Thomas  Craighead  was  elected  president,  and  at  the  next  meeting 
it  was  decided  that  the  school  should  be  taught  at  “ Spring  Hill  Meeting 
House,”  in  the  town  of  Haysborough,  six  miles  east  of  Nashville.  It  was 
also  ordered  “ that  five  pounds  hard  money,  or  the  value  thereof  in  other 
money,  be  paid  for  each  scholar  per  annum.”  The  lands  belonging  to 
the  institution  for  a number  of  years  were  rented  out,  and  the  proceeds 

*The  clause  referred  to  is  as  follows  : 

Sec.  32.  All  kinds  of  useful  learning  shall  be  encouraged  by  the  commonwealth,  that  is  to  say , the 
future  Legislature  shall  erect  before  the  year  seventeen  hundred  and  eighty-seven,  one  university,  which 
shall  be  near  the  center  of  the  State,  and  not  in  any  city  or  town.  And  for  endowing  the  same,  there  shall  be 
appropriated  such  lands  as  may  be  judged  necessary,  one-fourth  of  all  the  moneys  arising  from  the  surveys  of 
land  hereafter  to  be  made,  one  half-penny  upon  every  pound  of  inspected  tobacco,  forever  ; and  if  the  fund 
thence  arising  shall  be  found  insufficient,  the  Legislature  shall  provide  for  such  additions  as  may  be  necessary, 
and  if  experience  shall  make  it  appear  to  be  useful  to  the  interest  of  learning  in  this  State,  a grammar  school 
shall  be  erected  in  each  county,  and  such  sums  paid  by  the  public  as  shall  enable  the  trustees  to  employ  a 
.master  or  masters  of  approved  morals  and  abilities. 


416 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


used  in  their  improvement  and  in  support  of  the  academy.  A ferry  was 
established,  which  in  time  yielded  an  income  of  from  $100  to  $650  per 
annum. 

One  of  the  acts  passed  by  the  Legislature  of  the  new  State  in  April, 
1796,  added  ten  new  trustees  to  the  old  board,  and  also  appointed  three 
persons  to  audit  the  accounts  of  the  old  trustees,  with  directions  to  insti- 
tute suit  against  the  latter  if  they  failed  to  comply  with  the  law.  The 
act  provided  further  that  the  buildings  of  the  academy  should  be  erected 
“ on  the  most  convenient  situation  on  the  hill  immediately  above  Nash- 
ville, and  near  the  road  leading  to  Buchanan’s  Mill.”  This  act  was  not 
altogether  satisfactory  to  the  old  board,  and  they  refused  to  receive  the 
new  trustees  and  auditors;  but  the  difficulty  was  settled  after  some  delay, 
and  they  were  finally  admitted.  Although  some  steps  were  taken  toward 
the  erection  of  a building  as  provided  in  the  act,  it  was  nearly  ten  years 
before  it  was  completed.  On  October  25,  1803,  an  act  was  passed  reor- 
ganizing the  institution,  and  constituting  it  a college.  Eighteen  trus- 
tees, of  whom  Thomas  Craighead  was  the  first  mentioned,  were  constitut- 
ed “ a body  politic  and  corporate  by  the  name  of  the  Trustees  of  David- 
son College.”  This  act  was  repealed,  however,  on  the  4th  of  the  fol- 
lowing March,  and  thus  ended  the  existence  of  Davidson  College. 

At  the  session  of  the  Territorial  Assembly  of  1794  two  new  colleges, 
Blount  and  Greeneville,  were  chartered.  The  bill  incorporating  the 
former  institution  was  introduced  on  the  4th  of  September,  by  William 
Cocke,  of  Hawkins  County,  and  on  the  10th  of  the  same  month  it  be- 
came a law.  The  act  begins  as  follows: 

Whereas,  The  Legislature  of  this  Territory  are  disposed  to  promote  the  happiness 
of  the  people  at  large,  and  especially  of  the  rising  generation,  by  instituting  seminaries  of 
education,  where  youth  may  be  habituated  to  an  amiable,  moral  and  virtuous  conduct, 
and  accurately  instructed  in  the  various  branches  of  useful  science,  and  in  the  principles 
of  ancient  and  modern  languages;  therefore 

Section  1.  Be  it  enacted  by  the  Governor,  Legislative  Council  and  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives of  the  Territory  of  the  United  States  of  America,  south  of  the  River  Ohio,  That 
the  Rev.  Samuel  Carrick,  president,  and  his  Excellency,  William  Blount,  the  Hon.  Dan- 
iel Smith,  secretary  of  the  Territory,  the  Hon.  David  Campbell,  the  Hon.  Joseph  Ander- 
son, Gen.  John  Sevier,  Col.  James  White,  Col.  Alexander  Kelley,  Col.  William  Cocke, 
Willie  Blount,  Joseph  Hamilton,  Archibald  Roane,  Francis  A.  Ramsey,  Charles  McClung, 
George  Roulstone,  George  McNutt,  John  Adair  and  Robert  Houston,  Esquires,  shall  be, 
and  they  are  hereby  declared  to  be  a body  politic  and  corporate  by  the  name  of  the  presi- 
dent and  trustees  of  Blount  College,  in  the  vicinity  of  Knoxville. 

The  college  was  declared  opened  to  all  denominations  in  the  following 
words : 

And  the  trustees  shall  take  effectual  care  that  students  of  all  denominations  may  and 
shall  be  admitted  to  the  equal  advantages  of  a liberal  education,  and  to  the  emoluments 
and  honors  of  the  college,  and  that  they  shall  receive  a like  fair,  generous  and  equal 
treatment  during  their  residence. 


HISTOEY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


417 


Tliis  was  the  first  lion-sectarian  college  chartered  in  the  United 
States.  Col.  James  White  donated  the  town  square  to  the  trustees  for 
the  use  of  the  college,  and  a two-story  frame  building  was  erected  by 
subscription  near  the  northwest  corner  of  the  square.* 

Rev.  Samuel  Carrick,  the  president,  was  a native  of  Pennsylvania. 
He  removed  in  early  life  to  Virginia,  where  he  received  liis  education 
and  labored  for  many  years.  In  1787  he  came  to  Tennessee  and 
preached  from  the  artificial  mound,  near  the  confluence  of  the  Holston 
and  French  Broad  Bivers.  The  nest  year  he  returned,  and  henceforth 
encountered  all  the  hardships  and  dangers  of  pioneer  life. 

No  authentic  records  of  the  first  five  years  of  the  college  exercises 
are  in  existence,  but,  according 'to  tradition,  great  and  general  interest 
was  taken  in  the  institution,  especially  on  examination  occasions.  The 
written  records  of  the  college  begin  with  the  year  1804.  Among  the 
students  at  that  time  were  C.  C.  Clay,  William  Carter,  Thomas  Cocke, 
Lemuel  P.  Montgomery  and  William  E.  Parker.  The  last  named  grad- 
uated on  the  18th  of  October,  1806,  the  first  student  to  graduate  from 
the  college.  Females  were  admitted  to  the  college  at  this  time.  The 
first  named  are  those  of  Polly  McClung,  Barbara  Blount,  Jenny  Arm- 
strong, Matty  and  Kitty  Kain.  As  originally  organized  the  college  was 
dependent  for  its  support  solely  upon  the  patronage  of  the  public. 

Greeneville  College  was  founded  by  Hezekiah  Balch,  a native  of 
Maryland,  but  reared  from  early  childhood  in  Mechlenburg  County,  N. 
C.  He  graduated  at  Princeton  College  and  soon  after  located  in  Greene 
County,  where  he  served  as  a co-laborer  in  the  church  with  Dr.  Doak,  of 
the  adjoining  county  of  Washington.  But  during  nearly  his  entire  life 
in  the  State  he  was  harrassed  by  trials  before  presbyteries,  synods  and 
the  general  conference  for  some  alleged  heresies  in  the  doctrines  which 
he  preached.  So  much  of  his  time  and  money  were  spent  in  attendance 
upon  these  trials  that  his  school  was  seriously  injured,  yet  he  patiently 
labored  on  until  his  death. 

The  first  female  academy  in  the  State  was  founded  by  Moses  Fisk,  at 
Hilham,  in  Overton  County,  and  was  known  as  Fisk’s  Female  Academy. 
It  was  chartered  in  1806,  and,  according  to  the  terms  of  the  charter, 
Moses  Fisk  and  Sampson  Williams  were  to  contribute  1,000  acres  of 
land  each  toward  the  endowment  of  the  institution.  Fisk  was  a native 
of  Massachusetts,  a graduate  of  Harvard  College  and  a man  of  great 
learning  and  of  singular  genius. 

In  1806  Congress  passed  an  act  of  great  importance  to  the  educa- 
tional interests  of  Tennessee.  It  was  entitled  “an  act  to  authorize  the 

•For  the  sketch  of  Blount  College  and  the  University  of  Tennessee  this  chapter  is  indebted  to  the  address 
•of  Col.  Mose  White,  delivered  in  1879 


418 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


State  of  Tennessee  to  issue  grants  and  perfect  titles  to  certain  lands 
therein  described;  and  to  settle  the  claims  to  the  vacant  and  unappropri- 
ated lands  within  the  same.”  This  act  provided  “that  the  State  of  Ten- 
nessee shall  appropriate  one  hundred  thousand  acres,  which  shall  be  lo- 
cated in  one  entire  tract,  within  the  limits  of  the  lands  reserved  to  the 
Cherokee  Indians  by  an  act  of  the  State  of  North  Carolina  entitled  ‘An 
act  for  opening  the  land  office  for  the  redemption  of  specie  and  other 
certificates,  and  discharging  the  arrears  due  to  the  army,’  passed  in  the 
yeai'  one  thousand,  seven  hundred  and  eighty-three,  and  shall  be  for  the- 
use  of  two  colleges,  one  in  East  and  one  in  West  Tennesee,  to  be  estab- 
lished by  the  Legislature  thereof.  And  one  hundred  thousand  acres  in 
one  tract  within  the  limits  last  aforesaid  for  the  use  of  academies,  oue  in 
each  county  in  said  State  to  be  established  by  the  Legislature  thereof; 
which  said  several  tracts  shall  be  located  on  lands  to  which  the  Indian 
title  has  been  extinguished,  and  subject  to  the  disposition  of  the  Legisla- 
ture of  the  State;  but  shall  not  be  granted  nor  sold  for  less  than  two 
dollars  per  acre,  and  the  proceeds  of  the  sales  of  the  lands  aforesaid 
shall  be  vested  in  funds  for  the  respective  uses  aforesaid  forever,  and  the 
State  of  Tennessee  shall,  moreover,  in  issuing  .grants  and  perfecting 
titles,  locate  six  hundred  and  forty  acres  to  every  six  miles  square  in  the 
territory  hereby  ceded,  where  existing  claims  will  allow  the  same,  which 
shall  be  appropriated  for  the  use  of  schools  for  the  instruction  of  children 
forever.” 

The  General  Assembly,  at  the  next  session  after  tne  passage  of  this 
act,  was  flooded  with  memorials  and  petitions  from  the  people  of  several 
counties,  and  from  the  president  and  trustees  of  each  of  the  colleges  in 
East  Tennessee,  praying  for  the  grant  and  setting  forth  the  advantages 
of  their  particular  localities  for  the  establishment  of  the  college.  Greene- 
ville  College  urged  the  numerous  advantages  peculiar  to  that  institution, 
“its  local,  situation,  extensive  library,  philosophical  apparatus,  ample 
funds  and  other  circumstances.”  A resolution  was  received  from  the 
trustees  of  Blount  College,  expressing  a willingness  to  unite  their  funds 
with  those  of  the  college  to  be  established,  provided  it  should  be  situated 
within  two  miles  of  Knoxville.  The  people  of  Blount  County  wished  the 
college  located  at  Marysville,  while  Hawkins  County  recommended  Rog- 
erville.  The  question  of  locating  the  college,  however,  was  not  settled 
until  the  next  session  of  the  Legislature,  when  thirty  persons  were 
appointed  trustees  of  East  Tennessee  College,  “to  be  located  on  ten 
acres  of  land  within  two  miles  of  Knoxville,  conveyed  in  trust  for  the 
use  of  said  college  by  Moses  White  at  a place  called  the  Rocky  or  Poplar 
Spring.”  The  trustees,  with  the  exception  of  seven,  were  apportioned 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


419 


among  the  several  counties  of  East  Tenessee  according  to  their  popula- 
tion. The  seven  trustees  were  selected  from  among  men  living  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  college  that  they  might  have  a more  direct  oversight  of  the 
institution.  The  following  were  the  trustees  appointed:  For  Hawkins 
County,  Richard  Mitchell  and  Andrew  Galbreatliy ; Sullivan,  John  Rhea 
and  James  King;  Greene,  Augustus  P.  Fore  and  John  Gass;  Washing- 
ton, Mathew  Stephenson  and  John  Kennedy;  Carter,  George  Duffield; 
Jefferson,  James  Rice  and  Joseph  Hamilton;  Grainger,  John  Cocke  and 
Maj.  Lea;  Cocke,  Alexander  Smith;  Sevier,  Hopkins  Lacy;  Blount,  Jo- 
seph B.  Lapsly  and  Dr.  Robert  Gant;  Claiborne,  William  Graham; 
Anderson,  Arthur  Crozier;  Roane,  Thomas  I.  Vandyke;  Knox,  George 
W.  Campbell,  John  Sevier  and  Thomas  Emmerson.  John  Crozier,  John 
Williams,  Archibald  Roane,  Francis  A.  Ramsey,  David  Deaderick. 
George  Doherty  and  John  Lowry  were  appointed  as  the  special  trustees. 
Until  buildings  could  be  erected  the  trustees  were  authorized  to  use  the 
buildings  of  Blount  College,  and  the  funds  of  that  institution  were 
declared  incorporated  with  those  of  East  Tennessee  College. 

In  1800,  after  the  passage  by  Congress  of  the  act  already  referred  to, 
the  trustees  of  Davidson  Academy  petitioned  the  General  Assembly  for 
the  endowment  provided  for  in  that  act,  and  the  academy  being  the  only 
institution  of  the  kind  in  West  Tennessee*  the  petition  was  granted,  and 
a body  of  nineteen  trustees  was  incorporated  under  the  name  of  the 
“Trustees  of  Cumberland  College.”  All  the  property,  both  personal  and 
real,  belonging  to  Davidson  Academy  was  transferred  to  the  college.  At 
a meeting  of  the  board  of  trustees  held  in  July,  1807,  it  was  decided  to 
open  the  college  for  the  reception  of  students  on  the  1st  of  the  next  Sep- 
tember, and  books  and  apparatus  to  the  amount  of  $1,000  were  pur- 
chased. Rev.  Thomas  Craighead  was  continued  as  president  of  the 
institution  until  October  24,  1809,  when  Dr.  James  Priestly  was  elected. 
The  former  continued  one  of  the  trustees  till  the  autumn  of  1813,  when 
his  connection  with  the  college  finally  ceased. 

The  management  of  the  endowment  fund  proved  to  be  a source  of  con- 
siderable difficulty.  Various  acts  were  passed  providing  for  its  invest- 
ment, none  of  which  proved  satisfactory  in  its  results.  In  1807  John 
Russell,  James  Park,  Josiah  Nichol,  Edward  Douglass,  John  Overton  and 
William  Tate  were  appointed  commissioners  to  manage  the  fund,  and 
were  authorized  “to  purchase  stock  in  some  reputable  bank  in  the  United 
States,  and  to  pay  over  the  dividends  arising  from  the  same  to  the  col- 
leges.” Two  years  later  Thomas  McCorry,  John  Crozier  and  Tliorna- 
Emmerson  were  appointed  to  loan  out  the  money  in  the  treasury  belong- 

*What  is  now  Middle  Tennessee  was  then  called  West  Tennessee. 


420 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


ing  to  the  college.  In  1813  an  act  was  passed  requiring  all  moneys  col- 
lected for  the  use  of  Cumberland  College  to  be  turned  over  to  the  trus- 
tees of  that  institution,  and  by  them  to  be  invested  either  in  Nashville 
hank  stock  or  stock  of  the  Bank  of  the  State  of  Tennessee.  The  treasurer 
of  East  Tennessee  was  required  to  invest  the  money  belonging  to  East 
Tennessee  College  in  the  same  way.  All  the  moneys  loaned  out  to  in- 
dividuals were  called  in. 

In  1800  the  General  Assembly,  in  compliance  with  the  act  of  Con- 
gress, made  provisions  for  county  academies,  and  appointed  five  trustees 
for  each  county.  These  trustees  were  empowered  “to  fix  upon  and  pur- 
chase a site,  and  to  take  and  receive  subscriptions  for  the  same.  ” As  the 
amount  of  funds  available  for  each  county  was  quite  small,  it  was  neces- 
sary that  the  people  provide  the  buildings,  and,  also,  in  a great  measure 
support  the  schools  by  subscriptions  and  donations.  It  was,  conse- 
quently, several  years  before  academies  were  established  in  all  of  the 
counties. 

Thus  it  is  seen  that  after  more  than  thirty  years  of  dependent,  and 
twenty  years  of  independent,  State  government,  no  legislative  action  had 
been  taken  for  the  support  and  encouragement  of  common  schools  in  Ten- 
nessee. Acts  and  grants  for  the  benefit  of  academies  and  higher  institu- 
tions of  learning  are  numerous,  but  the  idea  of  a system  of  popular  edu- 
cation maintained  at  public  expense  does  not  seem  to  have  entered  the 
minds  of  legislators.  In  this  may  be  found  one  of  the  most  striking  con- 
trasts between  Virginia,  North  Carolina  and  other  Southern  colonies  and 
those  of  New  England — a contrast  which  Is  yet  apparent.  So  early  as 
1637,  in  all  of  the  Puritan  colonies  it  was  ordered:  “To  the  end  that 
learning  may  not  be  buried  in  the  graves  of  our  forefathers,  that  every 
township  after  the  Lord  hath  increased  them  to  the  number  of  fifty  house- 
holders, shall  appoint  one  to  teach  all  children  to  write  and  read,  and 
when  any  town  shall  be  increased  to  the  number  of  one  hundred  families, 
they  shall  set  up  a grammar  school,  the  master  thereof  being  able  to  in- 
struct youth  so  far  as  they  may  be  fitted  for  the  university.”  The  estab- 
lishment of  Harvard  College  followed  soon  after. 

In  these  colonies  the  fundamental  idea  was  universal  education,  be- 
ginning with  the  common  school  and  ending  with  the  university.  In 
North  Carolina,  Tennessee  and  the  other  Southern  States,  the  system  was 
reversed.  The  college  was  first  provided  for,  leaving  the  individual  to 
prepare  himself  for  receiving  its  benefits.  The  idea  is  expressed  in  the 
preamble  to  the  act  establishing  the  University  of  North  Carolina: 
“Whereas  in  all  regulated  governments  it  is  the  duty  of  every  legisla- 
ture to  consult  the  happiness  of  the  rising  generation,  and  endeavor  to 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


421 


fit  them  for  an  honorable  discharge  of  the  social  duties  of  life  by  paying 
strict  attention  to  their  education,  and,  whereas,  an  university  supported 
by  permanent  funds  and  well  endowed  would  have  the  most  direct  tend- 
ency to  arrive  at  the  above  purpose;  Be  it  enacted , etc.  ' The  cause  for 
this  difference  in  the  educational  systems  was  due  partly  to  the  dissimi- 
lar character  of  the  people  of  the  two  sections,  but  more  to  the  peculiar 
condition  of  society  in  each.  In  New  England  even  in  the  earlier  days 
there  were  but  comparatively  few  slaves,  and  it  was  found  that  the  laborer 
is  valuable  just  in  proportion  to  his  knowledge  and  skill,  and  therefore 
that  it  is  economy  to  educate  him.  This,  with  the  democratic  spirit  in- 
herent in  the  colonists,  produced  the  common  school,  the  great  preserver 
of  democracy.  In  the  Southern  colonies  the  educational  system  was 
based  upon  “the  theory  that  labor  should  be  absolutely  under  control,  and 
needed  no  intelligence;  that  culture,  that  knowledge  of  letters  on  the 
part  of  the  slaves  was  especially  dangerous  to  the  system,  that  the  only 
need  of  culture  was  on  the  part  of  the  master,  and  this  he  was  amply  able 
to  secure  for  himself.  The  intermediate  class  of  persons — those  who 
did  not  own  slaves  and  who  were  not  owned  as  slaves — occupied  a most 
unfortunate  position.  The  richer  class  had  not  the  property  interest  in 
them,  and  did  not  consider  them  part  of  the  same  classification,  because 
they  were  not  slave  owners.”*  These  general  ideas,  modified  by  local 
influences,  shaped  education  for  more  than  two  centuries.  It  is  true  that 
systems  of  common  schools  were  established  in  nearly  every  State,  but 
in  no  instance  did  such  a system  flourish  in  company  with  the  institution 
of  slavery.  The  wealthy  expected  no  advantage  to  their  children  from 
it,  for  they  sent  them  to  pay-schools  or  provided  private  tutors.  This 
gave  the  public  schools  the  name  of  pauper  schools,  and  they  were 
looked  upon  in  that  light  alone.  The  public  sentiment  in  Virginia  with 
regard  to  a State  school  system  supported  by  taxation — and  this  senti- 
ment was  common  to  the  other  Southern  States — is  clearly  stated  in  the 
following  extract  from  the  autobiography  of  Thomas  Jefferson.  lie  was 
called  upon  to  formulate  a plan  of  general  education  for  that  State.  He 
says:  “I  accordingly  prepared  three  bills,  proposing  three  distinct  grades 
of  education,  reaching  all  classes:  First,  elementary  schools  for  all  chil- 
ren  generally,  rich  and  poor;  Second,  colleges  for  a middle  degree  of 
instruction,  calculated  for  the  common  purposes  of  life,  and  such  as 
would  be  desirable  for  all  who  were  in  easy  circumstances ; and  third,  an 
ultimate  grade  for  teaching  sciences  generally,  and  in  their  highest  de- 
gree. The  first  bill  proposed  to  lay  off  every  county  in  hundreds,  or 
wards  of  a proper  size  and  population  for  a school,  in  which  reading, 


* Gen.  John  Eaton. 


422 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


writing  and  common  arithmetic  should  be  taught:  and  that  the  whole  State 
should  be  divided  into  twenty-four  districts,  in  each  of  which  should  be 
a school  for  classical  learning,  grammar,  geography  and  the  higher 
branches  of  numerical  arithmetic.  The  second  bill  proposed  to  amend 
the  constitution  of  William  and  Mary  College,  to  enlarge  its  sphere  of 
science,  and  to  make  it  in  fact  a university.  The  third  was  for  the  es- 
tablishment of  a library.  Into  the  elementary  bill  they  inserted  a pro- 
vision which  completely  defeated  it,  for  they  left  it  to  the  court  of  each 
county  to  determine  for  itself  when  this  act  should  be  carried  into  execu- 
tion within  their  county.  One  provision  of  the  bill  was,  that  the  expense 
of  these  schools  was  to  be  borne  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  county,  every 
one  in  proportion  to  his  general  tax  rate.  This  would  throw  on  wealth 
the  education  of  the  poor,  and  the  justices,  being  generally  of  the  more 
wealthy  class,  were  unwilling  to  incur  the  burden,  and  I believe  it  was. 
not  suffered  to  commence  in  a single  county.” 

From  this  treatment  of  Mr.  Jefferson’s  wise  plan  it  is  seen  that  al- 
though the  popularity  of  a common  school  system  demanded  its  enact- 
ment, it  Avas,  so  far  as  possible,  rendered  inoperative.  This  may  be  said 
to  have  been  the  attitude  of  Tennessee  on  this  subject,  from  the  organi- 
zation of  the  State  to  the  civil  war.  But  while  the  common  schools  Avere 
thus  neglected  and  ignored,  these  other  great  agencies  in  the  dissemination 
of  knowledge  and  the  formation  of  character,  the  private  school  seminary 
and  university  in  a great  measure  supplied  their  place,  and  in  many  re- 
spects were  superior  to  the  best  public  schools.  In  fact,  among  the  edu- 
cated class  of  the  South  there  Avas,  perhaps,  a larger  percentage  who 
were  thoroughly  Avell  educated,  than  in  the  North.  The  church  and  the 
hustings  also  were  potent  factors  in  education.  Through  their  influence 
intelligent  citizens  were  made  though  they  did  not,  and  many  of  them 
could  not,  read  the  newspapers. 

The  first  tax  for  educational  purposes  Avas  levied  under  an  act  passed 
in  1816  “to  provide  for  the  education  of  orphans  of  those  persons  Avho 
have  died,  in  the  service  of  their  country.”  The  act  provided  “that  it 
shall  be  the  duty  of  each  county  court  in  the  State  at  each  and  every 
court  after  the  first  day  of  January,  1816,  to  lay  such  a tax  upon  all  tax- 
able property  as  shall  be  sufficient  to  educate  the  poor  orphans  who  have 
no  property  to  support  and  educate  them  and  whose  fathers  were  killed 
or  have  died  in  the  service  of  their  country  in  the  late  Avar.”  The  county 
court  was  also  empowered  “to  make  such  contract  with  any  person  or  per- 
sons as  they  may  think  best  calculated  for  that  purpose,  to  board  and  ed- 
ucate such  children  as  far  as  to  attain  the  art  of  reading,  writing  and 
arithmetic  so  far  as  the  rule  of  three.” 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


423 


In  1817  an  act  was  passed  to  provide  for  the  leasing  of  the  school 
lands,  laid  off  under  the  act  of  Congress  in  1806.  It  was  made  the  duty 
of  each  county  court  of  the  State  to  appoint  as  many  commissioners  as 
they  might  think  necessary  whose  duty  it  was  to  lease  out  the  school 
lands  and  receive  and  pay  over  the  proceeds  to  the  county  trustee  for  the 
use  of  the  schools  in  the  respective  counties.  It  was  also  made  the  duty 
of  the  commissioners,  when  sufficient  funds  had  been  received,  “to  build 
a comfortable  house  for  a common  English  school  to  be  taught  in,  and  to 
employ  and  pay  a good  teacher  of  English  to  instruct  all  children  that 
may  be  sent  thereto.”  It  was  further  provided  that  when  $100  or  more, 
for  which  there  was  no  immediate  use,  had  accumulated  in  the  hands  of 
the  county  trustee,  that  officer  should  loan  the  money  out  upon  good  se- 
curity. Some  interest  in  popular  education  was  aroused  by  the  passage  of 
this  act,  but  it  was  of  short  duration,  and  only  a few  schools  were  estab- 
lished. Y arious  acts,  some  of  them  local  in  their  application,  were  passed 
during  the  next  ten  years,  but  no  changes  of  great  importance  were  made. 

By  provision  of  an  act  passed  in  1823,  five  commissioners  for  each 
county  were  appointed,  whose  duty  it  was  to  appropriate  “all  the  moneys 
received  by  them  to  the  education  of  the  poor,  either  by  establishing 
poor  schools,  or  by  paying  the  tuition  of  poor  children  in  schools  which 
are,  or  may  be  established  in  their  respective  counties.”  From  this  act, 
establishing  pauper  schools,  it  is  evident  that  no  material  advance  toward 
a system  of  popular  education  had  been  made.  The  common  school  fund, 
collected  from  the  lands  set  apart  by  the  act  of  1806,  amounted  to  little 
better  than  nothing.  In  fact,  from  the  report  of  a committee  of  which 
James  Iv.  Polk  was  chairman,  it  is  stated  that  only  22,705  acres  of  school 
land  had  been  laid  off,  while  according  to  the  provision  of  the  act,  grant- 
ing 640  acres  for  each  thirty-six  square  miles,  the  number  of  acres  loca- 
ted should  have  been  nearly  450,000.  In  1823  Congress  repealed  that 
portion  of  the  act  of  1806,  fixing  the  price  at  which  the  land  could  be 
sold,  and  the  General  Assembly  at  its  next  session  made  provision  to  dis- 
pose of  it  at  12-|  cents  per  acre.  The  title  to  the  Indian  lands  embracing 
•what  is  now  West  Tennessee,  was  extinguished  in  1818,  but  no  provision 
was  made  for  the  support  of  schools. 

About  1830  there  began  what  has  been  termed  a revival  in  education 
which  in  spirit,  if  not  in  practice,  extended  throughout  the  United 
States.  It  was  found  that  the  schools  were  too  dependent  upon  the  teach- 
ers, or  the  presence  or  absence  of  a school  man  in  the  neighborhood ; that 
the  system  lacked  uniformity  and  effectiveness ; that  even  in  the  most  ad- 
vanced States,  it  was  insufficient  to  meet  the  demands  of  the  rapidily  in- 
creasing population  and  to  resist  the  influx  of  ignorance  from  the  Old 


424 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


World.  Eminent  educators,  Horace  Mann,  Dr.  C.  E.  Stowe,  and  others, 
gave  the  subject  a thorough  study,  published  books,  and  delivered  ad- 
dresses until  a conviction  resulted  that  not  only  public  welfare  demanded 
a better  educational  machinery,  but  that  it  was  the  duty  of  the  State  to 
provide  it.  It  resulted  in  establishing  State  supervision,  graded  schools, 
city  and  county  supervision,  normal  schools  and  teacher’s  institutes,  ed- 
ucational journals  and  literature,  and  perhaps  the  most  important  of  all, 
the  abolition  of  all  rate  bills,  and  the  entire  support  of  the  schools  by 
tax.*  Many  States  adopted  the  new  system,  the  efficiency  of  which  soon 
became  apparent. 

The  spirit  of  this  revival  extended  to  Tennessee,  and  the  popular- 
ity of  some  system  of  State  education  rendered  legislation  upon  it  imper- 
ative. But  although  many  of  the  best  men  in  the  State  labored  earnestly 
to  secure  an  efficient  system,  the  idea  that  free  schools  were  established 
only  for  the  benefit  of  the  indigent  portion  of  the  community  could  not 
be  eradicated,  and  failure  was  the  result.  As  has  been  stated,  the  idea 
of  a system  of  schools,  as  a measure  of  economy,  for  the  benefit  of  the 
rich  as  well  as  the  poor,  could  not  under  the  then  existing  state  of  society 
become  general. 

In  1827  the  General  Assembly  passed  an  act  creating  a school  fund, 
to  be  composed  of  all  the  capital  and  interest  of  the  State  bank,  except 
■one-half  of  the  principal  sum  already  received;  the  proceeds  of  the  sales 
of  the  Hiwassee  lands;  all  lands  in  the  State  which  had  been  appropria- 
ted to  the  use  of  schools;  all  the  vacant  and  unappropriated  lands  to 
which  the  State  had,  or  might  thereafter  obtain  title;  all  the  rents  and 
mesne  profits  of  all  the  school  lands  which  had  accrued  and  had  not  al- 
ready been  appropriated;  all  the  funds  denominated  school  or  common 
school  funds  which  had  accrued  from  the  sale  of  lands;  the  donations 
made  by  various  parties  to  the  State ; all  the  stock  owned  by  the  State  in 
the  old  bank  of  the  State  at  Knoxville,  amounting  to  400  shares,  and  the 
property  of  all  persons  dying  intestate  and  without  legal  heirs.  No  pro- 
vision was  then  made  for  applying  this  fund  to  its  intended  use.  Two 
years  later  an  act  was  passed  establishing  a system  of  public  schools. 
Under  this  system  the  counties  were  divided  into  school  districts  of  con- 
venient size,  in  each  of  which  five  trustees  were  elected,  whose  duty  it 
was  to  meet  at.  the  court  house  on  the  first  Saturday  of  June  in  each 
year,  for  the  purpose  of  electing  not  less  than  five,  nor  more  than  seven 
“discreet  and  intelligent  citizens”  for  common  school  commissioners. 
The  trustees  were  also  given  full  power  to  employ  and  dismiss  teachers, 
.and  to  judge  of  their  qualifications,  capacity  and  character.  The  com-  3 


♦John  Eaton. — Report  of  1869. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


425 


missioners  were  given  control  of  all  moneys  for  the  use  of  schools.  They 
were  to  divide  the  county  into  five  districts,  over  each  of  which  one  com- 
missioner was  to  exercise  general  supervision.  The  interest  arising  from 
the  school  fund  was  to  be  distributed  among  the  school  districts  in  propor- 
tion to  the  number  of  children  in  each,  between  the  years  of  five  and  fif- 
teen, but  before  any  district  should  be  entitled  to  its  share  it  was  com- 
pelled to  provide  a comfortable  schoolhouse.  It  was  made  the  duty  of 
the  president  and  directors  of  the  State  bank  to  equalize  and  distribute 
the  fund.  The  commissioners  were  authorized  to  expend  a sum  not  ex- 
ceeding $20  annually  in  the  purchase  of  books,  to  be  distributed  to  chil- 
dren whose  parents  were  not  able  to  provide  them.  The  act  also  pro- 
vided that  “it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  trustees  to  induce  all  children 
under  the  age  of  fifteen  years  to  be  sent  to  school,  and  no  distinction 
shall  be  made  between  the  rich  and  poor,  but  said  school  shall  be  open 
and  free  to  all.” 

Although  the  system  as  presented  in  this  act  embraced  many  excellent 
features,  it  lacked  several  essentials.  The  funds  were  not  sufficient  to 
support  the  schools  without  resort  to  rate  bills,  and  the  houses  were  to  be 
provided  by  private  subscription.  There  were  also  too  many  executive- 
officers  and  no  controlling  and  supervising  head,  either  for  the  counties 
or  for  the  State.  The  system  was  established  in  several  of  the  counties, 
and  in  a few  it  met  with  some  success.  The  commissioners  for  Maury 
County,  in  1832,  reported  twenty-two  teachers  employed  for  terms  rang- 
ing from  one  and  one-half  to  eleven  months  with  an  average  of  four 
months.  The  wages  ranged  from  $8  to  $49  dollars  per  month,  averaging 
$17.  The  total  number  of  pupils  enrolled  during  the  year  was  904.  As 
the  scholastic  population  of  Maury  County  at  that  time  exceeded  4,000, 
less  than  25  per  cent  were  enrolled  in  the  public  schools.  The  report 
from  this  county  was  one  of  the  most  satisfactory. 

The  total  funds  which  had  been  received  for  the  support  of  academies 
up  to  this  date  amounted  to  $70,665.12.  Thus  the  apparently  munificent 
grant  of  100,000  acres  of  land  had  yielded  an  aggregate  of  $1,139.76  to 
each  county  during  a period  of  twenty-five  years.  While  some  of  the 
counties  had  received  the  full  amount,  others  had  established  no  academy, 
and  their  portion  of  the  fund  remained  in  the  State  bank. 

In  1831  the  profits  arising  from  the  State’s  stock  in  the  Union  Bank 
was  set  apart  for  the  use  of  common  schools ; and  upon  the  chartering  of 
the  Planters  Bank  of  Tennessee  and  the  Farmers  & Merchants  Bank 
of  Memphis  in  1833,  the  bonus  of  one-half  of  1 per  cent  on  the  capital 
stock,  payable  annually  to  the  State,  was  appropriated  for  the  same  pur- 
pose. A similar  disposition  was  made  of  a bonus  of  5 per  cent  of  the  net 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


420 


profits  of  tlie  Tennessee  Fire  Marine  Insurance  Company.  This  was 
the  condition  of  the  public  schools  and  the  school  fund  at  the  adoption 
of  the  constitution  of  1834.  That  instrument  contains  the  following  sec- 
tion concerning  education: 

ARTICLE  XI. 

Sec.  10.  Knowledge,  learning  and  virtue  being  essential  to  tbe  preservation  of  repub- 
lican institutions,  and  the  diffusion  of  the  opportunities  and  advantages  of  education 
throughout  the  different  portions  of  the  State  being  highly  conducive  to  the  promotion  of 
this  end,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  General  Assembly  in  all  future  periods  of  this  govern- 
ment to  cherish  literature  and  science.  And  the  fund  called  the  “ Common  School  Fund  ” 
and  all  the  lands  and  proceeds  thereof,  dividends,  stocks,  and  all  other  property  of  every 
description  whatever  heretofore  by  law  appropriated  by  the  General  Assembly  of  this  State 
for  the  use  of  common  schools,  and  all  such  as  shall  hereafter  be  appropriated,  shall 
remain  a perpetual  fund,  the  principal  of  which  shall  never  be  diminished  by  legislative 
appropriation,  and  the  interest  thereof  shall  be  inviolably  appropriated  to  the  support 
and  encouragement  of  common  schools  throughout  the  State,  and  for  the  equal  benefit  of 
the  people  thereof  ; and  no  law  shall  be  made  authorizing  said  fund,  or  any  part  thereof, 
to  be  diverted  to  any  other  use  than  the  support  and  encouragement  of  common  schools; 
and  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  General  Assembly  to  appoint  a board  of  commissioners,  for 
such  term  of  time  as  they  may  think  proper,  who  shall  have  the  general  superintendence 
of  said  fund,  and  who  shall  make  a report  of  the  condition  of  the  same  from  time  to  time 
under  such  rules,  regulations  and  restrictions  as  may  be  required  by  law;  Provided, that  if 
at  any  time  hereafter  a division  of  the  public  lands  of  the  United  States,  or  of  the  money 
arising  from  the  sale  of  such  lands,  shall  be  made  among  the  individual  States,  the  part 
of  such  land  or  money  coming  to  this  State  shall  be  devoted  to  the  purpose  of  education 
and  internal  improvements,  and  shall  never  be  applied  to  any  other  purpose. 

The  following  section  affirms  “that  the  above  provisions  shall  not  be 
construed  to  prevent  the  Legislature  from  carrying  into  effect  any  laws 
that  have  been  passed  in  favor  of  the  colleges,  universities  or  academies.” 

At  the  following  session  of  the  Legislature  an  act  in  accordance  with 
the  provisions  of  the  constitution  wras  passed,  appointing  a board  of  com- 
mon school  commissioners  consisting  of  the  treasurer,  comptroller  and  a 
superintendent  of  public  instruction.  The  last  named  officer  was  to  be 
elected  by  a joint  ballot  of  both  houses  of  the  General  Assembly  for  a 
term  of  two  years,  and  wras  to  receive  a salary  of  $1,500  per  year.  He 
was  to  collect  the  moneys,  notes  and  other  securities  belonging  to  the 
common  school  fund,  and  in  conjunction  with  the  other  members  of  the 
board  he  was  to  appoint  an  agent  in  each  county.  These  agents  were  to 
perform  the  duties  of  the  former  bank  agents  and  county  school  commis- 
sioners. They  were  to  renew  the  securities  for  the  debts  due  to  the 
school  fund  every  six  months,  calling  in  a certain  per  cent  of  the  debt 
each  time  until  the  whole  should  be  collected.  It  was  then  to  be  invested 
in  bank  stock  by  the  superintendent. 

During  the  session  of  1839-40  the  General  Assembly  passed  an  act 
to  establish  a system  of  public  schools.  The  report  of  a committee  ap- 
pointed to  inquire  into  the  condition  of  the  common  schools,  and  to  re- 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


427 


port  a plan  for  the  reorganization  of  the  system,  contains  the  following : 
“The  subject  of  education  has  never  yet  received  in  Tennessee  that  at- 
tention which  it  so  richly  merits.  Appropriation  after  appropriation,  it 
is  true,  has  been  made  to  the  support  of  common  schools,  but  the  system 
adopted  under  that  name  has  heretofore  proved  inefficient  and  by  no 
means  equal  to  the  expectation  of  those  who  first  established  it.  While 
this  has  been  the  case  with  the  common  school  system,  a prejudice  has 
prevailed  against  the  higher  institutions  of  learning,  academies  and  col- 
leges, neither  of  which  consequently  has  received  much  from  the  munif- 
icence of  the  State.  ” 

The  committee  proposed  to  add  to  the  existing  school  fund,  amount- 
ing to  a little  more  than  $1,500,000,  about  $500,000  of  the  surplus  re- 
venue, the  interest  on  the  whole  of  which  it  was  thought  would  amount 
to  $100,000  per  annum.  To  the  academy  fund  amounting  to  $50,000 
it  was  proposed  to  add  $600,000  of  the  surplus  revenue,  and  to  divide 
$300,000  of  the  same  fund  among  three  universities,  one  for  each  division 
of  the  State.  The  system  as  adopted  did  not  differ  materially  from  that 
of  1829,  except  that  the  county  trustee  performed  the  duties  which  had 
previously  devolved  upon  the  county  commissioners,  and  the  superintend- 
ent of  public  instruction  had  control  of  the  distribution  of  the  annual 
fund.  The  apportionment  was  fixed  upon  a ratio  of  white  children  be- 
tween the  ages  of  six  and  sixteen  years,  instead  of  five  and  fifteen  as  be- 
fore. The  duties  of  the  district  trustees  remained  the  same  as  under  the 
old  system. 

The  school  fund  had  already  been  constituted  a portion  of  the  capi- 
tal of  the  newly  chartered  State  Bank,  and  of  its  dividends  the  faith  of 
the  State  was  pledged  to  the  annual  appropriation  of  $100,000  to  school 
purposes.  This  annual  revenue  was  increased  by  bonuses,  taxes,  fines 
and  penalties.  On  the  same  conditions  $18,000  was  appropriated  an- 
nually for  a period  of  thirty  years  for  the  use  of  county  academies,  pro- 
vided the  trustees  would  relinquish  all  claims  against  the  State  for  debts 
due  from  citizens  south  of  the  French  Broad  and  Holston  Rivers.  For  the 
benefit  of  East  Tennessee  College  and  Nashville  University,  two  half 
townships  of  land  in  the  Ocoee  District  were  granted  on  condition  that 
they  relinquish  their  claims,  as  had  been  provided  in  the  case  of  acade- 
mies. 

The  new  system  of  common  schools  went  into  effect  in  1838,  and  by 
the  close  of  the  following  year  911  of  the  987  districts  in  the  State  had 
chosen  trustees  and  the  majority  of  them  had  opened  schools.  The  first 
apportionment  of  school  funds  was  made  in  1839,  at  a rate  of  62|-  cents 
for  each  child  of  school  age,  the  scholastic  population  being  185,432. 


428 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Upon  the  passage  of  the  act  creating  the  office  of  superintendent  of 
public  instruction,  Col.  Robert  H.  McEwen  was  elected  thereto,  and  con- 
tinued to  hold  the  office  until  1840.  He  was  extensively  engaged  in  bus- 
iness, being  the  principal  member  in  two  or  three  different  firms.  At  the 
session  of  the  Legislature  of  1839-40,  a joint  committee  of  both  houses 
was  appointed  to  investigate  the  affairs  of  his  office.  After  a careful  ex- 
amination they  reported  that  he  had  speculated  with  the  funds  and  mis- 
managed them,  and  that  he  was  a defaulter  to  the  amount  of  $121,169.05. 
His  term  of  office  expired  soon  after,  and  R.  P.  Currin  was  elected  to 
succeed  him.  At  the  following  April  term  of  the  Chancery  Court  6f 
Franklin,  a suit  was  instituted  against  McEwen  and  his  securities  to  re- 
cover the  amount  of  the  defalcation.  A decree  having1  been  obtained 
against  the  defendants,  the  case  was  appealed  to  the  supreme  court 
where  the  decree  was  affirmed.  Upon  a petition  from  the  securities  for 
relief,  January  19,  1844,  the  General  Assembly  adopted  a resolution 
appointing  William  Carroll,  Nicholas  Hobson,  Willoughby  Williams  and 
John  Marshall,  commissioners,  to  compromise  and  settle  the  suit,  declar- 
ing that  their  decision  should  be  final.  The  last  two  declined  to  serve 
and  John  Waters  and  M.  W.  Brown  were  appointed  in  their  place.  The 
commissioners  decided  that  the  securities  should  pay  the  sum  of  $10,- 
797.86  as  a settlement  in  full  of  the  claims  against  them.  The  attorneys 
for  the  State  objected  to  this  settlement  on  the  grounds  that  the  resolu- 
tion of  the  General  Assembly  making  it  final  was  unconstitutional.  The 
objection  was  overruled  by  the  supreme  court,  Judge  Turley  delivering 
the  opinion. 

In  1844  the  office  of  superintendent  of  public  instruction  was  abol- 
ished, and  the  duties  of  the  superintendent  transferred  to  the  state  treas- 
urer. In  1848  the  president  and  directors  of  the  State  Bank  were  con- 
stituted the  board  of  common  school  commissioners. 

On  April  19,  1847,  a common  school  convention  was  held  at  Knox- 
ville at  which  were  present  representatives  from  Greene,  Cocke,  Hawkins, 
Claiborne,  Jefferson,  Blount,  Knox,  Roane,  Marion  and  Anderson  Coun- 
ties. A memorial  to  the  Legislature  was  adopted,  recommending  the  ap* 
pointment  of  a board  of  education  for  each  county,  whose  duty  it  should 
be  to  examine  applicants  and  to  grant  licenses  to  teachers;  the  publica- 
tion of  a monthly  state  journal  devoted  exclusively  to  the  cause  of  educa- 
tion throughout  the  State ; the  appointment  of  a superintendent  of  public 
instruction,  and  the  taxation  of  property  for  the  support  of  schools.  The 
memorial  closed  with  a reference  to  the  illiteracy  in  the  State  as  shown 
by  the  census  of  1840.  The  following  is  an  extract:  “At  no  period  per- 
haps in  the  existence  of  our  State,  and  by  no  means  was  the  pride  of  our 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE 


429 


people  of  all  parties,  denominations  and  classes  more  deeply  wounded  than 
when  the  returns  of  the  census  of  1840  Avere  promulgated.  * * The 

humiliating  fact  that  there  were  in  the  State  58,531  white  persons  over- 
twenty  years  of  age  Avho  could  neither  read  nor  Avrite,  was  heralded  over 
this  broad  Union,  and  made  the  subject  of  sneering  remark  in  almost  every 
newspaper  in  the  country.  Our  State  stood  within  one  of  the  bottom  of 
the  list  in  point  of  universal  intelligence;  the  number  of  ignorant  in 
North  Carolina  being  a fraction  greater.”  The  number  of  white  persons 
over  twenty  years  of  age  in  the  State  at  that  time  was  249,008.  Conse- 
quently the  proportion  of  illiterates  Avas  a little  more  than  234  per  cent. 
The  census  of  1850  shows  no  improvement  in  the  educational  status  of  the 
State.  At  that  time  there  were  316,409  white  persons  over  twenty  years 
of  age,  and  of  that  number  77,522,  or  24^  per  cent  could  neither  read 
nor  write.  According  to  the  census  of  1860  the  proportion  of  illiterates 
Avas  19Yq  per  cent,  a gratifying  improvement  which  Avas  probably  due  in 
a great  measure  to  the  increased  efficiency  of  the  common  schools.  Dur- 
ing  the  preceding  decade  tAvo  laAvs  were  passed  both  of  which  did  much 
to  improve  the  school  system.  The  first,  passed  in  1854,  authorized  the 
county  court  of  each  county  to  levy  a tax  of  25  cents  on  each  poll,  and 
24  cents  on  each  $100  worth  of  proporty,  for  the  use  of  common  schools. 
If  two-thirds  of  the  justices  of  any  county  were  not  in  favor  of  levying 
such  a tax,  it  was  made  the  duty  of  the  court  to  order  an  election  to  be 
held  to  ascertain  the  wishes  of  the  people.  Under  the  provision  of  this 
law  the  school  fund  Avas  nearly  doubled.  The  following  are  the  items 
which  made  up  the  fund  in  1856  as  reported  by  the  treasurer: 


From  the  State  treasury $100,000  00 

In  lieu  of  land  tax 2,000  00 

School  tax  on  property 60,427  71 

School  tax  on  polls 25,469  70 

Bonuses  from  hanks  and  insurance  companies 12,260  88 

Proceeds  of  escheated  lands 1,617  34 

Interest  on  school  bonds  in  Bank  of  Tennessee 951  37 

Total $202,727  00 


The  scholastic  population  at  that  date  being  289,609,  the  allowance 
for  each  child  amounted  to  70  cents,  while  previous  to  the  passage  of  the 
act  of  1854  it  averaged  about  40  cents. 

In  1856  it  Avas  enacted  that  each  county  court  of  the  State,  on  the 
first  Monday  in  January  of  each  year,  should  appoint  one  or  more  com- 
missioners, whose  duty  it  was  “to  examine  all  applicants  to  teach  free 
schools.”  Another  law  of  some  importance  was  passed  in  1851,  author- 
izing commissioners  to  employ  female  teachers  in  any  school,  and  to  pay 
them  in  the  same  manner  as  Avas  provided  for  male  teachers. 


27 


430 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


The  first  public  graded  school  in  the  State  was  established  in  Nash- 
ville in  1855.  Three  years  previous  to  that  time  Alfred  Hume,  long  an 
eminent  teacher  in  Nashville,  Avas  engaged  by  the  city  council  to  visit 
various  cities  in  other  States  where  public  schools  Avere  in  operation  to 
investigate  their  practical  Avorks.  From  the  information  thus  obtained 
he  made  a thorough  and  exhaustive  report,  which  Avas  favorably  received, 
and  preparations  for  the  erection  of  a school  building  Avere  soon  after 
begun.  Upon  its  completion  six  teachers,  all  gentlemen,  were  employed, 
and  the  schools  formally  opened  for  pupils  February  26,  1855.  The 
schools  were  popular  and  successful  from  the  first.  Other  buildings 
Avere  soon  after  provided  and  the  facilities  greatly  increased. 

March  20,  1858,  an  act  Avas  passed  incorporating  the  Memphis  city 
schools.  It  placed  them  under  the  control  of  a board  of  visitors  consist- 
ing of  one  member  from  each  Avard  elected  on  the  first  Saturday  in  June 
of  each  year.  They  were  authorized  to  levy  a tax  for  school  purposes 
not  to  exceed  a ratio  of  $10  for  every  youth  between  the  ages  of  eight 
and  sixteen  years.  The  act  Avas  amended  two  years  later,  and  the  limit 
of  the  tax  levy  increased  to  $15  for  each  Avliite  youth  between  the  ages 
of  six  and  eighteen  years.  The  board  Avas  authorized  to  erect  buildings 
at  a cost  not  to  exceed  $75,000,  except  by  a vote  of  the  citizens.  Per- 
mission Avas  also  given  to  the  city  council  to  issue  bonds  for  the  whole  or 
a portion  of  the  amount  expended.  Thus  the  two  leading  cities  were 
supplied  with  efficient  public  schools,  whose  success  and  popularity  did 
much  to  encourage  the  cause  of  education  throughout  the  State,  and  the 
period  from  1855  to  1861  was  the  most  prosperous  in  the  history  of  the 
common  schools  previous  to  the  civil  war.  But,  taken  as  a Avhole,  the 
more  than  forty  years  of  experimenting,  altering,  abolishing,  amending 
and  repealing,  must  be  regarded  as  a stupendous  failure  when  it  is  re- 
membered that  in  1860  one  adult  white  person  out  of  every  five  had 
never  seen  the  inside  of  a school-room. 

The  same  causes,  however,  which  prevented  the  success  of  popular 
education  promoted  the  cause  of  the  private  schools,  academies  and  sem- 
inaries. These  institutions  sprang  up  all  over  the  State,  and  many  of 
them  obtained  a Avide  reputation  for  the  excellence  of  their  discipline 
and  instruction.  Indeed  it  is  doubtful  if  any  other  State  in  the  Union, 
according  to  its  population,  possessed  a greater  number  of  schools  of  high 
character.  The  result  was  that  those  persons  able  to  avail  themselves  of 
the  advantages  of  these  institutions  were  as  a rule  thoroughly  educated. 

During  the  war  education  was  almost  at  a stand-still.  The  public 
schools  were  suspended,  private  schools,  acadamies  and  seminaries  were 
closed,  many  of  them  never  to  be  reopened.  The  buildings,  too,  suffered 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


431 


in  the  general  devastation.  Many  were  entirely  destroyed,  while  others 
were  used  in  turn  by  the  opposing  armies  for  hospitals  and  camps. 

At  the  close  of  hostilities  the  educational  problem  confronting  the 
people  of  Tennessee  was  one  of  the  most  appalling  ever  presented  to  any 
people.  With  over  70,000  illiterate  adult  white  persons  at  the  beginning 
of  the  war,  augmented  by  thousands,  deprived  of  schools  during  the  suc- 
ceeding four  years,  in  addition  to  nearly  300,000  helplessly  illiterate 
freedmen;  the  situation  was  not  only  overwhelmingly  discouraging, 
but  positively  dangerous.  Under  the  most  favorable  circumstances  to 
educate  such  a population  and  fit  it  for  intelligent  citizenship,  was  an 
almost  hopeless  undertaking,  but  how  much  more  so  when  impoverished 
by  war  and  demoralized  by  a social  revolution.  The  first  step  toward  the 
reorganization  of  the  common  schools  was  taken  in  April,  1865,  when 
the  following  resolution  was  presented  to  the  Senate  by  John  Trimble: 

Resolved,  That  it  be  referred  to  the  committee  on  comon  schools  and  education  to 
take  into  early  and  earnest  consideration  the  whole  matter  of  free  common  schools,  and 
at  as  early  a date  as  practicable,  report  a system  of  free  common  schools  to  be  put  into 
^operation  throughout  the  State.  That  it  also  report  what  tax  is  necessary,  and  how  the 
same  may  he  raised. 

This  resolution,  under  a suspension  of  the  rules,  was  referred  to  the 
designated  committee,  of  which  W.  Bosson  was  chairman.  The  committee 
asked  that  the  time  to  make  the  report  be  postponed  until  the  next 
session,  which  was  granted.  The  summer  of  1865  was  employed  in  read- 
ing the  school  laws  of  other  States,  corresponding  with  state  superin- 
tendents, receiving  their  reports  and  suggestions,  and  perfecting  the 
original  bill.  It  was  then  sent  to  eminent  educators  in  various  States 
for  criticism.  On  October  25,  1865,  the  bill,  accompanied  by  a petition, 
was  presented  to  the  Senate.  After  undergoing  many  amendments,  rejec- 
tions and  reconsiderations  in  both  houses,  it  finally  became  a law  in 
March,  1867.  Under  its  provisions  the  territorial  divisions  remained 
the  same  as  under  the  old  law.  The  officers  provided  were  a state  super- 
intendent, county  superintendents,  a board  of  education  for  each  civil 
district,  and  three  directors  for  each  subdistrict.  The  money  appro- 
priated consisted  of  the  proceeds  of  the  school  fund,  a property  tax  of  2 
mills  upon  the  dollar,  a poll  tax  of  25  cents,  and  a railroad  tax,  one-fourth 
of  1 per  cent  a mile  for  each  passenger.  The  annual  income  from  all 
these  sources  was  paid  on  the  warrant  of  the  comptroller  to  the  state 
superintendent,  and  by  him  distributed  to  the  county  superintendents, 
who  acted  as  county  treasurers,  and  paid  all  orders  of  the  board  of  educa- 
tion both  for  the  civil  districts  and  subdistricts.  It  was  made  obliira- 
tory  upon  the  directors,  or  in  case  of  their  neglect,  upon  the  board  of 
•directors,  to  maintain  a free  school  in  every  subdistrict  for  a period  of 


432 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


five  months  every  year.  If  the  school  fund  were  insufficient  to  defray 
the  expenses  of  such  school  the  subdistricts  were  required  to  levy  a tax 
sufficient  to  make  up  the  deficiency.  The  benefits  of  the  schools  were 
free  to  all  of  legal  age,  both  white  and  black  without  restriction,  except 
that  they  were  to  be  taught  separately. 

Although  the  law  was  to  go  into  effect  with  the  election  of  school 
directors,  on  the  first  Saturday  in  June,  1867,  so  great  was  the  opposition 
to  it.  and  so  many  the  obstacles  to  be  overcome  that  it  was  nearly  two 
years  before  it  became  generally  established.  The  state  superintendent’s 
office,  with  Gen.  John  Eaton,  Jr.,  at  its  head,  was  opened  in  October, 
1867,  at  which  time,  as  he  reported,  only  here  and  there  had  any  com- 
munity complied  with  any  of  the  requirements  of  the  law.  With  char- 
acteristic energy  and  devotion  to  the  cause  he  set  to  work  to  put  in 
motion  the  machinery  of  the  new  system.  County  superintendents  were 
appointed,  meetings  of  teachers  and  superintendents  held,  addresses  de- 
livered, and  all  possible  means  used  to  arouse  the  educational  sentiment 
of  the  people.  The  law,  however,  was  too  far  in  advance  of  public  opin- 
ion. The  support  of  the  schools,  by  a tax  upon  property,  met  with  little 
favor,  while  the  granting  of  equal  educational  advantages  to  the  colored 
children  met  with  the  most  violent  opposition.  The  following  extract 
from  county  superintendents’  report  for  1868  and  1869  illustrates  the 
popular  sentiment:  “Monroe  County  has  a strong  element  that  is  hos- 

tile to  popular  education,  and  sticks  at  nothing  to  embarrass  the  working 
of  free  schools.”  The  superintendent  of  Davidson  County  reported  that 
among  the  great  difficulties  to  be  overcome,  one  of  the  greatest,  was 
the  organization  of  colored  schools.  There  were  no  houses  for  that  pur- 
pose, and  there  was  a general  prejudice  against  negro  education,  so  that 
there  were  only  a few  white  people  who  would,  and  dared  assist,  the  col- 
ored people  in  building  schoolliouses.  “ Most  of  the  directors  in  this 
county  (Weakley)  shake  their  heads  when  I talk  to  them  about  colored 
schools,  and  say  this  is  not  the  time  for  such  schools.  Others  are  will- 
ing to  do  all  they  can  for  them,  but  are  afraid  of  public  opinion.”  The 
following  extract  is  from  the  report  of  the  state  superintendent:  “Super- 
intendents, directors  and  teachers  resigned  their  positions  on  account  of 
threats  of  personal  violence.  In  July,  1869,  sixty-three  counties  reported 
thirty-seven  schoolliouses  had  been  burned.  Teachers  were  mobbed  and 
whipped ; ropes  were  put  around  their  necks,  accompanied  with  threats  of 
hanging;  ladies  were  insulted.  Not  a few  teachers  were  dissuaded  from 
teaching  out  their  schools,  after  they  had  commenced  them,  by  the  reports 
widely  circulated  and  emphatically  repeated,  that  the  State  would  not 
disburse  any  money  for  schools.  In  addition  to  these  difficulties  super- 


HISTOKY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


433 


intendents  and  directors  often  liad  to  employ  those  not  so  well  qualified 
as  they  desired;  instead  of  comfortable  schoolhouses  teachers  often  taught 
in  a mere  shell  of  a building;  indeed,  schools  in  the  summer  were  report- 
ed to  be  taught  under  the  shade  of  trees.  Colored  schools  found  most 
pupils  compelled  to  begin  with  the  alphabet.  White  schools  sometimes 
exhibited  a hardly  less  deplorable  lack  of  knowledge  of  letters.  One 
school  reported,  out  of  seventy-five  enrolled,  sixty-eight  beginning  the 
alphabet.” 

One  of  the  most  serious  difficulties  encountered  was  in  securing  a 
distribution  of  the  school  fund.  The  money  raised  for  school  purposes, 
in  1866,  was  employed  by  the  State  as  a loan  to  liquidate  the  interest 
claims  upon  the  railroad,  for  the  payment  of  which  the  faith  and  credit 
of  the  State  stood  pledged,  consequently  the  apportionment  and  distri- 
bution of  the  fund  for  that  year  did  not  take  place  until  the  fall  of  1868, 
the  amount  being  48  and  seven  one-hundredths  cents  for  each  child. 
The  distribution  of  the  fund  for  1867  was  made  in  February,  1869,  and 
amounted  to  about  $400,000,  or  $1.15  for  each  child.  Under  the  act  of 
1867  there  was  raised  for  that  year,  by  several  cities,  counties  and  civil 
districts,  by  voluntary  local  taxation,  and  paid  out  for  the  use  of  their  pub- 
lic schools  an  amount  aggregating  about  $130,000.  All  educational 
efforts,  in  the  State,  however,  were  soon  after  almost  paralyzed  by  a 
decision  of  the  supreme  court,  declaring  that  portion  of  the  act  providing 
for  civil  district  taxation  unconstitutional.  The  work  of  organization, 
however,  was  pushed  on,  and  taking  into  consideration  the  unsettled 
condition  of  the  country,  the  progress  was  exceedingly  rapid.  The  state 
superintendent’s  report  of  the  work  up  to  September,  1869,  gives  the 
following  results: 


White. 

Colored. 

Total. 

Number  of  schoolhouses  built 

456 

172 

628 

Number  of  school  house  sites  procured 

226 

63 

289 

Number  of  schools  opened 

3,405 

498 

3,903 

4 614 

Number  of  different  pupils  in  attendance 

160,027 

25,818 

185’,  845 

The  work  of  establishing  systems  of  public  schools  in  the  South  after 
the  war  was  greatly  aided  by  the  munificence  of  George  Peabody,  who, 
in  1867,  placed  in  the  hands  of  a board  of  trustees  over  $2,000,000,  in 
money  and  securities,  for  the  encouragement  of  education  in  the  Southern 
States.  This  sum  two  years  later  he  increased  by  nearly  $1,500,000. 
To  the  donation  of  Mr.  Peabody  was  added  a gift  of  130,000  volumes  of 
school  books  from  D.  Appleton  & Co.  and  A.  S.  Barnes  & Co.  These 
•donations  were  made  for  the  benefit  of  both  races,  white  and  colored, 


434 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


without  distinction.  In  November,  1867,  Rev.  Dr.  Sears,  tlie  general 
agent  of  the  trustees  of  the  fund,  visited  Tennessee,  and  made  arrange- 
ments  to  assist  normal  school  instruction  and  to  aid  in  the  establishment 
of  public  schools  in  towns  and  cities  after  a certain  amount  had  been  done 
by  the  citizens.  In  this  way  graded  schools  were  opened  in  Knoxville, 
Chattanooga,  Cleveland,  Clarksville,  and  other  localities  “where  schools 
of  that  quality  would  otherwise  have  been  impossible.” 

Some  mention  has  been  made  of  the  attempt  to  establish  colored 
schools.  It  was  one  of  the  most  difficult  tasks  in  the  reorganization  of 
the  educational  system.  It  was  impossible  that  it  should  be  otherwise. 
No  matter  what  system  or  what  set  of  men  attempted  it,  the  old  prejudices 
were  not  ready  to  witness  its  progress  in  quiet.  The  general  judgment 
that  it  must  be  done — that  it  was  better  that  it  should  be  done — for  the 
whites  as  well  as  the  blacks,  did  not  suffice  to  prevent  opposition,  although 
it  gradually  overcame  it.  The  first  attempt  toward  the  education  of  the 
colored  people  was  made  in  the  autumn  of  1862,  when  Miss  Lucinda 
Humphrey,  a hospital  nurse,  opened  an  evening  school  for  the  colored 
employes  of  the  hospital  at  Memphis.  Others  followed,  increasing  from 
year  to  year,  until  in  the  winter  of  1864-65  a method  was  provided  for 
the  colored  people  to  enter  actively  into  the  work  of  supporting  their  own 
schools,  and  after  which,  in  about  five  months,  they  paid  for  the  purpose 
some  $4,000,  and  the  attendance  was  reported  in  and  around  Memphis  as. 
high  as  1,949  in  April,  1865,  before  the  organization  of  the  Freedmen's 
Bureau. 

In  Clarksville  schools  were  established  for  them  in  1864,  and  by  the 
spring  of  1865  had  realized  an  attendance  of  some  300.  During  the  same 
period  Rev.  J.  G.  McKee  and  his  associates  opened  similarly  flourishing 
schools  in  Nashville,  and  others  did  the  same  in  Murfreesboro,  Chatta- 
nooga, Knoxville,  and  other  points.* 

In  the  spring  of  1865  the  Freedmen’s  Bureau  was  established,  and 
during  the  next  four  years  disbursed  over  $150,000  in  the  State,  the 
greater  part  of  which  was  bestowed  upon  colored  schools.  Indeed  a large 
part  of  the  colored  schoolhouses  would  not  have  been  built  without  the 
aid  thus  obtained.  In  connection  with  this  bureau  various  organizations 
operated  efficiently,  both  in  sustaining  schools  and  in  supplying  well 
qualified  and  competent  teachers.  Several  of  these  organizations  ex- 
pended large  amounts  of  money,  estimated  in  1869  at  an  aggregate  of 
$300,000.  At  the  close  of  the  seventh  decade  popular  education  in 
Tennessee  was  higher  than  at  any  previous  period  in  the  history  of 
the  State.  The  school  law  of  1867  was  the  first  legislative  attempt  to- 


♦Report  of  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction,  1869. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


435 


ward  a thoroughly  appointed  state  system  of  public  instruction  in  Ten- 
nessee, and  a great  W’ork  had  been  accomplished  under  it;  yet  in  a little 
more  than  two  years  after  its  enactment  it  was  repealed.  The  cause  of 
its  failure  to  sustain  itself  is  explained  in  the  following  extract  from  the 
report  of  the  state  superintendent  for  1874: 

“It  is  enough  to  say  that  the  experiment  was  inopportunely  made, 
and  the  projected  system  was  ill-adapted  to  the  prevailing  condition  of 
our  people.  The  echoes  of  the  war  had  not  died  away.  Political  and 
social  disorder  still  prevailed  throughout  the  State,  and  a people,  not  yet 
assured  of  their  civil  status,  were  not  in  a favorable  condition  to  be  very 
profitably  concerned  about  a costly  system  of  popular  education,  or  to  be 
cheerfully  taxed  for  its  support.  Thus,  lacking  popular  favor  and  confi- 
dence, the  experiment  failed,  and  may  be  now  advantageously  cited,  in 
contrast  with  the  ante  helium  ‘system,’  as  demonstrating  that  in  public 
school  enterprises,  as  in  all  other  matters,  as  much  harm  may  often  result 
from  attempting  too  much  as  from  being  content  with  too  little;  and 
further,  that  an  active  popular  sympathy  is  essential  to  the  success  of  any 
system  of  public  instruction.” 

The  repeal  of  the  act  of  1867  took  place  December  14,  1869.  The 
state  superintendent  and  county  superintendents  were  ordered  to  turn 
over  all  the  funds  remaining  in  their  hands  to  the  comptroller  of  the 
State,  and  the  former  was  given  ninety  days  to  wind  up  the  affairs  of  his 
office.  During  the  ten  years  from  1860  to  1870  no  county  in  the  State  had 
more  than  three  sessions  of  public  schools,  while  many  had  no  more  than 
one.  The  private  schools  too  were  not  so  numerous,  and  many  who  had 
previously  been  able  to  pay  tuition  for  their  children  were  rendered  un- 
able to  do  so  by  the  misfortunes  of  the  war.  It  is  little  to  be  wondered 
at  that  illiteracy  increased  most  lamentably.  While  the  white  population 
increased  but  13  per  cent  during  the  decade  the  increase  in  the  number 
of  white  illiterates  was  50  per  cent.  Upon  the  adoption  of  the  constitu- 
tion of  1870  the  clause  in  the  old  constitution  concerning  education  was 
reaffirmed.  It  Avas  further  provided  that  “ no  school  established  or  aided 
under  this  section  shall  allow  Avhite  and  negro  children  to  be  received  as 
scholars  together  in  the  same  school.” 

In  July,  1870,  an  act  to  reorganize  the  public  schools  was  passed.  By 
this  law  the  whole  subject  of  popular  education  was  Aurtually  remitted  to 
the  counties,  without  imposing  any  obligations  upon  them  to  take  action 
in  the  premises.  No  State  levies  upon  property  for  school  purposes 
were  made,  and  a tax  of  50  cents  was  imposed  upon  polls.  The  only  offi- 
cers provided  for  Avere  three  commissioners  for  each  civil  district,  who 
collectively  constituted  a county  board  of  education,  and  into  whose 


436 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


hands  was  placed  the  entire  management  of  the  schools.  A subsequent 
act  made  the  state  treasurer  superintendent  of  public  instruction,  ex 
officio,  but  no  special  duties  were  imposed  upon  him,  and  “he  was  a super- 
intendent without  a charge  and  without  authority.”  The  absolute  failure 
of  this  system,  if  it  can  be  called  a system,  induced  the  State  Teachers’ 
Association  to  recommend  to  the  agent  of  the  Peabody  Fund  the  pro- 
priety of  appropriating  $1,500  during  the  year  1872  toward  the  support 
of  an  agent  to  co-operate  with  the  state  treasurer,  and  to  work  under 
the  immediate  supervision  of  the  association.  This  recommendation 
was  adopted,  and  J.  B.  Killebrew  appointed  agent.  He  was  soon  after 
made  assistant  superintendent  of  public  instruction,  and  in  March,  1872, 
made  a report  which  was  published.  It  was  found  that  less  than  thirty 
counties  had  levied  a tax  for  school  purposes,  and  in  the  remainder  no 
action  whatever  had  been  taken.  “In  many  of  the  counties  where  a 
school  tax  has  been  levied,  commissioners  have  been  elected  who  are  op- 
posed to  any  system  of  public  instruction  and  feel  a greater  desire  to 
make  public  schools  unpopular  by  making  them  inefficient  and  of  but 
little  value,  than  to  see  them  gaining  ground  and  winning  their  way  to 
public  favor  by  educating,  elevating  and  refining  the  public  heart  and 
mind.  In  neighborhoods  where  a high  order  of  intelligence  prevails, 
and  where  a decided  interest  has  been  manifested  by  the  best  citizens, 
good  schools  exist  under  the  county  system.  On  the  other  hand,  where 
these  conditions  do  not  exist,  free  schools  of  the  most  worthless  character 
are  kept  up  a few  weeks  in  the  year,  and  taught  by  men  whose  chief  dis- 
tinction or  fitness  for  the  position  lies  in  the  severity  and  cruelty  of 
their  discipline  and  their  adhesion  to  text-books  used  half  a century 
ago.  ”*  It  was  estimated  by  the  assistant  superintendent  that  during  the 
year  1872  not  one-fifth  of  the  scholastic  population  of  the  State  had  any 
means  of  education.  In  some  counties  visited  by  him  there  was  not  a 
single  school,  public  or  private,  in  operation,  “nor  were  there  any  efforts 
being  made  by  the  citizens  to  remedy  the  deficiency.  ” He  justly  pro- 
nounced the  system  then  in  operation  “a  farce  and  utterly  devoid  of 
vitality.”  At  this  time  the  trustees  of  the  Peabody  Fund  rendered  valu- 
able assistance  to  many  cities,  towns  and  districts  in  maintaining  schools. 
In  1871  an  aggregate  of  $24,900  was  furnished  to  fifty-five  schools;  in 
1872  a similar  amount  was  granted. 

No  organization  has  done  more  to  promote  the  educational  interests 
of  Tennessee  than  the  State  Teachers’  Association,  which  was  organized 
in  July,  1865.  Aside  from  the  various  measures  of  practical  importance 
that  owe  their  projection  to  this  body,  its  meetings  have  awakened  the 


♦Report  of  .J.  B.  Killebrew 


HISTOBY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


437 


public  mind  to  tlie  great  need  of  better  educational  facilities.  To  this 
association  the  present  school  law  owes  its  existence.  At  their  meeting 
in  1872  a committee  was  appointed  to  prepare  a draft  of  a school  law, 
and  present  it  to  the  Legislature  Avitli  a memorial  asking  for  its  adoption. 
In  their  communication  to  the  Legislature  the  committee  said: 

“The  friends  of  popular  education  from  every  part  of  Tennessee 
united  together  under  the  name  of  ‘The  Tennessee  State  Teachers’  Asso- 
ciation’  have  been  laboring  for  years  past,  and  labor  without  money  and 
without  price,  to  procure  the  adoption  of  a system  of  public  free  schools 
to  which  the  sons  of  the  poor  and  the  rich  shall  come  with  feelings  of 
equality  and  independence;  schools  whose  excellence  shall  attract  all  the 
children  of  our  State,  and  which  shall  become  the  objects  of  pride  and 
affection  to  every  one  of  our  citizens.”  “The  system  recommended  by 
the  association  is  one  combining  the  State,  the  county  and  the  district 
systems,  retaining  the  valuable  features  of  all  and  thus  harmonizing  all 
conflicting  ATiews  as  to  different  systems.” 

The  form  of  the  school  law  presented  with  the  memorial  Avas  amended 
in  a few  particulars,  and  finally  passed  both  houses  in  March,  1873. 
This  law  has  since  suffered  but  little  modification.  It  provides  for  the 
appointment  of  a state  superintendent,  county  superintendent  and  dis- 
trict school  directors.  The  state  superintendent  is  nominated  by  the 
governor  and  confirmed  by  the  Senate.  He  is  alloAved  an  annual  salary 
of  $1,995,  and  is  required  to  devote  his  entire  time  and  attention  to  his 
duties.  His  duties  are  to  collect  and  disseminate  information  in  rela- 
tion to  public  schools;  to  make  tours  of  inspection  among  the  public 
schools  throughout  the  State ; to  see  that  the  school  laws  and  regulations 
are  faithfully  executed  ; to  prepare  and  distribute  blanks,  blank  forms  for 
all  returns  required  by  law;  to  appoint  inspectors  of  schools;  to  require 
reports  from  county  superintendents,  or  some  one  appointed  in  his 
place ; to  prescribe  the  mode  of  examining  and  licensing  teachers ; to  re- 
port to  the  comptroller  on  the  1st  of  December  of  each  year  the  schol- 
astic population,  and  to  report  to  the  governor  annually  all  information 
regarding  the  schools. 

The  county  superintendents  are  elected  biennially  by  the  county 
courts  of  each  county,  which  also  fixes  their  salaries.  They  are  required 
to  visit  the  schools,  confer  with  teachers  and  directors,  to  examine  teach- 
ers and  issue  certificates,  to  report  to  the  county  trustee  the  scholastic 
population  of  their  respective  counties,  and  to  report  to  the  state  super- 
intendent Avhenever  required. 

The  law  provides  for  the  election  of  three  directors  for  each  school 
district  for  a term  o£  three  vears,  one  going  out  each  year.  The  election 


438 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


is  held  on  the  first  Thursday  in  August  by  the  sheriff  of  each  county. 
The  directors  are  required  to  explain  and  enforce  the  school  law,  and  for 
this  purpose  to  visit  the  schools  within  the  district  from  time  to  time;  fi> 
employ  teachers  and,  if  necessary,  to  dismiss  them;  to  suspend  or 
dismiss  pupils  when  the  prosperity  of  the  school  makes  it  necessary.: 
to  use  the  school  fund  in  such  manner  as  will  best  promote  the 
interest  of  public  schools  in  their  respective  districts;  to  hold  regu- 
lar meetings  and  call  meetings  of  the  people  of  the  districts  for  consulta- 
tion; to  keep  separate  and  apart  the  schools  for  white  and  colored  chil- 
dren; to  disburse  the  school  funds;  to  take  care  of  the  public  school 
property,  and  to  report  to  county  superintendents. 

The  clerk  and  treasurer  of  the  district,  who  is  elected  from  the  board 
of  directors,  is  required  to  take  the  census  of  all  persons  between  six  and 
eighteen  years  of  age,  in  the  month  of  July,  to  gather  statistics  and  to 
keep  a report  of  proceedings.  He  is  allowed  2 cents  per  capita  for  tak- 
ing the  scholastic  population,  and  that  constitutes  his  compensation  for 
his  year’s  service  as  clerk.  Public  school  officers  and  teachers  are  en- 
joined, under  a penalty  of  not  less  than  $200  nor  more  than  $500  and 
removal,  for  having  any  pecuniary  interest  in  the  sale  of  school  books, 
furniture  or  apparatus,  or  from  acting  as  agent  for  the  sale  of  such,  or 
from  receiving  any  gift  for  their  influence  in  recommending  or  procuring 
the  use  in  the  school  of  any  of  the  articles  mentioned. 

A certificate  of  qualification  is  required  of  every  teacher.  Teachers, 
are  required  to  keep  a daily  register  of  facts  pertaining  to  their  respect- 
ive schools.  Written  contracts  must  be  made  with  teachers,  and  for  like 
services  of  male  and  female  teachers  like  salaries  shall  be  paid.  The 
schools  are  open  to  all  persons  between  the  ages  of  six  and  twenty- 
one  years  residing  within  the  school  district,  and  in  special  cases  those 
residing  in  different  districts,  provided  that  white  and  colored  persons- 
shall  not  be  taught  in  the  same  school.  Orthography,  reading,  writing, 
arithmetic,  grammar,  geography,  elementary  geology  of  Tennessee,  his- 
tory of  the  United  States  and  the  elementary  principles  of  agriculture 
are  the  prescribed  branches,  while  vocal  music  may  also  be  taught.  No. 
other  branches  are  to  be  introduced  except  as  provided  for  by  local  tax- 
ation, or  allowed  by  special  regulations  upon  the  payment  of  such  rates 
of  tuition  as  may  be  prescribed. 

The  district  directors  are  given  power  to  make  contracts  of  consolidation 
with  the  trustees,  teachers  or  other  authorities  of  academies,  seminaries, 
colleges  or  private  schools,  by  which  the  public  schools  may  be  taught 
in  such  institutions,  provided  that  the  branches  of  study  designated  as 
the  studies  of  public  schools  shall  be  taught  free  of  any  charge  in  such 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


439' 


consolidated  schools.  The  permanent  school  fund  of  the  State,  as  recog- 
nized by  the  constitution,  was  declared  to  be  $1,500,000,  to  which  was 
added  the  unpaid  interest  amounting,  January  1,  1873,  to  $1,012,500. 
For  the  entire  amount,  $2,512,500,  a certificate  of  indebtedness  was  is- 
sued, signed  by  the  governor,  under  the  great  seal  of  the  State,  and  de- 
posited with  the  comptroller  of  the  treasury.  Interest  is  paid  on  this 
amount  at  the  rate  of  6 per  cent,  the  payments  being  made  on  the  1st  of 
July  and  the  1st  of  January  each  year.  To  the  permanent  state  fund  is 
added  from  time  to  time  the  proceeds  of  all  escheated  property,  of  all 
property  accruing  to  the  State  by  forfeiture,  of  all  lands  sold  and  bought 
in  for  taxes,  of  the  personal  effects  of  intestates  having  no  kindred  en- 
titled thereto  by  the  laws  of  distribution,  and  donations  made  to  the 
State  for  the  support  of  public  schools,  unless  otherwise  directed  by  the 
donors. 

The  annual  school  fund  is  composed  of  the  annual  proceeds  of  the 
permanent  school  fund,  any  money  that  may  come  into  the  state  treasury 
for  that  purpose  from  any  source  whatever,  the  poll  tax  of  $1  on  every 
male  inhabitant  of  the  State  subject  thereto,  and  a tax  of  1 mill  on  the 
dollar’s  worth  of  property  subject  to  taxation.  This  last  tax,  together 
with  the  poll  tax,  is  paid  over  to  the  county  trustee  in  the  county  where 
collected,  and  distributed  to  each  school  district,  according  to  scholastic 
population.  When  the  money  derived  from  the  school  fund  and  taxes 
imposed  by  the  State  on  the  counties  is  not  sufficient  to  keep  up  a public 
school  for  five  months  in  the  year  in  the  school  districts  in  the  county, 
the  county  court  may  levy  an  additional  tax  sufficient  for  this  purpose,  or 
submit  the  proposition  to  a vote  of  the  people ; and  a tax  to  prolong  the 
schools  beyond  the  five  months  may  also  be  levied.  This  tax  must  be 
levied  on  all  property,  polls  and  privileges  liable  to  taxation,  but  shall 
not  exceed  the  entire  State  tax.  Taxes  so  levied  by  the  county  are  col- 
lected in  the  same  manner  as  other  county  taxes,  and  paid  over  to  the 
county  trustee  for  distribution.  The  State  treasurer  and  county  trustee 
are  required  to  keep  the  school  moneys  separate  from  State  and  county 
funds.  All  school  moneys  in  the  treasury  on  the  first  Monday  in  October 
and  April  of  every  year,  are  apportioned  by  the  comptroller  among  the 
several  counties  according  to  the  population.  The  warrant  for  the  amount 
due  each  county  is  drawn  in  the  favor  of  the  county  trustee.  The  money 
received  by  him  he  is  required  to  report  immediately  to  the  county 
superintendent  and  to  the  directors  of  each  school  district. 

The  law  further  provides  for  schools  in  incorporated  cities  and  towns, 
the  boards  of  mayor  and  aldermen  of  which  are  authorized  to  levy  and 
collect  an  additional  tax  to  that  imposed  by  the  general  provisions  of  the 


440 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


school  law,  upon  all  taxable  polls,  privileges  and  property  within  the  cor- 
porate limits.  Where  such  schools  are  established  authority  is  given  for 
the  appointment  of  a board  of  education.  The  law  also  requires  the 
governor  to  appoint  a State  Board  of  Education  consisting  of  six  mem- 
bers, holding  their  office  for  a term  of  six  years,  two  retiring  each  year. 
The  governor  is  ex  officio  president  of  the  board.  The  principal  duty  of 
this  board  is  to  provide  for  and  manage  the  State  Normal  School. 

The  law  went  into  effect  immediately  after  its  passage,  and  extraordin- ' 
ary  efforts  for  the  multiplication  and  elevation  of  the  public  schools 
were  made  during  the  succeeding  year.  John  M.  Fleming  was  appointed 
superintendent  of  public  instruction,  and  made  his  first  report  in  Decem- 
ber, 1874.  From  this  report  it  is  found  that  in  1873  there  were  thirty- 
six  counties  which  levied  no  property  tax,  and  thirty-two  which  levied  no 
poll  tax.  The  remaining  counties  levied  a poll  tax  of  from  5 cents  to  $1, 
and  property  tax  from  2-|  to  30  cents.  Sixty-five  counties  levied  no  privi- 
lege tax.  The  tax  levies  for  1874  were  about  the  same  as  for  the  year 
before.  The  total  amount  of  school  money  received  by  the  counties  for 
the  year  ending  August  31,  1874,  was  $998,459.10,  of  which  $265,951.53 
was  from  the  State,  $522,453.17  from  the  counties,  $112,636.17  from  dis- 
tricts, and  $97,418.23  from  other  sources.  During  the  same  time  $34,- 
300  was  received  from  the  Peabody  Fund,  and  distributed  among  sixty- 
two  schools.  The  scholastic  population  in  1874  numbered  420,384,  of 
which  103,856  were  colored.  The  number  of  white  teachers  employed 
was  4,630,  colored  921.*  The  average  number  of  months  taught  during 
the  year  for  the  State  was  3.85.  The  average  pay  of  teachers  per  month 
was  $33.03. 

Thus  a State  school  system  was  once  more  inaugurated,  and  this  time 
with  better  prospects  of  success,  yet  many  difficulties  and  considerable 
opposition  were  yet  to  be  overcome.  The  financial  distress  of  the  State 
rendered  retrenchment  in  the  State  expenditures  a necessity,  and  many 
persons  friendly  to  the  cause  of  popular  education,  in  their  desire  to 
extricate  the  State  from  her  difficulties  favored  the  reduction  of  the 
appropriation  for  schools.  In  1877  the  Legislature  went  so  far  as  to 
pass  an  act  abolishing  the  office  of  county  superintendent  and  practi- 
cally abolished  that  of  the  state  superintendent  also.  This  false  step 
was  arrested  only  by  the  governor’s  veto. 

The  superintendent’s  report  for  the  year  ending  August  31,  1880, 
shows  a marked  improvement  not  only  in  the  number  of  schools,  but  also 
in  the  character  of  the  instruction  afforded.  The  scholastic  population 
at  that  time  numbered  544,862,  of  whom  290,141  were  enrolled  in  the 


*Marion  County  not  reporting. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


441 


public  schools,  and  41,068  in  private  schools.  The  number  of  teachers 
employed  was  white,  3,506,  and  colored  1,247.  The  aggregate  receipts 
from  all  sources  for  school  purposes  amounted  to  $930,734.33.  Out  of 
the  ninety-four  counties  in  the  State  only  ten  failed  to  levy  a school  tax. 

The  census  reports  of  1880  present  conclusive  evidence  of  increased 
efficiency  in  the  schools  of  the  State.  During  the  preceding  decade  the 
increase  in  the  number  of  white  illiterates  was  only  eleven  and  four- 
tenths  per  cent,  while  the  increase  in  white  population  was  twenty-one 
and  seven-tenths  per  cent.  This  in  contrast  with  the  report  of  1870  is 
a gratifying  improvement.  The  following  statistics  for  the  year  ending 
August  31,  1885,  afford  still  further  proof  that  the  public  schools 
throughout  the  State  are  steadily  advancing.  The  scholastic  population 
numbered  609,028,  of  whom  156,143  were  colored;  7,214  teachers 
taught  in  6,605  schools,  with  an  aggregate  enrollment  of  373,877,  and 
an  average  daily  attendance  of  150,502  white,  and  41,901  colored  pupils. 
Total  amount  of  school  money  received,  including  the  balance  on  hand 
at  the  beginning  of  the  year,  was  $1,308,839.17.  The  number  of  school- 
houses  in  the  State  was  5,066,  of  which  289  were  erected  during  the 
year.  A great  improvement  in  the  character  of  the  houses  is  noticed. 
While  ten  years  before  a large  part  of  the  houses  built  were  logs,  out  of 
289  built  in  1880  only  fifty-nine  were  of  that  kind.  The  estimated  value 
of  school  property  at  that  time  was  $1,375,780.86.  The  following  table 
shows  the  average  number  of  days  in  which  the  schools  were  in  session 
for  each  year  since  the  establishment  of  the  present  system: 


1874  77  1880. 

1875  67  1881. 

1876  71.9  1883. 

1877  70  1883. 

1878  77  1884. 

1879  69  1885. 


.68 

.86 

.73 

.78 

.78 

.80 


For  the  past  three  years  the  office  of  superintendent  of  public  in- 
struction has  been  filled  with  marked  ability  by  Thomas  H.  Paine,  who 
is  doing  much  to  sustain  and  advance  the  educational  interests  of  the 
State.  Although  the  condition  of  the  public  schools  is  not  entirely  sat- 
isfactory, the  progress  that  has  been  made  during  the  past  ten  years  has 
assured  their  permanency.  Heretofore  one  of  the  greatest  impediments 
to  efficient  schools  has  been  the  lack  of  competent  teachers,  but  this  ob- 
stacle is  gradually  being  removed.  The  normal  schools  are  annually 
sending  out  increased  numbers  of  trained  teachers,  while  institutes  and 
associations  are  doing  much  to  improve  those  already  in  the  work.  It 
can  hardly  be  expected,  however,  that  the  best  results  will  be  attained 
until  the  school  revenue  is  in  some  way  sufficiently  increased  to  furnish 


442 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


the  youth  of  the  State  an  average  of  more  than  seventy-five  days  of 
school  in  a year.  During  the  winter  of  1884-85  an  educational  exhibit 
was  made  at  the  World’s  Industrial  and  Cotton  Centennial  Exposition  at 
New  Orleans.  This  department  was  placed  under  the  direction  of  Prof. 
Frank  Goodman,  of  Nashville,  who  by  energy  and  persistency  succeeded 
in  presenting  an  exhibit  which  did  not  suffer  in  comparison  with  any 
other  State.  All  the  leading  colleges,  seminaries  and  high  schools  in 
the  State  were  represented. 

In  the  early  part  of  this  chapter  the  history  of  Cumberland  College 
was  traced  to  the  election  of  Dr.  Priestly  as  president  of  the  board  of 
trustees  in  1810.  The  exercises  of  the  institution  were  conducted  by 
him  until  1816,  when  they  were  suspended  and  so  continued  until  his  re- 
election  for  a second  term  in  1820.  The  college  was  then  re-opened,  but 
was  soon  compelled  to  suspend  again  on  account  of  the  death  of  Dr. 
Priestly,  which  occurred  in  February,  1821.  The  institution  then  re- 
mained closed  until  the  autumn  of  1824,  when  Dr.  Phillip  Lindsley,  who 
had  just  refused  the  presidency  of  Princeton  College,  was  prevailed  up- 
on to  take  charge  of  it.  At  that  time,  of  the  240  acres  originally  granted 
to  the  college,  only  about  six  remained.  This  formed  the  old  college 
campus  and  included  the  site  of  the  present  medical  college.  In  1825 
a farm  of  120  acres  near  the  college  was  purchased  at  $60  per  acre.  Por- 
tions of  this  land  were  soon  after  sold  for  about  $17,000,  leaving  thirty 
acres.  Dr.  Lindsley  reorganized  the  institution,  and  it  was  opened  for 
the  winter  session  of  1824-25  with  thirty-five  students.  It  was  his  aim 
and  desire  to  make  Nashville  the  great  educational  center  of  the  South- 
west. He  planned  the  building  of  a university  to  consist  of  several 
colleges,  like  those  of  Oxford  and  Cambridge.  Accordingly  on  November 
27, 1826,  the  Legislature  passed  an  act  to  incorporate  the  trustees  and  offi- 
cers of  Cumberland  College  under  the  name  of  the  University  of  Nash- 
ville. The  following  is  the  preamble  to  the  act: 

Whereas,  it  is  represented  to  be  the  wish  of  the  trustees  of  Cumberland  College  to 
erect  several  additional  halls  and  colleges  besides  that  heretofore  known  and  still  to  be 
known  by  the  name  of  Cumberland  College  on  their  grounds  near  Nashville,  and  to  estab- 
lish additional  schools  thereon,  and  by  a union  of  the  whole  to  build  up  a university  and 
thereby  to  enlarge  their  sphere  of  operations  and  increase  their  means  of  usefulness. 

This  change,  however,  proved  to  be  only  in  name,  as  the  university 
continued  with  the  same  departments  and  under  the  same  organization 
as  the  college.  The  number  of  students  gradually  increased  until  the 
summer  of  1836,  when  the  attendance  reached  126.  From  that  time 
until  1850,  when  the  institution  was  suspended,  the  attendance  decreased. 
This  was  owing  in  a great  measure  to  the  large  number  of  similar  insti- 
tutions which  had  been  established  in  the  State.  In  an  address  delivered 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE.  443 

in  1847,  Dr.  Linclsley  says:  “When  this  college  was  revived  and  reor- 
ganized at  the  close  of  1824,  there  were  no  similar  institutions  in  actual 
operation  within  200  miles  of  Nashville.  There  were  none  in  Alabama, 
Mississippi,  Louisiana,  Arkansas,  Middle  or  West  Tennessee.  There  are 
now  some  thirty  or  more  within  that  distance,  and  nine  within  fifty 
miles  of  our  city.” 

A report  on  the  university  made  in  1850  by  a committee  consisting 
of  L.  P.  Cheatham,  F.  B.  Fogg,  E.  H.  Ewing,  John  M.  Bass  and  R.  J. 
Meigs,  lias  the  following  concerning  the  attendance:  “During  the  whole 
of  this  time  (1824-50)  the  number  of  students  has  been  larger  than  that 
of  any  other  institution  in  Tennessee,  when  the  following  facts  are  taken 
into  consideration.  There  is  no  preparatory  school  attached  to  the  uni- 
versity, and  the  students  have  usually  been  members  of  the  college 
classes  proper.  Most  students  when  they  come  to  enter  the  University 
of  Nashville,  come  to  enter  the  junior  class,  and  usually  two-thirds  of  the 
whole  number  of  students  are  members  of  the  junior  and  senior  classes.” 

The  whole  number  of  regular  graduates  with  the  degree  of  Bachelor 
of  Arts  from  1813  to  1824  were  18;  from  1824  to  1850,  414.  The  total 
number  of  students  matriculated  in  the  regular  college  classes  during  the 
latter  period  was  1,059. 

Dr.  Lindsley  was  a thorough  scholar,  and  under  his  management  the 
college  maintained  a high  standard.  “Under  its  influence  grew  up  a 
cultivated,  liberal  community;  through  its  influence  and  by  the  efforts 
of  the  young  men  sent  forth  to  engage  in  and  to  encourage  education, 
sprang  up  twenty  colleges  within  fifty  miles  of  Nashville,  to  divide,  dis- 
tract and  compete  with  the  university,  and  at  the  same  time  to  accom- 
plish much  good.  It  was  the  inevitable  conflict  of  localities  which  had 
to  demonstrate  that  every  village  cannot  be  a seat  of  learning.  It  pre- 
pared the  soil  in  which  great  institutions  take  deep  root  and  flourish — 
the  soil  which  has  developed  the  public  school  system  and  attracted 
hither  Vanderbilt  University,  the  Normal  School,  and  brought  here  the 
Fisk,  Tennessee  Central  and  Baptist  Noi-mal  and  Theological  Colleges  to 
engage  in  the  great  work  of  the  elevation  of  the  African  race  of 
America.”* 

The  university  exercises  were  suspended  in  1850,  the  old  college 
building  being  transferred  to  the  medical  department,  which  was  then 
organized.  For  several  years  previous  the  organization  of  a medical 
department  of  the  university  had  been  under  contemplation.  So  early 
as  1843  a committee  of  the  board  of  trustees  reported  it  advisable  to 
at  once  establish  a medical  school.  The  subject  continued  to  be  agitated 


*H.  M.  Doak. 


444 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


by  medical  men,  but  nothing  definite  was  accomplished  until  the  latter 
part  of  1850,  when  an  address  was  presented  to  the  trustees  of  the  uni- 
versity by  prominent  physicians  of  Nashville  asking  privilege  to  establish 
a medical  department  with  entire  independence  of  management.  This 
was  granted.  The  board  then  elected  the  following  corps  of  instructors: 
John  M.  Watson,  M.  D.,  obstetrics  and  diseases  of  women  and  children; 
A.  H.  Buchanan,  M.  1).,  surgery;  W.  K.  Bowling,  M.  D.,  institutes  and 
practice  of  medicine;  0.  K.  Winston,  M.  D.,  materia  medica  and  phar- 
macy; Robert  M.  Porter,  M.  D.,  anatomy  and  physiology;  J.  Berrien 
Lindsley,  M.  D.,  chemistry  and  pharmacy.  Winston  was  chosen  presi- 
dent of  the  faculty,  and  Lindsley,  dean.  A lease  of  the  university  build- 
ing was  made  for  a term  of  twenty-two  years,  which  has  since  been  twice 
extended,  the  last  time  in  1875,  making  the  lease  expire  in  October, 
1905. 

The  first  class,  numbering  thirty-three,  was  graduated  in  February, 
1852.  The  institution  immediately  took  rank  with  the  first  medical  schools 
in  the  United  States,  both  as  to  the  excellence  of  its  training,  and  the 
number  of  students.  In  1857  there  were  137  graduates,  and  in  1861, 
141.  Its  alumni  in  1880  numbered  2,200.  In  1874  the  Vanderbilt 
University  adopted  the  faculty  of  the  medical  department  of  Nashville 
University  with  the  agreement  that  students  matriculating  in  the  former 
institution  shall  be  graduated  under  its  auspices,  and  receive  its  diploma, 
while  the  matriculates  of  the  latter  shall  be  graduated  as  before. 

In  1853-54  a portion  of  the  land  still  remaining  was  sold  and  new 
buildings  were  erected  a short  distance  from  the  old  college.  In  the  fall 
of  the  latter  year  the  literary  department  was  re-opened  with  an  attend- 
ance of  forty  pupils,  and  three  graduates  at  the  end  of  the  year.  In  1855 
it  was  united  with  the  Western  Military  Institute,  of  which  Gen.  Bushrod 
R.  Johnson  was  superintendent.  It  was  conducted  on  the  military  plan 
until  the  breaking  out  of  the  civil  war,  when  the  buildings  were  used  as 
a hospital. 

After  the  close  of  the  war  the  trustees  of  the  university  located  the 
Montgomery  Bell  Academy  in  the  buildings  of  the  literary  department 
of  the  university.  This  school  was  founded  by  the  bequest  of  Montgom- 
ery Bell,  a prominent  iron  manufacturer,  who  left  $20,000  for  that  pur- 
pose. “ By  the  will  of  the  founder,  gratuitous  instruction  is  given  to 
twenty-five  boys,  not  less  than  ten  nor  more  than  fourteen  years  of  age, 
‘who  are  unable  to  support  and  educate  themselves,  and  whose  parents 
are  unable  to  do  so,’  from  the  counties  of  Davidson,  Dickson,  Montgomery 
and  Williamson,  Tennessee.”  The  academy  continued  to  occupy  a portion 
of  the  university  building  until  1881,  when  a separate  building  was 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


445 


erected  for  it,  to  make  room  for  tlie  increasing  attendance  of  the  normal 
college. 

This  latter  institution  was  the  re-liabilitation  in  a more  vital  form  of 
the  literary  and  scientific  departments  of  the  university,  giving  them  a 
larger  and  more  comprehensive  sphere  in  the  direction  of  popular  educa- 
tion in  the  South.  Its  establishment  was  accomplished  through  the  aid 
granted  by  the  trustees  of  the  Peabody  Fund,  whose  aim  it  had  been  from 
the  first  to  assist  the  cause  of  education  in  the  South  by  providing 
trained  teachers  rather  than  by  direct  support  of  schools.  It  was  there- 
fore determined  to  establish  one  or  more  thoroughly  equipped  normal 
colleges.  In  1867  Dr.  Lewis  proposed  to  give  $2,000  to  aid  a normal 
school  in  Tennessee,  if  one  should  be  established.  For  various  reasons 
this  could  not  then  be  accomplished,  but  $800  and  $1,000  was  granted  to 
Fisk  University  and  the  Lookout  Mountain  school,  respectively,  both  of 
which  organized  normal  departments. 

In  1873  a bill  for  the  establishment  of  a State  normal  school  was 
presented  to  the  Legislature,  and  passed  three  readings  in  the  Senate  and 
two  in  the  House,  but  was  defeated  for  want  of  time  at  the  close  of  the 
session.  This  bill  made  provision  for  supplementing  $6,000  annually 
from  the  Peabody  Fund  by  an  appopriation  of  an  equal  amount  from  the 
treasury  of  the  State.  At  the  nest  session  of  the  General  Assembly  a 
similar  bill  was  introduced,  but  it  failed  in  the  Senate.  A bill  without  an 
appropriation  clause  was  then  prepared ; this  became  a law  in  March,  1875. 
It  merely  provided  for  the  appointment  of  a State  board  of  education 
with  authority  to  establish  a normal  school  or  schools,  but  without  any 
means  of  accomplishing  it.  The  University  of  Nashville,  however, 
promptly  tendered  to  the  board  its  buildings,  grounds  and  funds,  with 
the  exception  of  those  appropriated  to  the  medical  college;  which  propo- 
sition the  trustees  of  the  Peabody  Fund  supplemented  by  an  offer  of 
$6,000  a year  for  two  years.  These  offers  were  accepted. 

With  a temporary  fund  of  $1,200  thus  secured  the  normal  college  was 
formally  opened  by  the  State  board  of  education  at  the  capital  Decem- 
ber 1,  1875,  with  Eben  S.  Stearns,  LL.D.,  as  president,  assisted  by  a 
corps  of  teachers  of  the  highest  qualification.  Although  the  school 
opened  late  in  the  season  and  the  project  was  wholly  new  to  most  of  the 
people,  no  less  than  fifteen  candidates  presented  themselves  for  examina- 
tion, and  before  the  first  term  of  ten  weeks  had  closed  forty-seven  had 
been  admitted.  At  the  end  of  the  school  year  the  number  had  increased 
to  sixty.  It  continued  to  grow  in  popularity  and  flourished  beyond  ex- 
pectation. The  State,  however,  failed  to  make  any  appropriation  for  its 
support. 


23 


446 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


In  liis  report  in  1879  Dr.  Sears  says  of  the  institution:  “ The 

funds  on  which  we  relied  for  its  support  from  the  State,  and  in  part,  also, 
from  the  university,  have  failed  us.  Besides,  as  a part  of  the  college 
building  is  still  occupied  by  the  Montgomery  Bell  Academy,  which  is  in 
charge  of  the  university  trustees,  the  normal  college  has  already  out- 
grown its  narrow  accommodations,  and  its  numbers  are  rapidly  increasing. 
Representations  of  our  necessities  were  made  during  a visit  of  three 
weeks  last  year,  both  to  the  same  board  of  education  and  to  the  trustees 
of  the  university,  neither  of  which  felt  authorized  to  give  any  hope  of 
relief.  Since  that  time  the  Legislature  has  met  and  declined  to  make 
any  appropriation.  It  has,  therefore,  become  a serious  question  whether 
some  change,  possibly  involving  a removal,  shall  not  be  made,  to  secure 
ample  accommodations  and  better  support  for  the  future.” 

The  State  of  Georgia  was  desirous  of  securing  the  normal  college,  and 
made  liberal  offers  to  the  trustees  of  the  Peabody  Fund.  Arrangements 
for  the  transfer  of  the  institution  had  been  nearly  completed,  when  the 
trustees  of  the  University  of  Nashville  made  the  following  proposition: 
To  remove  the  Montgomery  Bell  Academy  and  turn  over  the  buildings 
occupied  by  it  to  the  normal  school;  to  appropriate  $10,000,  to  be  raised 
by  mortgage  on  the  property,  or  otherwise,  and  to  be  expended  in  im- 
provements or  the  purchase  of  apparatus;  and  to  appropriate  the  interest 
on  $50,000  of  Tennessee  bonds  held  by  the  university,  provided  enough 
be  reserved  to  pay  the  interest  on  the  $10,000  borrowed.  The  citizens 
of  Nashville  also  raised  by  subscription  a fund  of  $4,000  as  a guarantee 
that  the  Legislature  of  1881  should  make  an  appropriation  for  the  benefit 
of  the  college.  These  efforts  prevented  the  removal  of  the  institution 
and  secured  its  permanent  location  at  Nashville. 

On  April  6,  1881,  $10,000  was  appropriated  for  its  support  by  the 
General  Assembly.  It  was  provided  that  one  pupil  for  each  senatorial 
district  in  the  State  should  be  admitted  upon  proper  recommendation, 
and  that  such  pupil  shall  receive  at  least  $100  per  annum  for  two  years 
out  of  the  funds  of  the  school;  $2,500  was  at  the  same  time  appropri- 
ated for  scholarships  for  colored  students.  Two  years  later  this  amount 
was  increased  to  $3,300,  and  that  part  of  the  former  act  requiring  a 
portion  of  the  annual  appropriation  to  be  used  in  paying  scholarships 
was  repealed.  The  colored  students  are  educated  in  the  normal  depart- 
ments of  Fisk  University,  Roger  Williams  University,  Knoxville  College 
and  the  Central  Tennessee  College.  The  normal  school  is  now  known  as 
the  Tennessee  State  Normal  College  of  the  University  of  Nashville,  the 
chancellor  of  the  university  being  the  president  of  the  college.  The 
college  buildings,  situated  in  the  center  of  the  campus  sixteen  acres 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


447 


in  extent,  are  among  the  finest  and  best  appointed  in  the  South.  The 
college  proper  is  a stone  structure,  having  a center  building  and  two 
wings  about  225  feet  front  and  110  feet  depth  in  the  center,  and  60  feet 
depth  in  each  of  the  wings.  The  building  is  two  stories  high.  An  ele- 
gant chancellor’s  residence  was  added  a few  years  ago. 

Since  its  organization  the  institution  has  been  under  the  direction 
© 

of  Dr.  Stearns,  who  has  conducted  it  with  signal  ability,  and  has  retained 
the  implicit  confidence  of  all  interested  in  its  success.  The  following  is 
the  present  faculty:  Eben  S.  Stearns,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  president;  Julia  A, 
Sears,  L.I. ; Lizzie  Bloomstein,  L.I. ; Benjamin  B.  Penfield,  A.M. ; Mary 
L.  Cook,  L.I.,  B.  A. ; Julia  A.  Doak,  John  L.  Lampson,  A.  M. ; William 
C.  Day,  Ph.  D. ; John  E.  Bailey,  teacher  of  vocal  music;  Mary  E.W. 
Jones,  lady  director  of  gymnasium;  George  H.  Hammersley,  gentleman 
director  of  gymnasium;  Hon.  William  B.  Reese,  lecturer  on  common  and 
civil  law;  Julia  A.  Sears,  librarian. 

The  first  State  board  of  education  consisted  of  Gov.  Porter,  ex  officio 
president;  J.  B.  Lindsley,  secretary:  Edwin  H.  Ewing,  Samuel  Watson, 
R.  W.  Mitchell,  L.  G.  Tarbox  and  J.  J.  Reese.  The  present  board  is  as 
follows:  Gov.  William  B.  Bate,  ex  officio  president;  Dr.  J.  Berrien 

Lindsley,  secretary  and  treasurer;  Hon.  W.  P.  Jones,  M.  D.,  Supt.  F.  M. 
Smith,  Prof.  Frank  Goodman,  Hon.  Leon  Trousdale,  Hon.  Thomas  H. 
Paine. 

The  establishment  of  East  Tennessee  College*  in  the  place  of  Blount 
College  has  already  been  noticed.  The  trustees  of  the  new  institution 
met  in  1808  and  organized,  retaining  Carrick  as  president.  His  term  of 
service,  however,  was  short,  as  he  died  the  following  year.  No  immediate 
steps  were  taken  to  supply  his  place,  nor  was  anything  done  toward  the 
erection  of  a new  college  building,  from  the  fact,  doubtless,  that  the 
trustees  had  no  available  funds  and  that  there  was  no  immediate  prospect 
of  realizing  a revenue  from  the  land  grants.  Lotteries  were  popular 
institutions  in  Tennessee  at  that  time,  and  the  Legislature  of  1810  author- 
ized a lottery  scheme  for  the  benefit  of  East  Tennessee  College,  appoint- 
ing Hugh  L.  White,  Thomas  McCorry,  James  Campbell,  Robert  Craig- 
head and  John  N.  Gamble  trustees  for  the  purpose.  The  trustees  put 
forth  an  advertisement  in  which  they  “flatter  themselves  that  the 
scheme  will  be  satisfactory  to  all  who  wish  to  become  adventurer  sSvitli 
a view  to  better  their  circumstances.  When  the  object  to  be  attained 
by  the  lottery  is  considered,  it  is  believed  every  individual  will  be  anxious 
to  become  an  adventurer.  It  is  not  designed  to  retrieve  a shattered 
fortune,  nor  to  convert  into  cash  at  an  extravagant  price  property  that  is 

‘Condensed  from  the  historical  sketch  by  Col.  Moses  White. 


448 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


of  no  use,  but  it  is  intended  to  aid  the  funds  of  a seminary  of  education, 
where  youth  of  the  present  and  succeeding  generations  may  have  their 
minds  prepared  in  such  a manner  as  to  make  them  ornaments  to  their 
families  and  useful  to  their  country  as  will  enable  them  to  understand 
their  rights  as  citizens,  and  duties  as  servants  of  the  people.” 

This  scheme  proved  a failure.  A sufficient  number  of  tickets  were 
not  sold,  and . no  drawing  occurred.  Meanwhile,  Hampden  Sidney 
Academy  had  been  established  for  Knox  County,  and  its  trustees,  by 
private  subscription,  had  succeeded  in  raising  sufficient  funds  to  justify 
'effecting  an  organization.  However,  it  was  not  until  January  1,  1817, 
that  the  academy  opened  its  doors  for  the  reception  of  pupils.  In  Octo- 
ber, 1820,  the  trustees  of  East  Tennessee  College  decided  to  put  that 
institution  into  operation  again,  and  an  agreement  was  entered  into 
whereby  the  academy  and  college  were  united,  D.  A.  Sherman,  the 
principal  of  the  academy,  becoming  president  of  the  college.  He  was  a 
.graduate  of  Yale,  of  the  class  of  1802,  and  for  several  years  afterward  a 
tutor  in  that  institution.  During  his  presidency  of  the  college,  he  was 
assisted  by  Daniel  E.  Watrous,  James  McBatli  and  David  S.  Hart,  the 
last  named,  the  first  graduate  of  East  Tennessee  College,  taking  his  de- 
gree in  1821.  Mr.  Sherman,  on  account  of  failing  health,  withdrew  from 
the  college  in  1825,  and  Samuel  R.  Rodgers  and  James  McBatli  contin- 
ued the  exercises  as  tutors  in  charge  for  one  year. 

In  1826  the  trustees,  having  obtained  permission  to  select  another 
and  more  eligible  site  than  the  Poplar  Spring,  purchased  of  Pleasant 
M.  Miller,  for  the  sum  of  $600,  Barbara  Hill,  so  named,  in  honor  of 
Barbara  Blount,  the  daughter  of  William  Blount,  They  proceeded  to 
erect  the  center  college  building  and  three  one-story  dormitories  back  of 
the  college,  so  arranged  as  to  make  a square  of  the  campus.  The  trus- 
tees then  succeeded  in  securing  as  president  the  Rev.  Charles  Coffin,  of 
Greeneville  College,  a man  of  great  worth  and  elegant  classical  attainments. 
About  this  time  considerable  popular  opposition  toward  colleges  was 
manifested,  and  those  institutions  suffered  accordingly.  Dr.  Coffin,  how- 
ever, prosecuted  his  labors  for  several  years  in  the  face  of  the  greatest 
difficulties  and  embarrassments,  with  unremitting  energy  and  assiduity,  but 
popular  prejudice  increased.  In  1832,  worn  down  with  excessive  labor 
and  anxious  care,  he  was  compelled  to  resign  the  presidency,  and  the  next 
year  was  succeeded  by  James  H.  Piper,  of  Virginia,  an  cdumnus  of  the 
college  of  the  class  of  1830.  At  the  end  of  one  year  he  resigned  the  presi- 
dency in  despair.  It  is  said  that  he  was  the  ambitious  youth  who  aspired 
to  carve  his  name  above  that  of  the  father  of  his  country,  on  the 
natural  bridge. 


HISTOBY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


449 


He  was  immediately  succeeded  by  Joseph  Estabrook,  a graduate  of 
Dartmouth.  He  at  once  secured  a corps  of  able  assistants,  and  soon  suc- 
ceeded in  raising  the  college  from  almost  total  prostration  to  a respecta- 
ble rank  among  the  educational  institutions  of  the  country.  In  1837 
the  college  was  organized  into  regular  classes,  and  the  first  catalogue  was 
published.  By  an  act  of  the  Legislature  in  1840,  the  name  of  East  Ten- 
nessee College  was  changed  to  that  of  East  Tennessee  University,  and 
greater  power  and  more  extended  privileges  were  granted.  Soon  after 
the  sale  of  a part  of  the  land  belonging  to  the  institution  enabled  the. 
trustees  to  make  some  important  and  long  needed  improvements.  They 
contracted  with  Thomas  Crutchfield,  Esq.,  of  Athens,  who  had  built  the 
main  edifice,  to  erect  the  . two  three-story  dormitories,  and  the  two  houses 
and  appurtenances  on  the  right  and  left  slopes,  oi'iginally  intended  to  be 
used  as  dwellings  by  the  professors,  but  which  an  increasing  demand  for 
room  lias  required  to  be  appropriated  to  other  purposes.  The  final  set- 
tlement of  the  commissioners,  James  H.  Cowan  and  Drury  P.  Armstrong, 
with  the  contractor,  July,  1848,  exhibits  as  the  total  cost  of  the  improve- 
ment the  sum  of  $20,965.18. 

At  this  time  the  college  was  just  entering  upon  a decline,  which  was 
hastened  by  the  resignation  of  President  Estabrook,  in  1850.  This  de- 
cline was  due  to  the  same  causes  that  compelled  the  suspension  of  the 
University  of  Nashville — the  multiplication  of  colleges  and  denom- 
inational schools  throughout  Tennessee  and  the  entire  South.  The 
trustees,  appreciating  the  necessity,  called  into  requisition  the  great  name 
and  extensive  personal  popularity  of  the  Hon.  W.  B.  Keese,  who  had  a 
short  time  before  resigned  his  seat  upon  the  supreme  bench.  Judge 
Reese  assumed  the  presidency  in  the  fall  of  1850,  but  even  his  great 
learning,  industry,  and  influence  were  not  sufficient  to  stay  the  decline; 
and  after  having  graduated  an  even  dozen  students,  he  resigned  at  the 
end  of  the  third  year  of  his  presidency.  The  trustees  experienced  con- 
siderable difficulty  in  securing  a satisfactory  successor.  Rev.  George 
Cook  was  finally  elected  and  accepted.  He  Avas  a native  of  NeAv  Hamp- 
shire, a graduate  of  Dartmouth,  and  had  been  for  several  years  the  prin- 
cipal of  a flourishing  female  seminary  in  Knoxville.  As  a majority  of 
the  professors  had  resigned  with  the  president,  the  vacancies  had  to  be 
filled,  and  the  formal  opening  of  the  university  Avas  postponed  from  the 
fall  of  1853  until  the  beginning  of  the  summer  session  of  1854.  The 
cholera  prevailed  with  considerable  violence  and  fatality  in  Knoxville  in 
the  folloAving  September,  and  the  fear  of  its  recurrence  deterred  the  stu- 
dents from  returning  at  the  opening  of  the  Avinter  session. 

An  attempt  Avas  then  made  to  organize  a medical  department,  but  a 


450 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


sufficient  number  of  competent  physicians  could  not  be  obtained  to  fill 
the  chairs.  After  this  failure  an  agreement  was  entered  into  with  the 
Western  Military  Institute  to  consolidate  that  institution  with  the  uni- 
versity, but  Nashville  offered  greater  inducements,  and  it  went  there. 
President  Cook  next  recommended  the  establishment  of  an  agricultural 
department,  but  before  the  result  of  his  last  proposition  was  learned,  he 
resigned  in  despair  in  1857.  During  the  following  year  the  exercises  of 
the  university  were  suspended,  and  another  unsuccessful  attempt  was 
made  to  establish  a medical  department. 

On  the  20th  of  March,  1858,  the  head  of  Burritt  College,  Van  Buren 
County,  Tenn.,  was  elected,  president  of  the  university,  and  under  his 
charge -the  university  was  formally  reopened  in  September  following. 
At  the  close  of  his  second  year  he  resigned,  and  the  vacancy  thus  caused 
was  filled  by  the  election  of  Rev.  J.  J.  Ridley,  of  Clarksville.  Owing  to 
the  untiring  efforts  of  the  retiring  president  the  next  session  opened  with 
a largely  increased  attendance.  The  first  important  action  taken  by  the 
new  president  was  to  secure  the  adoption  of  a resolution  extending  gra- 
tuitous education  to  candidates  for  the  ministry  of  all  religious  denom- 
inations. 

A military  department  was  again  organized  and  rigid  discipline 
adopted  in  the  management  of  the  university.  But  just  as  the  institu- 
tion was  again  in  successful  operation  the  civil  war  came  on.  Students 
enlisted  and  instructors  resigned.  In  a short  time  general  demoraliza- 
tion pervaded  the  whole  institution.  A portion  of  the  university  build- 
ings was  soon  demanded  by  the  military.  On  February  7,  1862,  the 
president  unconditionally  resigned.  The  buildings  and  grounds  were 
used  by  the  Confederates  and  Federals  in  turn ; and  after  the  close  of  the 
war  the  United  States  Government  paid  to  the  trustees,  in  the  way  of 
rents  and  damages,  the  sum  of  815,000. 

July  10,  1865,  the  board  of  trustees,  as  a preparatory  step  toward 
reorganizing  the  university  and  resuming  exercises  therein,  unanimously 
elected  the  Rev.  Thomas  Humes  president,  who  at  once  addressed  him- 
self to  the  task  before  him.  The  university  buildings,  in  consequence  of 
their  having  been  occupied  for  several  years  by  the  army,  were  not  in  a 
condition  to  be  used  for  college  purposes.  Without  waiting  for  the  nec- 
essary repairs  to  be  made,  in  the  spring  of  1866  President  Humes 
resumed  exercises  in  the  buildings  of  the  Deaf  and  Dumb  Asylum.  In 
September,  1867,  the  work  of  instruction  was  resumed  in  the  college 
buildings. 

In  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  an  act  of  Congress,  approved 
July  2,  1862,  making  endowments  for  industrial  colleges  to  the  several 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


451 


States,  tlie  Legislature  of  the  State  in  January,  1869,  appropriated, 
upon  certain  conditions,  the  agricultural  fund  to  East  Tennessee  Univer- 
sity. In  June,  1869,  the  trustees  organized  the  Tennessee  Industrial 
College,  and  in  September  of  the  same  year  it  went  into  operation.  Its 
endowment  from  the  United  States  was  invested  in  396  State  of  Tennes- 
see bonds  of  |1,000  each,  bearing  6 per  cent  interest,  the  payment  of 
which  for  several  years  was  much  delayed.  Notwithstanding  this  serious 
obstacle,  the  success  of  the  institution  was  very  gratifying.  A fine  farm 
situated  about  three-fourths  of  a mile  fi’om  the  university  was  purchased 
for  its  use;  new  buildings  were  erected,  and  an  excellent  chemical  labor- 
atory was  provided  and  equipped.  In  1879  the  name  of  East  Tennessee 
University  was  changed,  by  an  act  of  the  Legislature,  to  the  University 
of  Tennessee.  At  the  same  time  the  governor  was  authorized  to  appoint 
a board  of  visitors  to  the  university,  three  from  each  grand  division  of 
the  State,  and  other  legislation  connecting  the  university  intimately  with 
the  public  school  system  of  the  State.  Since  that  time  a full  university 
organization  has  been  adopted.  The  courses  of  instruction  have  been 
enlarged  and  multiplied,  and  the  university  now  offers  excellent  advan- 
. tages  for  both  general  and  special  study. 

The  medical  department  was  organized  as  the  Nashville  Medical  Col- 
lege in  the  summer  of  1876.  It  was  founded  by  Drs.  Duncan  Eve  and 
W.  F.  Glenn,  who  drew  from  the  faculty  of  the  medical  department  of  the 
University  of  Nashville  and  Vanderbilt  University  Drs.  Paul  F.  Eve,  T. 
B.  Buchanan,  George  S.  Blackie,  IV.  P.  Jones  and  J.  J.  Abernethy.  The 
first  session  of  this  institution  commenced  on  March  5,  1877,  and  ivas 
attended  with  brilliant  success  from  the  first.  In  the  spring  of  1879  a 
dental  department  was  established,  being  the  first  dental  school  in  the 
South.  During  the  same  year  an  ovei’ture  was  received  from  the  trust- 
ees of  the  University  of  Tennessee  to  become  their  medical  department, 
and  such  an  agreement  was  effected. 

The  following  is  the  present  faculty:  Hon.  William  P.  Jones,  M. 

D.,  president  of  faculty,  professor  of  mental  diseases  and  public 
hygiene;  Duncan  Eve,  M.  D.,  dean  of  the  faculty,  professor  of  sur- 
gery and  clinical  surgery;  William  F.  Glenn,  M.  D.,  professor  of  physi- 
ology, genito-urinary  and  venereal  diseases;  J.  Bunyan  Stephens,  M.  D., 
professor  of  obstetrics  and  clinical  midwifery;  Deering  J.  Roberts,  M. 
D.,  professor  of  theory  and  practice  of  medicine  and  clinical  medicine; 
Paul  F.  Eve,  M.  D.,  professor  of  general,  descriptive  and  surgical  anat- 
omy; William  D.  Haggard,  M.  D.,  professor  of  gynecology  and  diseases 
of  children;  Woodford  M.  Vertrees,  M.  D.,  professor  of  materia  medico, 
and  therapeutics-  William  E.  McCampbell,  M.  D.,  professor  of  medical 


452 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


chemistry  and  toxicology;  William  G.  Brien,  M.  D.,  LL.  D.,  professor  of 
medical  jurisprudence;  John  G.  Sinclair,  M.  D.,  professor  of  diseases  of 
the  eye,  ear  and  throat;  James  Y.  Crawford,  M.  D.,  D.  D.  S.,  professor 
of  prophylactic  dentistry  and  oral  surgery;  Paul  F.  Eve,  M.  D.,  William 
E.  McCampbell,  M.  D.,  demonstrators  of  anatomy. 

At  the  close  of  the  session  of  1882-83  Dr.  Humes  resigned  the  pres- 
idency of  the  university.  The  trustees  thereupon  determined  to  leave  the 
presidency  unfilled  for  the  ensuing  year,  and  gave  power  to  the  faculty 
to  elect  from  their  body  a chairman  clothed  with  the  authority  and 
charged  with  the  duties  of  a president.  So  satisfactory  was  this  arrange- 
ment that  it  has  since  been  continued.  The  following  are  the  faculty 
and  officers  of  the  university:  Eben  Alexander,  B.  A.,  chairman  of  the 
faculty;  Hunter  Nicholson,  A.  M.,  professor  of  natural  history  and  ge- 
ology; Eben  Alexander,  B.  A.,  professor  of  ancient  languages  and  litera- 
ture; Samuel  B.  Crawford,  M.  A.,  professor  of  military  science  and  com- 
mandant of  cadets;  Bodes  Massie,  A.  M.,  D.  L.,  professor  of  English  and 
modern  languages;  John  W.  Glenn,  A.  M.,  professor  of  agriculture, 
horticulture  and  botany;  William  Albert  Noys,  Ph.  D.,  professor  of 
chemistry  and  mineralogy;  William  W.  Carson,  C.  E.,  M.  E.,  professor 
of  mathematics;  William  Everett  Moses,  B.  S.,  adjunct  professor  of  chem- 
istry; Samuel  B.  Crawford,  M.  A.,  adjunct  professor  of  mathematics; 
Thomas  Oakley  Deaderick,  M.  A.,  adjunct  professor  of  ancient  lan- 
guages; William  Gibbs  McAdoo,  M.  A.,  adjunct  professor  of  English 
and  history;  Lewis  Conner  Carter,  C.  E.,  instructor  in  applied  mathe- 
matics; John  Newton  Bogart,  M.  A.,  instructor  in  sub-collegiate  classes; 
William  Isaac  Thomas,  M.  A.,  instructor  in  modern  languages  and  nat- 
ural history;  Gustav  Bobert  Knabe,  Mus.  D.,  instructor  in  vocal  and 
instrumental  music;  Hunter  Nicholson,  A.  M.,  librarian;  Bobert  James 
Cummings,  farm  superintendent;  Hon.  John  L.  Moses,  president  of  the 
board  of  trustees;  Bobert  Craighead,  secretary  and  treasurer.  Trustees: 
Hon.  William  B.  Bate,  governor  of  Tennessee,  ex  officio;  Hon.  John  Alli- 
son, secretary  of  State,  ex  officio;  Hon.  Thomas  H.  Paine,  superintend- 
ent of  public  instruction,  ex  officio;  Bev.  Thomas  W.  Humes,  S.  T.  D., 
Hugh  L.  McClung,  William  K.  Eckle,  Hon.  0.  P.  Temple,  Frank  A.  B 
Scott,  Bobert  H.  Armstrong,  Hon.  John  Baxter*,  B.  Frazier,  M.  D., 
William  Buie,  S.  H.  Smith,  M.  D.,  B.  P.  Eaton,  M.  D.,  H.  L.  W.  Mynatt, 
Charles  M.  McGhee,  Hon.  D.  A.  Nunn,  Edward  J.  Sanford,  W.  A.  Hen- 
derson, Esq.,  Hon.  J.  M.  Coulter,  Bev.  James  Park,  D.  D.,  James  D. 
Cowan,  .C.  Deaderick,  M.  D.,  John  M.  Boyd,  M.  D.,  Hon.  John  L.  Moses, 
Hon.  George  Brown,  A.  Caldwell,  Esq.,  John  M.  Fleming,  Esq.,  J.  W. 


♦Deceased. 


HISTOBY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


453 


Gaut,  Samuel  J.  McKinney,  William  Morrow,  M.  D.,  William  B.  Reese, 
Esq.,  Moses  White,  Esq.,  Hon.  W.  C.  Whitthorne,  Samuel  B.  Luttrell, 
Robert  Craighead,  .James  Comfort,  Esq.,  J.  B.  Killebrew. 

By  an  act  of  Congress,  passed  in  1846,  extinguishing  the  title  to  the 
unappropriated  lands  south  and  west  of  the  congressional  reservation  line, 
it  was  required  that  $40,000  arising  from  the  sale  of  said  lands  be  set 
apart  for  the  endowment  of  a college  to  be  located  at  Jackson.  According- 
ly, the  institution  known  as  West  Tennessee  College  was  chartered  in . 

Before  the  war  it  was  a prosperous  and  successful  institution,  under  the 
administration  of  able  and  accomplished  presidents  and  professors,  and 
many  of  the  most  distinguished  citizens  of  the  State  claim  West  Tennes- 
see College  as  their  alma  mater.  In  1865,  immediately  after  the  close 
of  the  war,  Dr.  William  Shelton  was  elected  president  of  the  college, 
with  B.  W.  Arnold  as  professor  of  ancient  languages,  and  B.  L.  Arnold 
as  professor  of  mathematics  and  natural  science.  Under  the  administra- 
tion of  Dr.  Shelton  and  his  faculty  of  instruction,  West  Tennessee  Col- 
lege was  built  up  to  a high  degree  of  prosperity,  so  that  it  had  a larger 
number  of  students  than  at  any  previous  period  in  its  history.  In  1869 
the  entire  faculty  resigned,  and  a new  faculty  was  employed,  with  Rev. 
E.  L.  Patton  as  president.  In  August,  1874,  the  buildings,  grounds, 
and  endowments  of  West  Tennessee  College,  estimated  at  $90,000,  were 
donated  to  the  trustees  of  the  Southwestern  Baptist  Univei'sity,  on  con- 
dition that  an  interest  bearing  endowment  of  $300,000  be  raised  for 
the  university  within  a period  of  ten  years  from  the  time  of  transfer. 
A meeting  of  the  Tennessee  Baptist  Convention  was  immediately  called, 
the  plan  accepted,  and  preliminary  steps  were  taken  toward  obtaining  a 
charter  under  the  name  of  the  Southwestern  Baptist  University.  On 
September  14,  1874,  the  academic  department  of  the  new  institution  was 
opened,  and  at  the  beginning  of  the  next  school  year  the  collegiate  de- 
partment was  organized.  Under  the  new  name  and  management  the 
university  has  been  eminently  prosperous,  and  now  ranks  as  one  of  the 
best  institutions  in  the  State. 


454 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

History  of  the  Early  Wars— Tiie  Military  Training  of  the  “Volunteer 
State  ” — The  Tories  of  East  Tennessee— TnE  Part  Borne  by  the  State 
in  the  Revolution— The  Brilliant  Strategy"  and  Prowess  of  Sevier 
and  Shelby"— Actions  at  King’s  Mountain  and  Elsewhere— The  War  of 
1813— Jackson’s  Campaigns  against  the  Creeks—1 The  Memorable  Battle 
at  New  Orleans— The  Seminole  War— Its  Hardships  and  Long  Contin- 
uance—Tennesseeans  Concerned  in  the  Achievement  of  the  Independ- 
ence of  Texas— The  War  with  Mexico— The  Volunteers— Sketch  of 

THE  CAYIPAIGNS. 

ALTHOUGH  a peace-loving  and  law-abiding  people,  Tennessee  has 
achieved  a record  in  all  the  wars  of  the  Government  or  State  that  is 
the  pride  of  descendants  and  the  admiration  of  all  beholders.  What  with 
the  Indian  wars,  and  what  with  the  Revolution,  the  beginning  of  the 
present  century  finds  the  inhabitants  of  the  State  comparatively  a war- 
like people.  The  settlers  of  the  mountain  region  of  East  Tennessee 
found  it  necessary  to  defend  themselves  against  the  Indians  at  a very 
early  date.  Fort  Loudon  was  built  by  the  British,  one  mile  above  the 
mouth  of  the  Tellico  River,  in  1756.  Stimulated  by  French  influence,  the 
Clierokees  attacked  this  fort  in  1760,  and  starved  it  into  surrender  on 
August  8tli  of  that  year.  The  garrison  consisted  of  between  200  and 
300  Scotch  Highlanders,  who  surrendered  on  the  promise  of  Oconos- 
tota  that  they  should  be  allowed  a safe  return  to  the  Carolinas.  They 
were  followed,  and  on  the  second  day  were  overtaken  and  cut  to  pieces, 
except  a few,  and  a fence  built  of  their  bones.  Other  forts  were  built, 
which  served  the  colonists  a good  purpose  during  the  troublous 
times  of  the  Revolution,  not  only  against  the  British  Tories,  but 
against  the  Indians,  whom  British  intrigue  stirred  up  to  revolt.  The 
hardy  mountaineers  of  East  Tennessee  were  not  numerous,  but  were  in- 
tensely loyal  to  the  cause  of  independence,  and  were  the  terror  of  Tories 
and  British.  Owing  to  danger  from  the  Indians  the  mountaineers  dared 
not  leave  home  but  for  a short  time.  In  1777  a party  of  forty  men  went 
to  Boonesborough,  Ky.,  for  the  relief  of  the  settlement  then  besieged 
by  the  Indians.  The  condition  of  the  people  became  so  desperate  that 
Capt.  Logan  and  a select  party  undertook  the  perilous  journey  of  200 
miles  through  an  enemy’s  country  to  ask  relief  of  the  pioneers  of  Tennes- 
see. The  appeal  was  not  in  vain,  for  in  a short  time  100  riflemen*  were 
on  their  way  with  supplies  to  relieve  the  beleaguered  garrison.  The  fall 


*Monette. 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


455 


of  Charleston  on  May  12,  1780,  exposed  the  whole  of  the  Carolinas  and 
Tennessee  to  the  attacks  of  the  British  and  the  Indians. 

On  March  19,  1780,  John  Sevier,  colonel  of  Washington  County  mil- 
itia, under  a call  of  Samuel  Rutherford,  united  with  John  Willson,  Will- 
iam Trimble,  James  Stinson,  John  McNabb,  Jonathan  Tipton  and 
Godfrey  Isbell  in  raising  100  men.  The  captains  of  Col.  Sevier’s  regi- 
ment were  McNabb.  Sevier,  Hoskins,  Bean,  Brown,  Isbell,  Trimble, 
Willson,  Gist,  Stinson,  Davis,  Patterson  and  Williams.  A similar  call 
was  made  upon  Isaac  Shelby,  colonel  of  Sullivan  County,  who  was  then 
absent  surveying  lands  in  Kentucky,  but  a message  brought  him  hur- 
riedly home.  Fortunately  for  these  commanders  their  forces  were  not 
ready  soon  enough,  in  consequence  of  which  they  were  not  in  the  disastrous 
defeat  at  Camden.  Many  who  before  this  time  were  pretended  friends 
now  became  open  enemies  to  the  country.  It  was  determined  by  the 
British  commander,  Cornwallis,  to  carry  the  war  into  the  Whig  settle- 
ments beyond  the  Alleghanies  and  thence  conquer  and  lay  waste  North 
Carolina  as  he  had  South  Carolina,  and  advance  into  Virginia. 

Col.  Sevier  soon  issued  another  call  for  volunteers,  and  in  a few  days 
found  himself  at  the  head  of  200  men.  Col.  Shelby,  who  received  word 
of  the  impending  danger  on  the  16th  of  June,  was  in  command  of  200 
men  in  the  first  part  of  July.  The  forces  of  Sevier  and  Shelby  arrived 
at  Col.  McDowell’s  camp  at  Cherokee  Ford  on  Broad  River,  about  the 
same  time.  Col.  Moore,  who  was  assembling  a large  body  of  Tories,  took 
post  at  a strong  fort  built  by  Gen.  Williamson  on  the  Pacolet  River. 
The  successes  of  the  British  led  many  disaffected  to  his  standard.  The 
rapid  advance  of  the  main  force  of  the  British  led  Col.  McDowell  to 
strike  a blow  at  once.  Cols.  Sevier,  Shelby  and  Clarke  were  detached 
with  600  men  to  attack  Moore  forthwith.  These  riflemen  took  up  their 
ine  of  march  at  sunset  and  by  daylight  had  marched  twenty  miles  and 
bad  surrounded  the  fort.  Lines  were  deployed  and  ready  to  assault; 
Jol.  Shelby  sent  William  Cocke  to  demand  the  surrender  of  the  fort. 
Moore  refused  and  declared  he  would  defend  the  place  to  the  last  ex- 
tremity. The  American  lines  were  drawn  closely  around  the  fort  and 
inxiously  awaited  the  order  for  assault,  when  a second  demand  was  made, 
ntimating  that  if  they  were  compelled  to  assault  it  might  be  difficult  to 
restrain  the  mountaineers  from  acts  of  violence.  Moore  acceded  to  the 
terms  of  surrender  on  condition  that  the  garrison  should  be  paroled  not 
■o  serve  again  during  the  war.  The  forces  surrendered,  consisting  of 
finety-three  Loyalists  and  a British  sergeant-major,  who  was  the  drill- 
piaster.  Besides  the  men,  there  was  a large  supply  of  arms  and  other 
supplies.  Col.  Ferguson,  who  commanded  the  British,  determined  to 


456 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


crush  the  forces  of  McDowell.  The  only  hope  of  the  latter  was  to  anno 
and  cut  off  straggling  forces  of  the  enemy,  now  amounting  to  about  6,00 
men.  Ferguson’s  plan  was  to  surprise  McDowell.  Cols.  Shelby  au 
Clarke,  with  600  men,  were  attacked  at  Cedar  Springs  in  August  by 
large  British  force.  They  maintained  the  fight  for  half  an  hour,  whe 
Ferguson’s  whole  force  arrived  and  compelled  the  Americans  to  witl 
draw,  taking  with  them  twenty  prisoners,  including  two  British  officer: 
The  American  loss  was  ten  or  twelve  killed  and  wounded,  including  Co 
Clarke,  who  received  a sabre  cut  in  the  neck. 

The  next  stroke  of  the  Americans  was  at  a band  of  400  or  500  Tories  ei 
camped  on  the  south  side  of  the  Enoree  River  at  Musgrove’s  mill,  aboi 
forty  miles  distant  from  the  Americans.  Ferguson’s  main  force  lay  b( 
tween  the  Americans  and  their  prize.  Col.  McDowell,  the  American  con 
mander,  detached  Cols.  Shelby,  Clarke  and  Williams,  of  South  Carolin: 
to  surprise  and  capture  these  Tories.  They  started  on  the  18th  of  Augus 
and  after  a hard  night’s  ride  reached  the  object  of  their  search.  In  tli 
march  they  had  been  compelled  to  make  a detour  of  several  miles  1 
avoid  Ferguson’s  men.  About  a half  mile  from  the  enemy’s  camp  the 
met  a patrol  and  a skirmish  ensued  and  the  enemy  gave  way.  It  wt 
now  learned  that  the  enemy  had  received  a re-enforcement  of  600  regi 
lars.  The  Americans  were  in  a dilemma.  To  fight  these  seemed  det 
perate ; to  retreat  was  impossible,  being  worn  as  they  were.  The  soun 
of  drums  and  bugles  indicated  the  advance  of  the  British.  Capt.  Inina 
was  sent  forward  to  fight  the  advancing  line  and  retreat  at  discretion 
He  met  the  British  gallantly  and  retreated  slowly  to  within  range  of  tb 
main  forces.  These  maintained  their  ground  for  more  than  an  hour;  juf 
as  the  Americans  were  about  to  give  way  Col.  Ennes,  the  British  con 
mander,  was  wounded;  nearly  all  of  his  subalterns  had  already  bee 
killed  or  wounded.  The  British  gave  way.  Capt.  Inman  was  kille 
while  gallantly  leading  his  men;  only  six  or  seven  others  were  lost.  T1 
British  regulars  fought  bravely,  but  over  200  were  captured. 

The  next  point  the  Americans  aimed  at  was  Ninety-Six,  thirty  milt 
away.  At  the  moment  of  starting  a message  was  received  from  Cc] 
McDowell,  stating  that  Gen.  Gates  had  been  overwhelmed  at  Cam 
and  advising  the  Americans  to  save  themselves  as  best  they  could.  TI 
200  prisoners,  the  spoils  of  the  victory,  were  divided  among  the  roe 
giving  one  to  each  of  the  three  Americans.  Thus  encumbered  tin 
started  for  their  mountain  fastnesses,  and  by  a ride  of  all  that  day,  tl 
following  night  and  the  next  day,  arrived  at  a place  of  safety,  not,  liofj 
ever,  without  having  been  pursued  by  a strong  force  under  Maj.  Dupoi 
ter,  sent  by  Ferguson.  Their  forces  were  for  a time  scattered.  Tl 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


457 


tear  approach  of  tlie  British  and  threatening  of  Ferguson  to  cross  the 
aountains  to  attack  the  Tennesseeans  in  their  homes,  called  them 
ogether  again.  News  reached  Col.  Shelby  of  the  danger  in  August,  and 
ie  immediately  rode  fifty  or  sixty  miles  to  consult  with  Sevier.  In  two 
lays  they  determined  to  raise  all  the  forces  they  could,  and  if  possible 
urprise  Ferguson  in  his  camp.  They  appointed  September  25  as  the 
lay  of  meeting,  and  Sycamore  Shoals  on  the  Watauga  as  the  place, 
die  whole  fighting  population  of  the  district  was  considerably  less  than 
,000,  and  at  least  half  of  these  were  deemed  necessary  to  guard  the 
orts  and  the  frontier.  Only  the  strong  and  vigorous  were  allowed  to  go. 
die  whole  population  met  at  the  camp  on  the  Watauga.  Here  they  were 
aet  by  Col.  Campbell,  of  Virginia,  with  400  men.  Col.  Sevier  took  240 
rom  Washington  County,  Col.  Shelby  the  same  number  from  Sullivan 
punty;  also  a great  many  Whig  refugees  were  assembled  under  Col. 
tlcDowell.  Steadman,  who  served  under  Cornwallis,  says:  “ The  enemy 
jvas  composed  of  the  wild  and  fierce  inhabitants  of  Kentucky  and  other 
ettiements  beyond  the  Alleghanies,  who  had  assembled  from  different 
ilaces  and  with  different  objects.  They  were  under  such  leaders  as 
Cleveland,  Shelby,  Sevier,  Branden  and  Lacey ; the  men  were  well 
aounted  on  horseback  and  armed  with  rifies,  and  each  carried  his  own 
irovisions  in  a wallet,  and  were  not  encumbered  by  wagons.”  Each 
nan,  each  officer  set  out  with  his  trusty  Deekhard  on  his  shoulder.  A 
hot-pouch,  a tomahawk,  a knife,  a knapsack  and  a blanket  completed  his 
mtfit.  The  earth  was  his  bed,  the  heavens  his  covering,  the  moun- 
ain  stream  gave  him  drink  and  the  forests  yielded  him  food.  These 
nen  started  in  rapid  movement  along  mountain  paths  toward  Gilbert 
town  where  Ferguson  was  encamped.  The  desertion  of  two  men  caused 
hem  to  change  their  course  a little.  When  nearing  the  foot  of  the  moun- 
ains  they  fell  in  with  others  bent  on  doing  the  British  mischief.  Some 
>f  these  men  were  well  armed,  some  not ; some  were  on  foot  and  some 
nounted.  This  motley  crew  chose  a leader  of  their  own  and  determined 
o attack  the  British. 

Ferguson  became  alarmed  at  this  “inundation  of  barbarians  and  dogs 
>f  mankind,”  and  called  loudly  for  the  loyalists  to  rally  to  his  standard. 
In  October  4 the  Americans  reached  Gilbert  Town  to  find  that  Fer- 
guson had  decamped  and  was  earnestly  soliciting  Cornwallis  for  re-en- 
orcements.  It  was  soon  agreed  among  the  American  commanders  to 
;elect  the  best  men,  horses  and  arms  and  follow  Ferguson  with  all  speed, 
''line  hundred  and  ten  men  out  of  nearly  3,000  Avere  chosen  to  lead  the 
mrsuit,  the  others  to  folloAv  as  rapidly  as  possible.  Several  bands  of 
Tories  offered  tempting  baits  for  these  braA-e  mountaineers,  but  these  they 


■458 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


did  not  care  to  disturb,  well  knowing  if  the  British  regulars  were  dis- 
posed of  the  Tories  would  be  an  easy  prey.  For  thirty-six  hours  these 
men  rode  with  but  one  hour’s  rest,  and  the  day  of  battle  was  hot  and  so 
wet  that  the  men  were  compelled  to  wrap  their  guns  with  their  blankets 
or  hunting-shirts  to  keep  them  dry.  The  men  were  now  within  three 
miles  of  the  British  camp.  It  was  learned  the  British  intended  to  join 
Cornwallis  next  day,  and  the  Americans  determined  not  to  allow  the 
chance  for  victory  to  slip,  so  without  food  or  rest  they  prepared  for  the 
onset.  The  touch-holes  of  their  guns  were  cleaned  and  fresh  priming 
Avas  put  in,  bullets  were ' examined  and  a plan  of  the  battle  Avas  hastily 
formed.  Ferguson  had  taken  post  on  an  eminence,  Avhich  in  loyalty  to 
his  sovereign  he  called  King’s  Mountain.  The  Americans  dismounted 
and  began  the  attack.  Their  plan  Avas  to  surround  the  mountain.  Cols. 
McDowell,  Shelby,  Sevier  and  Campbell  passed  to  the  right,  and  Ham- 
bright,  Chronicle,  Cleveland  and  Williams  to  the  left,  so  as  to  join  the 
wings  in  the  rear  of  the  mountain.  All  things  being  ready,  they  raised, 
the  Indian  war-whoop  and  advanced  upon  the  enemy.  The  battle  Avas  of 
the  most  desperate  character.  As  the  British  regulars  charged  bayonets, 
the  Americans,  by  an  understanding,  sloAvly  yielded  on  that  side,  but  ad- 
vanced on  the  other,  and  then  the  British  Avere  called  to  resist  the  great 
pressure  elsewhere,  when  the  Americans  again  advanced  their  lines. 
The  Americans  fought  as  only  American  mountaineers  could  fight,  the 
British  regulars  Avith  the  desperation  of  despair.  Prodigies  of  valor 
Avere  performed  by  Sevier,  Shelby  and,  in  fact,  all  the  officers  and  men. 
No  less  valorous  Avas  Ferguson  of  the  British.  Courting  danger  and 
disdaining  death,  he  seemed  everywhere  present.  Twice  Avas  the  white 
flag  raised  and  twice  pulled  doAvn  or  cut  down  by  his  oavh  hands.  He 
had  sworn  that  all  the  rebels  out  of  — — • could  not  drive  him  from  his 
position,  and  no band  of  banditti  could  intimidate  him  or  the  Brit- 

ish regulars.  The  fight  continued  hot  and  desperate.  At  last  Ferguson 
fell,  and  the  animating  spirit  of  the  British  Avas  gone.  Dupoister,  second 
in  command,  seeing  resistance  useless,  raised  the  Avhite  flag. 

In  the  hour’s  engagement  the  enemy  lost  225  killed  and  180 
wounded,  and  700  prisoners  and  all  their  stores.  Not  one  of  the  Brit- 
ish escaped.  The  prisoners  Avere  m,ore  numerous  than  the  whole  force 
to  guard  them.  The  loss  to  the  Americans  was  1 colonel,  1 major, 
1 captain,  2 lieutenants,  4 ensigns  and  19  pi’ivates  killed ; and  1 major,;, 
3 captains,  3 lieutenants  and  53  privates  wounded.  In  Col.  Shelby’s 
regiment  from  Sullivan  County  his  brother  Moses  was  wounded  in  a 
bold  attempt  to  storm  the  enemy.  The  captains  of  his  regiment  were 
Elliott,  Maxwell  and  Webb.  The  Washington  County  troops  were 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


459 

commanded  by  Col.  Sevier,  whose  captains  were  his  brothers  Valen- 
tine and  Robert  Sevier,  Joel  Callahan,  George  Doherty  and  George  Rus- 
sell ; lieutenant,  Isaac  Lane.  Capt.  Robert  Sevier  was  mortally  wounded 
in  the  engagement.  There  were  four  privates  of  the  Sevier  family- 
present,  Abraham  and  Joseph  Sevier;  also  James  and  Joseph  Sevier, 
sons  of  Col.  Sevier.  Swords  were  voted  to  Cols.  Sevier  and  Shelby  by  the 
State  of  North  Carolina  in  honor  of  the  signal  victory.  Steadman  quotes 
Gen.  Bernard,  an  officer  under  Napoleon,  as  saying:  “The  Americans, 
by  their  victory  in  that  engagement,  erected  a monument  to  perpetuate 
the  memory  of  the  brave  men,  who  had  fallen  there;  and  the  shape  of 
the  hill  itself  would  be  an  eternal  monument  of  the  military  genius  and 
skill  of  Col.  Ferguson  in  selecting  a position  so  well  adapted  for  defense ; 
and  that  no  other  plan  of  assault  but  that  pursued  by  the  mountain  men, 
could  have  succeeded  against  him.”  The  effect  of  this  victory  could  not 
be  over-estimated.  The  Sabbath  following  the  battle  was  employed  in 
the  solemn  burial  of  the  dead  and  rapid  retreat  to  the  remaining  forces 
of  the  army.  The  wagons  of  the  enemy  were  burned,  the  badly  wounded 
were  left  on  the  ground  and  the  able  bodied  were  compelled  to  carry  the 
arms  they  had  surrendered.  The  prisoners  were  turned  over  to  Gen. 
Greene  at  Hillsboro  and  Col.  Sevier  and  most  of  the  militia  returned  to 
defend  their  homes  against  the  Indians.  Soon  after  followed  the  victory 
of  Gen.  Morgan  over  Tarleton  at  Cowpens,  scarcely  less  decisive  then  the 
one  at  King’s  Mountain. 

The  Legislature  of  North  Carolina,  Gov.  Caswell  of  the  same  State 
and  Gen.  Greene,  all  besought  Cols.  Shelby  and  Sevier  to  come  to  the 
relief  of  the  State,  that  was  now  (1781)  invaded  by  the  British  under 
Cornwallis,  and  the  country  laid  waste  by  the  tories.  Neither  of  the 
leaders,  Shelby  or  Sevier,  could  go,  as  it  took  them  and  the  militia  to  de- 
fend the  settlements  of  Watauga  and  Nollicliucky  against  the  Cherokees. 
A few  only  were  engaged  at  Guilford  Court  House  on  March  15,  1781. 
It  is  thought  if  these  men  could  have  gone  in  force  the  same  fate  would 
have  befallen  Cornwallis  at  that  place  that  awaited  him  at  Yorktown. 
On  the  advance  of  Gen.  Greene  into  South  Carolina  the  forces  of  Shelby 
and  Sevier  were  again  called  upon,  and  they  assembled  at  Fort  Granby 
in  the  last  of  August,  1781.  They  were  well  on  their  way  when  it  was 
learned  that  Cornwallis  and  the  main  British  forces  had  left  North  Car- 
olina and  taken  post  at  Yorktown,  Va.  The  various  successes  led  the 
Americans — Shelby  and  Sevier — to  believe  their  services  would  no  longer 
be  needed,  in  consequence  of  which  they  again  returned  home.  The 
battle  of  Eutaw  Spring  was  fought  in  the  absence  of  the  gallant  Tennes- 
see mountaineers,  and  they  were  not  permitted  to  gain  new  laurels.  The 


460 


HISTOKY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


straits  to  which  Cornwallis  had  been  reduced  by  the  allied  armies  led 
Gen.  Greene  to  believe  that  he  contemplated  a retreat  through  the  Caro- 
linas.  Gen.  Greene,  on  September  16,  again  called  upon  Col.  Sevier  for 
assistance.  Shelby  was  also  called  upon  and  responded  with  his  regi- 
ment. Sevier  raised  200  men  from  Washington  County.  On  October 
19  Cornwallis  surrendered  his  whole  force,  and  thus  danger  from  that 
quarter  was  no  longer  apprehended. 

At  the  request  of  Gen.  Greene  the  forces  of  Shelby  and  Sevier  joined 
the  forces  under  Gen.  Marion.  Notwithstanding  these  men-  had  been 
enrolled  for  only  sixty  days  they  proceeded  into  South  Carolina.  It  was 
learned  that  a force  of  several  hundred  Hessians  stationed  at  Monk’s 
Corner  was  in  a state  of  mutiny.  The  main  force  of  the  British  was  at 
Ferguson’s  Swamp,  eight  or  ten  miles  away  on  the  main  road  leading  to 
Charleston.  It  was  determined  to  surprise  the  British  force.  Cols. 
Shelby  and  Sevier  asked  to  be  a part  of  the  detachment  of  500  or  600 
men  to  be  sent  against  it.  Col.  Mayhem  commanded  the  forces,  consist- 
ing of  180  of  his  own  dragoons,  a few  militia  and  the  men  under  Shelby 
and  Sevier.  The  march  began  in  the  morning  and  a long  march  brought 
them  two  miles  below  the  post  they  intended  to  attack,  on  the  evening 
of  the  second  day.  In  gaining  this  post  they  had  avoided  the  main 
British  force  and  were  now  between  the  Hessians  and  Charleston.  The 
men  rested  on  their  arms  till  daylight  the  next  morning,  when  they  ap- 
peared before  the  British  post  and  Col.  Mayhem  sent  a messenger 
demanding  the  immediate  surrender  of  the  place.  Answer  was  returned 
in  a few  minutes  that  the  post  would  be  defended  to  the  last  extremity. 
Shelby  then  asked  permission  to  go  himself  and  demand  the  surrender. 
He  told  the  British  commander  that  if  they  were  compelled  to  storm  the 
post,  every  soul  within  would  be  killed,  as  the  mountaineers  would  soon 
be  upon  them  with  their  tomahawks.  The  British  officer  inquired  of 
Shelby  if  he  had  any  artillery,  to  which  he  replied  that  he  had 
guns  that  would  blow  them  to  atoms  in  a minute.  The  British  offi- 

<D 

cer  then  gracefully  yielded  and  threw  open  the  gates,  and  the  Ameri- 
cans marched  up  and  took  possession.  At  this  moment  another  strong 
post  was  discovered  500  or  600  yards  distant.  It  was  a brick  house  sur- 
rounded by  a strong  abatis  and  defended  by  100  soldiers  and  from  40  to 
50  dragoons.  These  made  a demonstration  as  if  to  attack  the  Americans, 
who  deployed  and  boldly  advanced  toward  the  British  and  demanded  a 
surrender.  This  post  also  surrendered  without  resistance.  Although 
well  fortified,  150  men  capitulated.  Ninety  of  the  prisoners  wer9 
mounted  behind  their  captors  and  were  taken  to  Marion’s  camp  sixty 
miles  distant;  the  remainder  were  paroled  and  the  post  and  supplies  de- 


Andrew  Jackson 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


461 


stroyed.  Tlie  Americans  reached  camp  next  morning  at  3 o’clock. 
Before  day  it  was  reported  that  Stewart  with  the  whole  British  force  was 
in  a few  miles  of  camp.  Shelby  and  Sevier’s  men  were  to  interfere  and 
retreat  at  discretion.  A report  spread  that  Marion  had  received  a large 
re-enforcement  of  riflemen.  The  British  became  alarmed  and  fled  in  dis- 
order almost  to  Charleston.  About  the  28tli  of  November  Shelby  left 
the  army  to  take  a seat  in  the  Legislature  of  North  Carolina,  of  which  he 
was  a member.  Col.  Sevier  remained  with  the  mountain  men.  Little 
more  was  done  until  peace  ended  the  strife.  The  troops  of  Shelby  and 
Sevier  “came  home  enriched  with  no  spoils,  stained  with  no  dishonor, 
enriched  only  by  an  imperishable  fame,  an  undying  renown  and  an  un- 
questionable claim  to  the  admiration  and  gratitude  of  their  countrymen 
and  of  posterity.” 

Hard  upon  the  war  with  the  British  and  Tories  came  the  war  with  the 
Cherokees.  The  second  struggle  for  independence,  that  of  1812,  was  the 
occasion  of  the  Creek  war.  As  soon  as  there  was  a prospect  for  hostilities, 
Great  Britain  sent  her  emissaries  among  the  Indians  to  induce  them  to 
“dig  up  the  hatchet.”  Tecumseh,  the  great  Shawanee  chieftain,  with  about 
thirty  of  his  warriors  visited  the  Southern  Indians  in  his  efforts  to  unite 
all  the  various  tribes  in  one  grand  union  against  the  whites.  He  estab- 
lished among  the  Southern  Indians  the  custom  of  celebrating  the  scalp 
and  war  dance  before  battle.  The  speech  of  Tecumseh,  his  power  of 
organization,  and  the  message  of  the  prophet,  TecumselTs  brother,  stirred 
the  Creeks  to  a frenzy,  and  caused  them  to  plunge  into  a religious  war, 
neither  asking  nor  giving  quarter.  Numerous  outrages  had  been  commit- 
ted, and  the  massacre  of  Fort  Mimms,  on  August  30,  1813,  spread  alarm 
throughout  Tennessee.  A meeting  was  called  in  Nashville  of  which  Bev. 
Mr.  Craighead  was  made  chairman  and  Gen.  Coffee  was  a member. 
This  meeting  urged  the  Legislature  to  call  out  the  militia  to  take  ven- 
geance upon  the  Creeks.  That  body  responded  at  once,  and  on  September 
13,  1813,  a call  was  made  for  3,500  volunteers  in  addition  to  1,500,  who 
had  already  hastily  entered  the  field  and  appropriated  $300,000  to 
defray  the  expenses  of  the  war.  Gov.  Blount  commissioned  Gen.  Cocke 
to  command  the  troops  from  East  Tennessee,  and  Gen.  Jackson  those 
from  West  Tennessee  (now  called  Middle  Tennessee).  Although  suffer- 
ing from  the  wounds  received  in  the  encounter  with  the  Bentons,  Gen. 
Jackson  issued  one  of  his  characteristic  addresses  to  the  people  on  Sep- 
tember 25,  ordering  the  men  to  rendezvous  at  Fayetteville  on  October  4. 
On  September  26  Gen.  Coffee  was  sent  to  Huntsville  in  advance  of  the 
main  body  for  the  purpose  of  protecting  the  citizens  of  the  valley  of  the 
Tennessee  against  the  threatened  attack  by  the  Indians.  Gen.  Jackson 

29 


462 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


himself  did  not  arrive  at  Fayetteville  till  the  7th,  owing  to  his  disability. 
He,  however,  sent  his  aid,  Maj.  Reid,  in  advance  to  read  his  orders  and 
to  put  the  men  under  discipline.  On  the  11th  a dispatch  was  received 
by  Jackson  that  1.000  Creek  warriors  were  approaching  to  attack 
Huntsville.  News  was  received  at  1 o’clock,  and  at  3 the  army  was  in 
motion.  By  a forced  march  the  army  reached  Huntsville,  a distance 
of  thirty -two  miles,  in  about  five  hours.  On  their  arrival  the  rumor  was 
found  to  be  untrue,  but  the  army  continued  its  march,  but  more  leisurely 
to  Ditto’s  Landing,  on  the  Tennessee.  Jackson’s  forces  consisted  of  two 
brigades;  one  of  volunteers  under  Gen.  William  Hall,  and  the  other  of 
militia  under  Gen.  Isaac  Roberts.  Jackson  marched  up  the  river  to 
Thompson’s  Creek,  cutting  out  roads  as  he  went.  He  was  greatly  dis- 
appointed at  not  receiving  supplies  that  were  to  be  sent  from  East  Ten- 
nessee. The  low  stage  of  the  water  above  prevented,  but  this  was  not 
indicated  below  and  led  to  some  bitterness. 

Jackson  built  and  entrenched  a camp,  and  called  it  Fort  Deposit. 
While  awaiting  supplies  he  drilled  his  men.  and  wrote  letters  to  Gov. 
Blount,  Judge  Hugh  L.  White,  and  other  prominent  men  urging  the 
necessity  of  rapid  movements.  The  army  was  reduced  to  the  greatest 
straits,  and  it  was  with  great  difficulty  that  discipline  was  maintained. 
Col.  Coffee  was  sent  to  scour  the  country  for  supplies,  and  returned  in  a 
short  time  with  a quantity  of  corn.  Gen.  Jackson  broke  camp  at  Fort 
Deposit  October  25,  and  advanced  into  the  country  and  built  Fort  Strother. 
He  learned  that  the  friendly  Indians  at  Two  Islands  of  the  Coosa  were  in 
danger,  and  went  to  their  rescue.  He  learned  there  was  a large  body  of 
Indians  at  Tallushatches,  thirteen  miles  distant,  on  the  south  side  of  the 
Coosa;  thither  he  sent  Col.  Coffee  with  1,000  mounted  men  to  attack 
them.  They  were  piloted  by  friendly  Indians.  The  Indians  were  sur- 
prised and  defeated  with  great  slaughter.  The  attack  began  on  the 
morning  of  the  3d.  Col.  Allen,  who  commanded  the  right  wing,  managed 
to  get  to  the  rear  of  the  Indians.  They  fought  with  the  desperation  of 
despair,  and  not  a warrior  was  captured.  They  left  186  warriors  upon  the 
field,  and  doubtless  more  were  killed.  A number  of  women  and  children 
were  killed  and  84  were  captured.  The  Indians  fired  their  guns  and  then 
used  bows  and  arrows.  Jackson’s  loss  was  5 killed  and  41  wounded; 
among  whom  were  Capts.  Smith,  Bradley  and  Winston.  An  Indian  infant 
was  found  upon  its  dead  mother’s  breast.  The  other  women  refused  to 
nourish  it.  Gen.  Jackson  had  the  child  cared  for  and  took  it  into  his  own 
family.  Young  Lincolyer  was  given  a practical  education,  and  found  a 
warm  friend  in  the  General  and  his  family.  He  was  taken  away  by  con- 
sumption at  the  age  of  seventeen. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


46  B 


Gen.  Jackson  began  again  with  great  energy  and  next  struck  the  In- 
dians at  Talladega,  about  thirty  miles  from  his  camp,  at  Fort  Strother. 
Here  he  left  his  sick  and  wounded  with  a small  guard,  having  made  the 
place  as  secure  as  possible.  He  expected  a junction  of  a part  of  the  force 
of  Gen.  Cocke,  who  was  operating  in  concert  with  him  with  the  East 
Tennessee  troops.  Gen.  White,  with  a brigade  of  these  troops,  had  arrived 
at  Turkey  Town,  twenty-five  miles  from  Jackson’s  camp.  These  were  or 
dered  by  Gen.  Jackson  to  join  him  in  the  advance  upon  Talladega.  When 
near  Fort  Strother  White  received  an  order  from  Gen.  Cocke  to  join  him. 
Jackson  advanced  upon  Talladega  on  December  8,  and  when  within  six 
miles  of  the  place  he  learned  that  White  had  been  ordered  to  join  Gen. 
Cocke.  His  sick  and  wounded  men  being  in  danger,  he  determined  to 
fight  alone  the  next  morning.  Talladega  was  a fortified  place,  and  was 
filled  with  friendly  Indians  who  were  being  besieged  by  the  hostile  Creeks. 
It  was  for  their  relief  that  the  battle  was  fought.  The  Indians  were  on 
the  point  of  starvation.  One  disguised  as  a hog  crept  through  the  hostile 
lines,  and  brought  Jackson  word  as  to  their  condition.  Scouts  broup-fi 
him  information  as  to  the  number  and  position  of  the  enemy.  The  marc] 
was  resumed  at  4 o’clock  on  the  morning  of  the  9th ; when  within  a mile 
of  the  enemy  the  line  of  battle  was  formed.  Hall’s  brigade  was  on  the 
right  and  Roberts’  on  the  left,  and  Coffee’s  cavalry  covered  the  wings, 
with  a portion  in  the  rear  for  reserve.  When  Capt.  Deaderick’s  men 
arrived  within  eighty  yards  of  the  enemy  they  rose  and  with  a yell 
opened  fire  and  began  an  advance.  Some  of  the  militia  under  Gen.  Rob- 
erts began  to  give  way,  frightened  by  the  terrible  yells  of  the  Indians. 
The  reserve  under  Col.  Dyer  boldly  advanced  and  restored  the  line,  when 
the  militia  again  returned  to  the  fight.  A general  advance  along  the 
whole  line  was  now  made.  The  Indians  were  slaughtered  unmercifully ; 
a gap  in  the  lines  alone  allowed  any  to  escape.  They  lost  280  killed ; 
Gen.  Coffee  says  299.  The  loss  of  the  whites  was  15  killed  and  85 
wounded.  The  Indians  numbered  1,000;  Jackson’s  forces  numbered 
about  2,000,  not  more  than  half  of  whom  were  engaged.  Great  was  the 
joy  of  the  besieged  Indians  when  they  were  relieved. 

Jackson  now  returned  to  Fort  Strother,  but  to  find  no  supplies.  A 
week’s  starvation  brought  the  army  to  a state  of  mutiny.  The  troops 
threatened  to  march  home  in  a body,  but  Jackson  persuaded  them  to  de- 
lay two  days  longer,  in  which  case,  if  there  were  no  supplies,  he  would 
allow  them  to  go.  The  time  came  but  no  supplies.  The  men  started 
home  but  Jackson  went  with  them.  On  the  way  provisions  were  met 
with,  but  it  required  the  utmost  firmness  to  force  them  to  return.  There 
was  a difference  of  opinion  as  to  when  the  term  of  enlistment  expired. 


464 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


The  10th  of  December  was  set  as  the  time  for  their  departure  for  home. 
Col.  'William  Martin  ivas  commander  of  one  of  the  mutinous  regiments. 
Gen.  Jackson  had  the  men  brought  out  in  front  of  the  army,  with  men 
on  either  flank  and  the  artillery  in  front,  ready  to  fire  in  case  the  men 
moved.  After  a sharp  dispute  between  Gen.  Jackson  and  Col.  Martin 
the  matter  was  dropped  for  the  time  being.  Gen.  Cocke  joined  Gen. 
Jackson’s  forces  at  Fort  Strother  with  2,000  East  Tennessee  troops  on 
December  13,  1813.  The  time  of  the  men  having  expired,  all  except 
about  800  were  discharged.  In  the  meantime  Gen.  Coffee,  Col.  Carroll 
and  Rev.  Gideon  Blackburn  had  been  very  active  in  raising  recruits  for 
the  army  to  support  Gen.  Jackson  at  Fort  Strother.  The  new  troops 
were  under  Cols.  Higgins  and  Perkins  and  amounted  to  about  900  men; 
there  were  two  spy  companies  under  Capts.  Russell  and  Gordon  and  one 
artillery  company  under  Lieut.  Robert  Armstrong.  Besides  these  there 
was  a body  of  the  old  riflemen  under  Gen.  Coffee.  A large  force  of 
friendly  Indians  accompanied  the  expedition.  The  force  started  on  the 
13th  of  January.  The  object  was  not  only  to  defeat  the  Indians,  but 
particularly  to  keep  up  the  spirits  of  the  men.  On  the  20th  they  en- 
camped at  Enotochopco,  twelve  miles  from  Emuckfau  Creek,  near  a bend 
in  the  Tallapoosa.  On  the  21st  Jackson  found  himself  in  the  vicinity  of 
a large  force  of  Indians.  The  army  encamped  in  a hollow  square,  ready 
to  receive  a night  attack  which  was  made  upon  them.  The  expected  at- 
tack fell  upon  Jackson’s  left  before  day,  but  the  line  was  maintained  till 
sunrise,  when  re-enforcements  were  sent  to  their  relief.  A charge  along 
the  whole  line  drove  the  Indians  two  miles.  The  friendly  Indians  joined 
vigorously  in  the  pursuit.  An  effort  was  made  by  Gen.  Coffee  to  burn 
their  fortifications,  but  did  not  succeed.  An  attack  was  made  upon 
Jackson’s  right,  which  was  sustained  by  Gen.  Coffee  and  some  friendly 
Indians.  This  ivas  only  a preliminary  to  a heavy  assault  upon  the  left 
which  Jackson  had  anticipated  and  for  which  he  was  prepared.  After  a 
vigorous  fight  the  Americans  were  able  to  sustain  their  lines,  when  a 
charge  was  made  and  the  Indians  were  driven  a mile,  with  a loss  of  for- 
ty-three killed.  The  loss  of  the  whites  was  four  killed,  including  Maj. 
Alexander  Donelson.  Gen.  Coffee  was  wounded  in  the  last  charge. 

Fearing  for  the  sick  and  wounded,  Gen.  Jackson  began  his  movement 
for  his  return  to  Fort  Strother.  On  the  23d  he  arrived  again  at  Enotochop- 
co Creek,  where  it  was  evident  that  the  Indians  were  meditating  a night 
attack.  He  crossed  the  stream  a short  distance  below  the  intended  ford 
to  avoid  an  ambuscade  that  had  been  laid  for  him.  While  the  artillery 
was  crossing  the  Enotochopco  the  Indians  suddenly  fell  upon  the  rear 
guard,  they  having  detected  Jackson’s  movement.  Nearly  the  whole  line 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESS.EE. 


465 


was  thrown  into  confusion;  a part,  however,  remained  firm,  and  Capt. 
Russell’s  spy  company  was  sent  to  assist  till  the  artillery  could  be  placed 
in  position,  when  it  opened  upon  the  Indians  with  grape,  which  held 
them  in  check.  Col.  Higgins  soon  led  his  regiment  across  the  stream. 
A charge  along  the  whole  line  drove  the  enemy  two  miles.  The  Indians 
left  twenty-six  dead  upon  the  field.  Among  the  American  killed  were 
Capts.  Hamilton  and  Quarles.  Jackson  now  returned  to  Fort  Strother, 
where  the  men  whose  time  had  expired  were  discharged  with  flattering 
encomiums  by  the  General. 

A dispute  arose  between  Gen.  Jackson  and  Gen.  Cocke  as  to  the 
latter’s  action  in  the  campaign.  Crimination  and  recrimination  followed. 
Gen.  Cocke  was  arrested  and  brought  to  Nashville  for  trial,  but  was  tri- 
umphantly acquitted.  In  March  Gen.  Jackson  was  made  major-general. 
He  was  now  re-enforced  by  2.000  men  from  East  Tennessee,  under  Gen. 
George  Doherty.  Seventeen  hundred  men  joined  him  from  West  Ten- 
nessee (Middle  Tennessee),  under  Gen.  Thomas  Johnson;  another  regi- 
ment of  East  Tennesseeans,  under  Col.  John  Brown;  Gen  Coffee’s  caval- 
ry, under  Col.  Dyer,  and  the  Thirty-ninth  Infantry,  under  Col.  John 
Williams.  The  whole  force  amounted  to  nearly  4,000  men,  about  1,000 
of  which  were  friendly  Indians,  under  Maj.  McIntosh,  a half-breed.  The 
supplies  for  the  expedition  were  collected  at  Fort  Deposit  and  hauled  to 
Fort  Strother.  Most  rigid  discipline  was  enforced  by  Jackson.  The 
execution  of  John  Woods,  a lad  of  eighteen,  who  had  belonged  to  the 
army  but  a few  weeks,  was  considered  harsh.  His  offense  was  a refusal 
to  obey  an  order  from  a superior,  and  his  execution  took  place  March 
14,  the  day  the  army  started.  On  the  26th  Jackson  reached  Cedar 
Creek,  where  Fort  William  Avas  built. 

The  Indians  had  concentrated  their  forces  at  a bend  in  the  Talla- 
poosa, from  its  shape  called  Tohopeka — horseshoe.  Here  they  had  col- 
lected about  900  of  their  warriors  and  about  300  women  and  children. 
They  had  been  well  supplied  with  weapons  by  the  British.  They  had 
been  taught  that  this  Avas  holy  ground,  and  to  tread  upon  it  would  be 
death  to  the  whites.  The  space  enclosed  about  100  acres,  and  the  dis- 
tance across  the  neck  was  only  about  350  yards,  which  had  been  pretty 
well  fortified  by  logs  and  brush.  The  place  was  fifty-five  miles  south  of 
Jackson’s  camp.  Toward  this  Jackson  put  his  column  in  motion,  and 
after  eleAren  days  arrived  on  March  27.  The  cavalry  under  Coffee  and 
some  of  the  friendly  Indians  surrounded  the  place  from  the  river,  and 
the  main  force  attacked  from  the  peninsula,  first  by  artillery,  but  were 
compelled  to  charge.  Col.  L.  P.  Montgomery  was  first  to  leap  upon  the 
works,  but  was  killed;  Ensign  Houston  (Gen.  Sam  Houston)  was  shot 


I 


466 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


with  an  arrow  in  the  thigh,  but  after  several  attempts  tore  it  out  and 
continued  to  fight.  The  friendly  Indians  slipped  across  and  cut  loose 
the  boats  of  the  enemy,  which  were  tied  next  to  the  town.  No  Indian 
asked  for  quarter;  557  dead  were  left  upon  the  peninsula,  and  about 
200  more  were  killed  by  Gen.  Coffees’  men  and  Indians  at  the  river  and 
in  the  woods.  Only  a few  escaped  under  cover  of  the  night.  An  Indian 
chief  lay  under  the  water  and  breathed  through  a long  reed  till  darkness 
gave  him  a favorable  opportunity  to  escape ; 4 warriors  only  surrendered 
besides  400  women  and  children.  Jackson  lost  25  killed,  amonff  whom 
wereMaj.  Montgomery,  who  was  of  the  Thirty-ninth  Regulars,  and  Lieu- 
tenant Somerville;  the  wounded  amounted  to  105.  The  loss  to  the 
the  friendly  Indians  was  29  killed  and  54  wounded.  Jackson  sunk  his 
killed  in  the  river  to  prevent  their  being  scalped  by  the  Indians,  and  re- 
turned to  Fort  Williams  with  his  sick  and  wounded.  On  April  7 he 
started  for  the  junction  of  the  Coosa  and  Tallapoosa,  their  “Holy  of 
Holies.”  Most  of  the  Indians  were  destroyed  and  their  power  was  for- 
ever broken.  Among  the  chiefs  who  came  in  to  surrender  was  William 
Weatherford,  an  intelligent  half-breed,  who  had  planned  the  attack  upon 
Fort  Mimms.  He  rode  boldly  into  the  American  lines  and  up  to  Gen. 
Jackson’s  quarters.  He  was  mounted  upon  a magnificent  charger,  and 
carried  with  him  a large  buck,  which  he  presented  to  the  General.  With 
the  bearing  of  a king  he  said:  “I  am  in  your  power;  do  with  me  as  you 
please.  I am  a soldier.  I have  done  the  white  people  all  the  harm  I 
could;  I have  fought  them,  and  I have  fought  them  bravely.  If  I had 
an  army  I would  fight  you  longer  and  contend  to  the  last,  but  I have 
none ; my  people  are  all  gone.  I can  now  do  no  more  than  weep  over  the 
misfortunes  of  my  nation."  All  I ask  is  for  the  women  and  children.” 
He  was  treated  with  great  civility,  and  lived  to  show  his  good  faith  after- 
ward. Fort  Jackson,  in  addition  to  Fort  William,  was  built  to  protect 
the  conquered  country,  the  former  near  the  junction  of  Coosa  and  Talla- 
poosa. A treaty  was  signed  at  Fort  Jackson  on  August  9,  1814,  by 
which  the  Indians  ceded  all  the  lands  east  of  the  Tombigbee  and  west 
of  the  Coosa  to  the  United  States.  The  time  of  enlistment  of  the  men 
having  expired,  they  were  discharged.  Many  of  the  Creeks  never  joined 
in  the  treaty,  but  their  power  being  broken  they  joined  the  Seminoles, 
with  whom  a war  was  waged  later.  The  burning  of  the  Hillibee  towns 
by  Gen.  Cocke  made  that  tribe  the  most  furious  and  implacable  of  foes. 
They  were  thought  to  be  kindly  disposed  but  for  this  unfortunate  act. 
The  Creeks  or  Muscogees  were  the  most  powerful  of  the  Southern  In- 
dians, and  before  the  war  their  limits  extended  from  the  Chattahoochee 
on  the  east  to  the  Tombigbee  on  the  west ; from  the  Tennessee  on  the 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


467 


north  to  Florida  on  the  south.  Among  them  was  a tradition  that  they 
‘‘came  out  of  the  ground." 

Gen.  Jackson  determined  to  reach  the  cause  of  the  war,  and  strike  at 
both  the  Spanish  and  the  British.  The  threatened  condition  of  the  gulf 
coast  led  him  to  urge  forward  new  lines  from  the  States.  On  September 
10  a British  fleet  of  ninety  guns  and  a large  land  force  of  Spanish  and 
Indians  made  an  attack  upon  Fort  Boyer  at  Mobile  Harbor,  but  met 
with  a bloody  repulse.  The  levies  under  Gen.  Coflee  left  New  Orleans 
October  1 to  join  Jackson  at  Mobile.  Jackson  determined  to  reduce 
Pensacola,  and  determined  to  take  possession  of  the  forts  there.  The 
march  for  the  place  began  on  November  2,  and  the  vicinity  of  Pensacola 
was  reached  on  the  6th.  A flag  of  truce  was  sent  to  the  Spanish  gover- 
nor demanding  the  surrender  of  the  forts  to  the  Americans,  to  prevent 
the  British  from  using  them  to  the  detriment  of  the  Americans.  The 
flag  Avas  fired  on  and  compelled  to  return.  Another  effort  was  made  the 
next  day  by  sending  a Spanish  corporal  to  the  governor  with  a letter 
demanding  possession  of  the  forts.  A very  polite  note  was  sent  to  Jack- 
son,  stating  that  the  firing  upon  the  flag  had  been  done  by  the  British. 
Jackson  then  demanded  the  surrender  of  the  forts  within  an  hour.  This 
was  refused.  Jackson  then  sent  a force  of  500  men  to  draw  the  fire  of 
the  British  fleet,  while  with  the  remaining  force  he  attacked  the  Spanish 
in  the  streets  and  forts.  The  white  flag  was  soon  displayed,  and  the 
British  fleet  was  driven  off.  Fort  Barrancos,  fourteen  miles  west,  was 
abandoned  and  blown  up  by  the  British  the  next  day  to  prevent  its  cap- 
ture. Jackson  then  hastened  to  Mobile  to  ward  off  a threatened  attack 
on  that  place,  but  the  place  being  relieved,  he  hurried  on  to  the  defense 
of  New  Orleans  on  November  22,  where  he  arrived  on  December  1. 
Gen.  Coffee  moved  with  the  cavalry  toward  the  Mississippi,  striking  that 
at  Baton  Rouge.  After  suffering  almost  untold  hardships  from  rains, 
cypress  swamps  and  other  difficulties  from  traveling  through  an  unin- 
habited country  of  pine  forests,  he  reached  there  with  his  men  and  horses 
in  a sad  plight.  Jackson  himself  turned  to  New  Orleans  on  horseback, 
which  he  reached  after  an  eight  days’  ride.  Sickness  and  the  hardships 
of  the  campaign  had  almost  reduced  him  to  the  grave.  He  was  agree- 
ably entertained  at  breakfast  at  Mr.  J.  K.  Smith’s  on  the  morning  of  his 
arrival. 

The  accomplished  Mrs.  Smith  was  greatly  disappointed  in  his  appear- 
ance. She  saw  nothing  in  him  but  “an  ugly  old  Kentucky  flat-boat 
man,”  instead  of  “your  grand  general  with  his  plumes,  epaulettes  and 
long  handsome  mustache.”  To  oppose  the  British  forces,  consisting  of 
over  10,000  soldiers  and  50  heavy  war  vessels  of  1,000  guns  and  10,000 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


408 

sailors,  tlieir  officers  being  in  gay  uniform  and  fresli  from  the  war  with 
Napoleon,  Jackson  had  only  about  2,000  men  dispirited  and  poorly  clad. 
Re-enforcements  were  hurried  forward  from  every  quarter.  The  new 
levies  from  Tennessee,  under  Gen.  Carroll,  were  sent  down  the  river;  not 
more  than  one  in  ten  were  armed  when  they  started.  The  high  stage 
of  the  river  enabled  them  to  make  rapid  progress.  Fortunately  they  fell 
in  with  a vessel  that  was  loaded  with  arms,  and  they  were  thus  supplied. 

So  many  went  for  the  defense  of  New  Orleans  that  the  venerable 
Peter  Cartwright  said  his  congregation  was  small,  but  he  deemed  it  best 
that  they  should  go  with  Gen.  Jackson.  The  danger  being  so  imminent 
Jackson  sent  a message  to  Gen.  Coffee,  who  was  now  at  Baton  Rouge, 
129  miles  away,  to  hurry  with  all  speed  with  his  riflemen,  who  now  num- 
bered 1,250.  Leaving  about  300,  who  could  not  travel  so  rapidly,  he 
started  with  the  remainder  and  marched  fifty  miles  the  first  day.  Here  he 
left  400  or  500,  but  with  the  remainder  he  marched  seventy  miles,  which 
brought  him  within  four  miles  of  headquarters.  He  himself  rode  on 
and  reported  orders.  The  others  came  on  in  due  time.  These  were 
dressed  in  hunting  shirts,  copperas-dyed  pantaloons  made  by  wife, 
mother  or  sister.  They  wore  slouched  woolen  hats  or  coon-skin  caps, 
adorned  with  a fox  tail.  They  carried  a knife  and  a tomahawk  in  a leather 
belt.  Their  hair  and  whiskers  were  long  and  unkempt. 

Such  was  their  appearance  that  the  British  declared  them  to  be  a 
posse  comitatus.  Gen.  Carroll’s  men  arrived  in  season.  A night 
attack  was  planned  by  Jackson  upon  the  British,  on  December  23,  at 
Gen.  Villere’s  plantation.  The  cavalry  was  led  by  Gen.  Coffee  and  the 
infantry  by  Jackson.  It  was  only  a partial  success;  Coffee  and  Col. 
Lauderdale  both  distinguished  themselves.  The  American  loss  was  24 
killed,  115  wounded  and  74  prisoners.  The  British  loss  was  estimated 
at  400.  The  British  attacked  the  Americans  on  December  28,  and  after  a 
seven  hours’  bombardment  drew  off.  In  this  engagement  the  Americans 
lost  7 men  killed  and  10  wounded ; among  the  killed  was  Col.  Henderson, 
of  Tennessee.  On  January  1 there  was  an  engagement  between  the 
British  and  the  Tennessee  troops,  in  which  there  were  11  killed  and  23 
of  the  latter  wounded.  On  the  8th  of  January,  1815,  was  fought  the 
battle  that  will  ever  be  memorable  for  the  great  disparity  of  losses  if 
nothing  more.  The  British  attacked  in  heavy  columns  and  with  great 
determination,  and  were  met  by  the  Americans  with  great  spirit.  Gens. 
Packenham  and  Gibbs,  of  the  British,  were  both  mortally  wounded.  A 
regiment  of  Scotch  Highlanders  charged  in  front  of  Gen.  Carroll’s  Ten- 
nesseeans and  left  544  of  their  number  on  the  field.  Maj.  Wilkinson 
mounted  the  American  works  and  fell  mortally  wounded.  His  admiring 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


469 


enemies  bore  him  tenderly  within  the  works  and  said:  “Bear  up,  dear 
fellow,  you  are  too  brave  to  die.”  In  twenty-five  minutes’  time  the  Brit- 
ish lost  700  killed,  1,400  wounded  and  500  prisoners.  The  American  loss 
was  but  8 killed  and  7 wounded.  The  British,  disconcerted,  returned  to 
their  ships  and  in  a few  days  sailed  away.  Peace  came  and  Jackson 
and  his  men  received  the  plaudits  of  the  nation  for  a victory  that  was 
useless,  yet  none  the  less  brilliant.  On  March  15  he  dismissed  his  men 
with:  “Go,  then,  my  brave  companions,  to  your  homes;  to  those  tender 
connections  and  those  blissful  scenes  which  render  life  so  dear,  full  of 
honor  and  crowned  with  laurels  which  shall  never  fade.”  Whether  the 
British  had  promised  their  soldiers,  as  is  generally  believed,  the  license 
of  “ beauty  and  booty  ” or  not,  the  Americans  believed  it  and  so  fought. 

Trouble  began  with  the  Seminole  Indians  in  1817.  The  name  Sem- 
inole is  said  to  mean  vagrant,  reckless,  and  they  are  supposed  to  have 
sprung  from  the  Creeks.  The  Seminoles,  Creeks  and  escaped  negroes 
began  ravages  in  Georgia.  The  difficulty  grew  out  of  the  treaty  of 
Ghent  made  with  Great  Britain  at  the  close  of  the  war  of  1812.  By 
that  treaty  it  was  stipulated  that  the  previous  boundaries  should  be  con- 
firmed, and  the  Creeks  being  allies  of  Great  Britain  claimed  their  old 
boundaries,  thus  not  recognizing  the  treaty  made  between  them  and 
Gen.  Jackson.  This  the  American  Government  refused  to  grant.  Gen. 
Gaines  sent  Col.  Twiggs  from  Fort  Scott  to  Fowltown,  thirteen  miles 
distant,  to  demand  of  the  chief  some  Indians  who  had  been  committing- 
depredations.  The  party  was  fired  upon,  when  the  fire  was  returned  and 
a woman  and  two  warriors  were  killed  and  the  town  burned  by  order  of 
Gen.  Gaines.  Supplies  were  brought  up  the  Appalachicola,  by  permis- 
sion from  the  Spanish,  to  forts  in  the  Creek  country.  On  November  30, 
as  Lieut.  Scott  was  proceeding  up  the  river  with  a boat  of  supplies,  forty 
soldiers,  seven  women  and  four  children,  he  was  fired  on  by  a party  of 
concealed  Indians,  and  every  one  (except  four  who  leaped  out  and  swam 
ashore)  was  killed  and  one  woman  was  carried  off.  Gen.  Jackson 
was  sent  to  conduct  the  war.  He  was  instructed  by  the  Secretary  of 
War,  Mr.  Calhoun,  to  call  on  the  adjacent  States  for  such  additional 
troops  as  he  might  need.  He  was  not  long  in  construing  this  order  to 
mean  Tennessee.  He  issued  a call  and  set  January  11,  1818,  a§  the  day 
of  rendezvous  at  Fayetteville.  Two  regiments  of  1,000  men  assembled 
under  Cols.  Dyer  and  Williamson,  and  a body  of  100  men  under  Capt. 
Dunlap;  the  whole  were  under  Inspector-Gen.  Hayne.  Jackson  himself 
left  Nashville  on  January  22  and  joined  his  forces.  He  started  with 
twenty  days’  rations.  He  experienced  the  same  difficulties  as  in  1813-14. 
Supplies  were  ordered  to  be  shipped  from  New  Orleans  to  Fort  Scott, 


470 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


where  he  arrived  on  March  9,  a distance  of  450  miles,  with  1,100  hungry 
men.  This  was  accomplished  in  forty-six  days.  Before  arriving  at  Fort 
Scott  he  was  joined  by  McIntosh,  now  a brigadier-general  in  the  United 
States  Army,  with  2,000  Indians. 

Perceiving  the  Spanish  were  giving  aid  to  the  Indians,  Jackson  de- 
termined to  capture  Fort  St.  Mark’s,  a Spanish  fort.  He  left  Negro  Fort, 
now  rebuilt  and  called  Fort  Gadsden,  on  March  20,  and  arrived  before 
St.  Mark’s  April  7.  On  his  way  he  destroyed  several  Indian  towns.  On 
the  8th  Jackson  entered  St.  Mark’s,  and  hauled  down  the  Spanish  flag 
and  ran  up  the  American  flag,  notwithstanding  the  protest  of  the  Spanish 
governor.  Here  was  captured  Alexander  Arbuthnot,  a Scotch  trader, 
who  was  aiding  the  Indians.  On  his  way  to  St.  Mark’s  Capt.  McKeever, 
of  the  navy,  who  was  going  to  the  assistance  of  Jackson,  lured  the 
prophet  Francis  and  his  head  chief  on  board  his  vessel  by  displaying  an 
English  flag,  and  held  them  as  prisoners.  They  were  executed  by  Gen. 
Jackson  for  being  at  the  massacre  at  Fort  Minims.  On  the  11th  he 
started  for  the  Suwanee  Old  Towns,  107  miles  distant.  After  a tiresome 
march  through  snows  and  bogs  he  arrived  to  find  the  towns  deserted, 
the  Indian  chief,  Bowlegs,  and  his  warriors  having  fled.  Here  was  cap- 
tured B.  C.  Ambrister,  an  Englishman  of  rank,  who  had  been  suspended 
from  the  army  for  sending  a challenge  for  a duel.  He  was  assisting  the 
Indians  against  the  Americans.  Jackson  returned  to  St.  Mark’s  on  the 
26th.  A court  martial  was  called  to  try  Arbuthnot  and  Ambrister,  which 
ended  in  two  days  in  their  conviction.  The  sentence  ivas  approved  by 
Jackson  and  they  Avere  executed,  the  former  having  been  hung  and  the 
latter  shot.  Jackson  returned  to  Fort  Gadsden,  where  he  remained  a few 
days,  when  he  started  for  Pensacola.  The  Indians  were  committing 
depredations  in  that  vicinity,  and  Avere  receiving  protection  from  the 
Spaniards.  Jackson  seized  the  place  in  spite  of  the  governor’s  protest, 
and  placed  thereon  an  American  garrison.  The  execution  of  Ambrister 
and  Arbuthnot  and  the  invasion  of  Spanish  territory  came  near  involving 
the  United  States  in  war  with  England  and  Spain.  Fort  Gadsden,  form- 
erly called  Negro  Fort,  Avas  built  about  seventeen  miles  above  the  coast, 
on  the  Appalachicola,  by  Col.  Nichols  during  the  Avar  of  1812,  and  Avas 
a store-house  for  the  Indians.  After  the  Avar  the  Indians  neglected  it  j, 
and  Garmon  took  possession  of  it-  with  several  hundred  runaway  negroes. 
They  refused  to  allow  supplies  to  go  up  the  river,  when  it  was  de-  j 
^er mined  to  destroy  the  fort.  It  was  surrounded  by  settlers  and  friendly  !j 
Indians,  but  they  were  unable  to  make  any  impression  on  it.  A gun- 
boat  was  ordered  up  the  river  to  assist  in  its  destruction.  This  was  in  j 
1816.  The  fort  Avas  defended  by  ten  or  twelve  cannon,  and  had  stored 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


471 


in  the  magazine  700  barrels  of  powder.  A red-liot  shell  tired  from  the 
gun-boat  lodged  in  the  magazine  and  a terrific  explosion  followed.  Of 
334  inmates  only  three  were  unhurt.  The  explosion  is  said  to  have 
been  felt  for  100  miles.  A treaty  was  signed  at  Moultrie  Creek  Septem- 
ber 18,  1823,  by  which  the  Seminoles  were  to  be  kept  in  the  interior, 
and  were  paid  the  sum  of  $5,000  a year  for  twenty  years. 

The  pressure  of  the  whites  upon  the  Indians  to  take  possession  of 
their  rich  lands  led  to  frequent  difficulties,  and  not  unfrequently  were 
persons  killed  by  the  Indians.  To  avoid  these  growing  evils  it  was  de- 
termined by  the  Government  if  possible  to  send  the  Seminoles  to  a reser- 
vation west  of  the  Mississippi  River.  The  Indian  chiefs  were  sent  to 
the  Indian  Nation  to  examine  the  situation  and  report.  Arriving  there 
in  the  winter  they  Avere  not  favorably  impressed,  but  Avere  at  last  induced 
to  sign  a treaty.  Through  the  influence  of  Col.  Gadsden  this  treaty  was 
made  at  Payne’s  Landing,  May  9,  1832,  by  which  it  was  stipulated  that- 
tlie  Indians,  for  a small  consideration,  should  within  three  years  move  to 
a neAV  reservation  Avest  of  the  Mississippi  River.  Osceola  and  other 
chiefs  bitterly  opposed  this.  Gen.  Thompson,  Avho  had  wronged  Osceola, 
Avas  killed  December  23,  1835,  and  on  the  same  day  Maj.  Dade  and  110 
men  were  waylaid  and  massacred  in  Wahoo  Swamp.  Volunteers  Avere 
called  for  in  June,  1836,  the  apportionment  of  Tennessee  being  2,000, 
more  than  double  the  number  offered.  The  East  Tennessee  troups  ren- 
dezvoused at  Athens  and  elected  R.  G.  Dunlap  brigadier-general  oArer 
their  brigade.  Troops  of  Middle  Tennessee  assembled  at  Fayetteville,  the 
old  place  of  rendezvous.  Here  met  the  companies  of  Capt.  Rodgers,  of 
Warren  County;  Capts.  Jetton  and  Yoakum,  of  Rutherford;  Turney  and 
Roberts,  of  Franklin;  Terry,  of  Bledsoe;  Cronck,  of  Williamson;  Henry, 
of  Robertson;  Grundy,  Washington  and  Battles,  of  Davidson;  and 
Trousdale  and  Guilt,  of  Sumner.  These  were  organized  into  a brigade, 
of  which  Robert  Armstrong  was  elected  general;  Washington  Barron, 
adjutant;  A.  M.  Upsham,  inspector -general,  and  W.  G.  Dickson,  sur- 
geon. Of  the  First  Regiment  A.  M.  Bradford  Avas  colonel;  T.  H.  Cahal, 

lieutenant-colonel; Goff,  first  major;  Powhatan  Gordon,  second 

major.  Of  the  Second  Regiment  W.  Trousdale  Avas  colonel ; J.  C.  Guilt, 
lieutenant-colonel; Meddow,  first  major;  AY.  L.  Washington,  sec- 

ond major,  and  J.  P.  Grundy,  adjutant. 

The  force  moved  in  due  time  following  near  Jackson’s  old  route  to  the 
Creek  Nation.  The  army  Avas  little  encumbered  by  baggage,  as  what 
little  was  carried  was  placed  upon  Sumter  mules  and  the  necessity  of 
wheeled  vehicles  Avas  in  a great  measure  avoided.  The  army  moved 
from  Huntsville  by  Avay  of  Elyton,  Montgomery,  to  AVatumpka  or  Camp 


472 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


Jordan,  where  it  remained  till  the  1st  of  September.  It  then  crossed 
the  Coosa  at  Fort  Meigs,  the  Appalachicola  at  the  confluence  of  the  Flint 
and  Chattahoochee,  thence  by  way  of  Quincy,  Marietta  to  Tallahassee. 
From  Tallahassee  the  army  moved  through  the  wilderness  to  the  Suwa- 
nee  Old  Towns,  thence  to  Fort  Drane.  On  October  13,  a battle  was 
fought  on  the  Withlacoochee  with  no  great  loss  on  either  side.  The 
forces  were  compelled  to  withdraw  for  supplies  but  returned,  and  another 
engagement  was  fought  on  November  13  .near  the  same  place.  Bat- 
tles were  fought  at  the  Wahoo  Swamp  on  the  18th  and  21st  of  Novem- 
ber. Osceola,  Sam  Jones,  and  Alligator  are  said  to  have  been  present  on 
the  side  of  the  Indians.  After  a stubbornly  contested  engagement,  the 
Indians  retreated  into  their  fastnesses.  This  was  the  last  fighting1  done 
by  the  Tennesseans.  The  army  marched  to  Tampa  Bay,  thence  by  ship 
to  New  Orleans,  and  from  there  went  home.  The  war  was  finally  brought 
to  a close  by  Gen.  Taylor.  With  COO  regulars  he  left  Fort  Gardner,  and 
on  December  19  gained  the  most  decisive  victory  of  the  war  at  Lake 
Okechobee.  He  was  made  a brigadier-general  for  his  success  at  Oke- 
chobee,  and  on  the  resignation  of  Gen.  Jessup  the  whole  conduct  of  the 
war  was  entrusted  to  him.  His  policy  was  to  carry  out  the  stipulations 
of  the  existing  treaty.  As  fast  as  a sufficient  number  of  Indians  were 
captured  or  gave  themselves  up,  they  were  sent  to  the  reservation.  By 
1839  he  had  sent  1,900  to  their  future  homes.  The  war  could  not  be 
said  to  be  closed  till  1842,  with  a loss  of  1,400  lives  by  disease,  such  as 
yellow  fever  and  other  diseases  pecular  to  that  climate,  and  by  Indian 
bullets  and  scalping  knives,  and  an  expense  of  $10,000,000. 

Texas  was  early  an  inviting  field  for  adventurous  speculators  and  per- 
sons seeking  homes.  Many,  after  the  Creek  and  Seminole  wars,  went 
there  from  a spirit  of  adventure  alone.  The  distui'bed  condition  of  that 
unfortunate  republic,  with  its  periodical  revolutions,  compelled  those 
living  in  Texas  to  protect  themselves  against  the  aggressions  of  the  Mex- 
ican Government.  Among  the  most  distinguished  men  living  in  Texas 
was  Gen.  Sam  Houston,  of  Tennessee,  who  had  won  renown  in  the  Creek 
war,  also  had  been  distinguished  as  a political  leader.  The  settlers  of 
Texas  were  largely  American,  and  the  tyranny  of  Mexico  led  them  to  rev- 
olution. Many  old  friends  and  companions  in  arms  of  Houston  flocked 
to  his  standard,  he  at  this  time  being  at  the  head  of  the  revolution.  Af- 
ter varying  turns  of  fortune,  a decisive  victory  was  gained  at  San  J acinto 
on  April  21,  1836,  which  resulted  in  the  complete  discomfiture  of  the 
Mexican  forces  and  the  capture  of  Santa  Anna,  the  Mexican  president.- 
While  a prisoner,  he  signed  with  the  Texans  their  treaty  of  independ- 
ence. The  State  maintained  its  independence  for  ten  years,  though  after 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


473 


the  release  of  Santa  Anna,  he  disavowed  the  act  done  by  himself,  on  the 
ground  of  its  being  done  while  a prisoner  of  war.  Texas  made  applica- 
tion for  admission  into  the  American  Union.  This  was  bitterly  opposed 
by  the  Mexican  authorities  on  the  ground  that  she  had  never  acknowl- 
edged the  independence  of  Texas,  and  that  Texas  was  still  a part  of  the 
Mexican  Government.  This  became  a question  in  American  politics. 
The  elections  of  1844  were  favorable  to  the  issue  of  the  Texan  admission. 
Mexico  claimed  sovereignty  not  only  over  all  Texas,  but  particularly  that 
part  lying  between  the  N ueces  and  the  Rio  Grande  Rivers.  A threatened 
invasion  of  this  territory  on  the  part  of  the  Mexican  authorities,  led  the 
American  Government  to  send  Gen.  Taylor  with  a large  force  of  United 
States  troops  into  the  disputed  territory  to  take  post  at  Corpus  Christi, 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Nueces.  After  some  negotiations  for  peace,  on  March 
8,  1846,  Gen.  Taylor  advanced  to  Point  Isabel,  thence  in  a few  days  to 
the  point  on  the  Rio  Grande  opposite  Matamoras.  On  his  arrival  there 
Ampudia  notified  Gen.  Taylor  that  his  forces  must  quit  the  territory  be- 
tween the  Rio  Grande  and  the  Nueces  within  twenty- four  hours,  or  risk 
the  consequences.  Taylor’s  communications  with  Point  Isabel,  his  base 
of  supplies,  were  threatened  by  Mexican  cavalry.  He  went  with  his 
main  force  to  open  communications,  and  in  his  absence,  his  works  at 
Matamoras  were  attacked  and  Maj.  Brown  was  killed.  In  honor  of  him 
the  American  work  was  called  Fort  Brown. 

On  May  8 Gen.  Taylor  in  his  return  to  Matamoras  encountered  Gen. 
Ampudia  at  Palo  Alto.  An  engagement  ensued  and  the  Mexicans  were 
forced  to  retreat  with  a loss  of  600  men.  The  American  loss  was  6 killed 
and  44  wounded.  Another  battle  was  fought  on  the  9th  at  Resaca  de  la 
Palma,  in  which  the  Mexicans  were  again  defeated,  with  a loss  of  1,000 
men,  the  American  loss  being  only  110.  On  the  announcement  of  these 
engagements,  it  was  stated  that  American  blood  had  been  shed  on  Amer- 
can  soil. 

The  President  declared  that  war  existed  between  the  United  States 
and  Mexico,  and  called  for  50,000  volunteers.  Congress  immediately 
appropriated  $10,000,000  for  carrying  on  the  war.  The  apportionment 
of  volunteers  for  Tennessee  was  2,000,  and  Gov.  A.  V.  Brown  called  for 
that  number.  It  was  finally  agreed  to  accept  2,400  men,  1,600  infantry, 
and  800  cavalry.  Such  was  the  spirit  for  volunteering,  that  it  became  a 
question,  not  as  to  who  must  go,  but  who  may  go.  It  was  remarked  that 
a draft  would  be  necessary  to  compel  men  to  stay  at  home.  The  State 
was  divided  into  four  military  districts : one  in  East,  two  in  Middle  and  one 
in  West  Tennessee.  The  volunteers  of  the  middle  division  consisted  of 
the  Harrison  Guards — -Captain  R.  C.  Foster ; Lieutenants  A.  Heiman  and 


474 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


George  Maney;  the  Nashville  Blues — Captain  B.  F.  Cheatham;  Lieuten- 
ants William  R.  Bradfute,  and  E.  Eastman;  Shelby ville  Guards — Captain 
Edward  Frierson;  Lieutenants  J.  L.  Scudder  and  G.  W.  Buchanan;  the 
Polk  Guards — Captain  Pi,  A..  Bennett;  Lieutenants  J.  M.  Shaver  and 
Patrick  Duffey ; Tenth  Legion— Captain  S.  R.  Anderson;  Lieutenants 
William  M.  Blackmore  and  P.  L.  Solmon;  Union  Boys — -Captain  W.  B. 
Walton ; Lieutenants  Samuel  High  and  C.  W.  Dixon ; Dixon  Spring  Guards 
— Captain  L.  P.  McMurray ; Lieutenants  W.  Bradley  and  James  Lanahan; 
Lincoln  Guards — Captain  Pryor  Buchanan ; Lieutenants  A.  L.  Fulton  and 
J.Y.  Myers.  Lawrenceville  Blues — Captain  A.  S.  Alexander;  Lieutenants 
James  Burkitt  and  G.  H.  Nixon.  Hickory  Guards — Captain  J.  Whit- 
field; Lieutenants  J.  B.  Easley  and  L.  P.  Totty.  Richland  Guards — 
Captain  H.  Mauldin;  Lieutenants  W.  P.  Davis  and  W.  H.  McCrory. 
Mountain  Blues — Captain  A.  North cutt ; Lieutenants  E.  M.  Mercer  and  J. 
J.  Hill.  These  men  rendezvoused  at  the  race  course  near  Nashville.  The 
regiment  was  organized  June  3,  1846;  William  B.  Campbell,  of  Smith 
County,  colonel ; Samuel  R.  Anderson,  of  Sumner  County,  lieutenant-col- 
onel; Richard  Alexander,  of  Smith  County,  first  major,  and  Robert  Far- 
quliarson,  of  Lincoln  County,  second  major;  Adolphus  Heiman  was 
made  adjutant;  Dr.  McPhail,  surgeon,  and  W.  D.  Morris,  assistant  sur- 
geon. These  companies  were  constituted  the  First  Regiment.  Before 
leaving  for  the  seat  of  Avar  a beautiful  flag  was  presented  to  the  regi- 
ment by  Miss  Irene  C.  Taylor,  in  behalf  of  the  young  ladies  of  the  Nash- 
ville Female  Academy.  On  the  4th  and  5th  of  June  they  left  Nashville 
for  New  Orleans.  The  Second  Regiment  was  ordered  to  assemble  at 
Camp  Carroll,  near  Memphis,  on  June  15,  1846.  These  men  were  sworn 
into  the  service  by  Gen.  Hay.  The  forces  consisted  of  the  Tennessee 
Guards,  Capt.  H.  P.  Maney;  Avengers,  Capt.  T.  P.  Jones;  Memphis 
Rifle  Guards,  Capt.  E.  F.  Ruth;  Gaines  Guards,  Capt.  M.  B.  Cook  In 
addition  to  these  were  the  following  cavalry  companies:  Fayette  Cavalry, 
Capt.  J.  Lenow,  and  the  Eagle  Guards,  Capt.  W.  N,  Porter.  From  East 
Tennessee  came  the  Knoxville  Dragoons,  under  Capt.  Caswell;  Claiborne 
Blues,  Capt.  Evans,  and  the  Rhea  County  Cavalry,  Capt.  Waterhouse. 
The  infantry  companies  from  this  section  were  Capt.  Standifer,  from 
Hamilton ; Capt.  Lowery,  from  McMinn ; Capt.  McCown,  from  Sevier,  and 
Capt.  R,  L.  Kilpatrick,  from  Anderson,  instead  of  Capt.  Barnett,  of  Sul- 
livan. The  officers  of  the  Second  Tennesse  Avere  J.  E.  Thomas,  colonel ; 
R.  D.  Allison,  lieutenant-colonel,  and  Richard  Waterhouse,  major. 

The  cavalry  of  this  division  moved  by  way  of  Little  Rock,  Fulton, 
San  Antonio  and  joined  Gen.  Taylor  at  Matamoras.  Each  regiment  and 
company  Avas  given  an  ovation  on  their  departure.  The  First  Regiment, 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


475 


consisting  of  twelve  companies,  embarked  at  New  Orleans  on  June  17, 
and  arrived  on  the  Brazos  early  in  July,  and  were  stationed  at  Camargo 
till  August  29.  when  the  rest  of  the  men  -were  called  to  assist  in  the  capt- 
ure of  Monterey.  The  hot  weather  and  climatic  causes  made  a worse 
havoc  in  the  ranks  than  Mexican  bullets.  The  regiments  were  soon 
sadly  depleted  before  seeing  any  active  service.  The  First  Regiment  was 
attached  to  Gen.  Quitman’s  brigade  and  the  Second  to  Gen.  Gideon  J. 
Pillow’s  brigade.  The  line  of  march  for  Monterey  was  taken  up  on  Sep- 
tember 7,  and  on  the  19th  the  army  was  within  five  miles  of  the  city. 
The  20th  was  employed  in  preparing  for  battle.  The  American  forces 
consisted  of  about  6,000  troops,  the  city  was  defended  by  about  10,000 
Mexicans.  The  battle  was  fouhgt  on  the  21st.  The  city  Avas  strongly 
fortified  and  stood  at  the  foot  of  the  Sierra  Nevada.  The  points  of  defense 
Avere  Taneria  and  the  Black  Fort  on  the  east  and  Bishop’s  Palace  on  the 
west.  The  Tennessee  troops  Avere  to  the  left  on  the  east.  . Their  eager- 
ness to  measure  strength  with  their  enemies  was  intense.  The  guns 
from  Fort  Taneria  greeted  them  Avith  both  musketry  and  artillery  fire  and 
the  bloody  work  began.  They  Avere  Avithin  eighty  yards  of  the  works 
before  they  fired  on  the  Mexicans,  although  they  were  suffering  terribly. 
As  the  fire  of  the  Americans  opened  the  fire  of  the  Mexicans  slackened. 
A rush  Avas  made  for  the  parapets  and  the  flag  of  the  First  was  the  first 
planted  on  the  battlements  of  Monterey.  Of  850  men  in  the  charge  105 
were  lost.  Among  these  26  Avei-e  killed,  77  were  Avounded  and  2 were 
missing.  From  private  to  colonel  every  man  acted  gallantly.  The  city 
of  Montere^'  capitulated  on  the  25th.  After  the  surrender  of  the  city  an 
armistice  of  four  months  folloAved,  during  which  time  efforts  for  peace 
were  made.  The  truce  having  ended  a large  portion  of  Taylor’s  men 
were  withdrawn  and  given  to  Gen.  Scott,  who  was  meditating  a descent 
upon  Vera  Cruz.  The  movement  began  December  14. 

la  the  meantime  the  tAvo  Tennessee  regiments  had  been  placed  in  the 
brigade  of  Gen.  Pillow.  On  December  14  the  troops  started  for  Tampico, 
the  place  of  embarkation.  They  were  finally  landed  at  Vera  Cruz  on 
March  9,  1847,  and  approaches  Avere  begun.  The  siege  guns  opened  on 
the  city  on  the  22d,  and  continued  till  the  27th.  On  the  26th  a detachment 
of  six  companies  of  the  First  and  Second  Tennessee  Regiments  was  as- 
signed the  duty  of  assaulting  a barricade  defending  Madeline  Bridge. 
The  battalion  was  led  by  Col.  Haskell.  Capt.  Foster  was  the  first  to 
leap  upon  the  Avork.  The  place  was  carried  with  little  loss.  The  city  of 
Vera  Cruz  and  the  strong  castle  of  San  Juande  Ulloa  surrendered  on  the 
29th.  Gen.  Scott’s  army  began  its  march  toward  the  City  of  Mexico 
April  9,  and  on  the  18th,  his  progress  Avas  disputed  at  Cerro  Gordo.  In 


476 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


the  assault  that  followed  the  Tennesseeans  were  on  the  left  of  the  line. 
The  assault  was  vigorous  but  the  Second,  entangled  in  the  chapparal  in 
front  of  the  works,  suffered  terribly.  The  loss  in  the  two  regiments  was 
79,  8 being  from  the  First  and  the  remainder  being  from  the  Second. 
Gen.  Pillow  was  among  the  wounded.  The  army  then  moved  forward  to 
Jalapa.  The  time  of  service  of  the  Tennesseeans  having  expired  the 
remaining  portion  of  the  regiments  were  sent  to  New  Orleans,  where  they 
were  mustered  out.  Gen.  Scott  moved  his  army  on  to  Pueblo,  where  he 
was  compelled  to  await  re-enforcements  to  fill  his  much  depleted  ranks. 
A call  was  made  on  Tennessee  for  two  additional  regiments,  the  Third 
and  the  Fourth,  and  a battalion  of  six  companies  called  the  Fourteenth. 
Capt.  B.  F.  Cheatham  was  largely  instrumental  in  raising  the  Third.  It 
was  composed  of  the  companies  of  Capt.  Chambliss,  from  Giles  and  Mar- 
shal Counties,  Capt.  Solomon,  of  Sumner;  Capt.  Whitfield,  of  Hickman; 
Capts.  Trigg  and  Bradfute,  of  Davidson ; Capt.  Collyer,  of  Franklin ; Capt. 

Douley,  of  Rutherford  and  Coffee ; Capt. ,of  De  Kalb ; Capt.  Anderson,  of 

Coffee,  and  Capt.  Leftnick  of  Maury  and  Lewis  Counties.  Capt.  Cheatham 
was  elected  colonel  of  the  Third  and  it  was  mustered  into  the  service  on 
October  8,  1847.  Their  place  of  rendezvous  was  about  two  and  a half 
miles  from  Nashville  on  the  Nolensville  pike.  The  Fourth  Regiment 
was  composed  of  the  companies  of  Capt.  H.  Dill,  of  McMinn ; Capt.  C.  J. 
Flagg,  of  Blount;  Capt.  R.  Oliver,  of  Anderson;  Capt.  J.  B.  Collins,  of 
Bradley;  Capt.  E.  Thomason,  of  Grainger;  Capt.  J.  C.  Vaughn,  of  Mon- 
roe; Capt.  J.  J.  Reese,  of  Jefferson;  Capt.  G.  W.  Bounds,  of  Hawkins; 
Capt.  G.  AV.  Kenzie,  of  Meigs;  Capt.  McClellan,  of  Sullivan;  Capt. 
Waterhouse,  of  Rhea,  and  Capts.  Parson  and  Council,  of  Knox.  Capt. 
Waterhouse,  of  Rhea,  was  elected  colonel.  The  remaining  forces  of 
the  State  rendezvoused  at  Camp  Carroll  or  Carrollton  under  Col. 
Trousdale. 

These  forces  Avere  all  taken  to  New  Orleans  by  boat,  thence  by  vessel 
to  Vera  Cruz.  Here  they  were  formed  into  a brigade,  but  did  not  arrive  at 
the  City  of  Mexico  until  the  work  of  capture  Avas  done.  However,  Gen. 
PilloAY  paid  a visit  to  Tennessee  in  the  summer  of  1847,  and  returned  in 
July  and  joined  Scott’s  army  at  Pueblo.  He  was  in  the  advance  upon 
the  City  of  Mexico  and  engaged  in  the  battles  of  Cliurubusco,  Cliapulte- 
pec,  Molino  del  Ray  and  the  seige  of  the  city.  He  Avas  one  of  the  com- 
missioners to  negotiate  the  surrender.  Some  very  distinguished  men 
Avere  developed  by  this  Avar ; among  them  may  be  mentioned  Govs.  Trous- 
dale and  Campbell,  and  Gens.  B.  F.  Cheatham  and  PilloAV.  On  settle- 
ment of  the  Mexican  question  the  soldiers  of  Tennessee  returned  to  their 
homes  to  enjoy  the  full  measure  of  praise  their  valor  upon  the  field  had  won. 


Landing  [ 


FORT  DONELSON, 


1 Mile§| 


Tyanspor.t 


Tiridaes"  'l'w 
llickmanS-^ 


' FORT 
DONELSOnSs' 


'DOVER! 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


477 


CHAPTER  XV. 

Federal  Military  History — Cause  of  the  Loyalty  of  East  Tennessee — Ar- 
raignment of  the  General  Assembly  and  of  the  Executive  by  the 
Union  Conventions— The  Concentration  of  the  Confederate  Forces  at 
Knoxville— Organization  of  the  Unionists— The  Helpless  Situation  of 
Loyal  Citizens — Active  Military  Operations — Selected  Illustrative 
Correspondence— The  Execution  of  the  Bridge  Burners — Arrest  of 
the  Union  Leaders — An  Outline  of  the  Principal  Military  Move- 
ments—Burnsides’  Occupation — Siege  of  Knoxville — The  Concluding 
Skirmishes— Sketches  of  the  Regiments. 

nvr O fact  connected  with  the  late  civil  war,  abounding  in  striking 
events  and  gigantic  achieArements,  is  more  remarkable  than  the 
number  of  troops  furnished  by  Tennessee  to  the  Federal  Army.  It  is 
scarcely  credible  that  a State  with  a voting  population  of  only  about 
140,000,  raising  nearly  100,000  troops  for  the  Confederate  Army,  should 
also  have  furnished  30,000  men  to  fight  for  the  Union.  It  becomes  still 
more  remarkable  to  consider  that  a very  large  proportion  of  this  30,000 
came  from  a division  of  the  State,  having  a male  population  between  the 
ages  of  twenty  and  fifty,  of  only  45,000;  and  that  unlike  the  volunteer 
from  the  Northern  States,  the  Union  soldier  from  Tennessee  was  not 
tempted  to  enlist  by  a munificent  State  bounty,  nor  impelled  by  the  force 
of  public  opinion,  but  on  the  contrary,  to  do  so,  he  was  forced  to  escape 
from  an  enemy’s  watchful  guard  at  night  and,  leaving  his  home  and  all 
he  held  dear  to  the  mercy  of  a hostile  foe,  make  his  way  across  the  bleak 
and  cheerless  mountains,  to  the  Union  camps  in  Kentucky. 

For  an  explanation  of  this  remarkable  adherence  to  the  Union  on  the 
part  of  the  people  of  East  Tennessee,  it  is  necessary  to  look  to  the  origin 
of  the  war.  As  many  as  have  been  its  alleged  causes,  all  may  be 
traced  to  the  one  prime  cause,  slavery ; all  others  were  the  result  of  or 
incident  to  slavery,  as  has  been  shown  by  Dr.  Draper,  in  his  history  of 
the  war.  The  difference  in  climate,  soil  and  physical  features  between 
the  North  and  the  South,  through  its  effect  upon  the  growth  of  slavery, 
was  a remote  agency  in  producing  strife  between  the  two  sections.  On 
the  other  hand,  the  dissimilarity  in  character,  occupation  and  political 
sentiments  of  the  people  was  largely  the  result  of  their  different  systems 
of  labor.  It  is  true,  the  difference  in  character  of  the  original  colonists 
was  a more  or  less  important  factor,  but  its  effect  was  not  great. 

East  Tennessee  was  settled  by  the  same  class  of  people  as  that  part  of 
the  State  west  of  the  Cumberland  Mountains,  and  at  one  time  the  people 

30 


478 


HISTORY  OR  TENNESSEE. 


of  the  two  sections  were  homogeneous ; but  owing  to  the  peculiar  topogra- 
phy of  the  former,  however,  slave  labor  was  not  very  profitable,  and  com- 
paratively few  slaves  were  owned — the  proportion  of  the  free  men  be- 
ing about  as  one  to  twenty.  The  same  divergence  of  interest  grew  up  be- 
tween East  Tennessee  and  the  middle  and  western  divisions  of  the  State, 
as  between  the  North  and  South  as  a whole.  Consequently  upon  all  ques- 
tions of  political  and  domestic  economy,  East  Tennessee  was  usually 
identified  with  the  Northern  States.  Since  1886,  as  a whole,  it  had 
been  strongly  Whig,  and  in  some  sections  for  many  years,  a strong  aboli- 
tion sentiment  had  existed;  when  therefore,  it  was  proposed  to  sacrifice 
the  Union  to  perpetuate  slavery,  the  majority  of  the  people  of  East 
Tennessee  joined  with  the  freemen  of  the  North,  to  prevent  its  consum- 
mation. They  foresaw  that  should  a Confederacy  of  the  slave  States  be- 
come established,  the  person  who  owned  no  slaves,  as  a factor  in  politics 
and  in  society,  would  be  a cipher.  It  is  undoubtedly  true  that  the  great 
body  of  the  people  did  not  see  this  result,  but  their  leaders  did,  and  per- 
haps in  no  State  were  the  masses  more  submissive  to  leadership  than  in 
Tennessee. 

In  addition  to  this  the  State,  as  a whole,  had  always  been  intensely 
patriotic.  The  readiness  with  which  she  had  come  to  the  defense  of  the 
country,  when  threatened  by  an  alien  or  a savage  foe,  had  won  for  her 
the  name  of  -‘The  Volunteer  State.”  It  was  the  greatest  of  Tennesseeans 
who  said:  “ The  Union!  It  must  and  shall  be  preserved.”  Even  the  ma- 
jority of  those  who  joined  in  the  support  of  the  Confederacy,  did  so,  only 
when  they  felt  it  to  be  their  highest  duty,  and  it  was  with  no  feigned  grief 
that  they  left  the  old  “ stars  and  stripes,”  to  rally  around  a new  and 
strange  flag.  As  has  been  stated,  the  preponderance  of  Union  sentiment 
in  Tennessee  was  in  the  eastern  division  of  the  State,  yet  at  the  election 
in  1860  the  majority  for  the  “Union”  electors  was  quite  large  throughout 
the  State.  Even  after  the  secession  of  South  Carolina  and  other  more 
Southern  States,  the  entire  State  remained  firmly  for  the  Union,  as  was 
shown  by  a vote  of  24,749  for,  to  91,803  against  calling  a convention. 
But  after  the  attack  upon  Fort  Sumter,  and  the  call  for  troops  by  Presi- 
dent Lincoln,  which  worked  such  a change  in  the  sentiment  of  the  people 
of  this  State,  the  stronghold  of  the  Unionists  was  in  East  Tennessee.  At 
the  election  held  in  June,  to  vote  on  the  question  of  separation  or  no 
separation,  while  the  total  number  of  votes  in  the  State  against  that  meas- 
ure Avas  47,274,  32,962  of  them  were  cast  in  East  Tennessee.* 

This  result  was  due  in  a great  measure  to  the  position  taken  by 
the  political  leaders  Andrew  Johnson,  T.  A.  Pi.  Nelson,  William  G. 


*S'ee  elsewhere  for  the  full  returns  of  these  elections. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


479 


Brownlow,  Horace  Maynard,  Connolly  F.  Trigg,  William  B.  Carter  and 
others,  who  took  a determined  stand  against  secession  and  did  all  in  their 
power  to  prevent  Tennessee  from  going  out  of  the  Union.  To  determine 
the  relative  amount  of  influence  exerted  by  each  individual  would  be  an 
impossibility.  Mr.  Johnson  has  by  many  been  accorded  the  credit  for 
the  loyalty  of  East  Tennessee,  and  it  ivas  in  part  due  to  his  influence. 
He  was  very  popular  with  the  Democracy  of  the  State,  and  especially  of 
his  congressional  district,  and  his  powerful  pleas  for  the  Union  carried 
many  of  his  party  with  him.  But  with  the  Whig  element  he  could  have 
had  but  little  influence,  since  he  had  advocated  the  election  of  Breckin- 
ridge at  the  preceding  presidential  election,  and  had  otherwise  rendered 
himself  obnoxious  to  them.  In  fact,  as  has  been  stated,  the  Whigs  of 
East  Tennessee  were  naturally  attached  to  the  Union,  and  diametrically 
opposed  to  the  principles  of  the  extreme  Democracy,  which  had  inaug- 
urated the  Rebellion.  It,  therefore,  required  only  the  eloquence  and  zeal 
of  the  old  leaders  Nelson,  Maynard,  Brownlow  and  others  to  fire  them 
with  an  enthusiasm  for  the  Union  and  the  “ old  flag,”  which  not  even  the 
hardships  of  four  years  of  war  served  to  abate.  On  the  30tli  of  May 
preceding  that  election,  about  500  delegates,  representing  nearly  every 
county  in  East  Tennessee,  assembled  at  Knoxville  in  pursuance  of  the 
following  call: 


The  undersigned,  a portion  of  the  people  of  East  Tennessee,  disapproving  the  hasty 
and  inconsiderate  action  of  our  General  Assembly,  and  sincerely  desirous  to  do,  in  the 
midst  of  the  trouble  which  surrounds  us,  what  will  be  best  for  our  country,  and  for  all 
classes  of  our  citizens,  respectfully  appoint  a convention  to  be  held  in  Knoxville  on 
Thursday,  the  30th  of  May  inst.;  and  we  urge  every  county  in  East  Tennessee  to  send  dele- 
gates to  this  convention,  that  the  conservative  element  of  our  whole  section  may  be  repre- 
sented, and  that  wise  and  judicious  counsels  may  prevail— looking  to  peace  and  harmony 
among  ourselves. 

F.  S.  Heiskell,  John  Williams,  W.  H.  Rogers, 

John  J.  Craig,  S.  R.  Rogers,  John  Baxter, 

Dr.  W.  Rogers,  O.  P.  Temple,  W.G.  Brownlow, 

Joan  Tunnell,  C.  F.  Trigg,  [and  others.] 

C.  H.  Baker,  David  Burnett, 


The  convention  met  at  Temperance  Hall,  and  was  called  to  order  by 
Donnelly  E.  Trigg,  upon  whose  motion  John  Baxter  was  chosen  tempo- 
rary president,  and  John  M.  Fleming,  temporary  secretary.  Prayer  was 
-offered  by  Rev.  Thomas  W.  Humes,  after  which  Thomas  A.  R.  Nelson 
was  chosen  president,  and  John  M.  Fleming,  secretary.  After  addresses 
by  the  president  and  Gen.  Thomas  D.  Arnold,  and  the  appointment  of  a 
general  committee  representing  the  various  counties,  the  convention 
adjourned  to  meet  the  next  morning.  On  the  next  day  the  committee, 
through  their  chairman,  Col.  Trigg,  submitted  their  report  which,  after 
considerable  debate,  was  amended  and  finally  adopted.  The  following 


480 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE, 


are  some  of  the  resolutions,  which  were  preceded  by  a preamble  of  con- 
siderable length: 

We,  therefore,  the  delegates  here  assembled,  representing  and  reflecting,  as  we  verily 
believe,  the  opinions  and  wishes  of  a large  majority  of  the  people  of  East  Tennessee,  do 
resolve  and  declare: 

First.  That  the  evil  which  now  afflicts  our  beloved  country  in  our  opinion  is  the 
legitimate  result  of  the  ruinous  and  heretical  doctrine  of  secession;  that  the  people  of  East 
Tennessee  have  ever  been,  and  we  believe  still  are  opposed  to  it  by  a very  large  majcnty. 

Second.  That  while  the  country  is  upon  the  very  threshold  of  a most  ruinous  and 
desolating  civil  war,  it  may  with  truth  be  said,  and  we  protest  before  God,  that  the  people 
(so  far  as  we  can  see)  have  done  nothing  to  produce  it. 

-X-  -X-  -X-  -X-  *•  * Xt  * -X- 

Sixth.  That  the  Legislature  of  the  State,  without  having  first  obtained  the  consent 
of  the  people,  had  no  authority  to  enter  into  a “ military  league”  with  the  “ Confederate 
States”  against  the  General  Government,  and  by  so  doing  to-  put  the  State  of  Tennessee 
in  hostile  array  against  the  government  of  which  it  then  was  and  still  is  a member.  Such 
legislation  in  advance  of  the  expressed  will  of  the  people  to  change  their  governmental 
relations  was  an  act  of  usurpation,  and  should  be  visited  with  the  severest  condemnation 
of  the  people. 

Seventh.  That  the  forming  of  such  “ military  league,”  and  thus  practically  assum- 
ing the  attitude  of  an  enemy  towards  the  General  Government  (this,  too,  in  the  absence 
of  any  hostile  demonstration  against  the  State)  has  afforded  the  pretext  for  raising,  arm 
iug  and  equipping  a large  military  force,  the  expense  of  which  must  be  enormous,  and 
will  have  to  be  paid  by  the  people.  And  to  do  this,  the  taxes,  already  onerous  enough, 
will  necessarily  have  to  be  very  greatly  increased;  and  probably  to  an  extent  beyond  the 
ability  to  pay. 

Eighth.  That  the  General  Assembly  by  passing  a law  authorizing  the  volunteers  to  vote 
wherever  they  may  be  on  the  day  of  election,  whether  in  or  out  of  the  State,  and  in  offer- 
ing to  the  “Confederate  States”  the  capitol  of  Tennessee,  together  with  other  acts,  have 
exercised  powers  and  stretched  their  authority  to  an  extent  not  within  their  constitutional 
limits,  and  not  justified  by  the  usages  of  the  country. 

Ninth.  That  government  being  instituted  for  the  common  benefit,  the  doctrine  of 
non-resistance  against  arbitrary  power  and  oppression  is  absurd,  slavish  and  destructive 
of  the  good  and  happiness  of  mankind. 

Tenth.  That  the  position  which  the  people  of  our  sister  State  of  Kentucky  have 
assumed  in  this  momentous  crisis,  commands  our  highest  admiration.  Their  interests  are 
our  interests.  Their  policy  is  the  true  policy,  as  we  believe,  of  Tennessee  and  all  the  bor- 
der States.  And  in  the  spirit  of  freemen,  with  an  anxious  desire  to  avoid  the  waste  of 
the  blood  and  the  treasure  of  our  State,  we  appeal  to  the  people  of  Tennessee,  while  it  is 
yet  in  their  power,  to  come  up  in  the  majesty  of  their  strength  and  restore  Tennessee  to 
her  true  position. 

Eleventh.  We  shall  await  with  the  utmost  anxiety  the  decision  of  the  people  of  Ten- 
nessee on  the  8th  day  of  next  month*,  and  sincerely  trust  that  wiser  counsels  will  pervade 
the  great  fountain  of  freedom  (the  people)  than  seem  to  have  actuated  their  constituted 
agent. 

Twelfth.  For  the  promotion  of  the  peace  and  harmony  of  the  people  of  East  Ten- 
nessee, it  is  deemed  expedient  that  this-  convent  ion  should  again  assemble,  therefore 
Resolved , That  when  this  convention  adjourns,  it  adjourns  to  meet  again  at  such  time  and 
place  as  the  president  or  vice-president  in  his  absence  may  determine  and  publish. 

After  tlie  adoption  of  the  above  resolution  an  eloquent  and  effective 
address  was  delivered  by  Andrew  Johnson.  This  convention  was  com- 


^Reference  made  to  the  election  to  be  held  J!une  8, 1861. 


HIST-OEY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


481 


posed  of  representative  men  of  East  Tennessee,  men  of  influence  and 
ability.  They  foresaw  the  result  of  the  coming  election,  but  not  wishing 
to  anticipate  it  by  any  aet,  made  provision  for  a future  meeting.  The 
number  of  delegates  in  attendance  is  evidence  of  the  intense  interest  in 
the  question  before  the  people ; 5,000  copies  of  the  proceedings  of  the 
convention  were  printed  and  distributed  over  the  State,  but  it  was  of  lit- 
tle avail  in  stemming  the  tide  of  secession  which  swept  over  Middle  and 
West  Tennessee.  The  leaders  in  those  divisions,  with  few  exceptions, 
notably  among  whom  was  Emerson  Etheridge,  had  been  carried  away 
by  it.  So  strong  was  the  influence  that  such  men  as  Niell  S.  Brown, 
Judge  B.  L.  Carutliers,  Felix  K.  Zollicoffer  and  many  others,  who  at  the 
previous  election  had  voted  against  a convention,  were  now  among  the 
strongest  advocates  of  disunion.  The  election  on  the  8th  of  June  re- 
suited  as  shown  elsewhere,  and  three  days  later  Judge  Nelson  issued  a call 
for  the  East  Tennessee  Convention  to  meet  on  the  17th  of  that  month  at 
Cfreenevilie.  Delegates  from  all  of  the  counties  except  Rhea  assembled 
at  the  appointed  time,  and  continued  in  session  four  days.  Their  labors 
resulted  in  the  preparation  of  the  declaration  of  grievances,  of  which  the 
following  is  an  extract,  and  the  adoption  of  the  resolutions  succeeding: 

We,  the  people  of  East  Tennessee,  again  assembled  in  a convention  of  our  delegates, 
make  the  following  declaration  in  addition  to  that  heretofore  promulgated  by  us  at  Knox- 
ville on  the  30th  and  31st  of  May  last.  So  far  as  we  can  learn,  the  election  held  in  this 
State  on  the  8th  day  of  the  present  month  was  free,  with  but  few  exceptions,  in  no  other 
part  of  the  State  than  East  Tennessee.  In  the  larger  part  of  Middle  and  West  Tennessee 
no  speeches  or  discussion  in  favor  of  the  Union  were  permitted.  Union  papers  were  not 
allowed  to  circulate.  Measures  were  taken  in  some  parts  of  West  Tennessee  in  defiance 
of  the  constitution  and  laws  which  allow  folded  tickets,  to  have  the  ballots  numbered  in 
such  a manner  as  to  mark  and  expose  the  Union  voter. 

A disunion  paper,  The  Nashville  Gazette , in  urging  the  people  to  vote  an  open  ticket, 
declared  that  “ a thief  takes  a pocket-book  or  effects  an  entrance  into  forbidden  places  by 
stealthy  means;  a Tory,  in  voting,  usually  adopts  pretty  much  the  same  mode  of  pro- 
cedure.” Disunionists  in  many  places  had  charge  of  the  polls,  and  Union  men  when  vot- 
ing were  denounced  as  Lincolnites  and  abolitionists.  The  unanimity  of  the  votes  in  many 
large  counties  where  but  a few  weeks  ago  the  Union  sentiment  was  so  strong,  proves  be- 
yond a doubt  that  Union  men  were  overawed  by  the  tyranny  of  the  military  law,  and  the 
still  greater  tyranny  of  a corrupt  and  subsidized  press.  Volunteers  were  allowed  to  vote 
in  and  out  of  the  State  in  flagrant  violation  of  the  constitution.  From  the  moment  the 
election  was  over,  and  before  any  detailed  statement  of  the  vote  in  the  different  counties 
had  been  published,  and  before  it  was  possible  to  ascertain  the  result,  it  was  exultingly 
proclaimed  that  separation  had  been  carried  by  from  fifty  to  seventy -five  thousand  votes. 
This  was  to  prepare  the  public  mind  to  enable  the  secessionists  to  hold  possession  of  the 
State,  though  they  should  be  in  the  minority.  The  final  result  is  to  be  announced  by  a 
disunion  governor, whose  existence  depends  upon  the  success  of  secession,  and  no  provis- 
ion is  made  by  law  for  an  examination  of  the  votes  by  disinterested  persons,  or  even  for 
contesting  the  election.  For  these  and  other  causes  we  do  not  regard  the  resul  t of  the 
election  expressive  of  the  will  of  the  majority  of  the  people  of  Tennessee. 

No  effort  has  been  spared  to  deter  the  Union  men  of  East  Tennessee  from  the  expres- 
sion of  their  free  thoughts.  The  penalties  of  treason  have  been  threatened  against  them, 


482 


HISTOKY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


and  murder  and  assassination  have  been  openly  encouraged  by  leading  secession  journals. 
As  secession  has  thus  been  overbearing  and  intolerant  while  in  the  minority  in  East  Ten- 
nessee, nothing  better  can  be  expected  of  the  pretended  majority  than  wild,  unconstitu- 
tional and  oppressive  legislation,  an  utter  contempt  and  disregard  of  law,  a determination 
to  force  every  Union  man  in  the  State  to  swear  to  the  support  of  a constitution  he  abhors, 
to  yield  his  money  and  property  to  aid  a cause  he  detests,  and  to  become  the  object  of 
scorn  and  derision  as  well  as  the  victim  of  intolerable  and  relentless  oppression. 

In  view  of  these  considerations,  and  of  the  fact  that  the  people  of  East  Tennessee 
have  declared  their  fidelity  to  the  Union  by  a majority  of  about  20,000  votes,  therefore 
we  do  resolve  and  declare 

First.  That  we  do  earnestly  desire  the  restoration  of  peace  to  our  whole  country,  and 
most  especially  that  our  own  section  of  the  State  of  Tennessee  should  not  be  involved  in 
civil  war. 

Second.  That  the  action  of  our  State  Legislature  in  passing  the  so-called  “Declaration 
of  Independence,”  and  in  forming  the  “Military  League”  with  the  Confederate  States, 
and  in  adopting  other  acts  looking  to  a separation  of  the  State  of  Tennessee  from  the 
Government  of  the  United  States,  is  unconstitutional  and  illegal,  and,  therefore,  not  bind- 
ing upon  us  as  loyal  citizens. 

Third.  That  in  order  to  avert  a conflict  with  our  brethren  in  other  parts  of  the  State, 
and  desiring  that  every  constitutional  means  shall  be  resorted  to  for  the  preservation  of 
peace,  we  do,  therefore,  constitute  ahd  appoint  O.  P.  Temple,  of  Knox;  John  Netherland, 
of  Hawkins,  and  James  P.  McDowell,  of  Greene,  commissioners,  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to 
prepare  a memorial  and  cause  the  same  to  be  presented  to  the  General  Assembly  of  Ten- 
nessee, now  in  session,  asking  its  consent  that  the  counties  composing  East  Tennessee 
and  such  counties  in  Middle  Tennessee  as  desire  to  coperate  with  them,  may  form  and 
erect  a separate  State. 

Fourth.  Desiring  in  good  faith  that  the  General  Assembly  will  grant  this  our  reason- 
able request,  and  still  claiming  the  right  to  determine  our  own  destiny,  we  do  further  re- 
solve that  an  election  be  held  in  all  the  counties  of  East  Tennessee,  and  such  other  coun- 
ties in  Middle  Tennessee  adjacent  thereto  as  may  desire  to  co-operate  with  us,  for  the 
choice  of  delegates  to  represent  them  in  a general  convention  to  be  held  in  the  town  of 
Kingston,  at  such  time  as  the  president  of  this  convention,  or  in  case  of  his  absence  or  in- 
ability, any  one  of  the  vice-presidents,  or  in  like  case  with  them  the  secretary  of  this  con- 
vention may  designate,  and  the  officer  so  designating  the  day  for  the  assembling  of  said 
convention  shall  also  fix  the  time  for  holding  the  election  herein  provided  for,  and  give 
reasonable  notice  thereof. 

Fifth.  In  order  to  carry  out  the  foregoing  resolution  the  sheriffs  of  the  different 
counties  are  hereby  requested  to  open  and  hold  said  election  or  cause  the  same  to  be  done, 
the  coroner  of  such  county  is  requested  to  do  so,  and  should  such  coroner  fail  or  refuse, 
then  any  constable  of  such  county  is  hereby  authorized  to  open  and  hold  said  election  or 
cause  the  same  to  be  done,  and  if  in  any  county  none  of  the  above  named  officers  will 
hold  said  election,  then  any  justice  of  the  peace  or  freeholder  in  such  county  is  author- 
ized to  hold  the  same  or  cause  it  to  be  done.  The  officer  or  other  person  holding  said 
election  shall  certify  the  result  to  the  president  of  this  convention  or  to  such  officer  as 
may  have  directed  the  same  to  be  holden,  at  as  early  a day  thereafter  as  practicable,  and 
the  officer  to  whom  said  returns  may  be  made  shall  open  and  compare  the  polls,  and  issue 
certificates  to  the  delegates  elected. 

Sixth.  That  in  said  convention,  the  several  counties  shall  be  represented  as  follows: 
The  county  of  Knox  shall  elect  three  delegates;  the  counties  of  Washington,  Greene  and 
Jefferson  two  delegates  each,  and  the  remaining  counties  shall  each  elect  one  delegate. 

Twenty  thousand  copies  of  the  proceedings  of  this  convention,  to- 
gether with  the  proceedings  of  the  session  at  Knoxville,  were  ordered 
to  be  published  in  pamphlet  form  for  general  distribution.  The  excite- 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


483 


ment  in  East  Tennessee  soon  became  intense.  The  proceedings  of  this 
convention,  together  with  speeches  denunciatory  of  the  new  government, 
fanned  the  already  glowing  fires  of  insurrection  among  the  Unionists. 
Brownlow’s  Knoxville  Whig , a paper  which  had  a very  large  circulation 
in  this  part  of  tne  State,  did  much  to  arouse  the  people.  Every  number 
contained  articles  filled  with  the  bitterest  invective  against  the  ‘-bogus 
Confederacy.”  Landon  C.  Haynes,  a Confederate  leader,  in  writing  to 
L.  P.  Walker,  Confederate  Secretary  of  War,  concerning  the  condition 
of  affairs  in  East  Tennessee,  on  July  6,  1861,  said:  ‘‘Thomas  A.  B. 
Nelson,  William  G.  Brownlow,  Connolly  F.  Trigg  and  William  B.  Carter 
are  the  leaders.  Moral  power  cannot  longer  be  relied  on  to  crush  the 
rebellion.  No  man  possesses  that  power.  Bell  had  more  than  any 
other  man,  but  he  is  as  helpless  as  a child.”  Three  days  later  Secretary 
Walker  requested  Gov.  Harris  to  send  immediately  two  regiments  to  East 
Tennessee,  which  was  accordingly  done,  and  on  July  26,  “Gen.  Zolli- 
coffer  was  ordered  to  assume  command  of  that  district,  to  preserve  peace, 
protect  the  railroad  and  repel  invasion.”  On  August  26  he  issued  Gen- 
eral Order  No.  11,  in  which  he  states:  “The  following  are  the  names  of 
the  Lincoln  leaders  in  Johnson  County:  Lewis  Yenable,  of  Laurel  Creek', 
Northington,  hotel-keeper  at  Taylorsville;  B.  B.  Butler,  of  Taylorsville, 
representative  of  the  county;  John  G.  Johnson  and  J.  W.  Merrick,  cap- 
tains of  Lincoln  companies.  Joseph  P.  Edoms,  of  Elizabethton,  Carter 
County,  and  A.  Evans,  of  Washington  County,  are  also  among  the  ring- 
leaders of  them.”  On  July  10,  1861,  Judge  Nelson  issued  a proclama- 
tion for  an  election  to  be  held  on  the  31st  of  August,  to  choose  delegates 
as  provided  in  the  resolutions  of  the  Greeneville  Convention.  Owing  to 
succeeding  events,  however,  this  election  did  not  take  place.  At  the 
election  held  the  first  week  in  August,  Horace  Maynard,  Thomas  A.  B. 
Nelson  and  G.  W.  Bridges  were  elected  representatives  to  the  United 
States  Congress  by  the  Unionists,  who  refused  to  vote  for  representatives 
to  the  Confederate  Congress.  A day  or  two  later  Judge  Nelson  started 
for  Washington,  by  the  way  of  Cumberland  Gap,  but  was  arrested  in  Lee 
County,  Va.,  and  taken  to  Bichmond.  He  was  soon  after  paroled  and 
returned  to  his  home.  At  about  the  same  time  Bridges  was  arrested  in 
Morgan  County,  and  was  also  released  upon  taking  the  oath  of  allegiance 
to  the  Confederacy. 

During  the  summer  and  early  fall  Union  men  were  quietly  organiz- 
ing and  drilling.  In  most  places  this  was  done  secretly,  but  in  some 
localities  the  Union  sentiment  was  so  unanimous  that  there  was  no  need 
of  concealment.  Singly  and  in  squads  they  began  crossing  the  moun- 
tains into  Kentucky,  where  they  were  organized  into  companies  and  regi- 


484 


HISTOBY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


ments.  Those  who  remained  behind  were  constantly  urging  and  expect- 
ing an  advance  upon  East  Tennessee  by  the  Federal  troops,  and  they 
held  themselves  in  readiness  for  a general  uprising  when  that  should 
take  place.  John  E.  Fisk,  in  writing  to  R.  Buckner,  on  September  22, 
1861,  says:  “The  mountaineers  will  whip  Zollicoffer  as  soon  as  they 

get  ammunition.  By  all  means  send  them  lead , lead,  lead!  ” William 
B.  Carter  wrote  to  Gen.  Thomas  on  October  27  and  earnestly  called 
for  an  advance  upon  East  Tennessee.  In  speaking  of  Zollicoffer’ s forces 
he  said:  “Zollicoffer  has  6,000  men  all  told;  1,000  of  them  are  sick, 

600  or  800  are  not  arrived;  1,600  of  the  6,000  are  at  Cumberland  Gap, 
the  balance  beyond  the  Gap.”  This  force  proved  to  be  too  small  to  sup- 
press the  constantly  growing  power  of  the  Unionists  and  the  leading 
Confederates  in  East  Tennessee  began  to  call  for  re-enforcements.  Gen. 
A.  S.  Johnston,  on  November  4,  1861,  sent  a despatch  to  Secretary  Ben- 
jamin, in  which  he  said:  “ Herewith  I transmit  for  your  information  a 

letter  from  Gov.  Harris,  inclosing  one  from  Mr.  C.  Wallace,  imparting 
information  in  regard  to  the  political  sentiments  of  the  people  of  East 
Tennessee,  which  he  represents  as'  extremely  hostile  to  the  Confederate 
Government,  and  that  there  is  among  them  a large  and  well-armed  force 
ready  to  act  at  an  opportune  moment.  I have  already  ordered  Stanton’s 
and  Murray’s  regiments  and  some  cavalry  companies  from  their  stations 
in  Fentress,  Overton  and  Jackson  Counties  to  Jamestown  to  join  some 
cavalry  companies  at  that  place,  thence  to  report  and  await  the  orders  of 
Gen.  Zollicoffer,  who  has  been  notified.”  The  letter  referred  to  above  was 
written  at  Knoxville,  October  29,  and  is  as  follows: 

Dear  Governor:  I don’t  like  to  meddle  in  things  that  are  in  keeping  of  men  so  much 

more  vigilant  and  wise  than  I,  but  I am  constrained  by  the  circumstances  about  me  to  be- 
lieve that  Zollicoffer  and  the  railroads  of  East  Tennessee  are  in  a dangerous  condition  at 
present.  I am  well  aware  that  the  views  of  the  “original  panel”  in  East  Tennessee  are  not 
much  heeded  abroad,  but  I am  well  satisfied  that  there  is  to-day  a larger  Lincoln  force, 
well  armed  in  East  Tennessee,  than  Zollicoffer  has  of  Southern, men  under  his  command. 
* * There  is  no  giving  way  in  the  hostile  feeling  in  East  Tennessee.  This  you  may 

rely  on,  and  time  will  convince  you.  Truly  your  friend, 

C.  Wallace. 

On  November  1 Col.  W.  B.  Wood,  commanding  the  post  at  Knox- 
ville, wrote  to  Secretary  Benjamin:  “ There  can  be  no  doubt  of  the  fact 

that  large  parties,  numbering  from  twenty  to  a hundred,  are  every  day 
passing  through  the  narrow  and  unfrequented  gaps  of  the  mountains  into 
Kentucky.  I do  not  believe  that  the  Unionists  are  in  the  least  recon- 
ciled to  the  Government,  but,  on  the  contrary,  are  as  hostile  to  it  as  the 
people  of  Ohio,  and  will  be  ready  to  take  up  arms  as  soon  as  they  be- 
lieve the  Lincoln  forces  are  near  enough  to  sustain  them.”  These 
opinions  proved  to  be  well  founded,  and  on  the  night  of  the  8th  of 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


4-85 


November  the  excitement  culminated  in  the  burning  of  three  or  four 
railroad  bridges  on  the  road  between  Bristol  and  Chattanooga.  This 
created  great  alarm,  and  more  vigorous  measures  were  adopted  to  subdue 
the  Unionists,  and  crush  out  the  insurrection  against  the  Confederate 
Government.  Many  arrests  were  made,  not  only  upon  charges  of  com- 
plicity in  the  bridge  burning,  but  for  encouraging  the  Unionist  move- 
ment. 

Col.  D.  Leadbetter  was  immediately  ordered  to  East  Tennessee  with 
an  engineer  corps  to  repair  and  protect  the  railroads.  Letters  and 
despatches  from  all  points  in  East  Tennessee  were  poured  in  upon  the 
Confederate  authorities,  all  telling  of  the  imminent  danger  from  a gen- 
eral uprising  of  the  Unionists.  Maj.  T.  J.  Cannon,  stationed  at  Loudon, 
wrote:  “The  Union  feeling  of  this  country  is  very  bitter,  and  all  they 

want,  in  my  opinion,  to  induce  a general  uprising,  is  encouragement  from 
the  Federal  authorities  by  the  introduction  or  advance  of  Lincoln  armies. 
They  have  a great  many  arms,  and  are  actually  manufacturing  Union 
flags  to  receive  the  refugee  Tennesseeans  when  they  return.  They  are 
getting  bold  enough  to  avow  their  purpose.”  Col.  Wood  wrote  from 
Knoxville  to  Adjt.-Gen.  Cooper:  “Five  hundred  Union  men  are  now 

threatening  Strawberry  Plains,  fifteen  hundred  are  assembling  in  Ham- 
ilton County,  and  there  is  a general  uprising  in  all  the  counties.  The 
whole  country  is  now  in  a state  of  rebellion.  I learn  from  two  gentle- 
men just  arrived  that  another  camp  is  being  formed  about  ten  miles 
from  here,  in  Sevier  County,  and  already  three  hundred  are  in  camp. 
They  are  being  re-enforced  from  Blount,  Boane,  J ohnson,  Greene,  Carter 
and  other  counties.”  The  writer  of  the  letter  of  which  the  following  is 
an  extract,  advised  the  removal  of  the  Union  sympathizers  from  East 
Tennessee : 

Jonesboro,  Tenn.,  November  13,  1861. 

His  Excellency  Jefferson  Davis: 

Sir:  Civil  war  lias  broken  out  at  length  in  East  Tennessee.  In  the  late  election 
scarcely  a so-called  Union  man  voted.  Neither  Mr.  Nelson  nor  any  of  the  released  men 
who  had  been  sworn  to  be  faithful  to  the  Southern  Confederacy  voted  upon  the  occasion, 
and  there  appeared  a simultaneous  assault  upon  our  line  of  railroads  from  Virginia  to  the 
Georgia  line.  In  this  county  the  secession  strength  is  about  equal  to  the  Union  force,  but 
our  force  is  much  weakened  by  five  volunteer  companies  now  in  the  service.  In  Carter  and 
Johnson  Counties,  northeast  of  this,  the  Union  strength  is  not  only  as  formidable  but  it  is. 
as  violent  as  that  of  any  of  the  northwestern  counties  of  Virginia.  Had  they  the  power 
not  a sessionist  would  live  in  this  region.  The  hostile  element  in  those  counties,  and  also 
in  Greene,  is  so  strong  that  I give  it  as  my  firm  conviction  that  it  will  neither  abate  nor 
be  conciliated.  They  look  for  the  re-establishment  of  the  Federal  authority  with  as  much 
confidence  as  the  Jews  look  for  the  coming  of  Messiah,  and  I feel  quite  sure  when  I assert 
it  that  no  event  or  circumstance  can  change  or  modify  their  hope.  * * We  will 

crush  out  the  rebellion  here  in  a week  or  ten  days,  but  to  prevent  its  recurrence  should  be  a 
matter  of  anxious  consideration.  * * There  are  now  camped  in  and  about  Elizabeth- 


486 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


ton,  in  Carter  County,  some  twelve  or  fifteen  hundred  men  armed  with  a motley  assort- 
mentof  guns,  in  open  defiance  of  the  Confederate  States  of  America,  and  who  are  awaiting- 
a movement  of  the  Federal  troops  from  Kentucky  to  march  forward  and  take  possession  of 
the  railroad.  These  men  are  gathered  up  from  three  or  five  counties  in  this  region,  and  com- 
prise the  hostile  Union  element  of  this  section,  and  never  will  be  appeased,  conciliated  or 
quieted  in  a Southern  Confederacy.  I make  this  assertion  positively,  and  you  may  take  it, 
for  what  it  is  worth.  We  can  and  will  in  a few  days  disperse  them,  but  when  will  they 
break  out  again  ? I am  satisfied  the  only  hope  for  our  quiet  and  repose,  and  our  co-opera- 
tion without  hindrance  in  the  present  revolution,  is  the  expatriation,  voluntarily  or  by 
force,  of  this  hostile  element. 

I am  respectfully  your  obedient  servant, 

A.  G.  Graham. 


Gov.  Harris  telegraphed  President  Davis  that  he  should  send  immedi- 
ately about  10,000  men  into  East  Tennessee.  November  20,  1861,  Col. 
Wood  wrote  to  Secretary  Benjamin:  “The  rebellion  in  East  Tennessee 
has  been  put  down  in  some  of  the  counties,  and  will  be  effectually  sup- 
pressed in  less  than  two  weeks  in  all  the  counties.  The  camps  in  Sevier 
and  Hamilton  Counties  have  been  broken  and  a large  number  of  them 
made  prisoners.  Some  are  confined  in  jail  at  this  place  and  others  sent 
to  Nashville.  In  a former  communication  I inquired  what  I shall  do 
with  them.  It  is  a mere  farce  to  arrest  them  and  turn  them  over  to  the 
courts.  Instead  of  having  the  effect  to  intimidate,  it  really  emboldens 
them  in  their  traitorous  conduct.  We  have  now  in  custody  some  of  their 
leaders,  Judge  Patterson,  the  son-in-law  of  Andrew  Johnson,  Col.  Pick- 
ens, the  senator  from  Sevier,  and  others  of  influence  and  some  distinc- 
tion in  their  counties.  These  men  have  encouraged  this  rebellion,  but 
have  so  managed  as  not  to  be  found  in  arms.  Nevertheless,  their  actions 
and  words  have  been  unfriendly  to  the  Government  of  the  Confederate 
States.  The  influence  of  their  wealth,  position  and  connection  has  been 
exerted  in  favor  of  the  Lincoln  government,  and  they  are  the  persons 
most  to  blame  for  the  trouble  in  East  Tennessee.  They  really  deserve 


the  gallows,  and,  if  consistent  with  the  laws,  ought  speedily  to  receive 


their  deserts ; but  there  is  such  a gentle  spirit  of  reconcilation  in  the 
South,  and  especially  here,  that  I have  no  idea  that  one  of  them  will  re- 
ceive such  a sentence  at  the  hands  of  any  jury  impaneled  to  try  them. 

* * I have  to  request  at  least  that  the  prisoners  I have  taken  be 

held,  if  not  as  traitors,  as  prisoners  of  war.  To  release  them  is  ruinous; 
to  convict  them  before  a court  at  this  time  next  to  an  impossibility;  but 
if  they  are  kept  in  prison  for  six  months  it  will  have  a good  effect.  The 
bridge-burners  and  spies  ought  to  be  tried  at  once,  and  I respectfully  re- 
quest that  instruction  be  forwarded  at  as  early  a day  as  practicable,  as  it 
needs  prompt  action  to  dispose  of  the  cases.”  The  following  reply  was  || 
received: 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


48'7 


War  Department,  Richmond,  November  25,  1861. 

Colonel  W.  B.  Wood: 

Sir:  Your  report  of  the  20th  instant  is  received,  and  I now  proceed  to  give  you  the 
desired  instruction  in  relation  to  the  prisoners  of  war  taken  by  you  among  the  traitors  of 
East  Tennessee. 

First.  All  such  as  can  be  identified  in  having  been  engaged  in  bridge-burning  are  to- 
be  tried  summarily  by  drum-head  court-martial,  and,  if  found  guilty,  executed  on  the  spot 
by  hanging  in  the  vicinity  of  the  burned  bridges. 

Second.  All  such  as  have  not  been  so  engaged  are  to  be  treated  as  prisoners  of  war, 
and  sent  with  an  armed  guard  to  Tuscaloosa,  Alabama,  there  to  be  kept  imprisoned  at 
the  depot  selected  by  the  Government  for  prisoners  of  war. 

Whenever  you  can  discover  that  arms  are  concentrated  by  these  traitors,  you  will  send 
out  detatchments  to  search  for  and  seize  the  arms.  In  no  case  is  one  of  the  men  known  to- 
have  been  up  in  arms  against  the  Government  to  be  released  on  any  pledge  or  oath  of  alle- 
giance. The  time  for  such  measures  is  past.  They  are  all  to  be  held  as  prisoners  of  war. 
Such  as  come  in  voluntarily,  take  the  oath  of  allegiance  and  surrender  their  arms,  are 
alone  to  be  treated  with  leniency.  Yery  vigilant  execution  of  these  orders  is  earnestly 
urged  by  the  Government. 

Your  obedient  servant, 

J.  P.  Benjamin, 

Secretary  of  War. 

P.  S.  Judge  Patterson  (Andy  Johnson’s  son-in-law),  Colonel  Pickens  and  other  ring- 
leaders of  the  same  class,  must  be  sent  at  once  to  Tuscaloosa  to  jail  as  prisoners  of  war. 

At  this  time  Johnson,  Maynard,  Etheridge,  Meigs,  and  most  other 
Union  leaders  throughout  Tennessee  had  left  the  State.  William  G. 
Brownlow,  whose  newspaper  had  been  suppressed  about  the  1st  of  No- 
vember, had  sought  personal  safety  by  retiring  to  the  mountains.  On 
December  4,  he  received  notice  from  the  commander  of  the  department, 
that  should  he  return  and  deliver  himself  up,  he  would  be  given  a pass- 
port to  go  into  Kentucky  accompanied  by  a military  escort.  He  accord- 
ingly returned,  but  was  immediately  arrested  and  placed  in  jail  upon  the 
charge  of  treason.  He  was  kept  in  confinement  at  the  jail  until  January 
1,  1862,  when  he  became  sick,  and  afterward  at  his  home  under  guard  until 
March  3,  when  he  was  sent  with  a military  escort  to  Nashville.  On  No- 
vember 30,  1862,  three  men:  Henry  Frey,  Jacob  M.  Henshaw  and  Hugh 
A.  Self,  were  tried  at  Greeneville  by  drum-head  court-martial,  for  bridge- 
burning, and  sentenced  to  be  hung.  The  sentence  with  respect  to  the 
first  two,  was  executed  on  the  same  day ; that  of  Self  was  commuted  to 
imprisonment.  On  the  same  day  Col.  Leadbetter  issued  the  following 
conciliatory  proclamation: 

Greeneville,  East  Tenn.,  November  30,  1861. 

To  the  Citizens  of  East  Tennessee: 

So  long  as  the  question  of  Union  or  Disunion  was  debatable,  so  long  you  did  well 
to  debate  it  and  vote  on  it.  You  had  a clear  right  to  vote  for  Union,  but  when  seces- 
sion was  established  by  the  voice  of  the  people,  you  did  ill  to  disturb  the  country  by 
angry  words  and  insurrectionary  tumult.  In  doing  this  you  commit  the  highest  crime 
known  to  the  laws.  Out  of  the  Southern  Confederacy  no  people  possesses  such  elements 
of  prosperity  and  happiness  as  those  of  Tennessee.  The  Southern  market  which  you  have 
hitherto  enjoyed,  only  in  competition  with  a host  of  eager  Northern  rivals,  will  now  be 


4bb 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


shared  with  a few  States  of  the  Confederacy  equally  fortunate  politically  and  geographi- 
cally. Every  product  of  your  agriculture  and  workshops  will  now  find  a prompt  sale  at 
high  prices,  and  so  long  as  cotton  grows  on  Confederate  soil,  so  long  will  the  money  which 
it  brings  flow  from  the  South  through  all  your  channels  of  trade.  At  this  moment  you 
might  be  at  war  with  the  United  States,  or  any  foreign  nation,  and  yet  not  suffer  one- 
tenth  part  of  the  evil  which  pursues  you  in  this  domestic  strife.  No  man’s  life  or  property 
is  safe;  no  woman  or  child  can  sleep  in  quiet.  You  are  deluded  by  selfish  demagogues, 
who  care  for  their  own  personal  safety.  You  are  citizens  of  Tennessee,  and  your  State 
one  of  the  Confederate  States.  So  long  as  you  are  up  in  arms  against  these  States  can 
you  look  for  any  thing  but  the  invasion  of  your  homes  and  the  wasting  of  your  substance? 
This  condition  of  things  must  be  ended.  The  Government  demands  peace  and  sends 
troops  to  enforce  order.  I proclaim  that  any  man  who  comes  in  promptly,  and  gives  up 
his  arms  will  be  pardoned  on  taking  the  oath  of  allegiance.  All  men  taken  in  arms 
against  the  Government  will  be  transported  to  the  military  prison  at  Tuscaloosa,  and  be 
confined  there  during  the  war.  Bridge  burners  and  destroyers  of  railroad  tracks  are  ex- 
cepted from  among  the  pardonable.  They  will  be  tried  by  drum  head  court-martial  and 
hung  on  the  spot.  D Leadbettek, 

Colonel  Commanding. 

Col.  Leadbetter  evidently  did  not  understand  tlie  steadfast  loyalty  of 
the  Unionists  of  East  Tennessee,  or  he  would  have  saved  himself  the 
trouble  of  issuing  this  proclamation.  Very  few  took  advantage  of  the 
proffered  clemency.  Meanwhile  Brig. -Gen.  W.  H.  Carroll  had  been 
placed  in  command  at  Knoxville,  and  on  December  11,  he  issued  a proc- 
lamation declaring  martial  law,  and  suspending  the  writ  of  habeas 
corpus.  On  the  same  day  C.  A.  Haun,  who  had  been  confined  in  the 
jail  at  that  place,  was  hanged  on  the  charge  of  bridge  burning.  About  a 
week  later  Jacob  Harmon  and  his  son,  Henry  Harmon,  were  hanged  on  a 
similar  charge.  These  vigorous  measures  had  the  effect  of  driving  many 
of  the  Unionists  to  Kentucky,  and  of  silencing  the  most  of  the  remainder 
for  the  time  being. 

In  December,  1861,  Gen.  George  B.  Crittenden  was  assigned  to  the 
command  of  the  Confederate  forces  in  a portion  of  East  Tennessee,  and 
southeastern  Kentucky,  which  included  the  troops  then  at  Mill  Springs 
under  Gen.  Zollicoffer,  who  had  been  stationed  at  that  point  to  prevent 
Gen.  Schoepf  from  penetrating  Tennessee.  The  latter  ivas  stationed  at 
Somerset  on  Fishing  Creek,  a small  tributary  of  the  Cumberland.  Jan- 
uary 18,  1863,  Gen.  Thomas,  with  the  remainder  of  his  forces  came  up. 
and  in  the  battle  which  ensued  on  the  following  day  Gen.  Zollicoffer  wai 
killed,  and  his  force  driven  back  in  great  confusion.  In  this  action  tilt 
First  and  Second  Union  Regiments  of  Tennessee  Infantry,  under  Gen. 
S.  P.  Carter,  took  a conspicuous  part,  fighting  with  great  spirit  against 
among  others,  several  Tennessee  regiments  on  the  Confederate  side. 

By  the  death  of  Gen.  Zollicoffer  the  forces  in  East  Tennessee  losi 
a valuable  officer,  and  on  February  25,  1862,  Gen.  E.  Kirby  Smitli 
was  assigned  to  the  command  of  the  troops  in  that  district.  He  arrivec 


HISTORY  OR  TENNESSEE. 


489 


at  Knoxville  on  March  9,  and  on  the  following  day  reported  to  the  War 
Department  that  the  troops  then  in  East  Tennessee  numbered  less  than 
8,000  effective  men,  4,000  of  whom  were  at  Cumberland  Gap,  2,000  at 
Knoxville,  and  the  remainder  distributed  over  neighboring  counties. 
In  a report  a few  days  later  he  refers  to  the  capture,  'without  the  fire  of 
a gun,  of  a large  number  of  two  companies  of  the  First  East  Tennessee 
Confederate  Cavalry,  near  Jacksboro,  and  states  that,  in  his  opinion, 
“ East  Tennessee  troops  can  not  be  trusted,  and  should  be  removed  to  some 
other  field.”  On  March  28,  1862,  an  expedition  was  sent  into  Morgan 
and  Scott  Counties  to  chastise  the  Unionists,  who  had  been  gathering 
there  in  considerable  force.  A skirmish  took  place  near  Montgomery, 
lasting  about  thirty  minutes,  in  which  the  Unionists  were  dispersed  with 
a loss  of  fifteen  killed  and  a large  number  of  wounded.  During  the- 
latter  part  of  the  same  month,  Gen.  George  W.  Morgan  was  assigned  to 
the  command  of  an  expedition  against  Cumberland  Gap.  His  force  con- 
sisted of  four  brigades,  under  the  command  of  Gens.  Carter,  Spears, 
and  Baird,  and  Col.  DeCourcy.  Carter’s  brigade  consisted  of  the  First,, 
Second  and  Fourth  (Union)  Tennessee,*  Third  and  Nineteenth  Kentucky, 
and  the  Forty-ninth  Indiana,  all  infantry.  Spear’s  brigade  consisted  of 
the  Third,  Fifth,  and  Sixth  (Union)  Tennessee  Infantry.  The  two  other 
brigades  contained  no  Tennessee  regiments.  After  considerable  pre- 
liminary skirmishing  a general  advance  was  made  about  the  10th  of 
June,  and  on  the  18th  the  post  was  evacuated  by  the  Confederates  with- 
out firing  a gun.  Gen.  Morgan  remained  at  Cumberland  Gap  until 
the  17th  of  the  September  following,  when  he  was  forced  to  retreat 
or  be  cut  off  from  his  line  of  supplies,  as  Gen.  Stevenson  with  a force 
estimated  at  20,000  had  taken  position  in  front  of  the  Gap,  and  Gen. 
Smith  with  a still  larger  force  was  at  Barboursville,  Ky.  After  an 
arduous  march  of  several  days  he  reached  the  Ohio  River  at  Wheelers- 
burg.  In  his  report  of  the  evacuation  and  retreat  Gen.  Morgan  compli- 
mented the  gallantry  of  the  Sixth  Tennessee.  He  says:  “We  resumed 

the  march  from  Manchester,  Ky.,  on  the  21st.  The  enemy’s  cavalry  ap- 
peared on  our  rear  and  endeavored  to  cut  off  one  of  our  trains,  but  was 
gallantly  repulsed  by  the  Sixth  Tennessee  under  Col.  Cooper,  who  had 
before  rendered  good  service  in  attacking  the  enemy’s  force  near  Big 
Creek  Gap.” 

Several  of  the  regiments  had  been  poorly  equipped,  especially  the 
Second  and  Fourth  Cavalry,  both  of  which  regiments  had  been  organized 
at  Cumberland  Gap.  Consequently,  several  weeks  were  spent  in  equip- 
ping and  refitting,  and  in  recovering  from  the  demoralization  incident 


*Col.  Robert  Johnson  afterward  re-enlisted,  and  the  Fourth  was  organized  as  First  Tennessee  Cavalry . 


490 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


to  so  long  and  difficult  a retreat.  As  soon  as  tliis  had  been  accomplished, 
they  were  ordered  to  report  to  Rosecrans  at  Nashville.  The  battle  of 
Stone’s  River  was  fought  almost  immediately  after  their  arrival  at  that 
place,  and  was  participated  in  by  Gen.  Spear’s  brigade,  including  the 
Third,  Fifth,  and  Sixth  Tennessee  Infantry,  and  a portion  of  the  Third 
Cavalry,  then  not  fully  organized;  also  by  Carter’s  brigade,  including 
the  First  and  Second  Tennessee  Infantry.  The  Second  and  Fifth  Ten- 
nessee Cavalry  ivere  also  actively  engaged,  with  the  exception  of  the 
First  and  Fourth  Regiments  of  cavalry,  which  did  not  arrive  until  after 
the  battle;  these  included  all  the  Tennessee  regiments  which  had  then 
been  mustered  into  service. 

But  to  trace  the  movements  and  record  the  achievements  of  Tennessee 
troops  in  all  the  numerous  campaigns,  raids  and  battles  in  which  they 
participated  would  require  a volume ; therefore  only  a few  of  the  most 
important,  and  especially  those  of  East  Tennessee,  will  be  noted.  The 
troops  of  no  other  State  were  more  active,  untiring  and  intrepid.  Their 
service  was  chiefly  performed  within  their  own  State  and  the  territory 
immediately  surrounding  it.  As  this  was  disputed  ground  from  first  to 
last  “eternal  vigilance”  was  required  of  the  troops  within  its  borders,  and 
it  seems  to  have  fallen  to  the  lot  of  the  Tennessee  regiments  to  do  more 
than  their  share  of  the  arduous  work  of  scouting,  raiding  and  skirmishing. 
Indeed  the  mounted  infantry  regiments,  all  of  which  were  organized  dur- 
ing the  last  eighteen  months  of  the  war,  saw  no  other  kind  of  service. 

The  campaign  for  the  deliverance  of  East  Tennessee  was  entered  upon 
in  August,  1863,  simultaneously  with  the  advance  of  Rosecrans  upon 
Chattanooga.  Gen.  Burnside’s  army,  numbering  about  18,000  men, 
consisted  of  the  Twenty-third  and  Ninth  Army  Corps,  together  with  new 
troops  raised  in  Kentucky.  The  Tennessee  troops  were  attached  to  the 
Twenty-third  Corps,  and  included  the  First,  Second  and  Eighth  Regi- 
ments of  Infantry,  the  Ninth  Cavalry,  and  the  Eighth  and  Tenth  East 
Tennessee  Cavalry,  afterward  consolidated  and  known  as  the  Eighth 
Tennessee  Cavalry. 

By  the  use  of  pack  mules  Gen.  Burnside  succeeded  in  pushing  his 
army  across  the  mountains  west  of  Cumberland  Gap,  and  after  a tedious 
and  difficult  march  approached  Knoxville.  The  first  regiment,  the 
Sixty-fifth  Indiana,  entered  the  town  on  the  3d  of  September.  The  small 
Confederate  force  which  had  previously  occupied  the  post  had  been  quietly 
evacuating  it  for  several  days,  moving  supplies  and  railroad  equipments  to 
the  South.  About  three  days  later  Gen.  Burnside  with  the  main  part  of 
the  army  arrived,  and  soon  after  detachments  were  stationed  at  various 
places  along  the  railroad. 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


491 


Col.  DeCourcy  with  his  brigade  had  already  been  ordered  to  Cum- 
berland Gap,  which  place  he  reached  on  September  8,  and  on  the  follow- 
ing day  received  its  surrender. 

About  the  1st  of  October  a considerable  force  of  Confederates  from 
Virginia  entered  upper  East  Tennessee  and  threatened  the  left  wing  of 
Burnside’s  army.  Nothing  was  done  by  the  latter,  however,  until  Oc- 
tober 10,  when  an  advance  in  force  was  made.  The  enemy  were  encoun- 
tered at  the  village  of  Blue  Springs,  and  after  a spirited  skirmish  were 
driven  back.  During  the  succeeding  night  they  retreated,  and  the  next 
day  were  pursued  by  Gen.  Shackleford  and  driven  back  into  Virginia. 

On  the  22d  of  October  Gen.  Burnside  began  concentrating  his  force  at 
Loudon  to  meet  Longstreet,  who  with  a force  of  20,000  men  was 
approaching  from  Chattanooga.  Six  days  later  the  Union  troops  were 
withdrawn  from  the  south  side  of  the  river  at  Loudon,  and  the  next 
morning  marched  to  Lenoirs,  where  they  went  into  camp.  There  they 
remained  until  the  morning  of  November  14,  when  the  entire  force  was 
ordered  under  arms,  as  Longstreet  was  at  last  coming,  and  had  thrown 
his  advance  across  the  Tennessee  six  miles  west  of  Loudon.  No  fighting, 
however,  was  done,  except  by  the  cavalry,  until  two  days  later.  Mean- 
while Burnside  had  fallen  back  to  Campbell’s  Station,  closely  followed  by 
Longstreet’s  infantry,  who  were  hastening  up  to  cut  his  line  of  retreat. 
Here  he  resolved  to  make  a stand  in  order  to  protect  his  wagon  trains, 
which  were  straggling  in  toward  Knoxville.  A battle  ensued  which 
lasted  nearly  all  day,  and  which  has  been  rated  as  the  decisive  battle  of 
the  campaign.  Longstreet’s  veterans  made  two  furious  assaults,  but  were 
repulsed  each  time  by  Burnside’s  infantry  and  artillery.  About  5 o’clock 
the  former  withdrew,  and  as  soon  as  it  Avas  dark  the  Union  Army  resumed 
its  retreat  to  Knoxville  unmolested.  Capt.  O.  M.  Poe,  chief  engineer  of 
the  Army  of  the  Ohio,  had  already  selected  the  lines  of  defense,  and  the 
next  day  the  work  of  fortification  was  carried  forward  Avith  the  utmost 
rapidity  not  only  by  the  troops,  but  by  citizens  impressed  into  service,  so 
that  by  the  morning  of  the  18th  the  city  was  strongly  fortified. 

Had  Longstreet  pushed  on  his  forces  to  KnoxATille  during  the  night 
of  November  17,  and  been  ready  to  make  an  attack  the  next  morning, 
while  the  retreating  troops  were  demoralized,  and  the  town  without  the 
protection  of  a single  rifle  pit,  he  could  have  captured  the  entire  force 
without  so  much  as  a skirmish.  During  the  next  day  his  advance  was 
considerably  impeded  by  the  Federal  caAralry  under  Gen.  William  P. 
Sanders,  who  was  unfortunately  killed  on  the  evening  of  the  same  day 
just  outside  of  the  earthworks,  afterward  named  Fort  Sanders  in  honor 
of  his  memory.  Longstreet  immediately  invested  the  town,  but  made 


492 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


no  attack  until  Sunday,  November  29,  eleven  days  after  the  beginning 
of  the  siege.  He  had  evidently  intended  to  starve  Burnside  into  a sur- 
render, but  learning  that  Sherman  was  coming  from  Chattanooga,  decid- 
ed to  make  an  assault.  His  delay  had  given  the  besieged  time  to 
strengthen  their  defenses,  and  proved  fatal  to  his  hopes  of  success. 

At  daylight  on  the  29th  the  famous  “Barksdale  Brigade,”  composed 
of  Mississippi  troops,  made  an  attack  upon  Fort  Sanders,  then  under 
command  of  Gen.  Ferrero,  but  was  repulsed  with  a loss  of  about  1,100  killed 
and  300  taken  prisoners,  while  the  Union  loss  was  only  8 killed,  5 
wounded  and  30  prisoners.  Fort  Sanders,  on  the  southwest  part  of 
town,  was  the  strongest  point  in  the  fortifications.  A deep  ditch  had 
been  dug  all  around  it,  and  in  front  of  this  trees  had  been  cut  down, 
and  telegraph  wires  stretched  from  stump  to  stump  about  eight  inches 
from  the  ground,  in  order  to  trip  the  men  and  break  the  lines.*  These 
served  their  intended  purpose,  but  the  charge  was  made  by  veterans,  and 
they  pushed  on,  filled  the  ditch,  climbed  up  the  parapet  and  planted 
three  Confederate  flags  on  the  top.  The  fort  would  then,  undoubtedly, 
have  been  taken  had  it  not  been  for  the  action  of  Lieut.  Benjamin, 
commander  of  the  battery.  The  guns  could  not  reach  those  in  the  ditch, 
and  he,  taking  the  shells  in  his  hand,  cut  the  fuse,  and  lighting  them 
with  his  cigar  threw  them  over  the  parapet,  when  they  exploded,  doing 
terrible  execution,  f 

The  assault  was  not  renewed,  and  on  the  following  Friday,  December 
4,  the  last  of  Longstreet1  s troops  withdrew  from  in  front  of  the  city. 
The  next  day  Sherman  sent  a despatch  to  Burnside  from  Maryville,  say- 
ing that  he  was  at  that  point  with  25,000  men,  and  would  leave  them 
there  unless  needed  at  Knoxville.  In  a short  time  he  returned  with  his 
forces  to  Chattanooga,  leaving  the  Fourth  Army  Corps  under  Gen.  Gran- 
ger to  re-enforce  the  garrison  at  Knoxville. 

Gen.  Longstreet  retreated  slowly  up  the  north  bank  of  the  Holston 
River,  followed  by  the  Ninth  and  Twenty-third  Corps,  under  Gen.  Parke, 
and  about  4,000  cavalry.  As  soon  as  the  former  had  learned  that  Sher- 
man had  returned  to  Chattanooga  with  the  main  part  of  his  command, 
he  turned  upon  his  pursuers,  then  at  Bean’s  Station,  and  administered 
to  them  a decided  defeat.  Owing  to  the  inclemency  of  the  weather, 
however,  and  the  bad  condition  of  both  armies,  active  operations  were  soon 
after  suspended.  Longstreet  went  into  winter  quarters  at  Morristown 
and  Russellville,  and  Gen.  Foster,  who  had  succeeded  Gen.  Burnside  in 

-This  plan  was  suggested  to  the  engineer  by  Mr.  J.  B Hoxie,  of  Knoxville  who  had  been  master  mechanic 
on  the  East  Tennessee  & Virginia  Railroad.  Upon  the  occupation  of  Knoxville  Burnside  made  him  a mem- 
ber of  his  staff,  and  placed  him  in  charge  of  transportation,  in  which  position  he  rendered  valuable  assistance. 

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HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


493 


command  of  tlie  Army  of  tlie  Ohio,  withdrew  the  greater  part  of  his 
forces  to  Knoxville. 

When  Burnside  retreated  to  Knoxville  a portion  of  his  command  was 
stationed  in  detachments  at  various  points  above  that  city  and  were  con- 
sequently shut  out  during  the  siege.  Among  these  detachments  were 
several  Tennessee  regiments.  The  Tennessee  troops  that  participated  in 
the  defense  of  Knoxville  were  the  Eighth  Infantry  and  the  Eighth 
and  Ninth  Cavalry,  and  others. 

During  the  June  previous  to  the  siege  Gen.  Sanders,  with  about 
2,000  men,  including  the  First  Tennessee  Infantry,  made  a successful 
raid  into  East  Tennessee  from  Kentucky.  He  reached  Knoxville  on  the 
evening  of  June  20,  1863.  The  next  day  he  planted  a battery  on  the 
north  side  of  the  town  and  began  an  artillery  duel  with  the  Confederates 
on  the  opposite  ridge,  during  which  only  one  person  was  injured. 
Pleasant  M.  McClung  was  shot,  it  is  said,  by  the  last  gun  fired  by  San- 
ders’ men.  Gen.  Buckner,  in  command  of  the  post,  was  absent  with  his 
life  guard,  leaving  only  Kain’s  artillery  and  parts  of  two  Florida  regi- 
ments to  defend  it.  Had  Gen.  Sanders  made  an  immediate  assault  he 
could  probably  have  captured  the  town.  During  the  day,  however,  a 
Yirginia  regiment  arrived  and  Sanders  retreated  to  Strawberry  Plains 
and  Mossy  Creek  and  thence  back  into  Kentucky. 

February  9,  1864,  Gen.  J.  M.  Schofield  superseded  Gen.  Foster  in 
command  of  the  Army  of  the  Ohio.  No  movement  of  importance  was 
made  until  April,  when,  Gen.  Longstreet  having  gone  to  rejoin  Lee  in 
Yirginia,  preparations  were  made  for  the  Georgia  campaign.  The 
Ninth  Corps  having  been  returned  to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  Gen. 
Schofield  was  assigned  to  the  command  of  the  Twenty-third  Corps,  and 
0.  0.  Howard  succeeded  Gen.  Granger  in  command  of  the  Fourth  Corps. 
About  the  last  of  April,  1864,  after  tearing  up  the  railroad  for  a consid- 
erable distance  above  Bull’s  Gap,  the  entire  force,  with  the  exception  of 
small  garrisons  at  Knoxville  and  Loudon,  moved  to  join  Sherman.  The 
Tennessee  Infantry,  which  participated  in  this  campaign,  formed  a part 
of  the  Twenty-third  Corps,  and  included  the  Third  and  Sixth  Regiments, 
Cooper’s  brigade;  Fifth  Regiment,  Manson’s  brigade,  and  the  First  and 

Eighth  Regiments,  brigade.  The  history  of  the  Georgia 

campaign  and  the  part  performed  by  the  Twenty-third  Corps  is  too  well 
known  to  require  mention  here.  October  31,  1864,  Gen.  Schofield,  who 
was  at  Resaca  with  the  Twenty -third  Corps,  was  ordered  by  Gen.  Thomas 
to  Pulaski.  He  arrived  at  Nashville  November  5,  and  was  immediately 
sent  to  Johnson ville.  Finding  that  the  enemy  had  already  retreated  he 
left  a force  for  the  defense  of  that  part  and  moved  to  join  the  Fourth 

31 


494 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Corps  at  Atlanta.  Among  tlie  troops  left  at  Jolmsonville  were  the  Third 
and  Sixth  Tennessee  Infantry,  Cooper’s  brigade.  Several  regiments  of 
Tennessee  cavalry  Avere  also  employed  in  that  vicinity.  When  Hood 
reached  Columbia  Gen.  Cooper  was  ordered  to  join  Gen.  Schofield  at 
Franklin,  for  which  place  he  immediately  started.  “Owing  to  delays  in 
receiving  his  orders,  however,  he  could  not  reach  Franklin  before  its  oc- 
cupation by  the  enemy,  and  turned  his  column  direct  for  Nashville,  and 
arrived  at  the  Brentwood  Hill,  by  the  Charlotte  pike,  on  the  night  of 
December  2,  and  again  found  the  enemy  between  him  and  the  army. 
He  then  marched  to  Clarksville,  where  he  arrived  in  safety  on  the  5th, 
and  rejoined  his  command  on  the  8th  of  December.  Gen.  Cooper  de- 
serves great  credit  for  the  skill  and  judgment  displayed  in  conducting 
his  retreat.”* 

The  fight  which  took  place  before  Nashville  was  participated  in  by 
more  Tennessee  troops  than  any  other  one  battle  of  the  Avar.  All  the 
infantry  regiments  then  in  the  field,  Avith  the  exception  of  the  Fourth, 
and  all  the  cavalry,  except  three  regiments  under  Gen.  Gillem,  were 
present.  All  conducted  themselves  gallantly,  and  several  received  es- 
pecial mention  from  the  commanding  officer  in  his  report  of  the  battle. 

August  4,  1864,  Avhat  was  known  as  the  “Brigade  of  Governor’s 
Guards”  was  organized  in  accordance  Avith  the  following  order: 

State  of  Tennessee,  Executive  Department, 
Nashville,  Tenn.,  August  1,  1864. 

Ordered  1.  That  Gen.  A.  C.  Gillem,  adjutant-general  of  Tennessee,  be  assigned  to 
the  command  of  the  troops  known  as  the  “Governor’s  Guards.” 

2.  That  First  Lieut.  Ed  S.  Richards  is  announced  as  assistant  adjutant-general  of 
the  State  of  Tennessee,  and  must  be  obeyed  and  respected  accordingly.  Lieut.  Richards 
will  establish  his  office  in  this  city. 

3.  It  is  further  ordered  that  Gen.  Alvan  C.  Gillem  proceed  with  the  Ninth  and  Thir- 
teenth Regiments  of  Tennessee  Cavalry,  and  Batteries  E and  G,  First  Tennessee  Light 
Artillery,  to  East  Tennessee,  and,  under  such  orders  as  he  shall  from  time  to  time  receive 
from  this  office,  kill  or  drive  out  all  bands  of  lawless  persons  or  bands  which  now  infest 
that  portion  of  the  State.  It  is  not  to  be  understood  that  this  order  shall  prevent  Gen. 
Gillem,  whenever  he  shall  deem  it  feasible  or  expedient,  from  pursuing  said  bands  of  out- 
laws beyond  the  limits  of  the  State.  Gen.  Gillem  is  further  authorized,  under  such  in- 
struction as  he  shall  receive  from  this  office,  to  take  such  measures  as  are  deemed  expedi- 
ent to  re-establish  order  and  enforce  civil  law,  to  which  end  Gen.  Gillem  will  lend  every 
assistance  in  his  power  to  the  regularly  constituted  civil  authorities.  All  the  organized 
regiments  of  Tennessee  troops  being  raised  in  East  Tennessee  to  serve  one  year  or  longer 
will  obey  the  orders  of  Gen.  Gillem,  who  is  authorized  to  organize  such  new  regi- 
ments as  may  be  deemed  expedient.  Officers  of  the  commissary  and  quartermaster  de- 
partments will  furnish  the  necessary  supplies  upon  the  requisition  of  Gen.  Gillem. 

Andrew  Johnson, 

Brigadier-  General  and  Military  Governor  of  Tennessee. 

Immediately  after  its  organization  the  brigade  began  its  march  to 


‘Report  of  Gen  Schofield. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


495 


East  Tennessee,  where  it  arrived  about  the  middle  of  the  same  month. 
August  22  a skirmish  occurred  at  Rogersville,  soon  after  which  the  com- 
mand took  position  at  Bull’s  Gap.  While  there  it  was  learned  that  Gen. 
Morgan  with  his  command  were  at  Greeneville,  and  an  immediate  ad- 
vance  was  made  upon  that  place. 

“ On  the  evening*  of  September  3,  at  6 o’clock  a courier  reported  to 
Col.  Miller,  then  in  command  of  the  brigade,  that  the  enemy,  in  heavy 
force,  were  advancing  and  were  in  camp  about  two  miles  west  of  Greene- 
ville. After  a short  consultation  of  the  commanding  officers  it  was 
decided  to  move  at  once,  and  at  11  o’clock  the  Thirteenth  Tennessee  Cav- 
alry was  ordered  to  proceed  to  Greeneville,  passing  around  the  enemy’s 
flank.  At  12  o’clock  the  remainder  of  the  command  moved  out.  The 
night  was  very  dark  and  the  rain  fell  in  torrents,  but  the  troops  pushed 
on  and  at  6 o’clock  in  the  morning  they  came  upon  the  pickets  of  the 
enemy,  who  were  attacked  by  the  Tenth  Michigan  Cavalry,  then  in 
advance,  and  Avitli  the  whole  force  driven  back  about  three  miles.  By 
that  time  the  Thirteenth  had  joined  the  rear  and  began  an  attack,  which, 
Avitli  a charge  made  by  the  Ninth,  scattered  them  in  all  directions ; some 
forty  being  taken  prisoners.  Meanwhile  two  companies,  I and  G,  of  the 
Thirteenth,  had  been  sent  into  the  toAvn;  there  they  surprised  Gen.  Mor- 
gan and  his  staff,  who  were  at  a Mrs.  Williams’.  Morgan  ran  out  and 
attempted  to  escape,  but  Avas  shot  and  instantly  killed  by  Andrew  Carnp- 
bel,  a private  of  Company  G.  The  two  companies  captured  the  staff,  and 
taking  the  body  of  Morgan  upon  a horse,  returned  to  their  command  with- 
out  having  lost  a man.  The  entire  column  then  moved  into  the  toAvn, 
where  they  found  the  enemy’s  artillery  planted  upon  College  Hill.  A 
flank  movement  by  the  Ninth  and  Thirteenth  Regiments  soon  dislodged 
it,  and  the  entire  command  fled  in  confusion,  leaAnng  two  pieces  of  artil- 
lery, several  wagons,  and  other  equipments.  They  were  driven  about 
four  miles,  when  the  pursuit  was  abandoned.  On  September  27  a sharp 
fight  occurred  at  Watauga,  in  Avhich  the  command  lost  15,  killed  and 
wounded.  Another  skirmish  took  place  at  Greeneville,  on  October  12. 
On  October  27,  the  brigade  left  New  Market,  and  during  the  day  met 
the  enemy  and  drove  them  back.  On  the  nest  day  the  command  moved 
forward  until  Avithin  one  mile  of  Morristown,  where  they  found  the  enemy 
in  line  ready  to  receive  them,  with  the  Ninth  and  Thirteenth  Regiment  in 
front  and  the  Eighth  in  the  rear  to  support  the  artillery ; a ch  arge  was 
made,  but  it  failed  to  break  the  Confederate  line , a sabre  charge  Avas 
then  ordered.  This  proved  more  successful;  the  line  Avas  broken,  and 

*This  description  of  the  battle  at  Greeneville  is  taken  from  an  account  of  it  written  at  the  time  by  a Ten- 
nessee officer. 


496 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


McClung’s  battery  captured  with  a loss  to  the  enemy  of  about  300  killed, 
wounded  and  captured.”  , 

From  this  time  nothing  but  scout  and  guard  duty  was  done  until 
November  9,  when  the  brigade  assembled  at  Bull’s  Gap,  where  two  days 
later  it  was  confronted  by  the  Confederates  under  Gen.  Breckinridge,  bv 
whom,  on  the  12th,  an  unsuccessful  assault  was  made.  At  nightfall  on  the 
following  day  the  brigade  withdrew  from  the  Gap.  After  having  pro- 
ceeded about  ten  miles  an  attack  was  made  upon  the  rear,  causing  a 
stampede  among  the  pack-mules  and  wagon-trains,  and  producing  the 
greatest  confusion.  The  artillery  and  several  hundred  men  were  captured, 
and  the  remainder  of  the  force  driven  back  to  Strawberry  Plains  and 
thence  to  Knoxville.  As  soon  as  the  report  of  Gillem’s  defeat  reached 
Gen.  Thomas  he  ordered  Gen.  Stoneman  from  Louisville,  to  take  com- 
mand of  the  forces  in  East  Tennessee.  The  latter  immediately  ordered 
Gen.  Burbridge  to  march  with  all  his  available  force  in  Kentucky,  by  the 
way  of  the  Cumberland  Gap,  to  join  Gillem.  At  the  same  time  Gen. 
Ammon,  who  had  been  co-operating  with  Gen.  Gillem,  received  a re-en- 
forcement  of  1,500  men  from  Chattanooga,  and  at  once  occupied  Straw- 
berry Plains. 

Having  quickly  concentrated  the  commands  of  Gens.  Burbridge  and 
Gillem  at  Bean’s  Station,  on  the  12th  of  December  Gen.  Stoneman  started 
for  Bristol,  his  advance  under  Gillem  striking  the  enemy  under  Duke 
at  Kingsport,  killing,  capturing,  or  dispersing  the  whole  command.  The 
entire  force  then  pushed  onto  Wytheville,  meeting  and  completely  rout- 
ing the  enemy  under  Vaughn,  at  Marion,  Va.  Having  destroyed  a large 
amount  of  supplies  of  all  kinds  at  Wytheville,  Gen.  Stoneman  turned  his 
attention  to  Saltville  and  its  important  salt  works,  which  were  captured 
and  destroyed.*  The  command  then  returned  to  Knoxville,  where  it 
arrived  on  December  29,  having  marched  an  average  of  forty-two  miles 
every  twenty-four  hours  since  its  departure.  It  remained  in  camp  until 
March  21,  when  such  portion  as  was  mounted  joined  Gen.  Stoneman 
upon  his  great  raid.  The  vote  for  governor,  at  the  election  March  4,  1865, 
indicates  the  relative  strength  of  the  regiments  at  that  time.  It  was  as 
follows:  Eighth,  384;  Ninth,  606;  Thirteenth,  259;  Battery  E,  79. 

After  the  close  of  hostilities  many  Confederates  who  returned  to  their 
homes  in  East  Tennessee  suffered  violence  at  the  hands  of  Union  men  in 
retaliation  for  outrages  committed  at  the  beginning  of  the  Avar.  This 
soon  ceased,  however;  and  at  the  present  time  there  is  no  place  perhaps 
in  the  United  States  where  there  is  a more  fraternal  spirit  existing  be- 
tween the  Unionist  and  the  ex-Confederate  than  in  East  Tennessee.  Ten- 

*In  his  report  of  the  expedition,  Gen  Stoneman  gives  the  Thirteenth  Tennessee  Cavalry  the  honor  ol 
having  acted  the  most  conspicuous  part  in  the  capture  of  Saltville. 


HIST0BY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


497 


nessee  furnished  about  30,000  troops  to  the  Federal  Army.  They  were 
mustered  as  follows:  Eight  regiments  of  infantry,  eight  regiments  of 
mounted  infantry,  thirteen  regiments  of  cavalry  and  five  battalions  of 
light  artillery.  But  in  addition  to  these  regiments  there  were  also  en- 
listed, within  the  limits  of  the  State,  about  17,000  colored  troops,  the 
precise  number  of  which  cannot  be  ascertained,  as  they  were  enrolled  as 
United  States  troops  without  regard  to  State  boundaries. 

The  State  also  contributed  to  the  Federal  Army  a large  number  of 
efficient  officers.  In  addition  to  those  colonels  and  lieutenant-colonels 
who  from  time  to  time  commanded  brigades,  Tennessee  furnished  the 
following  brigadier -generals : Samuel  P.  Carter,  Joseph  A.  Cooper,  Al- 
van  C.  Gillem,  James  G.  Spears,  William  B.  Campbell  and  Andrew 
Johnson,  the  military  governor,  the  first  three  of  whom  were  also  major- 
generals  by  brevet.  The  colonels  who  were  brevetted  brigadier-gener- 
als were  William  J.  Smith,  George  Spalding  and  James  P.  Brownlow. 
Gov.  Johnson,  upon  the  organization  of  the  State  government  in  1862, 
appointed  Alvan  C.  Gillem  adjutant-general,  a position  which  he  contin- 
ued to  hold  until  the  election  of  Gov.  Brownlow,  when  he  was  succeeded 
by  James  P.  Brownlow.  On  August  1,  1864,  Lieut.  Edward  S.  Rich- 
ards was  appointed  assistant  adjutant-general. 

The  first  Union  regiment  of  Tennessee  Infantry  was  organized  by 
Col.  B.  K.  Byrd,  at  Camp  Dick  Robinson,  Ky.,  in  August,  1861.  The 
other  regimental  officers  at  that  time  were  James  G.  Spears,  lieutenant- 
colonel;  James  T.  Shelley,  major;  Leonard  C.  Houk,  quartermaster;  Ed- 
ward Maynard,  adjutant;  Robert  L.  Stanford,  surgeon;  William  A.  Rog- 
ers, assistant  surgeon,  and  Samuel  L.  Williams,  chaplain.  This  regi- 
ment was  first  under  fire  in  the  engagement  at  Wild  Cat,  and  was  after- 
ward present  at  the  battle  of  Mill  Springs.  It  also  assisted  in  the  capt- 
ure of  Cumberland  Gap,  where  it  remained  until  the  evacuation  of  that 
post  by  Gen.  Morgan.  It  then  retreated  with  the  remainder  of  the  com- 
mand to  Ohio,  and  thence  Avent  on  an  expedition  up  the  Kanawha  Valley. 
Returning,  it  Avent  by  the  way  of  LouisA'ille  to  Nashville,  arriving  in 
time  to  participate  in  the  battle  at  Stone  River,  after  which  it  returned 
to  Lexington,  Ky.  It  then  entered  East  Tennessee  under  Burnside’s 
command  and  was  present  at  the  siege  of  Knoxville.  During  the  Avinter 
of  1864  it  was  stationed  at  Kingston,  and  in  the  spring  entered  upon  the 
Atlanta  campaign,  participating  in  all  of  the  engagements  until  just  pre- 
vious to  the  surrender  of  the  city,  when  the  greater  portion  of  the  regi- 
ment was  discharged  on  account  of  the  expiration  of  their  term  of  service. 

While  at  Cumberland  Gap  a detachment  of  this  and  the  Second  Reg- 
iment, consisting  of  sixty -nine  men,  led  by  Capt.  Meyers  and  Lieut. 


498 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Rogers,  captured  an  important  outpost  ot  the  Confederates  without  the 
loss  of  a man.  For  this  exploit  a complimentary  notice  was  read  on  dress 
parade,  by  order  of  Gen.  Morgan. 

The  Second  Union  Tennessee  Volunteer  Infantry  was  recruited  and 
organized  at  Camp  Dick  Robinson,  Ky.,  with  James  P.  Carter*  as  colo- 
nel; D.  C.  Trewliitt,  lieutenant-colonel;  M.  Cleaveland,  major;  A.  Neat, 
surgeon;  D.  A.  Carpenter,  lieutenant  and  adjutant;  George  W.  Keith, 
quartermaster,  and  W.  J.  Keith,  commissary  sergeant.  The  regiment 
was  mustered  into  service  to  date  from  the  28th  of  September,  1861,  and 
on  the  18th  of  October  following  marched  to  meet  the  Confederate  forces 
under  Gen.  Zollicoffei.  From  that  time  until  the  evacuation  of  Cum- 
berland Gap  by  the  Federal  forces  under  Gen.  George  W.  Morgan  in  Sep- 
tember, 1862,  the  regiment  was  employed  in  eastern  Kentucky,  partici- 
pating in  the  battles  of  Mill  Springs  and  many  lesser  engagements.  It 
then  marched  through  northeastern  Kentucky,  crossed  into  Ohio  and 
thence  entered  the  Kanawha  Valley,  W.  Va.  Returning  by  the  way  of 
Point  Pleasant,  Ohio,  it  went  from  there  to  Louisville  by  river,  thence  by 
land  to  Murfreesboro,  where  it  was  engaged  in  the  battle  of  Stone’s  Riv- 
er.  It  remained  there  until  March  10,  1863,  when  it  returned  to  Ken- 
tucky for  the  purpose  of  being  mounted,  which  was  done  about  June  1, 
1863.  It  remained  in  Kentucky,  participating  in  various  minor  engage- 
ments with  the  Confederate  forces  under  Pegram  and  Scott,  until  July  4, 
when  it  started  in  pursuit  of  Gen.  Morgan  in  his  raid  through  Kentucky, 
Indiana  and  Ohio,  and  was  present  at  his  capture.  It  then  returned  to 
Stanford,  Ivy.,  and  joined  the  force  under  Gen.  Burnside  for  the  cam- 
paign in  East  Tennessee.  In  was  in  the  advance  of  Burnside’s  forces  at 
Wolf  Creek  and  Loudon,  Tenn.,  and  was  present  at  the  surrender  of 
Cumberland  Gap  by  the  Confederate  Gen.  Frazier.  It  also  took  the  ad- 
vance of  the  column  which  moved  into  upper  East  Tennessee  from  Knox- 
ville, and  brought  on  and  participated  in  the  battle  of  Blue  Springs. 
After  pursuing  the  retreating  forces  to  Abingdon,  Va.,  and  destroying  a 
large  amount  of  stores,  it  returned  to  Rogersville,  Tenn.,  where,  on  No- 
vember 6,  1863,  the  regiment  was  captured  by  Gen.  Jones.  One  hun- 
dred and  seventeen  men,  most  of  whom  had  been  captured,  but  soon  af- 
ter made  their  escape,  reported  at  Knoxville  and  were  on  duty  there 
during  the  siege  up  to  the  31st  of  November.  Soon  after  the  remnants 
of  the  regiment  were  gathered  up  and  were  detailed,  as  provost  guards, 
to  duty  at  Sevierville,  Maryville,  Clinton  and  Maynardsville.  In  Sep- 
tember, 1864,  the  garrison  at  Maryville,  consisting  of  twenty-eight  men, 
was  captured.  The  remaining  detachments  were  then  ordered  immedi- 


* Resigned  March  2,  1864;  succeeded  by  J.  M.  Melton. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


499 


ately  to  Lee’s  Ferry,  on  the  Clinch  River,  to  liarrass  Wheeler’s  forces, 
who  -were  then  on  a raid  through  East  Tennessee.  After  this  expedition 
the  regiment  returned  to  Knoxville,  where,  on  October  6,  1864,  it  was 
mustered  out  of  service,  there  being  at  that  time  only  106  of  the  orig- 
inal number. 

The  Third  Union  Regiment  of  Tennessee  Infantry  was  organized  at 
Flat  Lick,  Ky.,  by  Col.  Leonidas  C.  Houk  and  Lieut.  John  C.  Childs  in 
March,  1862.  The  other  field  and  staff  officers  were  William  Cross, 
major;  Daniel  M.  Ray,  adjutant;  John  D.  Lewis,  quartermaster;  Will- 
iam A.  Rodgers,  surgeon;  John  P.  Blankinsliip,  assistant  surgeon;  Will- 
iam F.  Dowell,  chaplain;  John  L.  Shipe,  sergeant-major;  Elijah  W. 
Adkins,  quartermaster-sergeant.  It  remained  near  Flat  Lick  until  June, 
then,  with  Spear’s  Brigade,  went  to  Cumberland  Gap,  but  was  subse- 
quently ordered  to  London,  Ky.  Here  the  regiment  was  divided,  five 
companies  under  Col.  Houk  remaining  at  that  place,  and  the  other  five 
companies  under  Lieut. -Col.  Childs  going  to  Richmond.  Houk  having 
been  attacked  by  a superior  force  under  Gen.  Scott  retreated  to  Cumber- 
land Gap,  and  subsequently,  with  Morgan,  to  Ohio.  The  five  companies 
under  Childs  while  on  their  way  to  rejoin  Houk  at  Loudon,  were  attacked 
by  Scott’s  cavalry  at  Big  Hill,  and  the  greater  part  of  the  command 
captured.  The  remainder  made  their  way  to  Richmond,  Ky.,  where,  on 
August  23,  1862,  all  but  about  100  -were  taken  prisoners  and  paroled. 
The  few  who  escaped  retreated  to  Louisville,  and  were  temporarily 
attached  to  the  Third  Kentucky  Infantry,  with  which  command  they  took 
part  in  the  battle  of  Perryville.  They  were  then  ordered  to  Gallipolis, 
Ohio,  where  the  regiment  was  reunited.  It  then  went  to  Nashville,  and 
thence  to  Murfreesboro.  In  April,  1863,  Col.  Houk  and  Lieut. -Col. 
Childs  resigned,  and  the  regiment  then  stationed  at  Carthage  was  placed 
under  the  command  of  Maj.  William  Cross,  who,  a short  time  after,  -was 
commissioned  colonel.  In  August  the  regiment  left  Carthage,  and 
marched  by  the  way  of  Alexandria  and  McMinnville  to  a point  on  the 
Tennessee  River  below  Chattanooga.  It  remained  in  the  vicinity  of 
Chattanooga  until  November,  when  it  proceeded  to  Knoxville  to  the  relief 
of  Burnside.  April  26,  1864,  it  left  Strawberry  Plains  to  enter  upon  the 
Atlanta  campaign,  in  which  it  took  an  active  part.  After  the  surrender 
of  Atlanta  it  was  ordered  to  Johnsonville,  thence  to  Duck  River,  and. 
finally  to  Columbia.  Before  reaching  the  latter  place,  however,  the 
approach  of  Hood  forced  it  back  to  Nashville,  which  it  reached  by  the 
way  of  Charlotte  and  Clarksville,  arriving  in  time  to  participate  in  the 
battles  before  that  city.  After  pursuing  the  enemy  to  Clifton,  Term., 
it  returned  to  Nashville,  and  was  there  mustered  out  February  23,  1865, 


500 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


the  regiment  at  that  time  numbering  about  340  of  the  original  com- 
mand. During  its  existence  it  numbered  990  enlisted  men. 

The  Fourth  Union  Regiment  of  Tennessee  Infantry  was  recruited 
under  the  direction  of  Col.  Daniel  Stover,  of  Carter  County,  Tenn.,  at 
Louisville,  in  the  spring  of  1863.  It  was  composed  wholly  of  exiles  from 
East  Tennessee,  who  were  brought  out  of  the  Confederate  lines  by  officers 
and  pilots  sent  in  for  that  purpose.  May  29  the  regiment  left  Louis- 
ville, and  was  mustered  into  service  in  the  following  June.  September 
9,  1863,  under  the  command  of  Maj.  M.  L.  Patterson,  it  marched  to 
McMinnville,  Tenn.,  where,  on  the  3d  of  October,  after  two  hours’  hard 
fighting  against  a greatly  superior  force  under  Gen.  Wheeler,  it  was 
captured  and  paroled.  Maj.  Patterson,  with  forty  men,  returned  to 
Nashville,  and  the  remainder  of  the  regiment,  with  few  exceptions, 
returned  to  their  homes  in  East  Tennessee.  Upon  the  arrival  of  Maj. 
Patterson  in  Nashville  a court  of  inquiry  was  appointed  to  examine  into 
the  circumstances  connected  with  the  surrender  of  the  post  at  McMinn- 
ville, which  resulted  in  his  complete  exoneration  from  all  charges.  He 
then  proceeded  to  Camp  Nelson,  Ivy.,  to  reorganize'the  regiment,  where 
many  of  the  soldiers  reported  immediately  for  duty,  the  paroles  being 
invalid,  having  been  given  in  violation  of  the  cartel.  January  20,  1861, 
the  regiment  was  assigned  to  the  First  Brigade,  Third  Division,  Twenty- 
third  Army  Corps.  On  the  withdrawal  of  Gen.  Schofield’s  army  from 
upper  East  Tennessee,  the  regiment  was  sent  to  Loudon,  and  three  com- 
panies, under  Maj.  Reeves,  to  Kingston,  Maj.  Patterson  having  been 
promoted  to  the  lieutenant-colonelcy,  was  detached  to  command  the  bri- 
gade with  headquarters  at  Loudon.  The  regiment  remained  there  until 
November,  1864,  when  the  troops  were  ordered  to  Knoxville.  Lieut.  - 
Col.  Patterson  was  then  put  in  command  of  a brigade  consisting  of  the 
Fourth  Tennessee  and  Third  North  Carolina  Infantry  for  an  expedition 
to  Paint  Rock,  N.  C.,  to  cut  off  the  retreat  of  the  Confederates  from  Gen. 
Stoneman.  This  expedition  ended  about  January  10,  1865.  The  reg- 
iment remained  in  upper  East  Tennessee  and  vicinity  until  July,  when 
it  was  ordered  to  Nashville  to  be  mustered  out.  Col.  Stover,  who  organ- 
ized the  regiment,  was  early  attacked  by  consumption  and  saw  no  serv- 
ice in  the  field. 

The  Fifth  Union  Regiment  of  Tennessee  Infantry  was  organized  at 
B arbour sville,  Ky.,  by  Col.  James  T.  Shelley,  of  Roane  County,  in  March, 
1862.  As  a part  of  Spear’s  brigade  it  participated  in  the  operations 
around  Cumberland  Gap  during  the  summer  of  1862,  also  in  the  retreat 
from  that  place,  and  subsequently  in  the  battle  of  Stone  River.  It  was 
present  at  Chickamauga,  and  took  an  active  part  in  the  battle  of  Mission 


HISTOEY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


501 


Ridge.  In  the  Georgia  campaign  it  formed  a part  of  Manson’s  brigade, 
and  with  the  remainder  of  the  Twenty-third  Corps  returned  to  fight 
Hood  before  Nashville. 

The  organization  of  the  Sixth  Union  Regiment  of  Tennessee  Infant- 
ry  was  begun  in  the  early  part  of  March,  1862,  by  Col.  Joseph  A. 
Cooper,  at  Barboursville,  Ky.,  and,  like  most  of  the  other  regiments  from 
Tennessee,  was  composed  mainly  of  Unionist  refugees.  On  April  23, 
four  companies  being  completed,  a lieutenant-colonel,  Edward  May- 
nard, was  appointed.  By  May  1 three  other  companies  were  completed 
and  the  following  field  and  staff  officers  had  been  appointed:  William  C. 
Pickens,  major;  Henry  H.  Wiley,  quartermaster;  William  Cary,  quar- 
termaster-sergeant; Ayres  Maupin,  surgeon,  and  Henry  W.  Parker, 
adjutant.  The  regiment  actively  participated  in  the  opening  movements 
of  the  Seventh  Division  of  the  Army  of  the  Ohio,  under  Gen.  G.  W. 
Morgan,  in  the  vicinity  of  Cumberland  Gap,  where  it  remained  until 
September  17,  1862,  when  it  took  up  the  line  of  march  in  Morgan’s  fa- 
mous retreat  to  the  Ohio  River.  After  being  refitted  it  remained  at  Gal- 
lipolis,  Ohio,  until  November  11,  when  the  brigade  to  which  it  was 
attached  was  ordered  to  Nashville.  During  the  battle  of  Stone  River  it 
was  detailed  as  an  escort  for  an  ammunition  train  for  Rosecrans’  army. 
A short  distance  from  Nashville  it  was  attacked  by  the  Confederate  cav- 
alry under  Wheeler,  who  was  immediately  repulsed  with  considerable 
loss.  It  remained  at  Murfreesboro  until  April,  1863,  when  it  was  at- 
tached to  the  First  Brigade,  Second  Division,  Fourteenth  Army  Corps, 
and  from  that  time  until  September,  was  employed  in  drilling  and  scout- 
ing in  the  vicinities  of  Carthage,  Alexandria  and  McMinnville.  About 
September  10,  it  crossed  the  mountains  and  moved  toward  Chattanoo- 
ga, arriving  in  time  to  participate  in  the  close  of  thej  battle  of  Chicka- 
mauga,  as  a part  of  Granger’s  reserve  corps.  The  regiment  was  then 
stationed  on  the  river  above  Chattanooga  until  it  joined  the  forces  that 
moved  to  the  relief  of  Burnside  at  Knoxville.  It  was  engaged  in  the 
campaign  of  East  Tennessee  during  the  following  winter.  In  April, 
1864,  having  been  transferred  to  the  Second  Division,  Twenty-Third 
Army  Corps,  Department  of  the  Ohio,  it  moved  to  join  Sherman  in  his 
campaign  to  Atlanta.  In  this  it  took  an  active  part,  losing  heavily  at 
Resaca.  After  the  capture  of  Atlanta  the  brigade  was  ordered  to  report 
to  Gen.  Thomas  at  Nashville,  and  was  located  at  Johnsonville  and  Duck 
River  until  the  advance  of  Hood  compelled  a retreat.  The  regiment 
reached  Nashville  by  the  way  of  Charlotte  and  Clarksville,  and  partici- 
pated in  the  -battles  around  that  city  on  the  15th  and  16th  of  December. 
It  was  then  transferred  to  North  Carolina  and  joined  Sherman’s  forces- 


502 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


at  Goldsboro,  where  it  remained  until  March  3,  1865.  The  regiment 
was  then  returned  to  Nashville  and  was  mustered  out  on  April  27,  1865, 
having  served  a few  days  over  three  years. 

The  Seventh  Union  Regiment  of  Tennessee  Infantry  was  never  or- 
ganized, and  the  companies  raised  for  it  were  transferred  to  other  reg- 
iments. 

The  Eighth  Union  Regiment  of  Tennessee  Infantry  was  recruited 
from  East  Tennessee  exiles  and  refugees  at  Nicholsville,  Lexington, 
Camp  Dick  Robinson  and  other  points  in  Kentucky,  by  Col.  Felix  A. 
Reeve,  assisted  by  John  B.  Brownlow  and  H.  H.  Thomas.  The  work  of 
recruiting  was  begun  in  the  fall  of  1862,  but  owing  to  the  fact  that  sev- 
eral cavalry  regiments,  which  were  more  popular  with  the  foot-sore  refu- 
gees, were  proposed  at  the  same  time,  volunteers  for  infantry  service 
were  not  numerous,  and  it  was  not  until  August  1863,  that  the  regiment 
numbering  about  700  men  was  organized.  It  was  then  assigned  to  the 
■Second  Brigade,  Second  Division,  Twenty-Third  Army  Corps,  Depart- 
ment of  the  Ohio,  and  was  present  at  Knoxville  during  the  siege  of  that 
place.  In  April,  1864,  it  marched  to  join  Sherman  on  his  Atlanta  cam- 
paign, in  which  it  took  a very  active  part,  participating  in  every  engage- 
ment. At  Utowah  Creek,  near  Atlanta,  it  was  in  the  advance,  and  about 
100  men  of  the  regiment  were  killed  and  wounded  in  less  than  fifteen 
minutes.  The  Eight  Regiment  also  bore  an  honorable  part  in  the  bat- 
tles of  Jonesboro,  Ga.,  and  Columbia,  Franklin  and  Nashville,  Tenn. 
In  January,  1865,  with  the  remainder  of  the  Army  of  the  Ohio,  it  was 
transferred  to  North  Carolina,  where  it  participated  in  the  actions  at 
Fort  Anderson,  Town  Creek  and  Wilmington.  Col.  Reeve  resigned 
command  of  the  regiment  in  July,  1864.  The  major  of  the  regiment 
when  organized  was  Geoi’ge  D.  LaVergne,  who  was  promoted  to  lieu- 
tenant-colonel  in  October,  1863,  in  place  of  Isham  Young,  resigned. 

The  Ninth  Union  Regiment  of  Tennessee  Infantry  was  never  mus- 
tered into  service,  it  being  transferred  and  merged  into  other  regiments 
before  it  was  completely  organized. 

The  Tenth  Union  Regiment  of  Tennessee  Infantry  was  organized  at 
Nashville,  about  July,  1862,  and  was  at  first  known  as  the  First  Tennes- 
see Governor’s  Guards.  It  was  recruited  partly  in  Nashville,  and  partly 
in  Rutherford,  Wayne,  Hardin  and  Lawrence  Counties,  and  was  com- 
posed of  a mixture  of  Americans,  Irish  and  Germans.  Until  the  sum- 
mer of  1863  the  regiment  did  provost  guard  duty  at  Nashville,  being 
encamped  first  at  Fort  Gillem,  and  afterward  upon  the  Capitol  grounds. 
It  was  then  ordered  out  to  guard  the  Nashville  & North-western  Rail- 
road, where  it  remained  until  the  spring  of  1864.  During  the  following 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


503 


year  the  regiment  was  divided  up  considerably,  detachments  being  de- 
tailed for  various  purposes.  In  the  spring  of  1865  it  was  ordered  to 
Knoxville,  at  which  place  and  at  Greeneville,  it  remained  until  about  July, 
when  it  was  returned  to  Nashville  and  mustered  out.  It  was  commanded 
at  first  by  Col.  A.  C.  Gillem,  and  afterward  by  Col.  James  W.  Scully. 

The  First  Union  Regiment  of  Tennessee  Cavalry  wras  organized  at 
Camp  Dennison,  Ohio,  November  1,  1862,  with  Robert  Johnson  as  col- 
onel; James  P.  Brownlow,  lieutenant-colonel;  James  O.  Berry  and  Will- 
iam R.  Tracy,  majors;  Pleasant  M.  Logan,  surgeon;  James  H.  Jones, 
assistant  surgeon;  John  P.  Hotsinger,  chaplain;  Charles  H.  Bentley  adju- 
tant; John  H.  James,  quartermaster:  McK.  C.  Williams  and  Franklin 

Higlibarger,  sergeant-majors.  The  regiment  was  then  ordered  to  Ten- 
nessee, and  in  the  organization  of  the  cavalry,  Department  of  the  Cumber- 
land was  united  with  the  First  Brigade,  First  Division.  The  ensuing  sum- 
mer, with  the  forces  of  Gen.  Rosecrans,  it  entered  on  the  campaign  which 
resulted  in  the  occupation  of  Tullahoma  and  Chattanooga,  participating 
in  engagements  at  Rover,  Middleton,  Guyer’ s Gap,  Shelby ville  and  Cow- 
an’s Station.  After  an  expedition  through  northern  Alabama  and  Geor- 
gia under  Lieut. -Col.  Brownlow,  it  reached  Chickamauga,  and  participated 
in  the  three  days’  battle  of  September  18-20,  1863.  It  was  then  sent 
in  pursuit  of  Gen.  Wheeler,  going  by  the  way  of  McMinnville,  Shelby- 
ville  and  Murfreesboro,  a detachment  being  sent  to  Sparta.  The  regi- 
ment afterward  proceeded  to  Kingston,  Knoxville,  Strawberry  Plains, New 
Market,  Dandridge  and  Mossy  Creek.  At  the  last  two  places  engage- 
ments with  the  Confederate  cavalry,  in  greatly  superior  force,  were  had, 
hut  by  gallant  charges  under  skillful  leadership  the  regiment  succeeded 
in  escaping  with  little  injury.  It  then  remained  in  that  vicinity  until 
April,  1864,  when  it  began  a march  to  Resaca,  Cassville,  Dallas  and  Pine 
Mountain,  Ga.,  and  thence  to  a raid  on  the  Macon  Railroad,  where  an 
engagement  occurred.  After  some  hard  fighting  it  reached  the  Chatta- 
hoochee River  on  August  1,  and  while  crossing  the  stream  was  attacked 
by  the  enemy,  who  succeeded  in  taking  a large  number  of  prisoners. 
Col.  Brownlow  reached  Marietta  two  days  later  with  a few  men  and  there 
was  joined  by  the  more  fortunate  fugitives.  During  Gen.  Wheeler’s  raid 
through  Middle  Tennessee  the  regiment  was  in  engagements  with  him 
at  La  Vergne,  Franklin  and  Campbellsville,  and  followed  him  upon  his  re- 
treat to  Florence.  It  then  returned  to  Pulaski  and  had  a skirmish  with 
Gen.  Forrest,  after  which  it  continued  to  scout  along  the  Tennessee  until 
after  the  defeat  of  Hood,  when  it  went  in  pursuit  of  his  forces.  After  a 
reconnoissance  as  far  as  Corinth,  in  January,  1865,  the  regiment  returned 
to  Nashville,  where  it  was  mustered  out  June  14,  1865. 


504 


HISTOEY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


The  Second  Union  Regiment  o£  Tennessee  Cavalry  was  organized  at 
Cumberland  Gap  in  the  months  of  August  and  September,  1862,  under 
Col.  D.  M.  Ray  and  Lieut. -Col.  "VV.  R.  Cook,  and  was  composed  of  loyal 
citizens  of  Knox,  Blount,  Sevier  and  surrounding  counties,  numbering  in 
the  aggregate  about  1,175  men.  Shortly  after  the  organization  of  the 
regiment  Gen.  Morgan  began  his  retreat  to  the  Ohio  River,  and  the  Sec- 
ond Cavalry,  although  dismounted,  rendered  efficient  service  in  protect- 
ing the  flank  and  rear  of  the  retreating  column.  Not  long  after  its  ar- 
rival at  Gallipolis,  Ohio,  it  was  ordered  to  Louisville  where  it  was 
mounted  and  armed,  and  pushed  on  to  join  Rosecrans  at  Nashville.  It 
arrived  in  time  to  participate  in  the  battle  of  Stone  River,  where  it  lost 
several  officers  and  men.  From  that  time  until  the  23d  of  June,  1863, 
with  the  remainder  of  the  Federal  cavalry  under  Gen.  Stanley,  it  was  em- 
ployed on  the  front  and  flanks  of  Rosecrans  army,  doing  severe  duty.  At 
the  latter  date  it  moved  with  the  army  from  Murfreesboro  to  Tullahoma 
pursuing  Bragg  across  the  Cumberland  Mountains.  About  July  10  it 
was  ordered  to  report  to  Gen.  Sheridan  for  special  duty,  and  was  em- 
ployed in  the  vicinity  of  Bridgeport,  Alabama,  and  Chattanooga  until  the 
early  part  of  September,  when  it  rejoined  the  cavalry  command  under 
Gen.  Stanley  and  participated  in  the  battle  of  Chickamauga.  After  do- 
ing some  escort  duty  it  was  ordered  to  Washington  and  Kingston,  and 
assisted  in  the  defense  of  the  latter  place  against  Gen.  Wheeler.  It  was 
then  ordered  to  Nashville,  hastily  refitted,  and  forwarded  to  Gen.  Will- 
iam S.  Smith  at  Memphis  for  an  expedition  into  Mississippi,  in  the 
course  of  which  it  participated  with  credit  in  engagements  at  Okolona, 
West  Point,  Tallahatchie  River  and  elsewhere.  On  its  return  to  Nash- 
ville in  March,  1861,  Col.  Ray  having  resigned,  Maj.  W.  F.  Prosser  was 
commissioned  lieuteuant-colonel  and  placed  in  command.  In  the  June 
following  the  Second,  Third  and  Fourth  Regiments  of  Tennessee  Cavalry, 
with  Battery  A of  the  First  Tennessee  Light  Artilery,  were  ordered  to 
North  Alabama  and  remained  on  duty  in  that  district  until  the  end  of  the 
year.  In  the  numerous  engagements  with  the  Confederate  cavalry  dur- 
ing that  time  the  Second  Cavalry  displayed  great  gallantry,  and  received 
the  commendation  of  all  the  general  officers  under  whom  it  served.  In 
the  pursuit  of  Hood’s  retreating  army  the  command  to  which  it  was  at- 
tached marched  280  miles  in  seven  days  and  nights  of  unusually  severe 
weather,  and  during  that  time  were  engaged  in  six  different  actions,  capt- 
uring a large  number  of  prisoners  and  material  of  every  description. 
From  January  to  July,  1865,  when  it  was  mustered  out,  the  regiment  was 
on  duty  at  Vicksburg  and  New  Orleans. 

The  organization  of  the  Third  Union  Regiment  of  Tennessee  Volun- 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


505 


teer  Cavalry  was  commenced  at  Cumberland  Gap,  by  Maj.  William  C. 
Pickens,  of  Sevier  County,  acting  under  authority  from  Gov.  Johnson. 
The  first  recruits  were  received  August  10,  1862,  and  at  the  evacuation 
of  that  post  by  Gen.  Morgan,  only  one  company  had  been  completed. 
This  company  shared  in  the  retreat  to  Ohio  and  thence  went  to  Louis- 
ville, where  it  was  joined  by  the  recruits  of  Companies  B,  C,  D and  E. 
These  companies  were  ordered  to  Nashville  as  guards  for  government 
stores,  arriving  December  24,  1862,  when  they  were  temporarily  attached 
to  Gen.  Spears’  brigade.  They  were  then  ordered  to  the  front  and  parti- 
cipated in  the  battle  of  Stone  River.  On  January  27,  1863,  the  five 
companies  were  mustered  into  service  at  Murfreesboro,  and  the  remain- 
der of  that  year  was  spent  in  scouting  and  skirmishing  with  the  enemy 
through  various  parts  of  Middle  Tennessee.  During  that  time  four 
more  companies  were  recruited  and  mustered  into  service.  About  De- 
cember 25,  1863,  the  regiment  under  the  command  of  Lieut. -Col.  Duff 
G.  Thornburgh  was  attached  to  a brigade  of  cavalry  under  Col.  D.  M. 
Ray,  of  the  Second  Tennessee  Cavalry,  and  marched  upon  the  expedi- 
tion into  Mississippi,  participating  in  all  the  engagements  of  that  cam- 
paign. While  at  Colliersville,  Tenn.,  in  February,  1864,  Lieut-Col. 
Thornburgh  turned  over  the  command  of  the  regiment  to  Maj.  John  B. 
Minnis,  and  soon  after  tendered  the  resignation  of  his  command,  which 
was  reluctantly  accepted.  The  regiment  returned  to  Nashville  in  March 
and  remained  there  until  April  10.  From  that  time  until  September,  as 
a Avhole  or  in  detachments,  it  was  engaged  in  scouting  or  skirmishing. 
On  September  24  and  25,  1864.  the  entire  regiment  with  the  exception 
of  15  officers  and  some  200  men,  were  captured  at  Athens  and  Sulphur 
Brook  Trestle,  by  the  Confederates  under  Gen.  Forrest.  The  captured 
officers  were  exchanged  December  15.  The  privates  were  exchanged  at 
Jackson,  Miss.,  and  on  April  27,  following,  the  steamer  ‘■Sultana,”  having 
them  with  a large  number  of  other  troops  on  board,  blew  up  near  Mem- 
phis, killing  instantly  174  members  of  the  regiment  and  mortally  wound- 
ing a number  of  others.  The  remainder  of  the  regiment  Avas  mustered 
out  June  10,  1865. 

The  Fourth  Union  Regiment  of  Tennessee  CaAralry  Avas  organized 
from  East  Tennessee  refugees,  at  Cumberland  Gap,  in  July,  1862.  and 
entered  the  field  under  the  command  of  Lieut. -Col.  J.  M.  Thornburgh. 

O 

After  leaving  that  place  it  folloAved  the  course  of  the  other  regiments  of 
Gen.  Morgan’s  command,  and  reached  Nashville  January  26,  1863.  At 
that  place  and  Murfreesboro,  it  did  post  and  scout  service  during  the 
remainder  of  the  year.  It  then  went  Avith  Gen.  Smith  on  his  expedition 
into  Mississippi,  returning  to  Nashville  March  18,  1864.  On  June  19 


50G 


HISTOBY  OB  TENNESSEE. 


it  was  ordered  to  Decatur,  Ala.,  and  in  July  marched  with  Gen.  Rousseau 
on  his  raid  through  Alabama,  reaching  Marietta,  Ga.,  on  the  23d  of  that 
month.  It  then  accompanied  Gen.  McCook  on  a raid  south  and  west  of 
Atlanta,  in  which  it  lost  nearly  all  its  horses  and  arms  in  crossing  the 
Chattahoochie  River.  On  the  10th  of  August  it  returned  to  Decatur, 
Ala.,  and  was  assigned  to  post  and  scout  duty  under  Gen.  Granger  until 
the  19th  of  that  month,  when  it  was  ordered  to  Nashville.  On  Novem- 
ber 27,  it  advanced  to  meet  Gen.  Hood,  and  participated  in  nearly  all  the 
battles  of  that  campaign.  It  was  then  ordered  to  the  Gulf  Department 
and  accompanied  Gen.  Canby  through  the  Mobile  campaign,  after  which 
it  went  to  Baton  Rouge.  It  arrived  at  Nashville  June  12,  1865.  Com- 
pany C,  was  detached  from  December,  1863,  to  April,  1864,  for  duty  at 
the  headquarters  of  the  Twelfth  Army  Corps  at  Tullalioma.  The  other 
companies  served  without  intermission  with  the  regiment. 

The  Fifth  Union  Regiment  of  Tennessee  Cavalry  was  recruited  and 
organized  in  Middle  Tennessee  by  Col.  AVilliam  B.  Stokes  acting  under 
authority  from  Gov.  Johnson,  in  July,  1862.  It  was  made  up  at  Nash- 
ville principally,  the  recruits  coming  in  from  various  counties  in  squads. 
It  was  first  known  as  the  First  Middle  Tennessee  Cavalry,  but  was  sub- 
sequently changed  to  the  Fifth  Tennessee.  The  regiment  was  in  various 
battles  and  skirmishes  during  the  latter  part  of  1862,  actively  partici- 
pating in  the  battle  of  Stone  River  from  first  to  last,  closing  the  fight 
on  the  Manchester  pike  on  Monday  evening,  January  5,  1863.  From 
that  time  until  the  close  of  the  war  the  regiment  was  employed  mainly 
in  detachments,  in  the  eastern  part  of  Middle  Tennessee.  One  battalion 
was  stationed  at  Shelbyville  for  some  time,  and  did  good  service  in  a 
number  of  battles  and  skirmishes,  for  which  it  received  high  compliments 
from  its  superior  officers.  The  other  portion  of  the  regiment  under  Col. 
Stokes  was  stationed  at  Carthage,  and  had  frequent  skirmishes;  since, 
among  other  duties,  it  was  required  to  carry  the  mail  from  that  point 
to  Gallatin.  A portion  of  the  regiment  was  in  the  battle  of  Lookout 
Mountain  under  command  of  Capt.  Cain  and  Lieut.  Carter.  A post,  also, 
was  at  Chickamauga  and  Chattanooga  under  Lieuts.  Robinson  and  Nel- 
son. The  regiment  was  subsequently  ordered  to  Sparta,  Tenn.,  to  break 
up  the  guerrilla  bands  which  infested  that  region.  The  guerrilla  chiefs, 
Hughes,  Bledsoe  and  Ferguson  declared  a war  of  extermination  against 
Col.  Stokes’  command,  and  then  began  a series  of  skirmishes  and  battles 
in  which  no  quarter  was  given  on  either  side.  After  completely  subdu- 
ing the  guerrillas  the  regiment  was  ordered  to  Nashville,  where,  under 
the  command  of  Lieut. -Col.  William  J.  Clift,  it  participated  in  the  bat- 
tles in  front  of  that  city.  Upon  the  removal  of  the  regiment  to  Nashville 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


507 


Col.  Stokes  was  assigned  to  the  command  of  the  forces  at  Carthage, 
where  he  remained  until  honorably  discharged  in  April,  1865. 

The  Sixth  Union  Regiment  of  Tennessee  Cavalry  was  partially 
recruited  and  organized  at  Bethel,  W.  Va.,  and  was  mustered  into  service 
November  13,  1862,  under  the  command  of  Fielding  Hurst.  It  entered 
upon  arduous  scouting  duty  in  that  region,  and  did  valuable  service  in 
destroying  guerrilla  bands.  It  was  subsequently  ordered  West,  and, 
upon  the  retreat  of  Gen.  Price  from  Corinth,  it  went  in  pursuit,  captur- 
ing 250  prisoners  without  the  loss  of  a man.  While  on  this  campaign  it 
was  also  engaged  with  the  enemy  at  Salem  and  Wyatt,  Miss.  It 
returned  to  West  Tennessee  in  June,  1863,  and  was  there  employed  in 
scouting  and  skirmishing  until  the  following  spring,  when  it  entered 
upon  a campaign  in  north  Mississippi  and  Arkansas.  November  26  it 
went  to  Nashville  to  participate  in  the  memorable  battle  in  front  of  that 
place,  where  it  acquitted  itself  with  credit.  During  its  existence  it  mus- 
tered nearly  1,600  enlisted  men. 

The  Seventh  Union  Regiment  of  Tennessee  Cavalry  was  recruited  in 
Carroll  County  and  vicinity,  and  was  mustered  into  service  November  11, 
1862,  under  the  command  of  Lieut. -Col.  I.  R.  Hawkins,  of  Huntingdon. 
Nothing  could  be  obtained  of  the  movements  of  this  regiment  except  that 
it  was  captured  March  21,  1861. 

The  Eighth  Union  Regiment  of  Tennessee  Cavalry  was  raised  and 
commanded  by  Col.  S.  K.  N.  Patton,  of  Washington  County,  Tenn.  It 
was  composed  of  two  fractions  of  regiments  known  as  the  Eighth  and 
Tenth  East  Tennessee  Cavalry.  The  Eighth  Regiment  was  begun  in 
Kentucky  in  June,  1863,  under  Lieut. -Col.  Thomas  J.  Capps,  and  was 
first  known  as  the  Fifth  Regiment  East  Tennessee  Cavalry.  It  saw  some 
active  service  in  the  field  in  both  Kentucky  and  Tennessee  under  Gen. 
Burnside ; was  at  the  surrender  of  Cumberland  Gap ; took  an  active  part 
in  the  fights  at  Blountsville  and  Rheatown ; was  beseiged  in  Knoxville, 
and  rendered  material  aid  iii  defending  that  post.  The  Tenth  Regiment 
had  its  origin  in  East  Tennessee  in  September,  1863,  by  authority 
granted  to  Col.  S.  K.  N.  Patton  by  Gen.  Burnsides.  It  saw  some  active 
service  in  East  Tennessee  under  Gens.  Shackleford  and  Wilcox,  Cols. 
Casement  and  Harney  during  the  fall  of  that  year.  In  December,  1863, 
it  was  sent  to  Camp  Nelson,  Ky.,  in  charge  of  prisoners.  February  6, 
1861,  these  two  fractions  were  consolidated  by  order  of  Gov.  Johnson. 
Col.  Patton  completed  the  regiment,  and  assumed  command  of  it  at 
Columbia  in  the  April  following.  It  remained  there  and  at  Franklin 
guarding  the  railroad  until  June  19,  when  it  was  ordered  to  Gallatin, 
where  it  remained  doing  similar  duty  until  September.  It  was  then  or- 


508 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


■dered  to  East  Tennessee,  where  it  joined  command  with  the  Ninth  and 
Thirteenth  Regiments,  and  during  the  remainder  of  the  year  was  almost 
continuously  engaged  in  marching  and  fighting.  On  March  21,  1865, 
such  portions  of  the  command  as  were  mounted,  joined  Gfen.  Stoneman  on 
his  raid  into  Virginia,  the  Carolinas  and  Georgia.  The  command  was 
finally  reunited,  and  went  into  camp  at  Lenoir’s  Station  in  June,  1865. 
It  was  mustered  out  of  service  at  Knoxville,  September  11,  1865. 

The  Ninth  Union  Regiment  of  Tennessee  Cavalry  was  organized  at 
Camp  Nelson  from  East  Tennessee  refugees  in  the  early  part  of  1863, 
with  Joseph  H.  Parsons,  of  Knox  County,  as  colonel.  It  assisted  in  the 
capture  of  Cumberland  Gap,  after  which  it  escorted  the  prisoners  to 
Lexington,  Ky.  Returning  to  Knoxville,  it  remained  there  until  after 
the  siege  of  that  place.  It  was  then  detailed  to  escort  prisoners  to  Camp 
Nelson,  from  which  place  it  was  ordered  to  Nashville,  where  it  arrived  in 
January  and  remained  until  about  May  1.  It  was  stationed  at  Gallatin 
from  that  time  until  August,  when  it  was  constituted  a portion  of  the 
brigade  known  as  the  ‘’Governor’s  Guards,”  under  the  command  of  Gen. 
Gillem,  which  then  entered  upon  a campaign  in  East  Tennessee.  It  par- 
ticipated with  great  gallantry  in  all  the  battles  of  that  campaign,  and  at 
Bull’s  Gap  a large  portion  of  the  regiment  was  taken  prisoners.  A large 
part  of  the  Eleventh  Cavalry  having  also  been  captured  it  was  consoli- 
dated with  the  remainder  of  the  Ninth.  On  March  21,  1865,  it  entered 
upon  the  raid  through  Virginia,  North  and  South  Carolina  and  Georgia 
under  Gen.  Stoneman.  It  returned  to  Tennessee  in  May,  and  was  mus- 
tered out  at  Knoxville  in  September,  1865. 

The  organization  of  the  Tenth  Union  Regiment  of  Tennessee  Cav- 
alry was  begun  at  Nashville  under  the  supervision  of  Col.  G.  W.  Bridges. 
Companies  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  H and  I were  organized  during  the  fall  of 
1863  and  in  the  winter  of  1864,  and  after  having  been  organized  into  a 
regiment,  were  attached  to  the  command  of  Col.  George  Spalding,  Sec 
ond  Brigade,  Fourth  Division  of  Cavalry.  During  the  summer  and  fall 
of  1864  it  was  engaged  in  arduous  duty  in  Tennessee.  About  the  close 
of  the  year  it  was  sent  to  northern  Alabama  to  watch  the  movements  of 
Hood’s  army,  and  had  an  engagement  with  a largely  superior  force  at 
Florence.  Overpowered  by  numbers  it  was  compelled  to  fall  back  to 
Nashville,  where  it  was  transferred  to  Gen.  Hatch’s  command,  and  par- 
ticipated in  the  numerous  engagements  attending  Hood’s  raid  into  Ten- 
nessee. On  the  first  day’s  battle  before  Nashville  it  lost  seventy  in  offi- 
cers and  men.  The  leader,  Maj.  William  P.  Story,  was  badly  wounded, 
and  the  command  devolved  upon  Maj.  James  T.  Abernathy.  At  the  close 
of  the  campaign  the  regiment  was  sent  to  New  Orleans,  where  it  remained 


FROM  PHOTO  BY  TRUSS  ffOFILfW  SGI  EPS  NASH  V! HE 


William  G.  Brownlow 


HISTOBY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


509 


until  June  10,  1865.  Companies  F and  G of  this  regiment  were  not  or- 
ganized until  February,  1865.  Company  K was  organized  in  June,  1865. 
Company  L was  never  fully  organized.  It  numbered  fifty-one  men,  and 
was  stationed  as  a guard  on  the  Nashville  & Northwestern  Railroad. 
Sixty-three  men  comprising  Company  M were  mustered  into  service  in 
October,  1864,  under  William  H.  Hampton  as  first  lieutenant.  They 
served  during  the  campaign  against  Hood  as  provost  guard  and  escort 
company.  Company  A was  detached  from  its  regiment  on  April  26, 
1864,  and  assigned  to  duty  at  Springfield,  Tenn.,  where  it  remained  until 
August,  after  which  it  was  with  Gen.  Gillem  in  his  campaign  in  East 
Tennessee. 

The  recruiting  for  the  Eleventh  Union  Regiment  of  Tennessee  Cav- 
alry was  begun  at  Camp  Nelson,  Ky.,  where  the  greater  part  of  five 
companies  was  raised.  August  16,  1863,  Isham  Young,  Reuben  Davis 
and  J.  H.  Johnson,  the  last  two  of  whom  had  already  organized  the  above 
companies,  were  commissioned  by  Gov.  Johnson  to  raise  a regiment  of 
cavalry  to  be  designated  the  Eleventh  Tennessee  Cavalry,  and  by  Oc- 
tober 21  all  the  companies  except  Company  M,  which  numbered  only 
forty-six  men,  had  been  filled  and  organized.  On  that  date  Col.  Young 
received  his  commission,  and  the  organization  of  the  regiment,  then  at 
Knoxville,  was  completed,  with  R.  A.  Davis,  lieutenant-colonel;  James 
H.  Johnson,  first  major;  Alexander  D.  Rhea,  second  major,  and  Edward 
Black,  third  major.  The  regiment  remained  at  Knoxville  until  after  the 
siege,  when  it  was  ordered  to  upper  East  Tennessee.  There  five  compan- 
ies, under  Maj.  Black,  were  sent  to  Morristown,  and  the  remaining  five 
companies,  under  the  command  of  Lieut. -Col.  Davis,  were  stationed  at 
Cumberland  Gap.  They  did  scout  duty  along  the  Virginia  line  until 
February,  1864,  when  nearly  the  entire  command  was  captured.  The 
remainder  of  the  regiment  remained  in  East  Tennessee  until  consolidated 
with  the  Ninth  Regiment. 

The  Twelfth  Union  Regiment  of  Tennessee  Cavalry  was  organized 
by  companies,  the  first  of  which  was  mustered  into  service  August  24, 
1863.  February  22,  1864,  six  companies  had  been  mustered,  and  George 
Spalding  was  commissioned  lieutenant-colonel.  The  regiment  was  then 
assigned  to  Gen.  Gillem’ s division,  and  was  placed  on  guard  duty  on  the 
Nashville  & Northwestern  Railroad,  where  it  remained  until  April,  1864. 
During  the  remainder  of  the  year  the  regiment  was  in  active  service  al- 
most continuously.  It  was  one  of  the  most  efficient  regiments  in  oppos- 
ing Wheeler  on  his  raid  through  Middle  Tennessee,  and  had  several  se- 
vere engagements  with  portions  of  his  command.  In  the  latter  part  of 
September  it  marched  to  contest  the  approach  of  Gen.  Forrest,  with 

32 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


510 

whom  it  was  several  times  engaged  with  considerable  loss.  It  was  also 
active  in  the  campaign  against  Hood,  participating  in  the  battles  at  Law- 
renceburg,  Campbellsville,  Spring  Hill,  Franklin  and  Nashville.  From 
Nashville  the  regiment  was  in  the  advance  in  pursuit  of  Hood,  and  fired 
(he  last  shot  at  the  enemy  as  he  crossed  the  Tennessee  River  at  Bain- 
hridge.  February  8,  1865,  the  regiment  went  into  camp  at  Eastport,  Miss., 
where  it  remained  until  May  11.  It  was  then  transferred  from  the  Second 
to  the  First  Brigade  under  the  command  of  Bvt.  Brig.-Gen.  George  Spald- 
ing, who  had  been  commissioned  colonel  upon  the  completion  of  the 
regiment,  August  16,  1864,  and  ordered  to  St.  Louis.  It  was  there  re- 
mounted and  refitted  and  sent  to  Fort  Leavenworth,  at  which  place,  after 
having  performed  some  escort  and  scout  duty  through  northern  Kansas 
and  southern  Nebraska,  it  was  mustered  out  October  7.  It  returned  to 
Nashville,  and  was  there  finally  paid  and  discharged  October  24,  1865. 

The  Thirteenth  Union  Regiment  of  Tennessee  Cavalry  was  organized 
by  Col.  John  K.  Miller,  of  Carter  County,  at  Strawberry  Plains,  Tenn., 
in  September,  1863.  It  was  not  fully  equipped,  however,  until  it  reached 
Gamp  Nelson,  Kentucky,  in  the  month  of  December.  It  was  there 
mounted,  and  soon  after  ordered  to  Nashville,  where  it  remained  until 
the  spring  of  1864.  It  was  then  ordered  to  Gallatin,  where  it  did  post 
duty  until  August  4,  when  it  was  attached  to  what  was  known  as  the 
“Brigade  of  Governor  Guards,”  commanded  by  Gen.  Gillem.  With  this 
command  it  operated  in  East  Tennessee  against  the  Confederate  cavah’y 
under  Gens.  Morgan,  Vaughn  and  Breckinridge;  and  under  Lieut-Col. 
William  H.  Ingerton  acted  a conspicuous  part  in  the  killing  of  Morgan 
and  the  rout  and  capture  of  his  force  at  Greeneville,  Tenn.  Morgan  was 
killed  by  Andrew  Campbell,  of  Company  G,  of  this  regiment.  This 
regiment  formed  a part  of  the  command  under  Gens.  Stoneman  and  Gil- 
lem, which  did  such  signal  service  in  southwestern  Virginia  in  Decem- 
ber, 1864,  and  was  also  with  the  former  general  on  his  raid  in  the  spring 
of  1865,  participating  with  credit  in  the  engagement  at  Salisbury,  N.  C. 
In  June,  1865,  it  returned  to  Knoxville,  moved  from  there  to  Lenoir’s 
Station,  then  to  Sweetwater,  and  finally  back  to  Knoxville,  where  it  was  1 
mustered  out  September  5,  1865. 

Bradford’s  battalion  of  Union  Tennessee  Cavalry  was  raised  by  Maj. 
W.  F.  Bradford  in  December,  1863,  and  January,  1864.  It  consisted 
of  four  companies  organized  at  Union  City,  Tenn.,  and  was  at  first  incor- 
rectly designated  the  Thirteenth  Cavalry.  It  remained  at  Union  City 
until  February  3,  1864,  when  it  was  ordered  to  Fort  Pillow,  where  it 
arrived  on  the  8th.  Recruiting  at  that  point  did  not  progress  very  rap- 
idly, and  it  was  not  until  April  1 that  the  fifth  company  was  ready  for 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


511 


muster  into  tlie  United  States  service.  Before  this  was  done,  however, 
the  fort  was  captured,  and  it  together  with  the  other  four  companies  was 
nearly  annihilated.  With  the  capture  of  Fort  Pillow  the  history  of  this 
battalion  terminates.  Hardly  a nucleus  of  the  command  remained  after 
the  massacre.  Only  three  commissioned  officers  were  left,  and  two  of 
them  died  soon  after.  A little  detachment  of  men,  who  at  the  time  of 
the  fight  were  absent  from  the  several  companies  on  duty,  were  on 
August  18,  1864,  consolidated  in  one  company  designated  as  Company  A 
of  the  Fourteenth  Tennessee  Cavalry.  This  company  on  February  14, 
1865,  was  consolidated  with  the  Sixth  Tennessee  Cavalry,  and  was  known 
as  Company  E. 

The  First  Union  Regiment  of  Tennessee  Mounted  Infantry  was  organ- 
ized by  Lieut. -Col.  Abraham  E.  Garrett  in  the  early  part  of  1864, 
although  a portion  of  the  companies  were  not  completed  until  the  end  of 
the  year.  The  regiment  served  principally  in  the  northeastern  part  of 
Middle  Tennessee,  where  it  had  frequent  and  severe  encounters  with 
guerrillas. 

The  Second  Union  Regiment  of  Tennessee  Mounted  Infantry  was 
recruited  principally  in  the  vicinity  of  AVayne,  Hardin,  and  Perry  Coun- 
ties. Company  A was  mustered  October  2,  1863,  and  by  February  1, 
1864,  the  date  of  the  organization  of  the  regiment,  seven  companies  had 
been  completed.  Two  more  companies  were  added  in  April,  and  Com- 
pany K in  June.  John  Murphy  was  commissioned  lieutenant-colonel  in 
February,  and  promoted  to  colonel  upon  the  completion  of  the  regiment. 

The  Third  Union  Regiment  of  Tennessee  Mounted  Infantry  was 
a three  months’  regiment,  and  was  never  fully  oi’ganized. 

The  recruiting  of  the  Fourth  Union  Regiment  of  Tennessee  Mounted 
Infantry  was  begun  in  August,  1864,  and  the  last  company  was  mustered 
into  service  the  February  following.  Its  members  were  principally  from 
the  eastern  portion  of  Middle  Tennessee.  It  was  placed  under  the  com- 
mand of  Joseph  H.  Blackburn,  who  was  commissioned  lieutenant-colonel 
November  26,  1864. 

The  Fifth  Union  Regiment  of  Tennessee  Mounted  Infantry  was 
recruited  and  organized  in  the  fall  of  1864,  at  Cleveland,  Tenn.,  by 
Col.  Spencer  B.  Boyd,  and  Lieut. -Col.  Stephen  Beard.  He  was  chiefly 
engaged  in  scouting  through  lower  East  Tennessee,  northern  Georgia, 
western  North  Carolina  and  northern  Alabama.  It  had  frequent  encoun- 
ters with  Gatewood’s  and  other  guerrillas,  one  of  which  occurred  at 
Spring  Place,  Ga.,  and  another  at  Ducktown,  Polk  Co.,  Tenn.  The  regi- 
ment was  mustered  out  at  Nashville  in  July,  1865. 

The  Sixth  Union  Regiment  of  Tennessee  Mounted  Infantry  was  or- 


512 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


ganized  in  Hamilton  County,  October  24,  1864,  witli  George  A.  Gowiir 
as  lieutenant-colonel;  William  H.  Bean,  major;  Eli  T.  Sawyers,  adjutant, 
and  William  Rogers,  quartermaster.  It  was  employed  for  some  time  by 
Gen.  Steadman,  in  scouting  the  Cumberland  Mountains  in  Tennessee 
and  northern  Georgia,  after  the  guerrilla  bands  which  infested  that  re- 
gion, and  had  several  severe  engagements  with  the  bushwhackers.  In 
March,  1865,  the  regiment  was  turned  over  to  the  commander  of  the  de- 
partment, and  was  soon  after  placed  under  Gen.  Judah,  commanding  at 
Decatur,  Ga.,  where  it  continued  its  scouting  until  the  surrender  of 
the  Confederate  Army.  It  was  then  ordered  to  Resaca.  On  June  18, 
1865,  it  was  ordered  to  Nashville,  and  on  the  30th  of  that  month  was 
mustered  out. 

The  Seventh  Union  Regiment  of  Tennessee  Mounted  Infantry  was 
recruited  during  the  latter  part  of  1864  in  Anderson,  Knox,  Campbell, 
McMinn,  Meigs  and  Monroe  Counties.  It  was  organized  at  Athens, 
Tenn.,  in  the  spring  of  1865,  with  the  following  field  and  staff  officers: 
James  T.  Shelley,  colonel;  James  J.  Dail,  lieutenant-colonel;  Oliver  M. 
Dodson,  major;  George  W.  Ross,  quartermaster;  James  R.  Gettys,  ad- 
jutant; Enoch  Collins,  assistant  surgeon;  Rufus  Thompson,  sergeant- 
major;  John  T.  Rider,  quartermaster-sergeant;  James  H.  Baker,  com- 
missary-sergeant; T.  L.  Farrell,  hospital  steward.  During  the  greater 
portion  of  its  service  it  was  stationed  at  Athens,  and  was  actively  em- 
ployed in  hunting  guerillas,  with  whom  it  had  frequent  engagements. 

The  Eighth  Union  Regiment  of  Tennessee  Mounted  Infantry  was  not 
organized  until  April,  1865.  It  was  recruited  in  the  vicinity  of  Macon 
and  Smith  Counties,  and  was  under  the  command  of  Lieut- Col.  William 
J.  Cleveland.  Having  been  organized  so  late  the  regiment  saw  but 
little  service. 

Five  Batteries  of  Light  Artillery  were  also  organized,  but  after  the 
most  persistent  effort  little  could  be  learned  concerning  their  movements. 
All  were  recruited  and  organized  during  1863  and  the  early  part  of 
1864.  A few  men  were  also  recruited  for  Battery  F,  but  the  company 
was  not  completed,  and  they  were  transferred  to  Battery  A,  in  April, 
1864. 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


513 


CHAPTER,  XVI. 

> 

Confederate  Military  History — Views  on  the  Questions  of  State  Sov- 
ereignty and  Secession— The  Refusal  to  Hold  a State  Convention— 
The  Great  Lack  of  Munitions  of  War — The  Consideration  of  the 
Question  of  Coercion — The  Excitement  Attending  the  Surrender  of 
Fort  Sumter— The  Refusal  to  Furnish  Federal  Troops— The  Extra- 
ordinary Celerity  of  Defensive  Measures — Gov.  Harris  and  the 
General  Assembly— The  Organization  of  the  Militia— The  Act  of 
Secession— The  Provisional  Army  Bill— The  Military  League— The 
Adoption  of  the  Confederate  Provisional  Constitution — Military 
Appointments— The  June  Election—1 The  Manufacture  of  Ordnance, 
etc.— Soldiers’  Aid  Societies — The  Transfer  of  the  State  Forces  to 
the  Confederate  Service — Sketch  of  the  Field  Campaigns — The  Neu- 
trality Question — Federal  Invasion  of  the  State — Compulsory  Evac- 
uation— Official  Army  Muster  Rolls— The  Horrors  and  Hardships 
of  Internecine  War  — General  Movements  of  the  Great  Armies  — 
Sketch  of  the  Principal  Engagements — Outline  of  Regimental  Serv- 
ice-Close of  the  War. 

A MAJORITY  of  the  people  of  Tennessee,  prior  to  the  fall  of  Fort 
Sumter  and  the  call  of  President  Lincoln  for  75,000  volunteers,  was 
warmly  in  favor  of  maintaining  the  Union  of  the  States  so  long  as  it  could 
be  done  without  infringing  the  sovereign  rights  of  any  State.  It  had  for 
years  been  the  settled  conviction  of  many  Tennesseeans  that  the  individual 
States  of  the  Union  were  sovereign  under  the  constitution  and  would  not, 
so  long  as  their  rights  were  not  invaded,  take  any  steps  to  sever  their 
connection  with  their  sister  States;  but  they  claimed  the  right,  as  a nec- 
essary consequence  of  the  doctrine  of  State  sovereignty,*'  to  withdraw 
peaceably  and  establish  a separate  and  independent  government,  when- 
ever it  was  demonstrated  that  their  rights,  liberties  or  institutions  were 
in  danger  of  limitation  or  abrogation.  But  notwithstanding  these  views, 
and  notwithstanding  the  bitter  hostility  of  the  abolitionists  of  the  North 
to  the  institution  of  slavery,  the  citizens  of  Tennessee  looked  with  moist- 
ened eyes  at  the  “Stars  and  Stripes,”  and  remembered  the  ties  of  many 
bloody  battles  of  the  past  in  a common  cause  which  bound  the  “Volun- 
teer State”  to  the  Federal  Government.  The  utterances  for  maintaining 
the  Union  were  widespread  and  sincere.  As  soon,  however,  as  the  South- 
ern States  began  to  enact  ordinances  of  secession,  and  the  severe  views 
of  the  North  in  newspapers  and  public  assemblies  on  the  subject  of  coer- 
cion became  known,  many  expressed  the  opinion  that  the  only  course  for 

*“I  have  for  many  years  advocated,  as  an  essential  attribute  of  State  Sovereignty,  the  right  of  a State  to 
secede  from  the  Union.” — Speech  of  Jefferson  Davis  upon  leaving  the  United  States  Senate. 


514 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Tennessee  to  pursue  was  to  sever  her  relations  with  the-  Union,  and,  as  a 
means  of  security,  enter  into  a league  with  the  Confederate  Government- 
Others  opposed  this  course  except  as  a last  resort,  while  still  others, 
particularly  in  East  Tennessee,  discountenanced  every  movement  toward 
secession.  Tennessee  thus  became  a sea  over  which  surged  the  wild 
waves  of  tumultuous  emotions  and  conflicting  opinions. 

As  early  as  February  27,  1860,  the  governor  of  Tennessee  transmitted 
to  the  Legislature  a special  message,  enclosing  resolutions  from  the  States 
of  South  Carolina  and  Mississippi,  proposing  a conference  among  the 
Southern  States  for  the  purpose  of  taking  into  consideration  the  relation 
of  these  States  to  the  Federal  Government.  In  the  discussion  of  this 
proposal,  the  greatest  divergence  of  opinion  was  developed  in  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly.  The  ideas  of  the  times  on  State  relations  were  under- 
going a revolution.  In  November,  1860,  Tennessee  gave  John  Bell,  the 
constitutional  Union  candidate  for  the  Presidency,  a plurality  of  4,657 
votes,  which  result  was  regarded  as  showing  in  a measure,  the  strength 
of  the  party  which  favored  the  Union.  In  December,  1860,  Gov.  Harris 
called  a special  session  of  the  General  Assembly  to  be  held  at  Nashville, 
commencing  January  7,  1861.  In  his  message,  among  other  important 
statements,  the  Governor  said:  “Previous  to  the  adoption  of  the  Federal 

Constitution,  each  State  was  a separate  and  independent  Government — -a 
complete  sovereignty  within  itself — and  in  the  compact  of  union,  each  re- 
served all  the  rights  and  powers  incident  to  sovereignty,  except  such  as 
were  expressly  delegated  by  the  constitution  to  the  General  Government,, 
or  such  as  were  clearly  incident  and  necessary  to  the  exercise  of  some  ex- 
pressly delegated  power.”  After  reciting  at  length  the  grievances  of  the 
South  over  the  questions  of  slavery,  state  sovereignty,  etc.,  he  recom- 
mended the  passage  of  an  act  calling  for  an  election  to  determine  whether 
delegates  chosen  at  such  election  should  meet  in  convention  at  the  State 
capital,  to  ascertain  the  attitude  of  the  State  toward  the  Federal  Govern- 
ment. As  it  was  instinctively  felt,  if  not  positively  understood,  that  the 
convention  might  follow  the  example  of  South  Carolina  and  enact  an  ordi- 
nance of  secession,  it  came  to  be  recognized  by  tacit  admission  that  those 
who  should  vote  “convention,”  would  favor  disunion  and  vice  versa , and,  j 
therefore,  intense  interest  was  felt  in  the  result.  The  discussion  of  the 
question  whether  such  a convention  should  be  held,  was  conducted  with 
fiery  energy  in  the  Legislature.  On  the  9th  of  January  a resolution 
introduced  against  holding  such  a convention  was  lost  by  a vote  of  ; 
sixty-six  to  five.  On  the  19th  of  January,  a bill  was  passed  calling 
for  an  election  to  be  held  February  9,  1861,  to  determine  whether 
such  a convention  should  be  held,  and  to  select  the  necessary  dele-  j 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


515 


gates.  It  was  also  provided  that  the  convention,  it  decided  upon, 
should  meet  on  the  25th  of  February  “to  adopt  such  measures  for  vimli 
eating  the  sovereignty  of  the  State  and  the  protection  of  its  institutions 
as  shall  appear  to  them  to  be  demanded;”  and  it  was  further  provided 
that  no  act  of  the  convention,  severing  the  State  from  the  Federal  Union, 
should  have  any  binding  force  until  ratified  by  a majority  of  the  qualified 
voters  of  the  State.  The  election  was  duly  held,  but  the  result  was 
against  holding  the  convention  by  a majority,  according  to  the  best  ac- 
counts, of  over  60,000.*  This  was  considered  a strong  victory  for  the 
Unionists. 

The  General  Assembly  at  this  session,  pursuant  to  the  recommenda- 
tion of  Gov.  Harris  to  reorganize  the  militia  of  the  State,  passed  an  act 
for  the  formation  of  all  white  male  inhabitants  between  the  ages  of 
eighteen  and  forty-five  into  companies,  regiments,  brigades  and  divisions; 
assigned  numbers  to  the  regiments  of  all  the  counties  of  the  State,  and 
made  ample  provision  for  musters,  etc.  This  was  thought  necessary  “in 
view  of  the  present  excited  state  of  the  public  mind  and  unsettled  condi- 
tion of  the  country.”  The  militia  of  the  State,  with  the  exception  of  a 
few  volunteer  companies  in  the  thickly  settled  localities,  had  been  disor- 
ganized by  the  recent  repeal  of  the  law  requiring  drills  and  public 
parades,  so  that  the  State  was  practically  without  military  organization 
or  equipment.  There  was  not  an  arsenal  or  piece  of  ordnance  in  the 
State,  and  the  poverty  of  the  quantity  of  public  arms  was  shown  in  the 
following  report: 

Nashville,  January  4,  1861. 

His  Excellency,  Isham  G.  Harris,  Governor  of  Tennessee. 

Sir : In  obedience  to  your  order  I have  the  honor  of  submitting  the  following  report 

of  the  number,  character  and  condition  of  the  public  arms  of  the  State.  There  are  now  on 
hand  in  the  arsenal  4,152  flint-lock  muskets,  in  good  order;  2,100  flint-lock  muskets,  par- 
tially damaged;  2,228  flint-lock  muskets,  badly  damaged;  185  percussion  muskets,  in  good 
order;  96  percussion  rifles,  in  good  order;  54  percussion  pistols,  in  good  order;  350  Hall’s 
carbines,  flint-lock,  badly  damaged;  20  cavalry  sabres,  with  damaged  scabbards;  132 
cavalry  sabres,  old  patterns,  badly  damaged;  50  horse  artillery  sabres,  in  good  order;  1 
twelve-pound  bronze  gun,  partially  damaged;  2 six-pound  bronze  guns,  in  good  order;  1 
six-pound  iron  gun,  unserviceable,  and  a large  lot  of  old  accoutrements  mostly  in  bad  or 
der.  Since  having  charge  of  the  arms  I have  issued  to  volunteer  companies,  as  per  order, 
80  flint  lock  muskets;  664  percussion  muskets;  230  rifle  muskets,  cadet;  841  percussion 
rifles;  228  percussion  pistols;  170  cavalry  sabres;  50  horse  artillery  sabres.  The  above  arms 
were  issued  with  the  necessary  accoutrements,  with  but  small  exceptions,  and  of  them  the 
80  flint-lock  muskets,  50  horse  artillery  sabres  and  14  cavalry  sabres  have  been  returned  to 
the  arsenal.  Respectfully, 

John  Heriges, 

Keeper  of  Public  Arms. 

*The  newspapers  published  in  Nashville  at  the  time  gave  the  majority  at  nearly  14,000 ; Greeley  in  The 
American  Conflict,  gave  it  at  67.054 ; the  returns  in  the  office  of  the  Secretary  of  State  give  it  at  nearly  9, 00u  : 
while  in  the  new  and  imperfect  work  entitled  Military  Annals  of  Tennessee  it  is  given  at  “nearly  or  quilo 
60,000.”  The  majority  is  as  various  as  the  different  accounts. 


516 


• HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


The  Assembly  also  passed  a joint  resolution  asking  the  President  of 
the  United  States  and  the  authorities  of  each  of  the  Southern  States  to 
“reciprocally  communicate  assurances”  to  the  Legislature  of  Tennessee 
of  their  peaceable  designs ; and  also  passed  a resolution  expressing  pro- 
found regret  as  to  the  action  of  the  Legislature  of  New  York  in  tendering 
men  and  money  “to  be  used  in  coercing  certain  sovereign  States  of  the 
South  into  obedience  to  the  Federal  Government,”  and  directing  the 
Governor  of  Tennessee  to  inform  the  executive  of  New  York  “that  it  is 
the  opinion  of  this  General  Assembly  that  whenever  the  authorities  of 
that  State  shall  send  armed  forces  to  the  South  for  the  purpose  indicated 
in  said  resolutions  (passed  by  the  New  York  Legislature)  the  people  of 
Tennessee,  uniting  with  their  brethren  of  the  South,  will,  as  one  man, 
resist  such  invasion  of  the  soil  of  the  South  at  any  hazard  and  to  the  last 
extremity.”  The  expression  of  these  resolutions  was  tantamount  to  the 
sentiment  of  secession,  and  illustrates  the  position  of  the  Legislature  and 
of  the  Executive. 

Time  passed  and  the  Southern  States  one  after  another  adopted  or- 
dinances of  secession.*  Finally,  eai’ly  in  February,  1861,  seven  of  them, 
represented  by  delegates,  met  in  convention  at  Montgomery,  Ala.,  and 
established  a Confederate  States  Government.  This  action  was  not  lost 
upon  those  in  Tennessee  who  favored  a separation  from  the  Federal  Gov- 
ernment, and  who  redoubled  their  efforts  to  induce  Tennessee  to  follow 
the  example  of  those  States  which  had  seceded  from  the  Union.  All  felt 
that  momentous  events  were  transpiring,  though  few  who  knew  the  wis- 
dom of  calmness  and  moderation  could  successfully  resist  the  wild  and 
impetuous  spirit  of  the  hour.  In  the  inaugural  address  of  President 
Lincoln  many  saw  coercion,  an  invasion  of  the  sacred  rights  of  state  sover- 
eignity, and  a direct  menace  to  slavery  foreshadowed,  and  advocated  the 
immediate  passage  of  an  ordinance  of  separation.  Others  sought  dili- 
gently and  vainly  for  a compromise  that  would  preserve  both  the  Union 
and  the  rights  and  established  institutions  of  the  South.  The  masses  in 
the  State  were  loth  to  dissolve  the  Union  under  which  they  had  lived  and 
loved  so  long,  and.  were,  in  a great  measure,  in  darkness  as  to  the  real  is- 
sues pending  and  the  real  course  to  pursue.  In  this  bewildering  and 
doubtful  maze  of  governmental  relations,  wherein  a clear  head  and  strong 
will  could  direct  public  action,  Isliam  G.  Harris,  governor  of  Tennessee, 
proved  to  be  the  right  man  in  the  right  place.  This  was  the  state  of  pub- 
lic affairs  when  the  startling  news  came  that  Fort  Sumter  had  surren- 

*Ordinances  of  secession  were  adopted  as  follows:  South  Carolina,  December  20,  1860,  without  dissent;  Mis- 
sissippi, January  9,  1861,  yeas  84,  nays  15;  Florida,  January  10,  1861,  yeas  62,  nays  7;  Alabama,  January  11, 
1861,  yeas  61,  nays  39;  Georgia,  January  18, 1861,  yeas  208,  nays  89;  Louisiana,  January  26,  1861,  yeas  103,  nays 
" Texas,  February  1,  1861,  yeas  166,  nays  7;  Arkansas,  March  22,  1861,  yeas  69,  nays  1;  Virginia,  April  24, 
1861;  North  Carolina,  May  20,  1861;  Tennessee,  June  8,  1861.  Confederate  Government  formed  February  9, 1861. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


517 


■dered  and  civil  war  commenced.  Immediately  succeeding  this,  while  the 
public  pulse  was  surging  and  public  brain  reeling,  came  the  call  of  Presi- 
dent Lincoln  for  75,000  volunteers  and  the  following  telegram  for  Gov. 
Harris  from  the  War  Department: 

War  Department,  Washington,  April  15, 1861. 

To  his  Excellency  Isham  G.  Harris,  Governor  of  Tennessee  : 

Call  made  on  you  by  to-night’s  mail  for  two  regiments  of  militia  for  immediate  service. 

Simon  Cameron, 

Secretary  of  War 

Gov.  Harris  was  absent  from  the  city  upon  the  receipt  of  this  dis- 
patch, but  upon  his  return  on  the  17tli  he  promptly  wired  the  following 
reply : 

Executive  Department,  Nashville,  Tenn.,  April  17,  1861. 
Hon.  Simon  Cameron,  Secretary  of  War,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Sir : Your  dispatch  of  the  15th  inst.  informing  me  that  Tennessee  is  called  upon  for 

two  regiments  of  militia  for  immediate  service  is  received.  Tennessee  will  not  furnish  a 
single  man  for  purposes  of  coercion,  but  50,000,  if  necessary,  for  the  defense  of  our  rights 
and  those  of  our  Southern  brothers. 

Isham  G.  Harris, 

Governor  of  Tennessee. 

Immediately  succeeding  the  fall  of  Sumter  and  the  curt  refusal  of  the 
Governor  to  furnish  volunteers  for  the  Federal  Armv,  intense  and  Ions'- 
continued  excitement  swept  over  the  State.  In  almost  every  county  the 
people  assembled  and,  in  mass-meetings  and  conventions,  denounced  the 
course  of  the  administration  in  levying  war  upon  the  South  and  invading 
her  sacred  and  sovereign  rights.  Many,  who  had  previously  expressed 
strong  Union  sentiments,  were  easily  led  to  espouse  the  doctrine  of  seces- 
sion, now  that  the  policy  of  the  Federal  Administration  was  seen  to  be 
coercion.  It  became  so  evident  at  this  period  that  the  advocates  of  seces- 
sion were  in  the  ascendency,  that  the  Governor  and  his  supporters  re- 
solved to  adopt  heroic  measures  to  separate  the  State  from  the  Union, 
set  up  an  independent  government,  unite  for  greater  security  with  the 
Confederate  States,  and  place  Tennessee  in  the  best  possible  condition  of 
defense,  or  to  resist  the  encroachments  of  the  Federal  Army  within  her 
borders,  thus  anticipating  the  eventual  adoption  of  the  ordinance  of  se- 
cession. It  had  been  hoped  that,  in  case  of  a war  between  the  Federal 
and  the  Confederate  Governments,  Tennessee  might  be  permitted  to 
maintain  a neutral  position,  either  as  a member  of  the  Federal  Govern- 
ment or  as  an  independent  State  in  case  of  separation ; and  a correspon- 
dence, with  that  object  in  view,  had  been  held  between  Gov.  Magoffin  of 
Kentucky  and  Gov.  Harris ; but  the  gigantic  preparations  for  war  by  both 
the  North  and  the  South  immediately  succeeding  the  bombardment  of 
Fort  Sumter,  unmasked  the  fact  that  the  State  would  in  all  probability 
be  overrun  by  the  armies  of  both  sections,  would  become  a battle-ground 


518 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


with  all  its  accompanying  horrors,  and,  therefore,  could  not  remain  neu- 
tral, engaged  in  the  arts  of  peace.  In  this  emergency  Gov.  Harris  de- 
termined to  convene  the  Legislature,  and  accordingly  issued  the  following 
proclamation : 

Whereas,  An  alarming  and  dangerous  usurpation  of  power  by  the  President  of  the 
United  States  has  precipitated  a state  of  war  between  the  sovereign  States  of  America, 

Therefore,  I,  Isham  G.  Harris,  governor  of  the  State  of  Tennessee,  by  virtue  of  the 
power  and  authority  in  me  vested  by  the  constitution,  do  hereby  require  the  senators  and 
representatives  of  the  two  houses  of  the  General  Assembly  of  said  State  to  convene  at  the 
Capitol  in  Nashville  on  the  25th  of  April,  inst.,  1861,  at  12  o’clock,  M.,  to  legislate  upon 
such  subjects  as  may  then  be  submitted  to  them. 

In  testimony  whereof  I have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  caused  the  great  seal  of  the 
State  to  be  affixed  at  the  department  at  Nashville  on  this  the  18th  day  of  April,  A.  D.  1861. 

Isham  G.  Harris. 

On  the  16th  of  April  Gen.  Cheatham,  of  the  Second  Division  of  Ten- 
nessee Militia,  called  for  reports  from  all  the  organizations  under  his 
command  to  be  made  instanter.  On  the  18th  Gideon  J.  Pillow  issued 
an  address  to  the  “ Freemen  of  Tennessee  to  organize  rapidly  to  pro- 
tect the  State,  its  ‘beauty  and  booty’  from  Northern  vandalism,  and  the 
depopulating  ravages  of  war,”  and  asked  such  organizations  to  report 
promptly  to  Gen.  Cheatham.  A similar  call  was  made  at  Memphis  and 
in  other  portions  of  the  State.  At  this  time  a majority  of  the  people  of 
Tennessee  needed  no  encouragement  to  continue  the  formation  of  militia 
companies  and  regiments,  to  arm  and  otherwise  equip  themselves  to  re- 
pel an  invasion  of  the  State,  and  to  thoroughly  fit  themselves  for  the  art 
of  war.  In  this  course  they  were  enthusiastically  and  loyally  supported 
by  the  press,  the  church,  the  leading  citizens  and  the  Executive.  The 
most  serious  drawback  was  the  want  of  serviceable  arms.  It  is  singular, 
but  true,  that  from  private  sources  the  State  drew  the  greater  portion  of 
her  first  supplies  of  arms.  Under  the  stern  pressure  of  the  times  the 
volunteer  militia  were  required  to  bring  from  their  homes  their  flint-lock 
muskets,  their  squirrel  rifles,  their  percussion  guns,  their  shot-guns,  their 
pistols,  or  any  other  firearms  that  could  be  used  with  effect  in  dealing 
death  unsparingly  to  an  invading  foe.  By  the  26th  of  April  sixteen  | 
companies  were  stationed  at  Nashville,  engaged  in  drilling  and  other 
military  preparations,  and  nearly  as  many  more  were  assembled  at  Mem- 
phis. East  Tennessee,  through  the  influence  of  William  G.  Brownlow. 
Andrew  Johnson.  Thomas  A.  R.  Nelson,  Horace  Maynard  and  others,  and 
by  reason  of  its  lack  of  slave  population,  supported  the  Federal  Govern- 
ment by  a large  majority,  though  even  there  volunteers  for  the  Southern 
cause  were  not  wanting.  Late  in  April  there  Avas  established  at  Nash- 
ville, Memphis,  Jackson,  Columbia  and  other  cities,  mainly  through  the 
loyalty  of  the  ladies  to  the  Southern  cause,  “ Bureaus  of  Military  Sup- 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


519 


plies,”  where  contributions  of  money,  blankets,  clothing,  provisions  and 
any  necessary  supplies  for  field  or  hospital  were  received.  In  all  direc- 
tions the  stern  and  stirring  preparations  of  a nation  at  war  were  steadily 
and  rapidly  advanced. 

The  Legislature  convened  on  the  25tli  of  April  and  determined  to 
hold  a secret  session.  The  Governor  in  his  message  said  that  as  the 
President  of  the  United  States  had  “wantonly  inaugurated  an  internecine 
war  upon  the  people  of  the  slave  and  non-slave-holding  States,  ’’etc.,  he 
would  therefore  “respectfully  recommend  the  perfecting  of  an  ordinance 
by  the  General  Assembly  formally  declaring  the  independence  of  the 
State  of  Tennessee  of  the  Federal  Union,  renouncing  its  authority  and 
reassuming  each  and  every  function  belonging  to  a separate  sovereignty : 
and  that  said  ordinance,  when  it  shall  have  been  thus  perfected  by  the 
Legislature,  shall  at  the  earliest  practicable  time  be  submitted  to  a vote 
of  the  people  to  be  by  them  adopted  or  rejected.”  He  also  advised  such 
legislation  as  would  put  the  State  on  a war  footing— the  raising  of  a vol- 
unteer force  for  immediate  service  and  the  perfect  organization  of  the 
militia,  the  appropriation  of  a sufficient  amount  to  provision  and  main- 
tain such  force,  and  the  establishment  of  a military  board.  He  also 
announced  that  since  the  last  session  of  the  Legislature  1,400  rifled  mus- 
kets had  been  received  by  the  keeper  of  public  arms.  . By  act  of  the 
Legislature,  April  27,  the  Governor  was  authorized  to  have  organized  all 
the  regiments  that  were  tendered  him;  and  his  refusal  to  furnish  volun- 
teers under  the  call  of  the  Federal  Government  was  cordially  approved. 
On  the  1st  of  May  the  Legislature  passed  a joint  resolution  authorizing 
the  Governor  to  appoint  three  commissioners  to  meet  representatives  of 
the  Confederate  Government  in  convention  at  Nashville,  May  7,  1861,  to 
enter  into  a league,  military  and  otherwise,  between  the  State  and  such 
Government;  whereupon  Gov.  Harris  appointed  Gustavus  A Henry,  o£ 
Montgomery  County;  Archibald  W.  O.  Totten,  of  Madison  County,  and 
Washington  Barrow,  of  Davidson  County  such  commissioners.  On  the 
30th  of  April  the  Confederate  commissioner,  Henry  W.  Hilliard,  addressed 
the  General  Assembly  on  the  subject  of  the  league  between  the  two  gov- 
ernments and  his  address  was  ordered  printed.  May  1 the  Governor  was 
directed  to  open  a correspondence  with  the  governor  of  Illinois  to  demand 
of  him  the  restitution  of  the  cargo  of  the  steamer  “C.  E.  Hillman,” 
which  had  been  seized  by  the  Federal  troops  at  Cairo.  He  was  also 
directed  to  station  suitable  guards  at  all  the  leading  railroad  depots  and 
bridges  of  the  State.  April  26  there  were  appointed  a joint  select  com- 
mittee on  Federal  relations,  a joint  select  committee  on  military  affairs- 
and  a committee  on  ways  and  means.  There  were  also  incorporated  at 


520 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


this  session  the  Powell  River  Lead  Mining  Company,  the  Bumpass  Cove 
Lead  Mining  Company,  the  Hickman  County  Saltpeter  Company,  the 
Confederate  Paper-Mill  Company  in  Shelby  County,  the  Nashville  Gun 
Factory  and  the  Memphis  Arms  Company.  By  the  4th  of  May  there  were 
stationed  in  West  Tennessee,  mainly  at  Memphis  and  Jackson,  thirty -nine 
-companies  of  infantry,  two  companies  of  cavalry,  two  companies  of  artil- 
lery and  one  company  of  sappers  and  miners.*  On  the  6th  of'  May  the 
following  bill  was  passed: 

An  Act  to  Submit  to  a Vote  op  the  People  a Declaration  op  Independence  and 

for  Other  Purposes. 

Section  1.  Be  it  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of  Tennessee,  That  im- 
mediately after  the  passage  of  this  act  the  governor  of  this  State  shall,  by  proclamation, 
direct  the  sheriffs  of  the  several  counties  in  this  State  to  open  and  hold  an  election  at  the 
various  voting  precincts  in  their  respective  counties,  on  the  8th  day  of  June,  1861.  That 
■said  sheriffs,  or  in  the  absence  of  the  sheriffs,  the  coroner  of  the  county  shall  immediately 
advertise  the  election  contemplated  by  this  act.  That  said  sheriffs  appoint  a deputy  to 
hold  said  election  for  each  voting  precinct.  And  that  said  deputy  appoint  three  judges 
and  two  clerks  for  each  precinct,  and  if  no  officer  shall  from  any  cause,  attend  any  voting 
precinct  to  open  and  hold  said  election,  then  any  justice  of  the  peace,  or  in  the  absence  of 
a justice  of  the  peace,  any  respectable  freeholder  may  appoint  an  officer,  judges  and 
clerks  to  open  and  hold  said  election;  said  officers,  judges  and  clerks  shall  be  sworn  as  now 
required  by  law,  and  who,  after  being  so  sworn,  shall  open  and  hold  an  election,  open  and 
close  at  the  time  of  day,  and  in  the  manner  now  required  by  law  in  elections  for  members 
to  the  General  Assembly. 

Sec.  2.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  at  said  election  the  following  declaration  shall  be 
submitted  to  a vote  of  the  qualified  voters  of  the  State  of  Tennessee,  for  their  ratification 
or  rejection: 

Declaration  op  Independence  and  Ordinance  Dissolving  the  Federal  Relations 

BETWEEN  THE  STATE  OP  TENNESSEE  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES  OP  AMERICA. 

First,  We,  the  people  of  the  State  of  Tennessee,  waiving  any  expression  of  opinion  as  to 
the  abstract  doctrine  of  secession,  but  asserting  the  right  as  a free  and  independent  people, 
to  alter,  reform  or  abolish  our  form  of  government  in  such  manner  as  we  think  proper,  do 
ordain  and  declare  that  all  the  laws  and  ordinances  by  which  the  State  of  Tennessee  became 
a member  of  the  Federal  Union  of  the  United  States  of  America  are  hereby  abrogated  ard 
annulled,  and  that  all  obligations  on  our  part  be  withdrawn  therefrom;  and  we  do  hereby 
resume  all  the  rights,  functions  and  powers  which  by  any  of  said  laws  and  ordinances 
were  conveyed  to  the  Government  of  the  United  States,  and  absolve  ourselves  from  all 
the  obligations,  restraints  and  duties  incurred  thereto;  and  do  hereby  henceforth  become 
a free,  sovereign  and  independent  State. 

Second,  We  furthermore  declare  and  ordain  that  Article  X,  Sections  1 and  2 of  the 
constitution  of  the  State  of  Tennessee,  which  requires  members  of  the  General  Assembly, 
and  all  officers,  civil  and  military,  to  take  an  oath  to  support  the  Constitution  of  the 
United  States  (be  and  the  same  are  hereby  abrogated  and  annulled,  and  all  parts  of  the 
Constitution  of  the  State  of  Tennessee,  making  citizenship  of  the  United  States  a qualifi- 
cation for  office,  and  recognizing  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States)  as  the  supreme 
law  of  the  State,  are  in  like  manner  abrogated  and  annulled. 

Third,  We  furthermore  ordain  and  declare  that  all  rights  acquired  and  vested  under 
the  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  or  under  any  act  of  Congress  passed  in  pursuance 
thereof,  or  under  any  laws  of  this  State  and  not  incompatible  with  this  ordinance,  shall 
remain  in  force  and  have  the  same  effect  as  if  this  ordinance  had  not  been  passed. 

*Report  of  Gen.  S.  R.  Anderson,  who,  April  26, 1861,  had  been  appointed  by  Gov.  Harris  to  oversee  the 
-organization  of  the  volunteer  militia  forces  of  West  Tennessee. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


521 


Sec.  3.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  said  election  shall  be  by  ballot:  that  those  voting 
for  the  declaration  and  ordinance  shall  have  written  or  printed  on  their  ballots  “Separa- 
tion,” and  those  voting  against  it  shall  have  written  or  printed  on  their  ballots  “No  Sepa- 
ration.” That  the  clerks  holding  said  election  shall  keep  regular  scrolls  of  the  voters, 
as  now  required  by  law  in  the  election  of  members  to  the  General  Assembly;  that  the 
clerks  and  judges  shall  certify  the  same  with  the  number  of  votes  for  “Separation”  and 
the  number  of  votes  “No  Separation.”  The  officer  holding  the  election  shall  return  the 
same  to  the  sheriff  of  the  county,  at  the  county  seat,  on  the  Monday  next  after  the  elec- 
tion. The  sheriff  shall  immediately  make  out,  certify  and  send  to  the  governor  the  num- 
ber of  votes  polled,  and  the  number  of  votes  for  “Separation”  and  the  number  “No  Sep- 
aration,” and  file  one  of  the  original  scrolls  with  the  clerk  of  the  county  court;  that  upon 
comparing  the  vote  by  the  governer  in  the  office  of  the  secretary  of  State,  which  shall  be 
at  least  by  the  24th  day  of  June,  1861— and  may  be  sooner  if  the  returns  are  all  received 
by  the  governor — if  a majority  of  the  votes  polled  shall  be  for  “Separation”  the  governor 
shall  by  his  proclamation  make  it  known  and  declare  all  connection  by  the  State  of  Ten- 
nessee with  the  Federal  Union  dissolved,  and  that  Tennessee  is  a free,  independent  gov- 
ernment, free  from  all  obligations  to  or  connection  with  the  Federal  Government;  and 
that  the  governor  shall  cause  the  vote  by  counties  to  be  published,  the  number  for  “Sepa- 
ration” and  the  number  “No  Separation,”  whether  a majority  votes  for  “Separation”  or 
“No  Separation.” 

Sec.  4.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  in  the  election  to  be  held  under  the  provisions  of 
this  act  upon  the  declaration  submitted  to  the  people,  all  volunteers  and  other  persons 
connected  with  the  service  of  the  State,  qualified  to  vote  for  members  of  the  Legislature 
in  the  counties  where  they  reside,  shall  be  entitled  to  vote  in  any  county  in  the  State 
where  they  may  be  in  active  service,  or  under  orders,  or  on  parole  at  the  time  of  said 
election;  and  all  other  voters  shall  vote  in  the  county  where  they  reside,  as  now  required 
by  law  in  voting  for  members  to  the  General  Assembly. 

Sec.  5.  Be  it  further  enacted.  That  at  the  same  time  and  under  the  rules  and  regula- 
tions prescribed  for  the  election  herein  before  ordered,  the  following  ordinance  shall  be 
submitted  to  the  popular  vote,  to  wit: 

An  Ordinance  for  the  Adoption  of  the  Constitution  of  the  Provisional  Govern- 
ment of  the  Confederate  States  of  America. 

We,  the  people  of  Tennessee,  solemnly  impressed  by  the  perils  which  surround  us, 
do  hereby  adopt  and  ratify  the  constitution  of  the  provisional  government  of  the  Confed- 
erate States  of  America,  ordained  and  established  at  Montgomery,  Ala.,  on  the  8th  day  of 
February,  1861,  to  be  in  force  during  the  existence  thereof,  or  until  such  time  as  we  may 
supersede  it  by  the  adoption  of  a permanent  constitution. 

Sec.  6.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  those  in  favor  of  the  adoption  of  said  provisionai 
constitution  and  thereby  securing  to  Tennessee  equal  representation  in  the  deliberations 
and  councils  of  the  Confederate  States  shall  have  written  or  printed  on  their  ballots  the 
word  “Representation,”  those  opposed  the  words  “No  Representation.” 

Sec.  7.  Be  it  further  enacted.  That  in  the  event  the  people  shall  adopt  the  constitu- 
tion of  the  provisional  government  of  the  Confederate  States  at  the  election  herein  or- 
dered, it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  governor  forthwith  to  issue  writs  of  election  for  dele- 
gates to  represent  the  State  of  Tennessee  in  the  said  provisional  government.  That  the 
State  shall  be  represented  by  as  many  delegates  as  it  was  entitled  to  members  of  Congress 
to  the  recent  Congress  of  the  United  States  of  America,  who  shall  be  elected  from  the 
several  congressional  districts  as  now  established  by  law,  in  the  mode  and  manner  now 
prescribed  for  the  election  of  members  to  the  Congress  of  the  United  States. 

Sec.  8.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  this  act  take  effect  from  and  after  its  passage. 

W.  C.  Whitthorne, 
Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives 
B.  L.  Stovall, 
Speaker  of  the  Senate. 


Passed  May  6,  1861. 


522 


HISTORY  OE  TENNESSEE. 


The  following  military  bill  was  also  passed: 

An  Act  to  Raise,  Organize  and  Equip  a Provisional  Force  and  for  Other  Purposes. 

Section  1.  Be  it  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of  Tennessee,  That  it  shall 
be  the  duty  of  the  governor  of  the  State  to  raise,  organize  and  equip  a provisional  force  of  vol- 
unteers for  the  defense  of  the  State,  to  consist  of  55,000  volunteers,  25,000  of  whom,  or  any 
less  number  which  the  wants  of  the  service  may  demand,  shall  be  fitted  for  the  field  at  the 
earliest  practicable  moment,  and  the  remainder  of  which  shall  he  held  in  reserve,  ready 
to  march  at  short  notice.  And  should  it  become  necessary  for  the  safety  of  the  State,  the 
governor  may  call  out  the  whole,  available  military  strength  of  the  State. 

Sec.  2.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  in  the  performance  of  this  duty,  the  governor  shall 
take  charge  of  the  military,  direct  the  military  defense  of  the  State,  organize  the  different 
arms,  and  with  the  concurrence  of  the  military  and  financial  board,  hereinafter  provided 
for,  control  the  military  fund,  make  contracts  for  arms,  ordnance,  ordnance  stores,  pro- 
cure material  for  the  construction  of  arms,  employ  artificers,  organize  one  or  more  armor- 
ies for  the  construction  of  arms,  and  do  all  other  things  necessary  for  the  speedy  and  effi- 
cient organization  of  a force  adequate  for  the  public  safety.  And  he  shall  organize  a 
military  and  financial  board,  to  consist  of  three  persons  of  which  he  shall  be  ex  officio 
president,  and  who  shall  discharge  such  duties  as  he  may  assign  them  in  effecting  the  ob- 
jects and  purposes  of  this  act,  and  appoint  such  number  of  clerks  as  may  be  necessary 
under  such  rules  and  regulations  as  they  may  adopt. 

Sec.  3.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  force  provided  for  by  this  act,  shall  be  orgam 
ized  into  regiments,  brigades  and  divisions,  and  the  whole  to  be  commanded  by  the  senior 
major-general,  who  shall  immediately  enter  upon  the  duty  of  organizing  the  entire  force 
for  the  field,  the  force  authorized  by  this  act,  shall  be  mustered  into  service  for  the  pe- 
riod of  twelve  months,  unless  sooner  discharged. 

Sec.  4.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  staff  of  said  force  shall  consist  of  one  adju- 
tant general,  one  inspector-general,  one  paymaster-general,  one  commissary-general,  one 
quartermaster-general  and  one  surgeon-general  with  such  number  of  assistants  of  each  as 
the  wants  of  the  service  may  require;  and  that  the  rank  of  quartermaster-general,  inspec- 
tor-general, adjutant-general  and  commissary-general  shall  be  that  of  colonel  of  cavalry, 
and  the  rank  of  their  assistants  shall  be  that  of  lieutenant-colonel  and  major  of  infantry 
and  captain  of  cavalry,  all  of  whom  shall  be  appointed  by  the  governor,  subject  to  the 
confirmation  of  the  General  Assembly  in  joint  session;  Provided,  That  the  governor  may 
fill  vacancies  in  said  offices,  occurring  when  the  Legislature  may  not  be  in  session,  and 
the  appointees  shall  at  once  enter  upon  the  discharge  of  their  duties,  subject  to  the  con- 
firmation of  the  Legislature  when  thereafter  in  session.  There  shall  likewise  be  appointed 
by  the  governor,  subject  to  like  confirmation,  one  ordnance  officer,  with  the  rank  of  col- 
onel of  infantry,  who  shall  take  charge  of  the  ordnance  bureau  of  the  State,  direct  the 
construction  of  arms,  under  the  governor  and  military  and  finance  board,  receive  or  reject 
the  same,  certify  the  fulfillment  of  contracts,  and  have  the  general  supervision  of  the  arm- 
ory of  the  State,  with  such  assistants  as  the  service  may  require,  not  exceeding  three,  who 
shall  have  the  rank  and  pay  of  captain  of  infantry.  The  members  of  the  military  and 
financial  board  shall  be  nominated  by  the  governor  and  confirmed  bythe  General  Assembly. 

Sec.  5.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  there  shall  be  organized  by  the  governor,  a med- 
ical department,  consisting  of  the  surgeon-general,  and  two  other  surgeons,  the  members 
of  which  department  shall  be  nominated  by  the  governor  and  confirmed  by  the  General 
Assembly,  who  shall  examine  all  applicants  for  surgeon  and  assistant  surgeon,  and  certify 
their  qualifications  to  the  governor  for  commission  in  said  service,  and  which  department 
shall  be  subject  to  field  service  as  other  surgeons  of  the  army.  And  the  said  department 
are  hereby  directed,  other  things  being  equal,  to  recommend  from  volunteer  forces  such 
regimental  surgeons  and  assistants  as  the  service  may  require. 

Sec.  6.  Be  it  further  enacted.  That  there  shall  be  two  major-generals,  and  such 
number  of  brigadier-generals  as  the  proper  and  efficient  command  of  said  force  may  re- 
quire, who  shall  be  nominated  by  the  governor  and  confirmed  by  the  General  Assembly, 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


523 


with  power  to  appoint  their  own  staff;  and  a chief  of  engineers  with  such  assistants  as  the 
service  may  require,  to  be  nominated  and  confirmed  in  the  same  manner. 

Sec.  7.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  senior  major-general  shall  immediately  enter 
upon  the  duty  of  organizing  the  whole  force  for  the  field. 

Sec.  8.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  governor  be  authorized  to  determine  the 
field  of  dut}r  which  the  safety  of  the  State  may  require,  and  direct  said  forces  accordingly. 

Sec.  9.  Beit  further  enacted,  That  for  the  purpose  of  carrying  out  the  provisions  of 
this  act,  the  governor  of  the  State  is  hereby  authorized  to  issue  and  dispose  of  five  million 
dollars  of  the  bonds  of  the  State  of  Tennessee,  similar  in  all  respects  to  the  bonds  of  the  State 
heretofore  issued,  except  that  they  shall  not  have  more  than  ten  years  to  run  for  maturity, 
and  bear  interest  at  the  rate  of  eight  per  cent  per  annum,  payable  semi-annually  at  such 
point  as  may  be  therein  designated;  Provided;  That  three  millions  of  said  bonds  shall  be  held 
as  a contingent  reserve  fund,  and  not  used  unless  in  the  opinion  of  the  governor,  by  and 
with  the  concurrence  and  advice  of  the  military  and  financial  board,  the  exigencies  of  the 
service  and  the  public  safety  imperatively  demand  it;  and  said  bonds  shall  be  in  denomina- 
tion of  not  less  than  one  hundred,  or  greater  than  one  thousand  dollars. 

Sec.  10.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  public  faith  and  credit  of  the  State  is  hereby 
pledged  for  the  payment  of  the  interest  on  said  bonds  and  the  final  redemption  of  the 
same;  and  that  an  annual  tax  of  eight  cents  on  the  one  hundred  dollars  on  the  property, 
and  one-half  cent  upon  the  dollar  on  the  sales  of  merchandise  or  invoice  cost,  whether 
bought  in  or  out  of  the  State  of  Tennessee,  which  said  one-half  of  one  per  cent  is  to  be  in 
lieu  of  the  one-fourth  of  one  per  cent  now  levied,  be  assessed  and  set  apart,  and  held 
sacred  for  the  payment  of  the  interest  on  said  bonds,  and  the  creation  of  a sinking  fund 
for  their  final  redemption;  Provided,  that  no  more  of  said  tax  than  is  sufficient  to  pay 
the  interest  on  said  bonds  shall  be  collected,  until  the  expiration  of  two  years  from  the 
issuance  of  the  same,  and  that  the  whole  amount  of  said  sinking  fund  shall  from  time  to 
time,  as  the  same  may  accumulate,  be  used  by  the  governor  in  the  purshase  of  said  bonds; 
Provided,  They  can  be  had  at  a price  not  exceeding  par  rates. 

Sec.  11.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  banks  and  branches  purchasing  said  bonds  from 
the  governor,  shall  have  the  privilege  of  classing  the  bonds  so  purchased,  in  the  classifica- 
tion of  their  assets,  as  specie  funds;  and  that  the  banks  of  the  State  are  hereby  authorized 
to  invest  their  means  in  said  bonds;  Provided,  That  the  State  shall  have  the  right  to  pay 
said  bonds  so  purchased  and  held  by  said  banks  in  their  own  notes;  and  individuals  own- 
ing said  bonds,  having  purchased  the  same  previously  of  the  State,  shall  hold  the  same 
free  from  taxatiou,  either  State,  county,  or  otherwise. 

Sec.  12.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  in  order  to  save  expenses,  so  much  of  the  act  of 
the  late  extra  session  of  the  Legislature,  as  requires  the  supervisor  to  make  monthly  pub- 
lications of  bank  movements,  be,  and  the  same  is  hereby  repealed. 

Sec.  13.  Be  it  further  enacted.  That  when  peace  shall  be  restored  to  the  country,  or 
the  present  danger  pass  away,  that  the  governor  of  the  State,  or  other  rightful  authority, 
under  which  said  force  may  be  at  the  time  acting,  shall  issue  a proclamation  declaring  the 
fact,  and  shall  thereafter  discharge  the  forces  raised  under  this  act,  and  from  and  after 
which  this  act  shall  cease  to  be  in  force. 

Sec.  14.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  county  courts  of  this  State  are  empowered 
to  assess  and  collect  a tax  on  property  and  privileges  in  their  respective  counties;  to  provide 
a fund  for  the  relief  and  support  of  families  of  volunteers  whilst  in  actual  service,  when, 
from  affliction  or  indigence,  it  may  be  necessary;  Provided,  That  the  said  fund  thus  raised 
shall,  in  all  cases,  be  expended  for  the  benefit  of  the  families  of  volunteers  residing  in  the 
•county  where  the  same  is  raised;  and  the  revenue  collector,  for  collecting  said  tax,  shall 
receive  no  compensation— and  the  same  shall  be  paid  by  him,  under  order  of  the  county 
court,  to  the  persons  to  whom  the  same  may  be  appropriated. 

Sec.  15.  Be  it  further  enacted.  That  the  county  courts  be  authorized  to  issue  county 
scrip  anticipating  the  tax  necessary  in  effecting  the  objects  of  the  preceding  section. 

Sec.  16.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  county  courts  of  this  State  are  authorized 
and  empowered  to  appoint  and  raise  semi-annually  a home  guard  of  minute  men,  whose 


524 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE.. 


term  of  service  shall  be  three  months,  in  their  respective  limits,  to  consist  of  companies  of 
not  less  than  ten  for  each  civil  district,  whose  officers,  when  elected  by  the  companies  re- 
spectively, shall  be  commissioned  by  the  county  courts,  and  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  pro- 
cure a warrant  from  some  justice  of  the  peace,  and  arrest  all  suspected  persons,  and  bring 
them  before  the  civil  authorities  for  trial;  to  see  that  all  slaves  are  disarmed;  to  prevent 
the  assemblages  of  slaves  in  unusual  numbers;  to  keep  the  slave  population  in  proper  sub- 
jection, and  to  see  that  peace  and  order  is  observed.  The  Home  Guards  or  Minute  Men 
shall  be  armed  and  equipped  by  each  county  at  its  own  expense,  and  a tax  may  be  assessed 
and  collected  for  the  purpose,  as  well  as  to  compensate  those  engaged  in  this  branch  of 
duty,  if,  in  their  discretion,  compensation  should  be  made.  The  Home  Guard  shall 
assemble  in  their  respective  districts  to  take  precautionary  measures  at  least  once  in  each 
week  at  the  call  of  the  commanding  officer,  and  shall  be  momentarily  ready  for  service  at 
his  call.  Persons  engaged  in  this  branch  of  duty  shall,  upon  failure  to  obey  the  call  to 
duty  by  the  commander,  forfeit  not  less  than  one  dollar,  nor  more  than  five  for  each 
offense,  to  be  collected  in  the  name  of  the  chairman  of  the  county  court,  before  any  jus- 
tice of  the  peace,  to  be  applied  by  the  county  court  in  defraying  the  expenses  of  this 
branch  of  the  public  service,  unless  such  failure  was  the  result  of  sickness  or  other  good 
cause.  A general  commander  shall  be  appointed  for  each  county  by  the  several  county 
courts,  whose  duty  it  shall  be,  when  necessary,  to  take  charge  of  all  the  Home  Guard 
or  Minute  Men  in  his  county  and  direct  their  operations.  And  the  county  court  is  author- 
ized to  issue  county  bonds  or  scrip  for  the  purpose  of  raising  money  immediately  to  meet 
the  expenses  contemplated  by  this  section. 

Sec.  17.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  property  of  all  volunteers  raised  under  the' 
provisions  of  this  act  shall  be  exempt  from  execution  and  other  civil  process  whilst  in  act- 
ual service;  but  this  section  shall  not  apply  to  the  Home  Guards. 

Sec.  18.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  governor,  in  raising  the  volunteers  provided 
for  in  this  act,  shall  have  the  discretion  to  accept  into  the  service  volunteer  companies  ten- 
dered from  other  States  and  from  the  Confederate  States,  if,  in  his  opinion,  the  exigencies 
of  the  service  or  the  public  safety  requires  it. 

Sec.  19.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  each  regiment  of  infantry  shall  consist  of  one 
colonel,  one  lieutenant-colonel,  one  major  and  ten  companies;  each  company  shall  con- 
sist of  one  captain,  one  first  lieutenant,  two  second  lieutenants,  four  sergeants,  four  cor- 
porals, two  musicians,  and  not  less  than  sixty-four  nor  more  than  ninety  privates;  and  to 
each  regiment  there  shall  be  attached  one  adjutant,  to  be  selected  from  the  lieuten- 
ants, and  one  sergeant-major  to  be  selected  from  the  enlisted  men  of  the  regiment 
by  the  colonel.  The  regiment  of  cavalry  shall  consist  of  one  colonel,  one  lieutenant- 
colonel,  one  major  and  ten  companies,  each  of  which  shall  consist  of  one  captain,  one 
first  lieutenant,  two  second  lieutenants,  four  sergeants,  four  corporals,  one  farrier,  one 
blacksmith,  twm  musicians  and  sixty  privates.  There  shall  be  one  adjutant  and  one  ser- 
geant-major, to  be  selected  as  aforesaid. 

Sec.  20.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  each  regiment  shall  elect  its  own  colonel,  lieu- 
tenant-colonel and  major,  and  that  each  company  shall  elect  its  captain,  its  lieutenants, 
sergeants  and  corporals.  Regimental  musicians  shall  be  appointed  by  the  colonel,  and 
the  company  musicians  by  the  captains  of  companies.  The  colonel  shall  appoint  his  staff 
from  his  command. 

Sec.  21.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  pay  of  major-general  shall  be  three  hundred 
dollars  per  month;  of  brigadier-general  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  per  month.  The 
aid-de-camp  of  a major-general,  in  addition  to  his  pay  as  lieutenant,  shall  receive  forty 
dollars  per  month,  and  the  aid-de-camp  of  a brigadier-general  shall  receive,  in  addition 
to  his  pay  as  lieutenant,  the  sum  of  twenty-five  dollars  per  month.  The  monthly  pay  of 
the  officers  of  the  corps  of  engineers  shall  be  as  follows:  Of  the  colonel  two  hundred  and 
ten  dollars;  of  a major,  one  hundred  and  sixty-two  dollars;  of  a captain,  one  hundred  and 
forty  dollars;  lieutenants  serving  with  a company  of  sappers  and  miners  shall  receive  the 
pay  of  cavalry  officers  of  the  same  grade.  The  monthly  pay  of  the  colonel  of  the  corps  of 
artillery  shall  be  two  hundred  and  ten  dollars;  of  a lieutenant-colonel,  one  hundred  and 


HISTORY  .OF  TENNESSEE. 


525 


eighty-five  dollars;  of  a major,  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars;  of  a captain,  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty  dollars;  of  a first  lieutenant,  ninety  dollars;  of  a second  lieutenant, 
eighty  dollars;  and  the  adjutant  shall  receive,  in  addition  to  his  pay  as  lieutenant,  ten 
dollars  per  month.  Officers  of  artillery  serving  in  the  light  artillery,  or  performing  ord- 
nance duty,  shall  receive  the  same  pay  as  officers  of  cavalry  of  the  same  grade.  The 
monthly  pay  of  the  infantry  shall  be  as  follows:  Of  a colonel,  one  hundred  and 

seventy-five  dollars;  of  a lieutenant-colonel,  one  hundred  and  seventy  dollars;  of  a 
major,  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars;  of  a captain,  one  hundred  and  thirty  dollars; 
of  a first  lieutenant,  ninety  dollars;  of  a second  lieutenant,  eighty  dollars;  the  adju- 
tant ten  dollars  per  month  in  addition  to  his  pay  as  lieutenant.  The  monthly  pay  of 
the  officers  of  cavalry  shall  be  as  follows:  Of  a colonel,  two  hundred  dollars;  of  a lieu- 
tenant-colonel, one  hundred  and  seventy-five  dollars;  of  a major,  one  hundred  and  fifty- 
two  dollars;  of  a captain,  one  hundred  and  thirty  dollars;  of  a first  lieutenant,  ninety  dol- 
lars; of  asecond  lieutenant,  eighty  dollars;  the  adjutant,  ten dollarsper  month  in  addition 
to  his  pay  as  lieutenant.  The  pay  of  the  officers  of  the  general  staff,  except  those  of  the 
medical  department,  shall  be  the  same  as  officers  of  the  second  grade.  The  surgeon-gen- 
eral shall  receive  an  annual  salary  of  twenty-five  hundred  dollars,  which  shall  be  in  full 
of  all  pay  and  allowance.  The  pay  per  month  of  the  major-general’s  staff  shall  be  the 
same  as  officers  of  the  same  rank  in  the  infantry  service.  The  monthly  pay  of  surgeon 
shall  be  the  same  as  that  of  major  of  cavalry,  and  the  pay  of  assistant  surgeon  shall  be 
the  same  as  the  pay  of  first  lieutenant  of  cavalry,  and  the  rank  of  surgeon  shall  be  that 
of  major  of  cavalry,  and  that  of  assistant  surgeon  the  same  as  of  the  first  lieutenant  of 
cavalry. 

Sec.  22.  Be  it  f urther  enacted,  That  the  pay  of  officers  as  herein  established  shall  be 
in  full  of  all  allowances,  except  forage  for  horses  actually  in  service,  and  the  necessary 
traveling  expenses  while  traveling  under  orders;  Provided , that  officers  shall  not  be  enti- 
tled in  any  case  to  draw  forage  for  a greater  number  of  horses,  according  to  grade,  than 
as  follows:  The  major-general,  five;  the  brigadier-general,  four;  the  adjutant  and  inspec- 
tor-general, quartermaster-general,  commissary-general,  and  the  colonel  of  engineers,  ar- 
tillery, infantry  and  cavalry,  three  each.  All  lieutenant-colonels,  and  majors,  and  cap- 
tains of  the  general’s  staff,  engineer  corps,  light  artillery  and  cavalry,  three  each.  Lieu- 
tenants serving  in  the  corps  of  engineers,  lieutenants  of  light  artillery,  and  of  cavalry, 
two  each.  No  enlisted  man  in  the  service  of  the  Stale  shall  be  employed  as  a servant  by 
any  officer  of  the  army.  The  monthly  pay  of  the  enlisted  men  of  the  army  of  the  State 
shall  be  as  follows:  that  of  sergeant  or  master  workman  of  the  engineer  corps,  thirty  dol- 
lars; that  of  corporal  or  overseer,  twenty  dollars;  privates  of  the  first-class,  or  artificers, 
seventeen  dollars,  and  privates  of  the  second  class,  or  laborers  and  musicians,  thirteen  dol- 
lars. The  sergeant-major  of  cavalry,  twenty-one  dollars;  first  sergeant,  twenty  dollars; 
sergeants,  seventeen  dollars;  corporals,  farriers  and  blacksmiths,  thirteen  dollars;  music- 
ians, thirteen  dollars,  and  privates,  twelve  dollars.  Sergeant-major  of  artillery  and  in- 
fantry, twenty-one  dollars;  first  sergeants,  twenty  dollars  each;  sergeants,  seventeen  dol- 
lars; corporals  and  artificers,  thirteen  dollars;  musicians,  twelve  dollars,  and  privates, 
eleven  dollars  each.  The  non-commissioned  officers,  artificers,  musicians  and  privates 
serving  in  light  batteries  shall  receive  the  same  pay  as  those  of  cavalry. 

Sec.  23.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  each  enlisted  man  of  the  army  of  the  State 
shall  receive  one  ration  per  day,  and  a yearly  allowance  of  clothing;  the  quantity  and  kind 
of  each  to  be  established  by  regulation  of  the  military  and  financial  board,  to  be  approved 
| by  the  governor.  Rations  shall  generally  be  issued  in  kind,  unless  under  circumstances 
rendering  a commutation  necessary.  The  commutation  value  of  the  ration  shall  be  fixed 
by  regulation  of  the  military  and  financial  board  to  be  appointed  by  the  governor. 

Sec.  24.  Be  it  further  enacted.  That  all  the  officers  in  the  quartermaster’s  and  com- 
missary departments  shall,  previous  to  entering  on  the  duties  of  their  respective  offices, 
give  bonds  with  good  and  sufficient  security,  to  the  State  of  Tennessee,  in  such  sum  as  the 
military  and  financial  board  shall  direct,  fully  to  account  for  all  moneys  and  public  prop- 
erty which  they  may  receive.  Neither  the  quartermaster-general,  the  commissary-gen- 

33 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


526 

eral,  nor  an  other  or  either  of  their  assistants,  shall  be  concerned,  directly  or  indirectly,  in 
the  purchase  or  sale  of  any  articles  intended  for,  making  a part  of,  or  appertaining  to  pub- 
lic supplies,  except  for  and  on  account  of  the  State  of  Tennessee;  nor  shall  they,  or  either 
of  them,  take  or  apply  to  his  or  their  own  use,  any  gain  or  emolument  for  negotiating  any 
business  in  their  respective  departments  other  than  what  is  or  may  be  allowed  by  law. 
The  rules  and  articles  of  war  established  by  the  laws  of  the  United  States  of  America 
for  the  government  of  the  army  are  hereby  declared  to  be  of  force,  except  wherever  the 
words  “ United  States”  occur,  “State  of  Tennessee”  shall  be  substituted  therefor;  and 
except  that  the  articles  of  war  numbers  sixty-one  and  sixty-two  are  hereby  abrogated,  and 
the  following  substituted  therefor: 

Art.  61.  Officers  having  brevets  or  commissions  of  a prior  date  to  those  of  the  corps 
in  which  they  serve,  will  take  place  on  courts- martial  or  of  inquiry,  and  on  boards  detailed 
for  military  purposes,  when  composed  of  different  corps,  according  to  the  ranks  given 
them  in  their  brevet  or  former  commissions,  but  in  the  regiment,  corps  or  company 
to  which  such  officers  belong,  they  shall  do  duty  and  take  the  rank,  both  in  courts  and  on 
boards,  as  aforesaid,  which  shall  be  composed  of  their  own  corps,  according  to  the  commis- 
sion by  which  they  are  there  mustered. 

Art.  62.  If  upon  marches,  guards  or  in  quarters,  different  corps  shall  happen  to  join 
®r  do  duty  together,  the  officer  highest  in  rauk,  according  to  the  commission  by  which 
he  was  mustered  in  the  army,  there  ou  duty  by  orders  from  competent  authority,  shall 
command  the  whole,  and  give  orders  for  what  is  needful  for  the  service,  unless  otherwise 
directed  by  the  governor  of  the  State,  in  orders  of  special  assignment  providing  for  the 
case. 

Sec.  25.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  all  mounted  non-commissioned  officers,  privates, 
musicians  and  artificers  shall  be  allowed  forty  cents  per  day  for  the  use  and  risk  of  their 
horses;  and  if  any  mounted  volunteer  shall  not  keep  himself  provided  with  a serviceable 
horse,  such  volunteer  shall  serve  on  foot.  For  horses  killed  in  action,  or  that  die  from 
injuries  received  in  the  service,  or  for  want  of  forage,  volunteers  shall  be  allowed  com- 
pensation according  to  their  appraised  value  at  the  date  of  mustering  into  the  service. 

Sec.  26.  Be  it  further  enacted.  That  the  military  board  shall  procure  for  the  service 
a supply  of  the  army  regulations  of  the  United  States,  and  provide  by  regulation  a badge 
to  designate  the  grade  of  officers  in  the  service,  and  such  flags  and  banners  as  may  be 
necessary. 

Sec.  27.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  pay  of  volunteers  who  have  been  enrolled  for 
service  before  the  passage  of  this  act,  if  actually'  mustered  into  service,  shall  be  counted 
from  the  time  of  their  enrollment;  and  the  commanding  officer  of  artillery  may  appoint 
recruiting  officers  to  muster  into  service  recruits  to  be  assigned  to  companies  afterward, 
who  shall  receive  pay  and  subsistence  from  time  of  enrollment. 

Sec.  28.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  any  ten  companies,  with  the  requisite  number  : 
of  men,  offering  themselves  in  a body,  shall  be  mustered  into  service  as  a regiment,  may! 
immediately  organize  by  electing  their  field  officers,  and  be  commissioned  by  the  governor. 
The  seniority  of  captain  shall  be  fixed  by  the  brigadier-general  regularly  in  command;, 
Provided,  that  in  all  cases  where  regiments  shall  have  previously  organized  and  elect ; 
ed  their  officers,  such  organization  and  election  may  be  treated  by  the  governor  as  good 
and  valid. 

Sec.  29.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  each  of  the  members  of  the  military  and  finari-i 
dal  board  shall  receive  compensation  at  the  rate  of  fifteen  hundred  dollars  per  annum. 

Sec.  30.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  officers  of  artillery,  from  colonel  to  captain 
inclusive,  shall  be  nominated  by  the  governor  and  confirmed  by  the  General  Assembly. 

Sec.  31.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  all  persons  against  whom  indictments  or  pre 
sentiments  for  misdemeanors  may  be  pending,  and  who  have  enlisted  under  this  act  in  the 
service  of  the  State,  the  same  may  be  dismissed  in  the  discretion  of  the  judge  befort 
whom  the  same  is  pending,  as  well  as  for  forfeitures  against  the  defendant  and  hi; 
securities. 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


527 


Sec.  32.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  keeper  of  the  public  arms  be,  and  he  is 
hereby  directed  to  make  suitable  and  proper  arrangements  for  the  convenience  and  pro- 
tection of  the  arsenal  of  the  State;  and  that  for  the  expenses  incurred  for  such  purposes, 
the  sum  of  twelve  hundred  dollars  is  hereby  appropriated,  for  which  the  comptroller  will 
issue  his  warrant  upon  the  treasury,  upon  the  certificate  of  such  keeper,  and  approved  of 
by  the  military  board. 

Sec.  33.  Be  it  further  enacted.  That  the  municipal  authorities  of  all  incorporated 
towns  in  this  State  be  authorized  to  borrow  money  by  issuing  the  bonds  of  such  corpora- 
tion, or  otherwise,  for  the  military  defense  of  such  town;  and  in  all  cases  where  corporate 
authorities  of  said  towns  have  already  issued  their  bonds  for  the  purpose  aforesaid,  the 
same  is  hereby  declared  legal  and  valid. 

Sec.  34.  Be  it  f urther  enacted,  That  to  enable  the  county  court  to  carry  into  effect 
without  delay  the  provisions  of  the  fourteenth,  fifteenth  and  sixteenth  section  of  this  act, 
the  chairman  of  the  county  court  is  empowered  to  assemble  at  any  time  the  members  of 
the  quarterly  court,  who,  when  assembled,  shall  have  all  the  powers  exercised  by  them  at 
the  regular  quarterly  sessions. 

Sec.  35.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  corporate  authorities  of  towns  and  cities 
are  hereby  empowered  and  authorized  to  levy  a military  tax  upon  personal  and  real  estate, 
not  to  exceed  the  one-half  of  one  per  cent,  and  on  privileges  not  greater  than  one-half  the 
amount  now  paid  to  the  State;  such  money  to  be  raised  shall  be  used  for  military  purposes 
under  the  direction  of  the  authority  so  levying  and  collecting  the  same. 

Sec.  36.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  inspector-general  of 
the  State,  to  be  appointed  under  this  act,  and  such  assistants  as  the  governor  may  appoint 
; to  muster  into  the  service  of  the  State  of  Tennessee  each  company  and  regiment  after  the 
same  are  inspected,  at  such  times  and  places  as  the  governor  shall  designate,  and  when 
said  troops  are  so  mustered  into  the  service  of  the  State,  they  shall  be  subject  to  all  the 
rules  and  articles  of  war  as  adopted  by  this  act. 

Sec.  37.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  each  captain  upon  being 
mustered  into  the  service  to  furnish  a complete  roll  of  the  officers  and  men  in  his  company 
to  the  inspector-general,  who  shall  file  one  copy  of  the  same  in  the  adjutant-general’s 
office,  and  one  copy  to  be  delivered  to  the  colonel  of  each  regiment  then  formed,  and  it 
shall  be  the  duty  of  the  adjutant-general  to  furnish  blank  forms  to  the  captains  of  com- 
panies. 

Sec.  38.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  governor,  by  and  with  the  consent  of  the 
military  and  financial  board  or  bureau,  shall  be  anthorized  to  purchase  and  carry  on 
any  manufactory  or  manufactories  of  gunpowder,  which  may  be  deemed  necessary  for  the 
ise  of  the  State,  purchase  or  lease  any  interest  in  any  lead,  saltpetre,  or  other  mines,  and 
work  the  same  for  the  use  of  the  State,  and  may  also  in  the  name  of  the  State  make  con- 
tracts for  the  manufacture  of  fire-arms  or  any  other  munitions  of  war,  to  be  manufactured 
|n  the  State,  and  make  such  advancements  in  payment  for  the  same  as  may  be  deemed 
idvisable  to  insure  the  ready  and  speedy  supply  thereof  for  the  use  of  the  State.  Provided, 
hat  when  such  contract  is  made  or  entered  into  the  individual  or  company  making  the 
a-me  shall  give  bond  and  security  for  the  repayment  thereof,  if  the  arms  or  other  muni- 
ions  of  war  for  which  such  advancement  may  be  made  shall  not  be  furnished  within  the 
ime  agreed  upon  for  their  delivery,  or  shall  not  be  of  the  character  contracted  for. 

Sec.  39.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  for  the  purpose  of  aiding  in  supplying  the  State 
with  arms  for  the  public  defense,  that  the  act  of  January  30,  1861,  incorporating  the  Mem- 
his  Arms  Company,  be  and  the  same  is  hereby  confirmed,  and  the  corporators  declared  to 
|c  entitled  to  exercise  all  the  rights  and  privileges  intended  to  be  given  by  said  act;  and  it 
further  enacted,  that  M.  Clusky,  John  Overton,  Robert  C.  Brinkley,  Sam.  Tate,  M.  J. 
kicks,  Roberson  Topp,  William  R.  Hunt,  Fred.  W.  Smith,  J.  E.  R.  Ray,  Moses  White 
ad  Ed.  Munford  be  added  to  the  list  of  corporators. 

Sec.  40.  Be  it  further  enacted.  That  the  governor  and  all  other  authorities  having 
■ jUarge  of  finances  in  the  movement  contemplated  by  this  act  shall  make  full  reports  to 


528 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


the  General  Assembly  of  the  State  to  the  amount  expended,  as  well1  as  the  various  pur 
poses  for  which  such  expenditures  may  have  been  made. 

Sec.  41.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  this  act  take  effect  from  and  after  its  passage. 

W.  C.  Whittiiorne, 
Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives 

B.  R.  Stovall, 

Speaker  of  the  Senate 

Passed  May  6,  1861. 

A true  copy.  J.  E.  R.  Ray,  Secretary  of  State. 

On  the  7th  of  May  the  following  message  was  communicated  to  tin 
Legislature : 

Executive  Department,  Nashville,  May  7,  1861 
Gentlemen  of  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives: 

By  virtue  of  the  authority  of  your  joint  resolution,  adopted  on  the  1st  day  of  May 
inst.,  I appointed  Gustavus  A.  Henry,  of  the  county  of  Montgomery;  Archibald  W.  0 
Totten,  of  the  county  of  Madison,  and  Washington  Barrow,  of  the  county  of  Davidson 
“commissioners  on  the  part  of  Tennessee,  to  enter  into  a military  league  with  the  authori 
ties  of  the  Confederate  States,  and  with  the  authorities  of  such  other  slave-holding  Statei 
as  may  wish  to  enter  into  it;  having  in  view  the  protection  and  defense  of  the  entire  Soutl 
against  the  war  that  is  now  being  carried  on  against  it.” 

The  said  commissioners  met  the  Hon.  Henry  W.  Hilliard,  the  accredited  represents 
tive  of  the  Confederate  States,  at  Nashville,  on  this  day,  and  have  agreed  upon  and  ex 
ecuted  a military  league  between  the  State  of  Tennessee  and  the  Confederate  States  o 
America,  subject,  however,  to  the  ratification  of  the  two  governments,  one  of  the  dupli 
cate  originals  of  which  I herewith  transmit  for  your  ratification  or  rejection.  For  manj 
cogent  and  obvious  reasons,  unnecessary  to  be  rehearsed  to  you,  I respectfully  recommenc 
the  ratification  of  this  League  at  the  earliest  practicable  moment. 

• Very  Respectfully, 

Isham  G.  Harris. 

Convention  Between  the  State  op  Tennessee  and  the  Confederate  States  oi 

America. 

The  State  of  Tennessee,  looking  to  a speedy  admission  into  the  Confederacy  estab 
lished  by  the  Confederate  States  of  America,  in  accordance  with  the  Constitution  for  the 
provisional  government  of  said  States,  enters  into  the  following  temporary  convention 
agreement  and  military  league  with  the  Confederate  States,  for  the  purpose  of  meeting 
pressing  exigencies  affecting  the  common  rights,  interests  and  safety  of  said  States  anr 
said  Confederacy.  First,  until  the  said  State  shall  become  a member  of  said  Confederacy 
according  to  the  constitution  of  both  powers,  the  whole  military  force  and  military  oper 
ations,  offensive  and  defensive,  of  said  State,  in  the  impending  conflict  with  the  Unite;1 
States,  shall  be  under  the  chief  control  and  direction  of  the  President  of  the  Confederal' 
States,  upon  the  same  basis,  principles  and  footing  as  if  said  State  was  now,  and  durini, 
the  interval,  a member  of  said  Confederacy,  said  force,  together  with  that  of  the  Confed 
erate  States,  to  be  employed  for  the  common  defense.  Second,  the  State  of  Teimessei 
will,  upon  becoming  a member  of  said  Confederacy  under  the  permanent  constitution  c 
said  Confederate  States,  if  the  same  shall  occur,  turn  over  to  said  Confederate  States  al 
the  public  property  acquired  from  the  United  States,  on  the  same  terms  and  in  the  sam 
manner  as  the  other  States  of  said  Confederacy  have  done  in  like  cases.  Third,  what; 
ever  expenditures  of  money,  if  any,  the  said  State  of  Tennessee  shall  make  before  sh 
becomes  a member  of  said  Confederacy,  shall  be  met  and  provided  for  by  the  Confed 
erate  States.  This  convention  entered  into  and  agreed  in  the  city  of  Nashville,  Tennes 
see,  on  the  seventh  day  of  May,  A.  D.  1861,  by  Henry  W.  Hilliard,  the  duly  authorize 
commissioner  to  act  in  the  matter  of  the  Confederate  States,  and  Gustavus  A.  Henrj; 


HISTOBY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


529 


Archibald  W.  O.  Totten  and  Washington  Barrow,  commissioners  duly  authorized  to  act 
in  like  manner  for  the  State  of  Tennessee,  the  whole  subject  to  the  approval  and  rati- 
fication of  the  proper  authorities  of  both  governments,  respectively. 

In  testimony  whereof  the  parties  aforesaid  have  herewith  set  their  hands  and  seals, 
the  day  and  year  aforesaid;  duplicate  originals. 

[seal.]  Henry  W.  Hilliard, 
Commissioner  for  the  Confederate  States  of  America. 
[seal.]  Gustayus  A.  Henry, 
[seal.]  A.  W.  0.  Totten, 

[seal.  J Washington  Barrow, 
Commissioners  on  the  Part  of  Tennessee. 

Immediately  upon  receiving  the  report  of  the  commissioners  the 
Legislature  passed  the  following  joint  resolution: 

Whereas,  A military  league,  offensive  and  defensive,  was  formed  on  this  the  7tli  of 
May,  1861,  by  and  between  A.  W.  O.  Totten,  Gustavus  A.  Henry  and  Washington  Barrow, 
commissioners  on  the  part  of  the  State  of  Tennessee,  and  H.  W.  Hilliard,  commissioner 
on  the  part  of  the  Confederate  States  of  America,  subject  to  the  confirmation  of  the  two 
governments; 

Be  it  therefore  resolved  by  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of  Tennessee,  That  said 
league  be  in  all  respects  ratified  and  confirmed;  and  the  said  General  Assembly  hereby 
pledges  the  faith  and  honor  of  the  State  of  Tennessee  to  the  faithful  observance  of  the 
terms  and  conditions  of  said  league. 

The  following  is  the  vote  in  the  Senate  on  the  adoption  of  the  league : 
Ayes:  Messrs.  Allen,  Horn,  Hunter,  Johnson,  Lane,  Minnis,  McClellan, 
McNeilly,  Payne,  Peters,  Stanton,  Thompson,  Wood  and  Speaker  Stovall 
- — 14.  Nays:  Messrs.  Boyd,  Bradford,  Hildreth,  Nash,  Richardson  and 
Stokes — G.  Absent  and  not  voting:  Messrs.  Bumpass,  Mickley,  New- 
man, Stokely  and  Trimble— 5. 

The  following  is  the  Vote  in  the  House:  Ayes:  Messrs.  Baker,  of 

Perry;  Baker,  of  Weakley;  Bay  less,  Bicknell,  Bledsoe,  Cheatham,  Cow- 
den,  Davidson,  Davis,  Dudley,  Ewing,  Farley,  Earrelly,  Ford,  Frazier, 
Gantt,  Guy,  Havron,  Hurt,  Ingram,  Jones,  Kenner,  Kennedy,  Lea,  Lock- 
hart, Martin,  Mayfield,  McCabe,  Morphies,  Nall,  Pickett,  Porter,  Rich- 
ardson, Roberts,  Sheid,  Smith,  Sowell,  Trevitt,  Yaughn,  Whitmore, 
Woods  and  Speaker  Whitthorne — 42.  Nays:  Messrs.  Armstrong,  Bra- 
zelton,  Butler,  Caldwell,  Gorman,  Greene,  Morris,  Norman,  Russell,  Sen- 
der, Strewsbury,  White,  of  Davidson;  Williams,  of  Knox;  Wisener  and 
Woodward — 15.  Absent  and  not  voting:  Messrs.  Barksdale,  Beaty, 
Bennett,  Britton,  Critz,  Doak,  East,  Gillespie,  Harris,  Hebb,  Johnson, 
Kincaid,  of  Anderson;  Kincaid,  of  Claiborne;  Trewhitt;  White,  of  Dick- 
son; Williams,  of  Franklin;  Williams,  of  Hickman,  and  Williamson — 18. 

The  action  of  the  Legislature  in  passing  the  ordinance  of  secession, 
in  adopting  the  provisional  constitution  of  the  Confederacy,  in  passing 
the  army  bill  and  in  ratifying  the  league  between  Tennessee  and  the 
Confederate  Government,  all  subject  to  adoption  or  rejection  by  the  peo- 
ple of  the  State,  and  all  done  amid  great  excitement  within  a few  days. 


530 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


met  the  heartiest  and  wildest  reception  from  all  portions  of  the  State,. 
The  only  opposition  encountered  was  in  East  Tennessee;  but  the  Gov- 
ernor, as  commander-in-chief  of  the  provisional  army,  determined  to 
occupy  that  portion  of  the  State  immediately  with  troops  in  the  hope  of 
subjecting  it  to  the  Confederate  cause.  As  soon  as  possible,  by  virtue 
of  the  authority  vested  in  him  by  the  army  bill,  he  made  the  following 
military  appointments,  all  of  which  were  ratified  by  the  General  As- 
sembly : 

Executive  Department,  Nashville,  May  9,  1861. 
Gentlemen  of  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives: 

I have  nominated  and  herewith  submit  for  your  confirmation  the  following  gentlemen: 
For  major-generals,  Gideon  J.  Pillow,  Samuel  R.  Anderson.  For  brigadier-generals, 
Felix  K.  Zollicoffer,  Benjamin  F.  Cheatham,  Robert  C.  Foster,  third;  John  L.  T.  Sneed, 
W.  R.  Caswell.  For  adjutant-general,  Daniel  S.  Donelson.  For  inspector-general, 
William  H.  Carroll.  For  quarter-master  general,  Vernon  K.  Stevenson.  For  commis- 
sary-general, R.  G.  Fain.  For  paymaster-general,  William  Williams.  For  surgeon- 
general,  Dr.  Paul  F.  Eve.  For  assistant  surgeon-generals,  Dr.  Joseph  C.  Newnan,  Dr. 
John  D.  Winston.  For  assistant  adjutant-generals,  W.  C.  Whitthorne,  James  D.  Porter, 
Jr.,  Hiram  S.  Bradford,  D.  M.  Key.  For  assistant  inspector-generals,  J.  W.  Gillespie, 
James  L.  Scudder,  John  C.  Brown,  Alexander  W.  Campbell.  For  assistant  quartermas- 
ter-generals, Paulding  Anderson,  George  W.  Cunningham,  Samuel  T.  Bicknell,  George 
W.  Fisher,  Thomas  L.  Marshall,  Thomas  Peters,  John  G.  Finnie,  W.  P.  Davis,  J.  H.  Mc- 
Mahon. For  assistant  commissary-generals,  Calvin  M.  Fackler,  John  L.  Brown,  Miles 
Draughn,  Madison  Stratton,  James  S.  Patton,  W.  W.  Guy,  P.  T.  Glass.  For  assistant 
paymaster-generals.  Claiborne  Deloach,  William  B.  Reese,  Jr.,  Thomas  Boyers.  For 
lieutenant-colonel  of  artillery,  John  P.  McCown.  For  military  and  financial  hoard, 
Neill  S.  Brown,  James  E.  Bailey,  William  G.  Harding. 

By  reference  to  your  act  of  the  6th  of  May,  and  the  army  regulations,  it  will  be  seen 
that  there  are  additional  nominations  yet  to  be  submitted,  the  number  of  which  it  is  im- 
possible for  me  to  determine  until  it  is  ascertained,  with  at  least  some  degree  of  certainty, 
the  number  of  troops  that  it  may  be  necessary  to  call  into  active  service.  I have,  there- 
fore, nominated  the  heads  of  departments  with  such  assistants  as  I considered  necessary 
to  the  work  of  immediate  organization,  leaving  the  developments  of  the  future  to  deter- 
mine the  additional  appointments  it  may  be  proper  to  make. 

Very  Respectfully, 

Isham  G.  Harris. 

Later  the  following  appointments  were  made: 

Gentlemen  of  the  Senate  and  Rouse  of  Representatives: 

Under  the  act  of  the  General  Assembly  of  the  6th  of  May,  1861,  I have  made  the  fol-  j 
lowing  nominations  for  the  consideration  and  confirmation  of  the  General  Assembly, 
to  wit: 

On  the  10th  instant — Dr.  B.  W.  Avent,  surgeon-general,  vice  Dr.  Paul  F.  Eve,  re- 
signed. On  the  10th  instant — For  surgeon  of  Col.  Preston  Smith’s  regiment.  Dr.  Emmett  : 
Woodward  and  Dr.  Richard  Butt,  assistant-surgeon.  On  the  15th  instant— For  surgeon 
of  Col.  J.  Knox  Walker’s  regiment,  Dr.  James  D.  Lindsay.  On  the  17th  instant — For 
surgeon  of  Col.  George  Maney’s  regiment,  Dr.  William  Nichol  and  J.  R.  Buist,  assistant- 
surgeon.  On  the  17th  instant — For  surgeon  of  Col.  John  C.  Brown’s  regiment,  Dr. 
Samuel  H.  Stout.  On  the  13th  instant — For  captains  of  the  artillery  corps,  Arthur  N. 
Rutledge,  Marshall  T.  Polk,  William  H.  Jackson,  Andrew  Jackson,  Jr.  On  the  17th  in- 
stant— Reuben  Ross,  James  H.  Wilson,  Smith  P.  Bankhead,  Robert  M.  Russell.  On  the 
17th  instant — For  colonel  commandant  of  the  artillery  corps,  John  P.  McCown.  For 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


531 


lieutenant-colonel,  Milton  A.  Haynes.  For  major,  Alexander  P.  Stewart.  On  the  15th 
instant — For  captain  of  ordnance,  Moses  H Wright.  On  the  16th  instant — For  assistant 
adjutant-generals,  Pallok  B.  Lee  and  Adolphus  Hieman.  On  the  loth  instant — For  as- 
sistant inspector-general,  Henry  Wall,  vice  John  C.  Brown,  declined,  Jo.  G.  Pickett  and 
C.  H.  Williams.  On  the  16th  instant — For  major  of  engineer  corps,  B.  R.  Johnson. 
For  the  captains  of  said  corps,  W.  D.  Pickett,  Montgomery  Lynch  and  W.  A.  Forbes. 
On  the  16th  instant — For  assistant  quartermaster-general,  Jesse  B.  Clements,  vice  Paul- 
ding Anderson,  declined,  John  L.  Sehon,  E.  Foster  Cheatham,  James  Glover,  John  W 
Eldridge,  A.  J.  Vaughn,  JoiinS.  Bransford,  John  S.  Hill,  A.  L McClellan.  Nathan  Adams. 
H.  T.  Massengale,  John  W.  Gorham,  Frank  M.  Paul,  S.  II.  Whitthorne.  On  the  17th  in- 
stant— For  assistant  commissary-generals,  Frank  W.  Green,  John  R.  Wood,  Daniel  P. 
Cocke,  John  W.  Crisp,  0.  B.  Caldwell,  Lee  M.  Gardner,  William  C.  Bryan,  Jerome  Rid- 
ley, William  H.  Stover,  R.  H.  Williamson,  John  D.  Allen.  Albert  G Eiring,  G.  W.  Me- 
nees,  Samuel  E.  Barbee.  The  rank  of  the  various  appointees  will  be  determined  upon  the 
issuance  of  commissions,  after  confirmation  by  the  General  Assembly.  In  the  meantime 
they  will  enter  upon  the  duties  of  their  respective  positions  as  they  may  be  ordered  to  da 
by  their  superior  officers. 

In  testimony  whereof  I have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  caused  the 
[ l.  s.]  great  seal  of  the  State  to  be  affixed  at  the  department  at  Nashville,  this 
the  18th  of  May,  1861. 


Isham  G.  Harris. 


By  the  Governor: 

J.  E.  R.  Rat,  Secretary  of  State. 


After  the  passage  of  the  army  bill  the  formation  and  thorough 
discipline  of  regiments  for  the  field  rapidly  took  place.  Memphis  and 
Nashville  became  stirring  military  centers.  Every  county  seat  was  a 
camp.  Almost  every  pursuit  ivas  dropped  except  the  popular  art  of 
making  war.  As  a result  great  progress  was  made,  and  soon  more  than 
the  number  of  volunteers  called  for  were  ready,  and  as  fast  as  they  could 
be  supplied  with  arms  were  mustered  into  the  provisional  army  of  Ten- 
nessee. Herculean  efforts  were  made  to  supply  the  regiments  as  fast  as 
possible  with  arms,  and  calls  were  issued  by  the  authorities  for  guns  of 
any  description  that  could  be  used  with  effect — shot-guns,  flint-lock  and 
percussion  rifles,  squirrel  and  bear  guns,  pistols,  etc.  On  the  18th  of 
June  the  Legislature  again  met,  pursuant  to  the  call  of  the  Governor, 
who,  in  his  message,  recommended  that,  owing  to  the  difficulty  of  con- 
verting the  bonds  ordered  issued  under  the  army  bill  of  May  6 into 
money,  three-fifths  ($3,000,000)  of  the  amount  ($5,000,000)  should  be 
issued  in  treasury  notes  in  lieu  of  an  equivalent  amount  of  such  bonds: 
that  the  interest  on  the  internal  improvement  bonds  of  the  State,  pay- 
able in  New  York,  should  be  made  payable  at  Nashville,  Charleston  or 
New  Orleans;  and  that  all  necessary  legislation  to  regulate  the  currency 
of  the  State  should  be  made.  He  also  submitted  a statement  of  the 


progress  made  in  placing  the  State  in  an  attitude  of  defense.  Twenty- 
one  regiments  of  infantry  had  been  organized  and  were  in  the  field;  ter 
artillery  companies  were  in  progress  of  completion;  enough  cavalry 
companies  to  form  a regiment  were  also  well  advanced,  and  an  engineers 


532 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


corps  was  nearly  ready  for  service.  Besides  these  three  regiments  from 
the  State  were  with  the  Confederate  Army  in  Virginia,  and  a small  squad 
was  with  the  army  at  Pensacola.  In  addition,  many  of  the  militia  regi- 
ments were  as  ready  for  the  field  as  several  which  had  been  accepted  and 
mustered  in. 

In  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  the  act  of  May  6 an  election 
was  held  throughout  the  State  June  8,  for  the  people  to  decide  upon 
the  question  of  secession  or  separation,  and  the  question  of  representation 
in  the  Confederate  States  Congress,  and  the  adoption  of  the  provisional 
constitution  of  the  Confederate  Government.  It  was  well  assured  at  the 
start  that  both  “separation”  and  “representation”  would  carry  by  hand- 
some majorities,  and  this  assurance  was  well  sustained  as  the  returns 
began  to  come  in.  The  following  proclamation  by  the  Governor  officially 
announced  the  result: 

PROCLAMATION. 

To  all  whom  these  Presents  shall  come — Greeting: 

Whereas,  By  an  act  of  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of  Tennessee,  passed  on 
the  6th  of  May,  1861,  an  election  on  the  8th  of  June,  1861,  was  held  in  the  several  counties 
of  the  State  in  accordance  therewith,  upon  the  Ordinance  of  Separation  and  Representa- 
tion; and  also,  whereas,  it  appears  from  the  official  returns  of  said  election  (hereto  ap- 
pended) that  the  people  of  the  State  of  Tennessee  have  in  their  sovereign  will  and  capac- 
ity, by  an  overwhelming  majority,  cast  their  votes  for  “Separation,”  dissolving  all 
political  connection  with  the  late  United  States  Government,  and  adopted  the  provisional 
government  of  the  Confederate  States  of  America: 

Now,  therefore,  I,  Isham  G.  Harris,  governor  of  the  State  of  Tennesse,  do  “make  it 
known  and  declare  all  connection  of  the  State  of  Tennessee  with  the  Federal  Union  dis. 
solved,  and  that  Tennessee  is  a free,  independent  government,  free  from  all  obligation  to, 
or  connection  with,  the  Federal  Government  of  the  United  States  of  America. 

In  testimony  whereof,  I have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  caused  the 
[ms.]  great  seal  of  the  State  to  be  affixed  at  the  department  in  Nashville,  on 
this,  the  24tli  day  of  June,  A.  D.,  1861. 

Isham  G.  Harris. 

By  the  Governor: 

J.  E.  R.  Ray,  Secretary  of  State. 


OFFICIAL  ELECTION  RETURNS. 


EAST  TENNESSEE. 


COUNTIES. 

Separa- 

tion. 

Repre- 

sentat’n. 

No 

Sep’n. 

No 

Rep’n. 

Anderson 

97 

97 

1,278 

500 

1,382 

1,766 

1,000 

1,343 

1,243 

1,185 

1,492 

2,691 

1,260 

1,278 

455 

1,380 

1,768 

1,000 

1,343 

1,247 

1,185 

1,489 

2,702 

1,271 

Bledsoe 

197 

186 

Bradley 

507 

505 

Blount 

418 

414 

Campbell 

59 

60 

Carter 

86 

86 

Claiborne  

250 

246 

517 

Cocke  

518 

Grainger 

586 

582 

Greene 

744 

738 

Hamilton 

854 

837 

HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


533 


COUNTIES. 

Separa- 

tion. 

Repre- 

sentat’n. 

No 

Sep’n. 

No 

Rep’ii. 

279 

278 

630 

630 

908 

886 

1,460 

1,463 

1,990 

Jefferson 

603 

597 

1,987 

111 

111 

737 

786 

1,226 

1,214 

3,196 

3,201 

jVlcMinn 

904 

892 

1,144 

600 

1,152 

414 

413 

601 

481 

478 

267 

268 

1,096 

50 

1,089 
• 50 

774 

775 

630 

632 

738 

731 

317 

319 

19 

19 

521 

521 

Sequatchie 

153 

151 

100 

100 

360 

336 

202 

217 

Roane 

454 

436 

1,568 

1,528 

627 

1,580 

Sevier  

60 

60 

1,528 

Sullivan 

1,586 

1,022 

1,576 

1,016 

637 

Washington 

1.445 

1,444 

Totals 

14,780 

14,601 

32,923 

32,962 

MIDDLE  TENNESSEE. 


COUNTIES. 


Bedford  .... 

Cannon  

Cheatham . . . 

Coffee 

Davidson.. . . 

DeKalb 

Dickson 

Fentress 
Franklin  . . . . 

Ciles 

'Grundy 

Hardin 

Hickman  . . . 
Humphreys. . 

J ackson 

Lawrence. . . 

Lewis 

Lincoln 

Macon 

Marshall 

Maury 

Montgomery 
Overton 
Robertson. . . 
Rutherford. . 

Smith 

Stewart 

Sumner 

Van  Buren. . 

Warren 

Wayne 

White 

Williamson. 
Wilson 

Totals 


Separa- 

tion. 

Repre- 

sentat’n. 

No 

Sep’n. 

No 

Rep’n 

1,595 

1,544 

727 

737 

1,149 

1,145 

127 

118 

702 

697 

55 

59 

1,276 

1,268 

26 

28 

5,635 

5,572 

402 

441 

833 

823 

642 

655 

1,141 

1,133 

72 

75 

128 

120 

651 

657 

1,652 

1,650 

0 

i 

2,458 

2,464 

11 

5 

528 

528 

9 

9 

498 

493 

1,051 

1,052 

1,400 

1,400 

3 

3 

1,042 

1,042 

0 

0 

1,483 

1,480 

714 

710 

1,124 

1,122 

75 

64 

223 

216 

14 

17 

2,912 

2,892 

0 

9 

447 

446 

697 

697 

1,642 

1,638 

101 

104 

2,731 

2,693 

58 

78 

2,631 

2,630 

33 

29 

1,471 

1,471 

364 

365 

3,839 

3,835 

17 

12 

2,392 

2,377 

73 

93 

1,249 

1,247 

676 

675 

1,839 

1,839 

99 

73 

6,465 

6,441 

69 

82 

308 

308 

13 

13 

1,419 

1,400 

12 

15 

409 

361 

905 

905 

1,370 

1,367 

121 

121 

1,945 

1,918 

28 

35 

2,329 

2,298 

353 

361 

58,265 

57,858 

8,298 

8,298 

534 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


WEST  TENNESSEE. 


COUNTIES. 


Benton 

Carroll 

Decatur 

Dyer 

Fayette 

Gibson 

Hardeman. . 
Haywood. . . 
Henderson. . 

Henry 

Lauderdale. 

McNairy 

Madison. . . . 

Obion 

Perry 

Shelby 

Tipton 

Weakley. . . . 

Totals 


Separa- 

tion. 

Repre- 
sen tat’ n. 

No 

Sep’n. 

No 

Rep’n., 

798 

796 

228 

226 

967 

952 

1,349 

1,351 

310 

293 

550 

537 

811 

779 

116 

133 

1,364 

1,364 

23 

23 

1,999 

1,954 

286 

219 

1,526 

1,508 

29 

50 

930 

924 

139 

143 

801 

790 

1,013 

1,013 

1,746 

1,734 

317 

317 

763 

759 

7 

0 

1,318 

1,365 

586 

591 

2,754 

2,751 

20 

21 

2,996 

2,957 

64 

88 

780 

779 

168 

169 

7,132 

7,127 

5 

5 

943 

941 

16 

18 

1,189 

1,189 

1,201 

1,200 

29,127 

28,962 

6,117 

6,114 

MILITARY  CAMPS. 


CAMPS. 

Separa- 

tion. 

Repre- 

sentat’n. 

No 

Sep’n. 

No 

Rep’n. 

Camp  Davis,  Va 

506 

506 

00 

00 

Camp  Duncan,  Tenn 

111 

111 

00 

00 

Harper’s  Ferry,  Va 

575 

575 

00 

00' 

Fort  Pickens,  Fla 

737 

737 

00 

00 

Fort  Harris,  Tenn 

159 

159 

00 

00 

Camp  De  Soto,  Tenn 

15 

15 

00 

00 

Hermitage  Camp,  Va 

16 

16 

00 

00 

Camp  Jackson,  Va 

622 

622 

00 

00 

Fort  Randolph,  Tenn.* 

3,598 

3,598 

00 

00 

Total 

6,339 

6,339 

00 

00 

*Reported. 


AGGREGATES. 


DIVISIONS. 

Separa- 

tion. 

Repre- 
sentation . 

No 

Sep’n. 

No 

Rep’n. 

East  Tennessee 

14,780 

58,265 

29,127 

6,339 

14,601 

57,858 

28,962 

6,339 

32,923 

8,298 

6,117 

0,000 

32,962 

8,298 

6,114 

0,000 

Middle  Tennessee 

West  Tennessee 

Military  Camps 

Majorities 

108,511 

47,338 

107,760 

47,374 

47,338 

47,374 

61,173 

60.386 

The  Confederate  Congress  had,  May  17,  anticipated  the  action  of 
Tennessee  in  separating  herself  from  the  Federal  Government,  and  had, 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


o 3 O1 

before  adjournment,  and  before  the  result  of  the  election  of  June  8 be- 
came known,  passed  the  following  act: 

An  Act  to  Admit  the  State  of  Tennessee  into  the  Confederacy,  on  a Certain 

Condition. 

The  State  of  Tennessee  having  adopted  measures  looking  to  an  early  withdrawal  from 
the  United  States,  and  to  becoming,  in  the  future,  a member  of  this  Confederacy,  which 
measures  may  not  be  consummated  before  the  approaching  recess  of  Congress;  therefore. 

The  Congress  of  the  Confederate  States  of  America  do  enact.  That  the  State  of  Tennes- 
see shall  be  admitted  a member  of  the  Confederate  States  of  America,  upon  an  equal  foot- 
ing with  the  other  States,  under  the  constitution  for  the  provisional  government  of  the 
same,  upon  the  condition  that  the  said  constitution  for  the  provisional  government  of 
the  Confederate  States  shall  be  adopted  and  ratified  by  the  properly  and  legally  consti- 
tuted authorities  of  said  State,  and  the  governor  of  said  State  shall  transmit  to  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  Confederate  States,  before  the  reassembling  of  Congress  after  the  recess 
aforesaid,  an  authentic  copy  of  the  proceedings  touching  said  adoption  and  ratification  by- 
said  State  of  said  provisional  constitution;  upon  the  receipt  whereof,  the  President,  by 
proclamation,  shall  announce  the  fact,  whereupon  and  without  any  further  proceeding 
on  the  part  of  Congress,  the  admission  of  said  State  of  Tennessee  into  the  Confederacy, 
under  said  Constitution  for  the  provisional  government  of  the  Confederate  States,  shall  be 
considered  as  complete;  and  the  laws  of  this  Confederacy  shall  be  thereby  extended  over 
said  State  as  fully  and  completely  as  over  the  States  now  composing  the  same. 

HOWELL  COBB, 

Approved  May  17,  1861.  President  of  the  Congress.. 

Jefferson  Davis. 

The  following  was  the  provisional  government  hf  the  Confederate 
States  of  America:  Jefferson  Davis,  of  Mississippi,  president;  Alex- 
ander H.  Stephens,  of  Georgia,  vice-president.  Cabinet  Officers : Robert 
Toombs,  of  Georgia,  secretary  of  state;  C.  G.  Memminger,  of  South 
Carolina,  secretary  of  the  treasury  ; L.  P.  Walker,  of  Alabama,  secretary 
of  war ; S.  B.  Mallory,  of  Florida,  secretary  of  navy ; J.  H.  Reagan,  of 
Texas,  postmaster -general  ; J.  P.  Benjamin,  of  Louisiana,  attorney- 
general.  Congress:  Hon.  Howell  Cobb,  of  Georgia,  president;  J.  J. 
Hooper,  of  Alabama,  secretary.  Standing  Committees:  Executive  De- 
partment—Stephens,  Conrad,  Boyce,  Shorter,  Brooke;  Foreign  Affairs— 
Rliett,  Nisbet,  Perkins,  Walker,  Keitt;  Military  Affairs— Bartow,  Miles,. 
Sparrow,  Kenan,  Anderson;  Naval  Affairs — Conrad,  Chestnut,  Smith, 
Wright,  Owens;  Finance — Toombs,  Barnwell,  Kenner,  Barry,  McRae; 
Commerce — Memminger,  Crawford,  DeClouet,  Morton,  Curry;  Judiciary 
— Clayton,  Withers,  Hale,  Cobb,  Harris;  Postal — Chilton,  Boyce,  Hill, 
Harris,  Curry;  Patents — Brooke,  Wilson,  Lewis,  Hill,  Kenner;  Territo- 
ries— Chestnut,  Campbell,  Marshall,  Nisbet,  Fearne;  Public  Lands — 
Marshall,  Harris,  Fearne ; Indian  Affairs— Morton,  Hale,  Sparrow,  Lewis, 
Keitt;  Printing — Cobb,  Harris,  Miles,  Chilton,  Perkins;  Accounts — 
Owens,  Crawford,  Campbell,  DeClouet,  Smith ; Engrossment — -Shorter, 
Wilson,  Kenan,  McRae,  Bartow. 

The  ratification  of  the  governor’s  military  appointments  had  no> 


.536 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


sooner  been  made  by  the  Legislature  than  the  assignment  of  officers  to 
their  commands  was  officially  announced.  Prior  to  this,  on  the  ‘25th  of 
April,  Gov.  Harris  had  directed  Gen.  S.  R.  Anderson  to  proceed  to 
Memphis  to  organize  the  various  volunteer  forces  at  that  point  and 
throughout  West  Tennessee.  He  remained  at  Memphis,  engaged  in 
active  and  valuable  military  work,  until  about  May  3,  when  he  trans- 
ferred the  completion  of  the  organizations  there  to  Gen.  J.  L.  T.  Sneed 
and  returned  to  Nashville.  On  the  3d  of  May  ten  companies  at  Nash- 
ville were  mustered  into  the  State  service  and  became  the  First  Tennessee 
Regiment,  commanded  by  Col.  George  Maney.  About  the  same  time 
another  regiment,  which  became  the  First  Confederate  Tennessee,  was 
organized  at  Winchester,  with  Peter  Turney,  colonel.  By  the  5th  of  the 
same  month  171  companies  had  reported  themselves  ready  for  the  field 
to  the  adjutant-general.  On  the  9th  of  May  Gov.  Harris  appointed  his 
staff  as  follows:  James  W.  McHenry,  adjutant-general;  David  R.  Smith, 
quartermaster-general;  John  H.  Crozier,  inspector-general;  John  Y. 
Wright,  first  aide-de-camp;  Preston  Smith,  second  aide-de-camp; 
Gideon  J.  Pillow,  senior  major-general,  was  placed  in  command  of  the 
provisional  army  of  the  State,  with  headquarters  at  Memphis.  Samuel 
R.  Anderson,  junior  major-general,  was  assigned  to  the  command  of  the 
Department  of  Middle  Tennessee,  with  headquarters  at  Nashville,  and, 
May  14,  appointed  William  A.  Quarles  and  Granville  P.  Smith  his  aides- 
de-camp  and  W.  C.  Whitthorne,  his  assistant  adjutant-general.  On 
the  17tli  Brig. -Gen.  R.  C.  Foster,  by  order  of  Gen.  Anderson,  took 
command  of  the  forces  at  Camp  Cheatham,  Robertson  County,  and  about 
the  same  time  Brig.-Gen.  F.  K.  Zollicoffer  was  assigned  to  the  command 
of  the  militia  at  Camp  Trousdale,  Sumner  County,  and  Brig.-Gen.  W.  R. 
Caswell  to  the  command  of  the  forces  of  East  Tennessee  with  head- 
quarters at  Knoxville.  Gen.  B.  F.  Cheatham  was  assigned  to  command 
at  Union  City,  and  Gen.  John  L.  T.  Sneed  at  Randolph.  The  military 
and  financial  board  appointed  by  the  governor  under  the  army  bill 
consisted  of  Neill  S.  Brown,  William  G.  Harding  and  James  E.  Bailey. 
Gov.  Harris  was  ex-officio  a member  of  this  board.  The  members  were 
appointed  immediately  after  the  passage  of  the  army  bill,  and  soon  had 
established  in  active  working  order  all  the  military  departments  created 
by  that  instrument.  Although  no  formal  call  was  issued  by  the  gover- 
nor for  troops  until  June  21,  the  rapid  musteri  ng  of  militia  for  the  pro- 
visional army  and  the  concentration  at  important  points  and  along  the 
northern  boundary  of  the  State,  were  steadily,  yet  informally,  pursued  by 
virtue  of  the  popular  belief  that  the  State  was  in  imminent  danger  of 
invasion.  May  19  the  Nashville  Patriot  stated  that,  up  to  that  date  about 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


537 


25.000  volunteers  had  been  tendered  the  governor.  On  the  20th  of 
May  Gen.  Pillow  at  Memphis  ordered  reprisals  taken  of  Northern  prop- 
erty passing  that  city  on  the  river,  railroads  or  otherwise,  and  required 
all  vessels  and  shipments  to  be  examined  with  the  view  of  ascertaining 
the  ownership  of  cargoes,  etc.  About  May  22  Gen.  Zollicoffer  succeeded 
in  securing,  via  Chattanooga,  several  thousand  stands  of  arms  from  the 
Confederate  Government.  Two  days  later  news  was  received  at  Mem- 
phis that  15,000  Federal  troops  were  on  the  eve  of  departing  down  the 
river  from  Cairo  to  capture  and  sack  the  former  city,  which  report- 
occasioned  great  bustle  and  excitement.  By  the  25th  of  May  about 

17.000  stands  of  arms  had  been  received  by  the  State  authorities  from  the 
Confederate  Government.  Three  days  later  several  six-pound  cannons, 
which  had  been  manufactured  by  Ellis  & Moore,  Nashville,  were  tested 
and  found  serviceable.  By  the  29th  there  were  encamped  at  Knoxville 
between  twenty-five  and  thirty  companies,  and  from  them  Col.  Church- 
well’s  regiment  had  been  organized.  Eight  or  ten  companies  had  been 
rendezvoused  at  Chattanooga  and  vicinity  and  were  encamped  there 
ready  for  service.  Late  in  May  the  county  court  at  Memphis  appropri- 
ated $12  for  the  wife  and  $6  for  each  child,  per  month,  of  each  volunteer 
who  should  enter  the  Confederate  service.  At  this  time  Whitfield, 
Bradley  & Co.,  of  Clarksville,  were  making  serviceable  cannon.  At  the 
election  of  June  8 Tennessee  troops  to  the  number  of  737  polled  their 
votes  for  “separation”  at  Pensacola,  Fla. 

Early  in  June  much  had  been  done  with  the  means  at  hand,  to  place  the 
State  in  an  attitude  of  defense.  Five  or  six  batteries  were  posted  along  the 
Mississippi  Biver,  from  Memphis  to  the  Kentucky  line,  commanding  the 
leading  strategic  points,  and  consisting  of  mortars,  columbiads  and  twenty- 
four  and  thirty-two  pounders,  and  were  manned  by  a corps  of  ten  fairly 
well  organized  companies  of  Tennessee  artillery,  under  the  command  of 
Cols.  J.  P.  McCown  and  M.  A.  Haynes.  About  15,000  volunteers  were 
concentrated  at  Memphis,  Jackson  and  other  principal  points  in  West 
Tennessee,  and  were  under  the  command  of  Maj.-Gen.  Gideon  J.  Pillow, 
of  the  provisional  army.  Considerable  action  had  been  taken  to  pre- 
pare defenses  along  or  near  the  northern  boundary  of  the  State,  to  be  in 
readiness  for  any  invasion  from  the  North.  The  importance  of  construct- 
ing fortifications  along  the  Tennessee  and  the  Cumberland  Rivers,  as  well 
as  along  the  Mississippi,  had  been  seriously  considered,  and  energetic 
steps  had  been  taken  in  that  direction.  The  concentration  of  Federal 
forces  at  Cairo,  111.,  late  in  April,  had  aroused  the  apprehension  of  the 
authorities  of  the  State  and  of  the  Confederate  Government,  that  an  ad- 
vance of  the  enemy  was  contemplated  down  the  Mississippi,  and  doubt- 


538 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


lessly  up  the  Tennessee  and  the  Cumberland  Rivers.  It  was  deemed  im- 
portant to  have  the  militia  in  such  a state  of  readiness  that  it  coirld  be 
called  into  the  field  at  a moment’s  warning,  and  Gov.  Harris,  June  21, 
issued  General  Order,  No.  1,  to  that  effect.  June  3 Gen.  Anderson,  in 
command  of  the  Department  of  Middle  Tennessee,  called  for  2,000  rifle- 
men, the  companies  to  furnish  their  own  rifles,  and  for  five  companies  of 
cavalry,  all  to  furnish  their  own  double-barreled  shot-guns.  June  1 the 
Confederate  law  which  prohibited  the  exportation  of  cotton,  except 
through  Southern  ports,  came  into  operation,  and  Gen.  Pillow,  commander 
at  Memphis,  ordered  that  none  should  be  sent  North  through  Tennessee 
or  out  of  Tennessee.  Pursuant  to  the  provisions  of  the  army  bill, 
home  guards  were  organized,  and  a committee  of  safety  appointed  in  al- 
most every  county  of  the  State.  Early  in  June  the  city  authorities  of 
Memphis  had,  at  their  own  expense,  purchased  commissary,  quarter- 
master and  ordnance  stores  and  armament  for  fortifications  along  the 
Mississippi,  and  an  agent  was  appointed  by  the  Legislature  to  settle  with 
them  for  such  expense.  The  strategic  importance  of  the  location  of  Mem- 
phis was  early  recognized  by  the  authorities  of  that  city,  who  received 
great  praise  for  their  prompt  action  to  secure  control  of  the  Mississippi. 
Early  in  June  a force  of  about  8,000  Mississippians,  under  the  command 
of  Maj.-Gen.  Clark,  passed  northward  through  West  Tennessee,  to  co- 
operate with  the  latter  State  against  the  threatened  advance  southward  of 
the  Federals  from  Cairo. 

On  the  27th  of  June  the  military  bill  was  amended.  The  bonds  to 
be  issued  under  the  act  of  May  0,  were  exempted  from  taxation,  and  fur- 
ther an  ample  provision  was  made  for  the  organization,  equipment  and 
discipline  of  volunteers  and  militia.  Provision  was  made  for  the  support 
of  the  families  of  such  volunteers  as  should  become  insane  in  the  service ; 
and  all  moneys  or  property  owing  by  citizens  of  the  State  to  citizens  of 
any  non-slave-holding  State  were  declared  non-collectable  during  hostil- 
ities between  Tennessee  and  the  Federal  Government;  that  such  moneys 
could  be  paid  into  the  State  treasury  and  upon  the  cessation  of  hostilities 
should  be  refunded  with  interest.  It  was  enacted,  June  27,  that  treasury 
notes  to  the  amount  of  $3,000,000,  in  whole  or  in  part,  in  lieu  of  the 
$3,000,000  of  the  bonds  authorized  to  be  issued  under  the  act  of  May  6, 
should  be  circulated,  and  that  such  notes  should  bear  interest  not  to  ex- 
ceed 6 per  centum.  July  1,  it  was  made  lawful  for  the  banks  of  the  State 
to  receive  and  pay  out  the  treasury  notes  of  the  Confederate  Government, 
and  State  officers  were  required  to  receive  such  notes  in  payment  of 
money  due  the  State.  Banks  were  required  to  increase  their  circulation, 
to  withold  dividends  due  stockholders  in  non-slave-holding  States  while  the 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


539 


war  continued ; and  it  was  made  unlawful  to  pay  either  interest  or  principal 
of  the  bonds  of  the  State  held  by  citizens  in  non-slave-holding  States  un- 
til the  war  should  cease;  or  for  bank  officers  to  remove  the  assets  of 
stockholders  of  non-slave-holding  States  from  Tennessee.  These  provis- 
ions were  deemed  necessary  in  view  of  the  probable  future  scarcity  of  money 
to  carry  on  civil  and  military  affairs.  The  authorities  were  not  unmindful 
of  the  trials  and  tribulations  of  their  Revolutionary  fathers,  and  made  care- 
ful estimates  of  chances  to  carry  the  State  safely  through  the  storm  of  war. 
June  28  it  was  enacted  that  the  authorities  of  Giles  County  might  assess 
and  collect  a tax  for  the  manufacture  of  fire-arms,  gunpowder  and  other 
munitions  of  war.  June  28  the  inspector  of  the  State  penitentiary  was 
authorized  to  borrow  of  the  State  bank  $10,000,  to  be  used  in  the  purchase 
of  material  for  making  shoes,  hats  and  army  accoutrements.  June  29  it 
was  “resolved  by  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of  Tennessee  that  the 
governor  be  authorized  and  requested  to  place  at  the  disposal  of  the 
Confederate  States  the  volunteer  forces  of  the  State  of  Tennessee,  the 
same  to  be  mustered  into  the  service  of  said  States  subject  to  the  rules 
and  regulations  adopted  by  the  Confederate  authorities  for  the  govern- 
ment of  the  Confederate  Army ; and  that  in  making  the  arrangements 
therefore  we  shall  have  in  view  the  placing  of  the  defense  of  the  State 
under  the  immediate  control  an  ddirection  of  the  President  of  the  Con- 
federate States.” 

Within  a few  weeks  after  the  formation  of  militia  companies  had 
commenced,  the  women  of  the  State  organized  in  all  the  leading  cities  to 
secure  contributions  of  all  kinds  of  supplies  for  camp,  field  and  hospital. 
By  the  19th  of  June  the  society  at  Nashville,  comprising  231  ladies,  had 
collected  and  sent  to  camp  4,745  pieces  of  wearing  apparel,  etc.  Organ- 
izations at  Memphis  had  done  nearly  as  well.  During  the  early  months 
of  the  war  the  societies  were  often  reorganized,  and  the  result  of  their  la- 
bors was  highly  appreciated  by  the  sweltering  militia  in  the  various  hot 
and  uncomfortable  camps.  August  12  the  State  Soldier’s  Aid  Society 
was  formed  at  Nashville,  with  branches  throughout  Middle  Tennesseee. 
From  that  date  until  October  1 the  society  sent  to  the  various  camps 
over  fifty  large  boxes  of  supplies  of  all  descriptions,  and  collected  in  cash 
11,834.20.  Nashville,  Clarksville,  Franklin,  Pulaski,  Columbia,  Mur- 
freesboro, Springfield,  Harpeth  and  other  cities  donated  the  money  and 
supplies.  Mrs.  F.  G.  Porter,  of  Nashville,  was  president  of  the  State 
Society.  A flourishing  society  at  Memphis  accomplished  almost  as  much 
good  as  the  one  at  Nashville.  August  22  Gov.  Harris  issued  a procla- 
mation to  the  women  of  the  State  to  permanently  organize  for  the  cold 
weather,  which  had  the  happy  effect  of  multiplying  the  societies  in  all 


540 


HISTOBY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


directions  and  supplying  necessities  to  many  a poor  soldier  boy  during 
the  cold  winter  of  1861-62. 

On  the  6th  of  July  Gov.  Harris  issued  a proclamation  calling  for 
3,000  volunteers  to  meet  the  requisition  of  the  Confederate  Government 
on  the  State  of  Tennessee.  About  the  middle  of  July,  pursuant  to  the 
offer  of  the  Tennessee  Legislature,  the  Confederate  Government  accepted 
the  transfer  of  the  provisional  army  of  Tennessee  to  the  Confederacy, 
and  issued  directions  to  have  the  troops  received  and  mustered  in. 
About  this  time  Gens.  Gideon  J.  Pillow,  S.  R.  Anderson  and  D.  S. 
Donelson  were  commissioned  brigadier-generals  in  the  Confederate 
States  Army.  July  12  Dr.  S.  McKissack,  of  Maury  County,  bought 
$3,000  worth  of  Confederate  Government  bonds  at  par,  the  first  purchase 
made  in  the  State.  Gens.  B.  F.  Cheatham  and  F.  K.  Zollicoffer  were 
commissioned  brigadier-generals  of  the  Confederate  States  Army  about 
the  20th  of  July.  About  this  time  Gen.  S.'  R.  Anderson  succeeded  Gen. 
Caswell  in  command  of  the  Confederate  forces  in  East  Tennessee.  Col. 
Jo  Pickett  was  his  chief  of  staff.  The  following  is  the  report  of  the 
military  and  financial  board  to  Gov.  Harris,  bearing  date  July  18,  1861: 


Quartermaster-general’s  department $918,775  94 

Commissary-general’s  department 522,456  03 

Paymaster-general’s  department 399,600  00 

Medical  department 8,500  00 

Ordnance  department 362,045  91 

Contingencies 12,513  03 


Total $2,223,890  91 


July  26  Gen.  Pillow  left  Memphis  with  part  of  the  troops  designed 
for  the  contemplated  campaign  northward,  moving  to  Randolph,  thence 
to  New  Madrid,  Mo.,  where  he  was  joined  by  Gen.  Cheatham  with  a 
force  from  Union  City.  On  the  31st  of  July  Gov.  Harris  issued  a gen- 
eral order  that  the  officers  of  the  provisional  army  should  muster  their 
command  for  the  inspection  of  representative  military  men  of  the  Con- 
federacy authorized  to  effect  the  transfer  of  the  troops^  and  should  pre- 
pare revised  rolls  of  their  companies  and  regiments  to  be  handed  to  the 
Confederate  inspector,  which  acts  would  operate  as  a transfer  of  the 
State  forces  to  the  Southern  army.  By  the  7th  of  August  the  transfer 
was  completed.  This  almost  stripped  the  State  of  its  defensive  army, 
whereupon  Gov.  Harris  issued  a call  for  30,000  volunteers,  to.  serve  as  a 
“Reserve  Corps  of  Tennessee.”  On  the  1st  of  August  the  State  voted 
on  the  question  of  the  adoption  of  the  permanent  constitution  of  the 
Confederacy  and  gave  a majority  of  about  30,000  in  its  favor.  Col. 
Heiman  commanding  the  troops  at  Fort  Henry  on  the  Tennessee,  issued 
an  order  to  seize  all  property  of  the  North  passing  down  the  river.  Au- 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


541 


gust  1 Gov.  Harris  was  re-elected  over  liis  Union  competitor,  W.  H. 
Polk,  of  East  Tennessee,  by  a majority  of  about  30,000.  August  22 
Gen.  Foster,  who  had  succeeded  Gen.  Anderson  in  command  of  the  post 
at  Nashville,  ordered  that  thereafter  no  person  would  be  permitted  to 
leave  Tennessee  without  a passport.  About  this  time  there  were  several 
bloody  encounters  in  East  Tennessee  between  Federal  and  Confederate 
residents.  About  the  middle  of  September  Gen.  Foster  resigned  his 
command  at  Nashville.  At  this  time,  also,  the  Confederate  Government 
called  upon  Tennessee  for  30,000  volunteers. 

During  the  summer  and  autumn  of  1861  great  advancement  was 
made  in  mustering  regiments  for  the  field  and  in  preparing  arms,  ord- 
nance and  equipments.  By  the  17th  of  July  the  factories  at  Nashville 
were  manufacturing  100,000  percussion  caps  daily,  and  two  foundries 
at  Memphis  were  molding  strong  and  serviceable  cannons.  A little  later 
muskets  and  cannons,  shot  and  shell,  saddles  and  harness,  knapsacks,  etc., 
were  manufactured  in  considerable  quantity  at  Nashville.  There  were 
cannon  factories  at  Memphis,  Clarksville,  Murfreesboro,  Lebanon,  Pulas- 
ki, Slielbyville,  Franklin  and  elsewhere,  and  small-arm  factories  on  a 
limited  scale  were  scattered  throughout  the  State.  The  Governor’s  mes- 
sage to  the  Legislature  October  7,  1861,  summed  up  the  military  record 
of  the  State:  In  about  two  months  30,000  volunteers  had  been  placed 
on  the  field,  many  having  been  declined;  the  provisional  army  had  been 
transferred,  July  31,  to  the  Confederacy;  a total  of  thirty-eight  regiments 
of  infantry,  seven  battalions  of  cavalry  and  sixteen  artillery  companies 
had  been  raised;  all  supplies  necessary  had  been  furnished  by  the  “Mili- 
tary and  Financial  Board,”  despite  the  blockade  of  the  Southern  ports 
and  the  almost  utter  lack  of  sources  of  supplies  at  home ; factories  had 
been  so  encouraged  that  by  the  1st  of  October  250  guns  were  made  weekly 
in  the  State  and  1,300,000  percussion  caps;  and  lead  and  powder  com- 
panies, particularly  the  latter,  had  done  a creditable  part  in  preparing  the 
State  for  war.  The  Governor  submitted  the  following  report  of  military 
expenses  prior  to  October  1 : 


Quartermaster-general’s  department $1,657,706  65 

Commissary-general’s  department 627,064  87 

Paymaster-general’s  department 1,104,800  00 

Medical  department 24,761  21 

Ordnance  department  990,291  20 

Recruiting  service 723  25 

Advance  on  gun,  saltpeter  and  powder  contracts,  etc 456,826  08 

Advance  to  Gen.  Pillow  for  the  Missouri  campaign 200,000  00 

Contingent  expense  31,850  59 


$5,094,023  85 

34 


Total 


542  HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE.’ 

All  army  supplies  had  been  transferred  to  the  Confederate  Govern- 
ment, which  assumed  the  payment  of  all  Tennessee  military  obligations. 
Property  had  depreciated  to  such  an  extent  as  to  make  it  appear  neces- 
sary to  raise  the  rate  of  taxation,  which  was  accordingly  done.  In  No- 
vember strong  Union  forces  began  to  concentrate  at  Elizabethton,  near 
Bristol,  and  at  Strawberry  Plains  in  East  Tennessee,  and  several  skir- 
mishes occurred.  On  the  19th  of  November  the  Governor  issued  a procla- 
mation declaring  that  there  was  great  danger  of  an  invasion  of  the  State 
by  the  Federal  forces  and  calling  out  the  “Reserve  Corps”  for  service  in 
the  field.  This  was  in  response  to  the  request  of  Gen.  Albert  Sidney 
Johnston,  Confederate  commander  of  the  Department  of  Tennessee,  whose 
headquarters  were  at  Memphis,  and  Avhose  clear  discernment  of  strategic 
art  detected  the  coming  advance  of  the  Federals  down  the  Mississippi 
and  up  the  Tennessee  and  the  Cumberland  Rivers.  At  this  time  great 
difficulty  was  experienced  by  the  Confederate  Government  in  firrnishing 
its  troops  with  arms.  The  Governor,  though  herculean  exertions  had 
been  made,  found  it  impossible  to  arm  the  “Reserve  Corps,”  and  accord- 
ingly, November  2,  issued  an  appeal  to  the  citizens  of  the  State  to  de- 
liver to  their  county  clerks  “every  effective  double-barreled  shot-gun  and 
sporting  rifle  which  they  may  have,  to  be  immediately  shipped  to  the 
arsenal  at  Nashville,  Knoxville  or  Memphis,  where  the  same  will  be  val- 
ued by  a competent  ordnance  officer  and  the-  value  paid  to  the  owner  by 
the  Confederate  Government.  I urge  you  to  give  me  your  aid  in  the  im- 
portant work  of  arming  our  troops,  with  which  we  can  repel  the  inva- 
ders ; but  if  you  refuse  prepare  to  take  the  field,  for  I am  resolved  to  ex- 
haust all  resources  before  the  foot  of  the  invader  shall  pollute  the  soil  of 
Tennessee.”  But  although  almost  every  citizen  possessed  a fire-arm  of 
some  kind,  many  hesitated,  in  view  of  probable  personal  needs  of  defense  at 
home  within  a short  time,  to  transfer  their  guns, and  large  numbers  did  not. 

During  the  summer  and  autumn  of  1861  it  became  apparent  to  ob- 
servant Tennesseeans  that  should  the  State  be  invaded  by  the  Federal 
Army  the  advance  would  come  via  the  Mississippi,  or  the  Tennessee  and 
Cumberland  Rivers,  or  south  from  Louisville,  Ky.,  toward  Nashville,  or 
through  Cumberland  Gap  into  East  Tennessee.  To  be  in  readiness  to 
repel  these  advances  masses  of  the  provisional  army  were  concentrated 
at  Memphis,  Randolph,  Union  City  and  elsewhere  in  West  Tennessee; 
Forts.  Henry  and  Donelson  were  constructed  on  the  Tennessee  and  the 
Cumberland  Rivers  in  Stewart  County,  and  could  be  garrisoned,  if  neces- 
sary, on  short  notice  by  large  forces  of  infantry,  and  several  regiments 
were  stationed  at  or  near  Clarksville;  a few  thousand  troops  were  lo- 
cated at  Camp  Cheatham,  in  Robertson  County,  and  at  Camp  Trousdale, 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


543 


in  Sumner  County,  to  guard  the  approaches  from  Louisville  or  Cincin- 
nati to  Nashville  and  Middle  Tennessee;  and  a considerable  force  was 
concentrated  at  Knoxville  to  guard  Cumberland  Gap  or  other  routes  that 
might  pour  the  enemy  upon  East  Tennessee,  and  to  bind  that  portion  of 
the  State,  which  had  strong  Federal  following,  to  the  cause  of  the  South. 
Maj.  -Gen.  G.  J.  Pillow,  at  Memphis,  commanded  the  provisional  army 
of  the  State,  with  Maj. -Gen.  S.  R.  Anderson  second  in  command  at  Nash- 
ville. Brig. -Gen.  B.  F.  Cheatham  was  stationed  at  Union  City;  Brig.- 
Gen.  John  L.  T.  Sneed  at  Randolph;  Brig. -Gen.  R.  C.  Foster  at  Camp 
Cheatham;  Brig.-Gen.  Felix  K.  Zollicoffer  and  later,  senior  Col.  John 
C.  Brown,  at  Camp  Trousdale,  and  Brig.-Gen.  W.  R.  Caswell  and  later, 
Gen.  S.  R.  Anderson  at  Knoxville.  Later,  Gen.  Zollicoffer  assumed  com- 
mand at  Knoxville  and  Gen.  Foster  at  Nashville. 

The  State  seceded  June  8,  1861,  and  as  soon  as  the  returns  estab- 
lished the  fact  of  secession  beyond  doubt,  Gov.  Harris,  although  he  did 
not  formally  transfer  the  army  to  the  Confederacy  until  July  31,  no 
longer  hesitated  to  place  the  forces  of  the  State  under  the  command  of 
officers  appointed  by  the  Confederate  Government.  July  13,  under 
appointment  of  President  Davis,  Maj. -Gen.  Leonidas  Polk  took  com- 
mand of  the  forces  along  the  Mississippi,  with  headquarters  at  Mem- 
phis. About  the  same  time  Gideon  J.  Pillow,  Samuel  R.  Anderson  and 
Daniel  S.  Donelson,  and  a few  days  later  B.  F.  Cheatham  and  F.  K.  Zol- 
licolfer,  were  commissioned  brigadier -generals  of  the  Confederate  Army. 
Gens.  Pillow  and  Cheatham  were  assigned  to  commands  in  West  Tennes- 
see, Gen.  Zollicoffer  in  East  Tennessee,  and  Gen.  Anderson  was  trans- 
ferred to  the  field  in  Virginia.  On  July  26  Gen.  Pillow,  under  orders  from 
Gen.  Polk,  moved  north  from  Memphis  to  Randolph  with  a considerable 
force,  and  a few  days  later  advanced  to  New  Madrid  and  was  joined  by 
Gen.  Cheatham  from  Union  City  with  additional  troops.  About  Septem- 
ber  1 it  was  communicated  to  Gen  Polk  that  Gen.  Grant,  with  a large 
body  of  troops  at  Cairo,  intended  an  advance  upon  Columbus  and  other 
points ; whereupon,  September  7,  he  moved  a large  force,  soon  afterward 
increased  to  nearly'  10,000  men,  and  occupied  that  city  and  vicinity.  This 
movement  met  with  a prompt  demand  from  Gov.  Magoffin,  of  Kentucky, 
for  the  immediate  removal  of  the  Tennessee  troops,  to  which  Gen.  Polk 
responded  agreeing  to  do  so  provided  the  same  requirement  was  placet! 
upon  the  Federal  troops  which,  under  Gen.  Smith  September  6,  had  oc- 
cupied Paducah  and  advanced  under  Gens.  Grant,  Sherman,  McCook, 
Thomas  and  others  far  into  Kentucky.  This  reply  of  Gen.  Polk  met  the 
approval  of  the  Confederate  Congress,  and  was  sustained  by  Gen.  Albert 
Sidney  Johnston,  who,  upon  the  earnest  request  of  Gen.  Polk,  was  ap- 


544 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


pointed,  September  10,  to  succeed  him  in  command  of  Department  No.  2. 
The  demand  to  withdraw  was  also  made  upon  Gen.  Zollicoffer,  who,  Sep- 
tember 10,  had  advanced  five  or  sis  regiments  across  the  line  to  Cumber- 
land Ford,  in  Kentucky,  or  on  the  way,  and  who,  with  Gen.  Polk,  had  pro- 
tested against  compliance  until  the  Federal  forces,  advancing  across  Ken- 
tucky, should  likewise  be  withdrawn.  The  South  respected  the  declared 
neutrality  of  Kentucky  until  bodies  of  Federal  troops  were  permitted  to 
concentrate  within  her  borders  with  the  manifest  intention  of  invading 
Tennessee  and  the  territory  farther  south;  but  when  it  became  certain 
that  such  neutrality  was  working  serious  injury  to  the  cause  of  the  South, 
the  State  having  been  occupied  from  east  to  west  by  rapidly  accumulat- 
ing Federal  forces,  the  demands  of  Gov.  Magoffin  were  rightly  dis- 
regarded, and  the  Confederate  troops  were  not  withdrawn.  Soon  the  ru- 
mors of  war  became  so  alarming  that  all  consideration  of  the  neutrality 
question  was  voluntarily  abandoned.  On  September  18,  Gen.  S.  B.  Buck- 
ner with  4,500  troops  took  possession  of  Bowling  Green,  Ivy.,  and  im- 
mediately sent  forward  a force  of  500  to  occupy  Munfordville.  On  Oc- 
tober 11  Maj.-Gen.  William  J.  Hardee  assumed  command  of  the  force  at 
Bowling  Green,  which,  by  October  19,  had  been  increased  to  9,956  men. 
Brig. -Gen.  Lloyd  Tilghman  was  placed  in  command  of  a small  force  at 
Hopkinsville,  Ky. 

The  army  of  Gen.  Zollicoffer,  comprising  from  four  to  six  regiments, 
(two  from  Tennessee,  but  varying  greatly  from  time  to  time),  encoun- 
tered during  its  advance  into  Kentucky  in  September  small  bands  of 
Federals,  with  whom  light  skirmishing  was  held  with  some  loss.  On 
the  21st  of  October,  at  Rockcastle  Hills,  Ky.,  350  Federal  troops  were 
found  strongly  intrenched  in  an  almost  inaccessible  position.  Two 
Tennessee  regiments,  under  Cols.  Newman  and  Cummings,  were  ordered 
to  assault,  which  they  did  with  great  gallantry;  but  the  enemy  having 
been  re-enforced  by  250  men  and  soon  afterward  by  four  more  companies, 
the  Confederate  troops  were  repulsed  with  a loss  of  11  killed  and  42 
wounded,  after  having  inflicted  upon  the  enemy  a loss  of  4 killed,  18 
wounded  and  21  captured.  An  attack  by  night  upon  the  Federal  posi- 
tion was  repulsed,  owing  to  heavy  re-enforcements  which,  without  the 
knowledge  of  the  Confederates,  had  joined  the  enemy.  Gen.  Zollicoffer 
slowly  fell  back  before  the  superior  force  before  him  to  Camp  Buckner, 
at  Cumberland  Ford.  He  finally  moved  back  and  established  his  head- 
quarters at  Jacksborough,  taking  care  to  blockade  the  mountain  roads 
approaching  Knoxville  or  East  Tennessee,  and  to  post  at  Cumberland 
Gap,  under  Col.  Churchwell,  a force  sufficient  to  hold  it  against  great 
opposition.  He  also  placed  sufficient  troops  at  Knoxville,  under  Col.  W. 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


545 


B.  Wood,  to  repel  any  probable  movement  upon  that  city  by  the  Union- 
ists of  East  Tennessee  or  by  an  invasion  from  abroad.  For  some  time 
after  this  the  perilous  position  of  Gen.  Zollicoffer  was  well  understood  by 
Gen.  Johnston  and  the  Confederate  Government.  Advancing  steadily 
upon  East  Tennessee  from  Louisville,  under  the  immediate  command  of 
Gen.  Thomas,  were  twice  or  thrice  as  many  troops,  better  armed  and 
equipped  than  Gen.  Zollicoffer  commanded  \ and  northeast  of  Knoxville, 
in  East  Tennessee,  concentrating  at  several  important  strategic  points 
were  from  2,000  to  5,000  resident  Unionists,  thoroughly  familiar  with 
the  country,  Avell  armed  and  resolute.  Accordingly,  great  efforts  were 
made  to  materially  increase  the  size  of  this  army  and  to  furnish  it  with 
effective  arms. 

On  the  25th  of  October  Col.  R.  D.  Allison,  with  about  half  of  the 
Twenty-fourth  Tennessee  Regiment  and  a squadron  of  cavalry,  moved 
out  of  Cave  City,  Ky.,  and  routed  a few  hundred  of  the  enemy  twenty- 
five  miles  distant.  Considerable  skirmishing  occurred  about  this  time 
north  of  Bowling  Green,  Ky.  Many  valuable  railroad  bridges  were 
burned  in  East  Tennessee.  Late  in  October  great  anxiety  was  felt  at 
Clarksville,  Nashville  and  other  points  along  the  Cumberland,  that,  inas- 
much as  only  the  incomplete  Fort  Donelson,  near  Dover,  was  prepared 
to  oppose  the  advance  of  the  enemy  by  water,  Federal  gun-boats  could 
move  up  the  river  with  impunity  and  reduce  all  the  cities  within  reach 
of  their  guns.  November  4 Gen.  Johnston  ordered  Gen.  Polk  at  Colum- 
bus to  detach  5,000  troops  from  that  point  under  Gen.  Pillow,  with  orders 
to  move  at  once  to  Clarksville.  Ere  long  Fort  Donelson  was  strongly 
equipped  with  suitable  ordnance.  November  3 Gen.  Johnston  requested 
Gov.  Harris  to  so  far  annul  his  call  for  30,000  twelve-months’  men, 
except  such  as  were  efficiently  armed,  as  to  have  all  troops  in  camp  with- 
out arms  and  who  would  not  volunteer  for  three  years  or  during  the  war;, 
disbanded  and  sent  home,  to  which  Gov.  Harris  protested,  owing  to  the 
demoralizing  effect  such  an  order  would  have  upon  volunteering.  Gen. 
Johnston  accordingly  reconsidered  the  matter  and  modified  his  request 
by  granting  fifteen  days  to  complete  the  arming  of  the  volunteers,  but 
soon  afterward  revoked  this  and  the  former  order.  About  9 o’clock  on 
the  morning  of  the  7th  of  November  a small  force  under  Col.  Tappan, 
which  had  been  stationed  across  the  river  from  Columbus,  Ky.,  by  Gen, 
Polk  to  check  the  inroad  of  Federal  cavalry,  was  attacked  at  Belmont, 
Mo.,  by  3,114  men  under  Gen.  Grant;  but  being  re-enforced  by  three 
regiments  under  Gen.  Pillow,  checked  the  rapid  advance  of  the  enemy 
somewhat  and  gradually  fell  back,  fighting  gallantly  and  desperately 
. against  superior  numbers  until  re-enforced  by  three  more  regiments  under 


540 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Gen.  Cheatham,  when,  after  a furious  contest,  the  enemy  was  forced 
hack  but  recovered,  and  was  forced  back  again  and  routed,  barely  escap- 
ing capture  by  a flank  movement  of  two  other  regiments  under  the  im- 
mediate command  of  Gen.  Polk.*  The  Confederate  troops  actually 
engaged  were  about  equal  numerically  to  those  of  the  Federals,  but  were 
divided  by  the  river.  Large  quantities  of  field  supplies,  cast  aside  and 
abandoned  by  the  flying  enemy,  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  victors.  The 
battle  was  characterized  by  hot  and  desperate  charges  and  counter- 
charges on  both  sides.  The  enemy  escaped  to  his  boats.  Beltzhoover’s 
battery,  fought  over,  lost  and  recaptured,  was  used  with  splendid  effect. 

On  the  6th  of  November  Gen.  Polk  tendered  his  resignation,  which 
President  Davis  refused  to  accept,  giving  reasons  sufficient  to  induce 
Gen.  Polk  to  remain  in  the  service.  November  16  his  army  num- 
bered 13,866.  About  the  middle  of  November  Col.  Forrest,  with  six 
companies  of  cavalry,  was  ordered  forward  to  Hopkinsville,  Ky.  At 
tzhis  time  Gen.  Tilgliman  was  transferred  to  the  command  of  Forts  Hen- 
ry and  Donelson.  So  imminent  became  the  danger  of  an  invasion  of  Ten- 
nessee at  this  period  that  Gen.  Pillow  made  urgent  appeals  for  reenforce- 
ments, and  Gen.  Johnston  requested  Gov.  Harris  to  place  in  the  field 
every  member  of  the  militia  that  could  be  armed,  and  the  Confederate 
Secretary  of  War  authorized  Gen.  Johnston  to  call  out  every  armed  man 
he  could  get  from  Mississippi,  northern  Alabama  and  Kentucky.  Late 
in  November  Gen.  Zollicoffer  with  his  army  moved  into  Kentucky  again, 
and  established  himself  at  Mill  Springs  and  Beech  Grove.  About  the 
middle  of  December  Maj.  Gen.  G.  B.  Crittenden  assumed  command  of 
the  eastern  district,  with  headquarters  at  Knoxville. 

The  following  is  the  consolidated  report  of  the  armies  of  Gens.  Hardee 
and  Zollicoffer,  officially  prepared  December  31,  1861. f 


Pre 

Infantry. 

sent  for  Duty. 
Cavalry. 

A rtillery . 

Aggregate 

Present. 

Aggregate  Pres- 
ent and  Absent. 

Officers. 

a 

Oi 

n 

<v 

o 

& 

O 

Men. 

| Officers. 

Men. 

Hardee’s  Division 

412 

5537 

52 

544 

19 

395 

6959 

11429 

Buckner’s  Division 

407 

5972 

53 

655 

37 

688 

7812 

11761 

203 

3493 

3696 

4806 

145 

1017 

38 

495 

2295 

3550 

53 

1164 

1217 

1636 

17 

257 

274 

615 

Zollicoffer’s  Division 

238 

4515 

70 

1095 

10 

226 

6154 

8451 

Totals 

1475 

22555 

213 

2789 

66 

1309 

28407 

42248 

*Warof  the  Rebellion;  Official  Records  of  the  Union  and  Confederate  Armies.  Reports  of  Gens.  Polk 
and  Grant. 

tOn  the  7th  of  January,  1862,  Gen.  Leonidas  Polk’s  report  showed  8G9  officers  and  11,161  men  present 
for  duty;  aggregate  present,  12,030;  aggregate  present  and  absent,  18,675.  fSixty  days’  Volunteers. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


547 


On  the  evening  of  January  18,  1862,  Gen.  Crittenden  with  about  4,000 
effective  troops  was  at  Beech  Grove,  Ky.,  on  the  Cumberland  River,  oppo- 
site Mill  Springs.  Having  held  a council  of  war  with  Gens.  Zollicoffer  and 
Carroll  and  his  regimental  commanders,  whereby  it  appeared  that  two 
large  Union  forces,  one  at  Somerset,  and  the  other  at  or  near  Webb’s 
Cross  Roads,  under  Gen.  G.  H.  Thomas,  were  intending  to  unite  and  to- 
gether attack  the  Confederate  forces,  and  whereby  it  appeared  that,  owing 
to  heavy  rains,  Fishing  Creek  dividing  the  two  forces  could  not  be 
crossed  in  less  than  two  days,  the  council  therefore  determined  without 
dissent  to  attack  Gen.  Thomas  early  the  next  morning  and,  if  possible, 
annihilate  him,  and  then  fall  upon  the  other  Federal  force  approaching 
from  Somerset  and  also  effect  its  ruin.  Accordingly  about  midnight 
the  forward  movement  was  commenced.  After  a rapid  march  of  nine 
miles  the  enemy  was  encountered  in  force  about  7 o’clock  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  19th  and  the  battle  sharply  commenced.  Gen.  Zollicoffer  fell 
dead  upon  the  field  quite  early  in  the  action.  The  gallant  Confederates, 
poorly  armed  and  handled,  though  fighting  stubbornly  and  holding  their 
ground  for  several  hours,  were  finally  driven  back  by  superior  numbers 
and  severely  defeated,  the  defeat  ending  in  much  of  a rout.  Their  loss 
was  125  killed,  309  wounded  and  99  missing.  They  retreated 
to  Gainesborough  and  then  to  Camp  Fogg,  in  Tennessee.  The  Seven- 
teenth, Nineteenth,  Twentieth,  Twenty-fifth,  Twenty-eighth,  and  Twenty- 
ninth  Tennessee  Regiments  participated  in  this  engagement.  About 
noon  on  the  6th  of  February,  1862,  Fort  Henry  on  the  Tennessee,  with 
an  armament  of  sixteen  guns  and  a garrison  of  2,985  men,*  commanded 
by  Gen.  Lloyd  Tilghman,  was  invested  by  seven  Federal  gun-boats 
carrying  fifty-five  guns  and  an  overwhelming  force  of  infantry,  all  under 
Gen.  Grant,  and  in  a few  hours  was  surrendered.  The  Confederate  forces 
escaped  to  Fort  Donelson,  except  about  eighty  who  were  surrendered 
with  Gen.  Tilghman  and  the  fort.  It  was  clearly  evident  at  this  time 
that  the  enemy  was  advancing  all  along  the  line  east  and  west  across 
Kentucky  with  far  superior  forces,  and  as  soon  as  Fort  Henry  fell,  Gen. 
Johnston,  at  Bowling  Green,  perceived  that  should  Fort  Donelson  also 
fall,  his  position  would  become  at  once  untenable,  and  the  Confederate 
line  would  have  to  be  established  somewhere  south  of  Nashville,  as  the 
Federal  gun-boats  would  have  no  difficulty  in  capturing  Clarksville,  Nash- 
ville and  other  points  along  the  rivers  Cumberland  and  Tennessee.  As 
it  seemed  evident,  owing  to  the  superior  forces  of  the  Federals,  that  Fort 
Donelson  would  fall  sooner  or  later,  Gen.  Hardee,  with  his  forces  at 
Bowling  Green,  was  ordered  to  move  south  to  Nashville  and  cross  the 


*0fficial  Eeport  of  Col.  A.  Heiman. 


548 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


river.  At  this  time  there  was  intense  excitement  at  Clarksville  and 
Nashville.  The  enemy  had  entered  the  State  and  Tennessee  was  sure  to 
become  a battle-ground.  The  Tennessee  regiments  at  Fort  Henry  were 
the  Tenth,  Forty-eighth  and  Fifty-first,  and  Gantt’s  battalion  of  cav- 
alry and  several  small  miscellaneous  commands,  including  the  batteries. 

As  soon  as  possible  after  the  fall  of  Fort  Henry,  re-enforcements  were 
hurried  to  Fort  Donelson.  Late  on  the  12th  of  February  a large  infan- 
try force  of  Federals,  assisted  by  six  gun-boats,  appeared  before  the  fort 
and  the  next  morning  began  a combined  attack.  Be-enforcements  arrived 
under  Gen.  Floyd  all  infantry  attacks  of  the  13tli  were  handsomely  re- 
pulsed. The  gun-boats  effected  no  serious  damage  upon  the  fort.  It 
turned  cold,  and  intense  suffering  resulted  to  the  wearied  troops.  On 
the  afternoon  of  the  14th  the  gun-boats  were  defeated,  several  disabled 
and  all  driven  away  without  injury  to  the  fort.  Sharp  skirmishes 
occurred  between  the  infantry,  and  heavy  re-enforcements  of  the  enemy 
were  extended,  having  in  view  the  complete  investment  of  the  fort. 
Early  on  the  15tli  Gen.  Pillow,  in  force,  on  the  left,  attacked  the  enemy’s 
right  with  great  fury,  driving  it  slowly  from  the  field.  A sharp  at- 
tack on  the  right  was  re-enforced  by  Gen.  B.  11.  Johnson,  and  gen- 
erally the  whole  Federal  line  was  driven  back  after  stubborn  resist- 
ance, but  rallied  upon  being  heavily  re-enforced,  and  with  artillery  re- 
newed the  attack.  The  Confederates  took  the  defensive  and  fell  back  to 
their  lines.  Heavy  masses  of  the  Federals  threw  themselves  upon 
the  right  flank,  encountering  desperate  resistance,  and  finally  effected  a 
lodgment  which  could  not  be  moved.  Night  closed  the  bloody  day.  A 
council  of  Gens.  Pillow,  Floyd,  Buckner,  Johnson,  et  al,  decided  to  sur- 
render early  the  next  morning.  The  command  was  transferred  to  Gen. 
Buckner,  who  surrendered  the  next  morning  nearly  15,000  troops,  Gens. 
Pillow  and  Floyd  and  their  escort,  and  Gen.  Forrest  and  his  cavalry  es- 
caping. This  was  a serious  loss  to  the  Confederacy  and  an  unnecessary 
one.  The  result  was  a total  abandonment  of  the  Confederate  line  and  the 
establishment  of  an  irregular  new  one,  extending  from  Columbus,  Ky., 
south  through  West  Tennessee  to  northern  Mississippi;  thence  to  north- 
ern Alabama,  and  thence  to  northeast  Tennessee.  Nashville  was  aban- 
doned by  the  troops,  the  Governor  and  many  others  retreating  south  with 
the  army  of  Gen.  Johnston.  Clarksville  and  Nashville  were  in  a fever  of 
fear  and  excitement.  The  large  Federal  Army  moved  forward  and  suc- 
cessively took  possession  of  those  two  cities  and  others  farther  south  in 
Middle  Tennessee,  and  the  Federal  line  was  correspondingly  advanced 
throughout  the  State.  At  Murfreesboro  Gen.  Johnston,  with  about  11,- 
000  men,  was  joined  by  Gen.  Crittenden,  and  the  fugitives  from  Donel- 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


549 


son  and  other  miscellaneous  forces,  and  an  army  of  about  17,000  men 
was  formed  capable  of  offering  battle.  Gen.  Floyd,  with  2,500  troops, 
was  sent  to  Chattanooga.  Columbus,  Iiy.,  was  evacuated  March  4,  that 
army  moving  south  to  Jackson.  Gen.  Johnston  moved  to  Decatur,  Ala., 
thence  to  Corinth,  Miss.,  where,  after  great  exertion,  and  with  the  assist- 
ance of  Gen.  Beauregard,  he  succeeded  in  organizing  a strong  army  of 
about  50,000  men.  The  Confederate  line  at  this  time  extended  from 
New  Madrid,  Mo.,  to  Island  No.  10;  thence  to  Humboldt,  Tenn. ; thence 
to  Corinth,  Miss. ; thence  along  the  Memphis  & Charleston  Railroad  to 
East  Tennessee. 

On  the  19tli  of  February  Commodore  A.  H.  Foote,  of  the  United 
States  Navy,  reached  Clarksville  with  the  gun-boats  Conestoga  and  Cairo 
meeting  with  no  resistance  from  the  small  forts  in  that  vicinity,  and, 
after  issuing  a proclamation,  at  the  instance  of  Hon.  Cave  Johnson, 
Judge  Wisdom,  the  mayor  and  others,  announcing  his  intention  to  re- 
spect the  private  rights  of  all  citizens  peacefully  disposed  who  should 
not  parade  their  hostile  sentiments,  and  to  take  possession  of  all  military 
supplies  and  stores,  none  of  which  must  be  destroyed,  took  military  posses- 
sion of  the  city.  Gen.  Grant  arrived  on  the  21st.  On  the  19th  Gov.  Har- 
ris issued  a proclamation  calling  out  the  entire  effective  military  force  of' 
the  State.  He  had  left  Nashville  accompanied  by  the  other  State  officers  to 
save  the  public  archives  and  property,  and  to  establish  a temporary  capi- 
tal within  the  Confederate  lines.  He  moved  to  Memphis,  but  soon  after- 
ward personally  took  the  field.  On  the  20th,  at  Memphis,  having  con- 
vened the  Legislature,  he  gave  in  his  message  his  reasons  for  the  tempo- 
rary removal  of  the  seat  of  government,  the  archives  and  the  State  prop- 
erty from  Nashville.  The  defeat  of  Crittenden  at  Fishing  Creek  had 


to  prevent  the  army  of  Gen.  Buell  from  moving  upon  the  capital.  The 
fall  of  Fort  Henry  opened  the  Tennessee  up  to  Alabama  to  the  enemy, 
and  the  fall  of  Fort  Donelson  left  Nashville  an  easy  prey  for  the  large 
army  of  Gen.  Grant,  which  was  sure  to  move  upon  it  within  a few  days, 
Gen.  Johnston,  with  the  small  force  left  him,  being  utterly  unable  to  hold 
the  place.  He  announced  that  since  the  act  of  May  6,  1861,  he  had 
raised,  organized  and  put  into  the  field  fifty-nine  regiments  of  infantry, 
one  regiment  of  cavalry,  eleven  cavalry  battalions,  and  over  twenty  inde- 
pendent companies,  mostly  artillery.  Of  these  the  Confederate  Govern- 
mant  had  armed  only  about  15,000.  The  Governor  advised  the  passage 
of  a bill  raising,  arming  and  equipping  a provisional  army  of  volun- 
teers. On  the  24th  of  February  Gen.  Buell  and  his  advance,  Mitchell’s 
division,  arrived  at  Edgefield,  and  in  the  evening  were  waited  upon  by* 


550 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


the  mayor  and  city  authorities  of  Nashville,  to  whom  assurance  of  per- 
sonal safety  and  uninterrupted  business  relations  were  given.  On  the 
morning  of  February  25  seven  gun-boats,  bearing  a considerable  force  of 
Federal  troops  under  Brig. -Gen.  Nelson,  reached  Nashville,  landed  with- 
out opposition  and  took  possession  of  the  city.  News  of  the  surrender 
of  Fort  Donelson  had  reached  Nashville  Sunday  morning,  February  17, 
when  the  citizens  were  anticipating  reports  of  a great  victory.  Scores 
immediately  started  for  the  south ; the  bridges  across  the  Cumberland 
were  destroyed,  the  military  stores  were  thrown  open  to  the  populace, 
and  panic  and  chaos  for  a time  reigned.  A similar  state  of  affairs  had 
transpired  at  Clarksville.  Time  quieted  the  apprehensions  of  the  citi- 
zens, though  the  Federal  troops  saw  few  smiling  faces.  On  the  5th  of 
March  Gen.  G.  T.  Beauregard  assumed  command  of  the  Army  of  the 
Mississippi,  with  headquarters  at  Jackson,  Tenn.  February  24  Gen.  J. 
K.  Jackson  was  placed  in  command  of  the  forces  at  Chattanooga.  About 
this  time,  or  soon  afterward,  Gen.  E.  Iv.  Smith  was  assigned  to  the  com- 
mand of  the  Confederate  forces  of  East  Tennessee,  with  headquarters  at 
Knoxville. 

After  the  fall  of  Donelson  and  the  evacuation  of  Middle  Tennessee, 
the  Confederate  Army  concentrated  along  the  railroad  from  Iuka  to 
Corinth  and  from  Corinth  to  Bethel,  and  hurriedly  organized,  being  re- 
enforced by  two  divisions  from  Gen.  Polk’s  command  at  Columbus,  and 
later  by  the  remainder  of  the  corps,  and  an  entire  corps  from  Alabama 
and  Mississippi  under  Gen.  Bragg.  Thus  re-enforced  and  equipped 
under  Gens.  Johnston  and  Beauregard,  two  of  the  ablest  generals  of  the 
war,  this  magnificent  army  of  heroes  (about  60,000  strong)  prepared  to 
take  the  offensive.  The  army  of  Gen.  Grant  had  concentrated  at  Pitts- 
burgh Landing  on  the  Tennessee,  and  Buell  from  Nashville  was  hasten- 
ing to  re-enforce  him.  Gen.  Johnston  determined,  if  possible,  to  crush 
Grant  before  the  arrival  of  Buell.  The  advance  began  on  the  3d  of 
April,  but,  owing  to  severe  rainstorms,  the  heavy  roads  and  the  inexperi- 
ence of  the  troops  in  marching,  did  not  reach  the  enemy,  as  was  hoped 
and  expected,  on  the  morning  of  the  5th,  and  not  until  late  in  the  after- 
noon. It  was  then  determined  to  wait  until  the  following  (Sunday) 
morning  to  begin  the  attack.  The  army  was  divided  into  four  corps: 
The  first  under  Gen.  Polk  on  the  left ; the  second  under  Gen.  Bragg  in  the 
center;  the  third,  under  Gen.  Hardee  on  the  right;  and  the  reserve  corps, 
under  Gen.  J.  C.  Breckinridge — a total  of  about  40,000  effective  troops.* 
The  attack  began  at  daylight  on  the  morning  of  the  6tli,  with  all  the  fury 
of  that  fine  army,  burning  Avith  a desire  to  retrieve  the  losses  of  Henry 


*Gen.  Johnston  telegraphed  President  Davis  that  the  army  consisted  of  about  40,000  effective  men. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


551 


and  Donelson.  The  enemy  was  completely  surprised  as  regards  a gen- 
eral attack,  and  this  fact,  combined  with  the  furious  impetuosity  of  the 
onset  under  skillful  and  competent  leaders,  awarded  success  to  the  Con- 
federate arms  in  every  part  of  the  field.  The  enemy,  though  surprised, 
rallied,  and  with  some  exceptions  fought  with  wonderful  stubbornness ; 
but  the  Confederate  dash,  intrepidity  and  rapid  and  adroit  maneuvers  on 
the  field  were  irresistible.  Large  numbers  of  the  enemy  fled  panic 
stricken  back  to  the  river.  After  ten  hours  of  desperate  fighting  every 
encampment  of  the  enemy  was  in  possession  of  the  Confederate  forces. 
But  one  position  had  been  held,  that  at  the  “Hornet’s  Nest”  by  Gen. 
Prentiss,  and  that  had  been  surrounded,  and  the  entire  division  with  its 
■commander  captured.  It  was  a splendid  victory,  corresponding  with  the 
genius  of  the  General  who  conceived  and  inspired  it ; but  in  the  moment 
of  victory,  late  in  the  afternoon,  this  illustrious  soldier  was  severely 
wounded,  from  the  effects  of  which  he  soon  died.  His  great  worth  was 
fully  appreciated  and  his  loss  bitterly  lamented  by  the  entire  South. 
The  battle  raged  on  until  night  closed  the  bloody  scene.  The  victory 
was  emphatic,  but  it  remained  for  short,  sharp  work  on  the  morrow  to 
seal  it  with  certainty.  No  sooner  had  the  death  of  Gen.  Johnston,  which 
•occurred  about  the  middle  of  the  afternoon,  been  announced  to  the  strug- 
gling troops,  than  involuntarily  a dispiriting  check  was  thrown  upon  the 
entire  army.  Gen.  Beauregard  who  immediately  assumed  command,  was 
known  to  have  not  only  opposed  the  attack  from  the  start,  but  to  have 
counseled  withdrawal  late  on  the  night  of  the  5th.  This  fact  produced 
the  impression  that  the  new  commander  would  alter  the  tactics  of  the 
advance,  if  he  did  not  absolutely  order  it  checked,  and  accordingly,  in 
doubt  as  to  what  was  to  be  done,  the  victorious  army  throughout  its  entire 
length  experienced  a severe  paralytic  stroke,  and  hesitated  for  about  an 
hour,  until  orders  came  from  Gen.  Beauregard  to  continue  the  attack. 
But  the  impression  of  the  doubtful  designs  of  the  commander  still  pre- 
vailed, and  served  to  unnerve  the  onset,  and  accordingly  the  headlong 
attack  which  had  characterized  the  Confederate  advance  during  the  day 
and  was  designed  to  assure  the  victorious  results  within  reach,  was  per- 
mitted to  languish  until  too  late  to  be  remedied.  The  demoralized  Fed- 
erals  were  allowed  to  retire  unmolested  and  to  form  a new  line,  while  the 
exhausted  Confederates  also  fell  somewhat  back,  and  spent  the  night  in 
the  abandoned  camps  of  the  enemy.  During  the  night  the  enemy  was 
heavily  re-enforced,  and  on  the  following  morning,  instead  of  meeting  the 
demoralized  army  of  Gen.  Grant,  the  weary,  but  elated  Confederates  en- 
countered the  fresh  and  powerful  troops  of  Gen.  Buell,  and  although 
desperate  efforts  were  made  to  complete  the  victory,  it  was  found  impos- 


552 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


sible  before  superior  numbers  of  fresh  troops,  and  the  army  slowly  fell 
back  and  finally  moved  to  Corinth.  The  entire  loss  of  the  Confederate 
Army  in  this  engagement,  was  1,728  killed,  8,012  wounded,  and  959 
missing.*  The  loss  of  the  enemy  was  1,700  killed,  7,495  wounded,  and 
3,022  captured,  f The  effective  force  of  the  Confederates  was  nearly 
40,000  men.|  while  that  of  the  Federals,  not  counting  the  army  of  Gen. 
Buell,  probably  slightly  exceeded  that  number. 

About  the  middle  of  March,  1862,  Andrew  Johnson,  who  had  been 
appointed  military  governor  of  Tennessee  by  President  Lincoln,  reached 
Nashville  and  issued  an  address  to  the  people  of  the  State,  and  took 
charge  of  the  State  property.  From  this  date  forward  there  was  a con- 
stant conflict  between  the  two  governments  of  Govs.  Harris  and  Johnson. 
Harris  did  everything  possible  for  the  cause  of  the  South,  and  Johnson 
everything  possible  for  the  cause  of  the  North.  Despite  the  presence  of 
troops  in  all  portions  of  the  State  of  either  the  Federal  or  Confederate 
Governments,  recruiting  continued  for  both  armies.  Skirmishes  oc- 
curred almost  daily  in  some  portion  of  the  State  between  citizens,  organ- 
ized or  unorganized,  or  between  small  squads  of  either  army  stationed  to 
guard  railroads,  supplies  or  important  points.  The  citizens,  Confeder- 
ate or  Federal,  were  forced  through  three  long,  dreary  and  memora- 
ble years  to  realize  the  horrors  of  the  uninterrupted  presence  of  an 
armed  and  powerful  force  of  soldiery,  who  often  took  advantage  of  their 
power  to  riot  and  rob,  and  to  menace  and  maltreat  inoffensive  non-com- 
batants endeavoring  to  make  a living  by  the  arts  of  peace.  Under  the 
conscript  law  twelve-months’  organizations  were  perpetuated.  This 
worked  great  hardship  upon  many  volunteers  and  kindled  no  little  dis- 
content, which  time  alone  quenched. 

On  the  14th  of  March,  1862,  nearly  two  companies  of  the  First  East 
Tennessee  (Confederate)  Cavalry,  stationed  at  Jacksborough,  were  sur- 
prised through  the  treachery  of  Union  residents  and  captured  by  a regi- 
ment of  Federal  troops,  which  had  rapidly  crossed  the  Cumberland 
Mountains.  On  the  19th  of  June,  after  a spirited  and  stubborn  resistance 
against  numerous  attacks  through  several  weeks,  Col.  J.  E.  Rains  was 
forced  to  evacuate  Cumberland  Gap.  January  21,  1862,  his  force  at  the 
Gap  consisted  of  seventy-four  officers  and  1,523  men  present  and  fit  for 
duty.  On  the  11th  of  April  Huntsville,  Ala.,  was  captured  by  Gen.  0. 
M.  Mitchell,  wdio  moved  there  from  Murfreesboro,  via  Shelbyville  and 
Fayetteville,  under  the  order  of  Gen.  Buell,  with  about  5,000  men.  This 

^Official  report  of  Gen.  Beauregard,  April  11,  1862. 

fOfficial  report  of  the  War  Department. 

JThe  official  report  prepared  under  Gen.  Beauregard’s  orders,  April  21,  showed  a total  effective  ! 
strength  of  35,953  infantry  and  artillery  and  4,382  cavalry  or  a total  of  40,335.  The  official  report  of  this  battle 
prepared  by  Gen.  Bragg  in  .Tuuc,  showed  an  effective  strength  of  33,270  infantry,  1,857  artillery,  and  1,884 
cavalry;  total,  37,011.  Another  account  shows  38,773  effective  troops. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


553 


movement,  menacing  Chattanooga,  the  rear  of  the  army  at  Corinth  and 
the  heart  of  the  Confederacy,  found  only  two  regiments  at  Chattanooga ; 
and  orders  were  issued  by  Gen.  Beauregard  upon  Pemberton’s  command 
for  six  regiments  to  move  to  that  point  at  once.  The  enemy  seized  Stev- 
enson, Decatur  and  Bridgeport,  and  menaced  the  right  Hank  of  John- 
ston’s army  at  Corinth.  At  this  time  Brig-Gen.  Danville  Leadbetter 
commanded  the  forces  in  and  around  Chattanooga. 

During  the  month  of  May  the  Confederate  Army  quietly  held  its 
position  at  Corinth  until  a general  attack  seemed  imminent,  when  it 
silently  evacuated  the  place.  Several  sharp  conflicts  occurred  during 
the  siege.  Owing  to  the  unliealthf ulness  of  the  locality,  the  impurity  of 
the  water  and  the  bad  food  and  inaction,  an  army  which  had  been  in- 
creased to  a total  effective  strength  of  112,092  was  reduced  to  52,706 
upon  its  arrival  at  Tupelo,  to  which  point  it  retreated.  The  Army  of  the 
West,  under  Gen.  Earl  Van  Dorn,  with  a total  effective  strength  of  17,- 
000,  had  been  added  to  the  Army  of  the  Mississippi.  So  great  was  the 
reduction  in  effective  strength  that  a court  of  inquiry  was  appointed  by 
the  Confederate  Government  to  investigate  and  report  upon  the  conduct 
of  the  quarter-master’s  department  of  the  army,  but  that  department 
was  exonerated  from  all  blame.  Late  in  June,  1862,  Gen.  Braxton  Bragg 
succeeded  Gen.  Beauregard  in  command  of  the  army.  Island  No.  10,  on 
the  Mississippi,  fell  April  7-8.  On  the  4th  of  June,  Port  Pillow  on  the 
Mississippi,  twelve  miles  above  Randolph,  was  evacuated,  and  Randolph 
fell  soon  afterward.  Memphis  also,  after  a sharp  resistance,  was  compelled 
to  surrender  to  the  enemy  on  the  6th.  To  the  demand  to  surrender,  Mayor 
John  Park  responded,  “In  reply  I have  only  to  say  that  as  the  civil 
authorities  have  no  means  of  defense,  by  the  force  of  circumstances  the 
city  is  in  your  hands.”  The  Confederate  loss  here  was  82  killed  and 
wounded,  75  prisoners,  and  4 gun-boats  sunk.  The  fall  of  the  city 
was  a most  serious  loss  to  the  South,  as  it  opened  the  wray  to  Vicks- 
burg. Jackson  was  occupied  by  the  enemy  June  7.  Strong  movements 
were  made  against  Chattanooga  by  Mitchell’s  army.  July  13  Murfrees- 
boro was  recaptured  from  the  enemy  by  Gen.  Forrest.  He  captured  800 
prisoners. 

On  the  12th  of  May  a Union  convention  was  held  at  Nashville,  wPen 
action  was  perfected  to  extend  the  civil  authority  of  the  Federal  Govern- 
ment over  the  State.  Tazewell  in  East  Tennessee  was  taken  by  the 
enemy  after  a sharp  battle  on  the  5th  and  6th  of  August.  Soon  after 
this,  about  August  19,  Clarksville  was  recaptured  by  Col.  Woodward,  of 
! the  Confederate  Army,  but  in  September  again  fell  into  the  enemy’s 
hands.  Numerous  small  engagements  occurred  throughout  the  State, 


554 


HISTOllY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


with  varying  successes.  Much  of  the  State  was  reoccupied  by  Confed- 
erate forces,  which  were  recruited  within  the  Federal  lines  and  which 
preyed  upon  the  garrisons  left  to  hold  the  leading  localities.  Forrest 
became  famous  as  a daring  and  remarkably  successful  cavalry  com- 
mander and  raider.  He  destroyed  enormous  amounts  of  Federal  stores, 
captured  thousands  of  the  enemy,  and  constantly  recruited  for  the  Con- 
federate Army  and  particularly  his  own  command.  Guerrillas  without 
any  constituted  authority  preyed  upon  Federal  or  Confederate  stores,,  and 
in  many  instances  committed  acts  not  justified  even  by  the  bloody  code 
of  war.  This  rendered  residence  in  the  State  humiliating  and  danger- 
ous,  particularly  to  women  without  protectors. 

After  a short  time  spent  at  Tupelo  in  resting,’  recruiting  and  refitting 
Gen.  Bragg  moved  with  his  fine  army  to  Chattanooga,  outmarching  Goo. 
Buell,  who  had  apparently  started  for  the  same  point.  Buell  returned, 
with  his  army  to  Nashville,  and  Grant  assumed  command  of  the  Federal 
forces  around  Corinth.  Bragg  now  determined  to  take  the  offensive  and 
invade  Kentucky,  expecting  by  this  strategy  to  either  force  Buell  out  of 
Tennessee  or  to  capture  Louisville  and  possibly  invade  Indiana  and 
Ohio.  He  also  hoped  to  arouse  a large  following  in  Kentucky,  and  in- 
tended to  collect  enormous  quantities  of  supplies.  He  left  Chattanooga 
August  28,  and  marched  northward  via  Pikeville  and  Sparta.  A few 
days  before  he  began  this  movement  Gen.  Kirby  Smith,  aware  of  his  in- 
tentions, advanced  northward  also,  via  Jacksborough,  through  Big  Creek 
Gap,  living  mainly  on  green  corn,  and  halted  near  Richmond  for  the  ar- 
rival of  Bragg.  His  movement  flanked  the  Federal  force  at  Cumberland 
Gap,  which  beat  a precipitate  retreat  to  the  Ohio  River.  At  London 
his  cavalry  killed  and  wounded  30  and  captured  111  of  the  Federal  s. 
At  Richmond  the  Federal  troops  under  Gen.  Manson,  nearly  equal  to  hia 
own,  moved  forward  and  attacked  him,  but  were  routed  and  several 
thousand  of  them  captured.  He  moved  on  to  Cynthiana.  At  Munford- 
ville,  with  trifling  loss,  Bragg  captured  several  thousand  prisoners.  He 
reached  Bardstown  September  23.  As  soon  as  Buell  saw  the  designs  of 
Bragg  he  marched  rapidly  north  to  protect  Louisville,  and  arrrived  there 
ahead  of  the  latter.  Bragg,  finding  he  could  not  induce  Kentucky  to 
join  the  Confederacy,  although  he  had  gone  through  the  ceremony  of  in- 
stalling Richard  Hawes  provisional  governor,  turned  to  retrace  his  steps, 
meeting  with  no  obstacle  for  some  time  to  prevent  his  collecting  enor- 
mous quantities  of  supplies.  At  Harrodsburg  he  formed  a junction  with 
Kirby  Smith.  Finally  Buell,  under  pressure  of  the  War  Department, 
and  with  an  army  twice  as  strong,  moved  out  to  attack  him.  At  Perry- 
ville,  October  8,  the  two  armies  collided.  About  15,000  of  Bragg’s  army 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


555' 


fought  McCook’s  division  of  nearly  twice  as  many  and  routed  them  from 
the  field,  capturing  several  thousand  prisoners.  He  then  retreated  slowly, 
passing  Cumberland  Gap,  marching  to  Knoxville,  and  thence  moving  by 
rail  to  Tullahoma  and  marching  up  to  Murfreesboro.  Buell  was  super- 
seded by  Maj.  Gen.  W.  S.  Bosecrans,  who  concentrated  his  army  at  Nash- 
ville. Both  armies  were  reorganized,  the  Confederate  taking  the  name 
“ Army  of  the  Tennessee,”  wBicli  it  retained  during  the  remainder  of  the 
war.  Bragg’s  army  was  weakened  by  the  removal  of  Stevenson’s  divis- 
ion to  Mississippi. 

December  26  Bosecrans  moved  out  to  offer  battle,  and  arrived  be- 
fore Murfreesboro  late  on  the  30th.  Bragg  determined  to  anticipate 
the  attack,  and  at  daylight  on  the  31st  threw  a heavy  force  upon  the 
Federal  right  flank.  So  furious  was  the  onset  that,  although  the  enemy 
fought  with  great  stubbornness,  the  entire  flank  was  swept  around  upon 
the  right  center.  Bosecrans  had  determined  to  adopt  the  same  tactics,  and 
accordingly  early  in  the  morning  massed  a heavy  force  on  the  Confeder- 
ate right,  but  was  too  late..  Before  he  could  accomplish  anything  in  that 
portion  of  the  field,  his  right  was  routed  and  his  entire  army  was  in  dan- 
ger of  destruction.  The  victorious  Confederates  were  checked  late  in 
the  afternoon.  During  the  night  the  Federals  formed  and  perfected  a 
new  line,  and  the  Confederates  strengthened  their  advanced  position. 
The  next  day  some  skirmishing  occurred,  and  a threatening  movement 
was  made  upon  the  Confederate  right  and  rear,  but  as  a whole  the  two 
armies  remained  idle  and  watchful.  On  the  2d  of  January  Bragg  at- 
tacked the  Federal  force  that  had  been  thrown  across  the  river  and  in- 
trenched in  a strong  position,  but  after  desperate  fighting  was  repulsed, 
and  the  next  day  retreated  to  Shelbyville  and  Tullahoma.  On  the  first 
day  of  the  battle  Hardee  commanded  the  divisions  of  McCown  and  Cle- 
burne on  the  left;  Polk,  those  of  Cheatham  and  Withers  in  the  center, 
and  Breckinridge  the  force  on  the  right.  Wheeler’s  and  Wharton’s 
cavalries,  respectively,  were  on  the  right  and  the  left  flanks.  On  the 
Federal  right  was  McCook,  in  the  center  Thomas,  and  on  the  left  Crit- 
tenden. Accounts  and  returns  differ,  but  each  army  had  about  45,000 
effective  troops,  the  Federals  toward  the  last  being  re-enforced.  Bragg’s 
total  loss  was  10,125;  Bosecrans’  11,598.  The  former  lost  three  pieces 
of  artillery,  the  latter  twenty-eight.* 

On  the  30th  of  December,  1862,  Wheeler’s  cavalry,  in  a daring  raid, 
captured  LaVergne,  Bock  Springs  and  Nolensville.  About  two  weeks 
before  that  Forrest  had  cut  loose  from  Bragg,  crossed  the  Tennessee 
Kiver  at  Clifton,  captured  Trenton,  Humboldt,  Union  City  and  other 


^hese  figures  were  carefully  prepared  from  official  reports. 


55G 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


places,  with  large  quantities  of  supplies  and  hundreds  of  prisoners,  and 
rejoined  Bragg  without  serious  loss.  March  5,  1863,  Gen.  Van  Dorn 
captured  2,000  Federals  under  Col.  John  Coburn  at  Spring  Hill.  In 
April  Col.  Streiglit,  Federal  cavalry  leader,  invaded  Georgia,  did  con- 
siderable damage,  but  was  pursued  and  captured  by  Gen.  Forrest.  In 
June  Gen.  John  Morgan  started  North  and  invaded  Indiana  and  Ohio, 
but  was  finally  captured  and  his  command  dispersed.  Bragg  passed  the 
winter  at  Slielbyville,  Tullahoma  and  vicinity,  while  Rosecrans  remained 
at  Murfreesboro.  June  24,  1863,  Rosecrans  began  an  advance  and 
endeavored  to  flank  Bragg’s  right,  but  the  latter  being  largely  out- 
numbered, retreated  slowly  and  finally  crossed  the  mountains  to  Chat- 
tanooga. About  the  middle  of  August  the  Federal  Army  began  to  cross 
the  mountains  to  confront  Bragg. 

In  the  meantime  Vicksburg  had  fallen  and  Gettysburg  had  driven 
the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  south  of  the  Potomac.  Gen.  Bragg, 
seeing  that  if  he  remained  at  Chattanooga  his  communications  would  he 
cut  by  flank  movements  of  the  large  and  rapidly  increasing  army  before 
him,  moved  southward  toward  Lafayette,  preparing  to  threaten  the  right 
flank  of  the  enemy,  or  his  rear  via  northern  Alabama,  or  to  fall  upon 
him  as  he  advanced  southward  from  Chattanooga  in  detachments  through 
the  mountain  passes  and  whip  him  in  detail.  The  advance  in  detach- 
ments was  really  made,  and  had  the  re-enforcements  expected  arrived  for 
Bragg,  the  division  of  McCook  far  out  toward  Alpine  would  have  been 
crushed  before  Rosecrans  perceived  his  danger.  As  it  was  the  latter 
became  alarmed  and  corrected  his  mistake  before  Bragg  felt  able  to  take 
advantage  of  it.  Both  armies  had  been  heavily  re-enforced  and  the 
anxious  gaze  of  both  nations  was  riveted  upon  them.  A portion  of 
Longstreet’s  corps  from  Virginia  under  Hood,  and  a considerable  force 
from  Johnston’s  army  in  the  Mississippi  had  formed  a junction  with 
Bragg.  The  enemy  concentrated  somewhat  near  Crawfish  Spring,  near 
where,  September  18,  a few  preliminary  skirmishes  occurred.  McCook 
occupied  the  right  of  the  enemy,  Thomas  the  left,  and  Crittenden  the 
center.  Polk  was  on  the  Confederate  right,  Hood  on  the  left  and  Hill  in 
the  center.  The  battle  of  Chickamauga  began  early  on  the  morning  of 
the  19th  and  raged  furiously  all  day  without  decisive  result.  The  fol- 
lowing night  brought  Longstreet  with  the  remainder  of  his  corps. 
Bragg’s  aim  had  been  to  break  and  rout  the  Federal  left,  then  crush  the 
center  and  seize  the  Chattanooga  road.  Upon  the  arrival  of  Longstreet, 
Bragg  summoned  his  generals  in  council.  He  divided  the  army  into  two 
commands — Longstreet  with  six  divisions  on  the  left  and  Polk  with  five 
divisions  on  the  right.  The  latter  was  ordered  to  attack  with  all  his 


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HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


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power  at  daylight,  but  it  was  nearly  9 o’clock  before  his  troops  were 
in  motion.  Had  he  complied  with  the  order  there  is  little  doubt  that 
Thomas  would  have  been  crushed  before  the  arrival  of  Negley’s  division. 
As  it  was  Thomas  was  the  “Rock  of  Chickamauga”  which  the  Confed- 
erate hosts  failed  to  overturn.  Thus  do  trifles  serve  to  turn  enormous 
tides. 

The  battle  began  about  9 o’clock  and  was  continued  with  furious 
intensity  for  many  hours,  the  Confederate  cause  on  the  whole  advancing, 
until  finally  a gap  was  opened  by  a misunderstanding  of  orders,  it  was 
claimed,  in  the  enemy’s  right  center*  through  which  the  vigilant  Long- 
street  threw  Hood’s  and  other  divisions  like  an  avalanche.  This  move- 
ment *was  decisive,  the  -whole  right  wing  and  part  of  the  center  of  the 
enemy  crumbling  in  pieces  and  rolling  back  in  confusion  toward  Chatta- 
nooga, bearing  their  commanders,  including  Rosecrans,  with  them. 
Thomas  on  the  left  was  re-enforced  on  a very  strong  ridge,  and  held  his 
position  until  night,  despite  the  utmost  efforts  of  the  Confederates  to 
crush  him,  and  thus  saved  the  Federal  Army  from  destruction.  At  night 
he  withdrew  toward  Chattanooga,  and  left  the  field  to  the  victorious  Con- 
federates. The  battle  was  over.  The  losses  were  about  equal  (over 
15,000)  to  each  army. 

Rosecrans  remained  at  Chattanooga  where  he  was  besieged  for  sev- 
eral weeks  succeeding  the  battle  of  Chickamauga.  He  was  superseded 
in  command  by  Gen.  Grant  October  19.  Early  in  October  Wheeler  and 
Wharton  entered  the  Federal  lines  with  their  cavalry  forces,  and  in  the 
Sequatchie  Valley  destroyed  about  800  wagons  of  supplies  designed  for 
the  starving  army  of  the  Federals.  They  did  extensive  damage,  and 
finally  rejoined  Bragg  via  northern  Alabama.  October  27  Gen.  Hooker 
managed  to  open  the  Federal  line  of  supplies,  which  virtually  raised  the 
siege.  Longstreet  had  been  detached  to  move  against  Burnside  at  Knox- 
ville. Bragg  occupied  Missionary  Ridge  Avith  a weakened  army  too 
much  extended,  and  Grant,  in  Chattanooga,  received  re-enforcements  and 
supplies.  On  the  23d  of  November  Grant  advanced  and  drove  back  the 
Confederate  advance  lines  and  occupied  and  intrenched  the  ground.  The 
next  day  Lookout  Mountain  was  taken,  and  on  the  25th  the  whole  Fed- 
eral Army  in  oveiuvlielming  force  swept  up  to  the  top  of  the  ridge,  driv- 
ing the  Confederate  lines,  after  sharp  work,  from  the  field. 

Gen.  Joseph  E.  Johnston  succeeded  Bragg  in  command  of  the  army, 

*This  order,  written  by  an  aid  of  Gen.  Rosecrans  at  the  latter’s  direction,  read  as  follows:  “ The  general 
commanding  directs  that  you  close  up  on  Reynolds  as  fast  as  possible,  and  support  him.”  As  will  be  perceived, 
“closing  up”  and  “supporting”  are  two  widely  different  acts,  and  hence  the  order  was  contradictory.  The 
officer  to  whom  it  was  addressed,  Gen.  Wood,  had  been  a short  time  before  sharply  reprimanded  for  neglect  by 
Gen.  Rosecrans,  and  now  concluded  to  construe  the  order  in  the  latter  sense  of  “supporting”  only,  and  accord- 
ingly withdrew  his  division,  leaving  a wide  gap  in  the  line  of  battle,  which  the  vigilant  eye  of  Longstreet  at  once 
detected  with  the  results  as  above  described. 


35 


558 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


the  latter  relinquishing  at  his  own  request.  The  winter  of  1863-64  was 
jiassed  in  and  around  Dalton  in  receiving  instruction  and  discipline.* 
Late  in  February,  to  co-operate  with  a general  movement  of  Federal  troops 
in  the  west,  Thomas  attacked  the  Confederates  at  Dalton,  in  the  absence 
of  Hardee’s  corps,  but  was  repulsed.  Gen.  W.  T.  Sherman  took  com- 
mand of  the  Federals  in  March,  and  Gen.  Grant  was  transferred  to  the 
chief  command  at  Washington.  About  the  middle  of  March,  1863,  Gen. 
Forrest  entered  AVest  Tennessee  from  Mississippi,  captured  Jackson, 
Union  City,  Hickman,  Ky.,  Paducah  and  other  places  with  large  quanti- 
ties of  supplies  and  numerous  prisoners;  and  April  18  captured  Fort 
Pillow  with  557  Federal  troops,  of  whom  262  were  colored.  Later  he 
dashed  into  Memphis  but  was  compelled  to  leave  almost  immediately; 
and  also  defeated  and  routed  the  Federals  in  Arkansas. 

About  the  middle  of  August,  1863,  Gen.  Burnside,  with  a force  of 
nearly  20,000  men  at  Richmond,  Ky.,  moved  southward  to  cross  the  Cum- 
berland Mountains  and  take  possession  of  East  Tennessee.  Knoxville 
was  reached  September  3 ; about  the  same  time  Gen.  Buckner,  unable  to 
resist,  withdrew  all  the  available  force  there  to  re-enforce  Bragg.  Gen. 
Frazier,  who  occupied  Cumberland  Gap,  was  forced  to  surrender  2,000 
men  on  the  9th,  Gen.  Burnside  then  scattered  his  command  to  guard  and 
protect  East  Tennessee.  Gen.  Sam  Jones  did  excellent  work  against 
several  of  the  small  commands,  cutting  them  in  pieces  and  capturing 
prisoners  and  supplies.  Suddenly,  without  warning,  October  20,  Gen. 
Longstreet  moved  up  from  Chattanooga.  At  Philadelphia,  below  Loudon, 
he  fell  upon  a force  of  Federals  2,000  strong  under  Col.  Wolford  and 
routed  them,  capturing  many  prisoners.  Moving  onward  Burnside  in 
force  was  encountered  November  6,  near  Campbell’s  Station,  where  a 
sharp  battle  was  fought.  The  enemy  was  forced  back,  but  rallied  until 
night  when  he  retreated  to  his  intrenchments  at  Knoxville.  Both  com- 
mands were  handled  with  conspicuous  ability.  November  17  Longstreet 
invested  the  city.  Sharp  fighting  occurred,  and  at  last  having  been 
joined  by  Gen.  Sam  Jones,  Longstreet  November  28  and  29  assaulted  but 
was  repulsed.  December  5 the  siege  was  raised,  as  heavy  re-enforcements 
for  Burnside  approached  from  Chattanooga. 

In  December,  1863,  Wheeler’s  cavalry  had  a sharp  engagement  with 
the  enemy  at  Charlestown,  East  Tennessee,  over  a wagon  train.  About 
the  same  time  John  Morgan  and  Martin  Armstrong  had  a sharp  battle 
with  Gen.  S.  D.  Sturgis  at  Mossy  Creek,  near  New  Market.  Gen.  ATmce, 
who  entered  East  Tennessee  in  January,  1864,  after  doing  considerable 

*As  a detaUed  account  of  the  Georgia  campaign  would  carry  the  military  history  beyond  the  limits  as- 
signed it  in  this  volume,  only  an  outline  will  be  given  of  the  movements  in  which  the  Army  of  Tennessee 
participated. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


559 


damage,  was  defeated  and  captured  by  tlie  Federals.  In  January  and 
February,  1864,  Morgan  and  Sturgis  fought  several  sharp  battles  at  Som- 
ersville,  Dandridge,  Strawberry  Plains  and  elsewhere. 

About  the  first  of  June,  John  Morgan  stalled  to  invade  Kentucky. 
He  was  routed  near  Cynthiana  by  Gen.  Bur  bridge,  and  made  his 
way  into  West  Virginia,  where  he  collected  a small  force  and  returned 
to  East  Tennessee,  captured  Greeneville,  but  was  killed  and  liis  force  dis- 
persed in  September  by  Gen.  Gillem.  In  October  Vaughn’  and  Palmer’s 
forces  were  defeated  at  Morristown  by  Gen.  Gillem;  but  in  November 
the  latter  was  routed  by  Breckinridge.  In  September  Forrest  invaded 
Middle  Tennessee  and  gave  the  Federals  much  annoyance.  In  Decem- 
ber the  Federal  forces  under  Stoneman,  Burbridge,  Gillem  and  others 
were  united,  and  the  Confederates  in  East  Tennessee  under  Breckinridge, 
Vaughn  and  others  were  overpowered  and  dispersed. 

In  the  spring  of  1864  an  offensive  campaign  was  proposed  for  Gen. 
Johnston,  to  move  suddenly  into  East  Tennessee,  cross  the  river  at 
Kingston,  where  a junction  would  be  formed  with  Longstreet,  ordered 
there  for  that  purpose,  and  thus  with  an  army  of  about  75,000  men  ta 
threaten  Sherman’s  rear  and  prevent  him  from  invading  the  South,  as 
well  as  to  threaten  Tennessee  and  Kentucky.  But  this  was  not  to  be. 
Early  in  May,  1864,  the  Federal  Army  under  Sherman  began  its  ad- 
vance on  Dalton,  and  successively,  by  flank  movements,  forced  Johnston 
who  had  not  been  re-enforced  as  was  designed  should  he  undertake  an 
offensive  campaign,  to  retreat.  Many  have  thought  that  this  campaign 
from  Dalton  to  Atlanta  was  not  surpassed  by  any  other  of  the  war  in 
brilliant  and  masterly  movements,  in  furious  and  generally  judicious 
battles,  and  in  the  splendid  condition  of  both  armies.  From  beginning 
to  end  it  was  a campaign  of  strategy.  The  overwhelming  force  of  the 
Federal  commander  enabled  him  to  face  the  Confederate  Army  with  man? 
more  than  its  own  number  and  to  flank  it  with  a large  additional  force. 
Vigilant  as  a tiger,  Johnston  watched  the  adroit  coils  of  his  wily  adver- 
saryexpanding and  skillfully  withdrew,  inflicting  upon  him  all  the  injury 
possible.  At  Rocky  Face  Ridge,  Mill  Creek  Gap,  Resaca,  Cassville,  New 
Hope  Church,  Dallas,  Lost  Mountain,  Pine  Mountain,  Kenesaw  Moun- 
tain, Nose  Creek,  Powder  Spring,  Peach  Tree  Creek  (where  Johnston  was 
superseded  by  Gen.  J.  B.  Hood),  Cobb’s  Mills,  around  Atlanta,  a cam- 
paign of  about  four  months  almost  a continuous  battle  was  fought  and  not 
once  was  the  Confederate  Army  driven  from  its  chosen  position  by  the 
assaults  of  the  enemy.  At  Lick  Skillet  road  and  Jonesboro  sharp  bat- 
tles were  fought. 

Atlanta  was  evacuated  by  the  army  of  Hood  September  1.  He 


560 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


moved  to  Lovejoy’s  Station;  thence  on  the  18th  at  right  angles  to  near 
Palmetto;  thence  on  the  29th,  across  the  Chattahoocliie  at  Pumpkin 
Town,  threatening  Sherman’s  rear,  which  forced  the  latter  out  of  Atlanta. 
Hood  continued  to  move  north,  expecting  to  he  followed  by  Sherman, 
reached  Dalton,  thence  marched  to  Lafayette,  thence  westward  reaching 
Tuscumbia  October  31.  Sherman  followed  a short  distance  from  Atlanta 
then  detached  Schofield  and  Stanley’s  corps  to  assist  Thomas  at  Nashville 
and  then  returned  to  “march  to  the  sea.”  Hood  was  delayed  at  Tuscum- 
bia, but  on  the  21st  of  November  started  north  into  Tennessee.  The  Fed- 
eral general,  Schofield,  marched  rapidly  from  Pulaski  where  he  had  been 
stationed  by  Thomas,  to  reach  Columbia  before  Hood,  and  succeeded, 
throwing  up  heavy  intrencliments  which  were  too  strong  to  assault.  He 
was  flanked,  however,  and  forced  back  toward  Franklin  where  he  con- 
structed heavy  intrencliments  in  a very  strong  position.  Hood  advanced 
with  A.  P.  Stewart  on  the  right,  Cheatham  on  the  left,  and  S.  D.  Lee  in 
reserve  behind,  ivhile  Forrest’s  cavalry  protected  the  flanks.  So  furious 
was  the  charge  of  the  Confederates,  and  in  such  masses,  that  the  first 
line  and  hill  with  eight  guns  were  captured  and  the  standard  of  the  South 
was  planted  upon  the  enemy’s  works.  But  this  was  as  far  as  the  Confed- 
erate host  could  go.  Charge  after  charge  of  the  flower  of  the  army  was 
repulsed  with  fearful  slaughter.  The  foemen  intermingled  throughout 
the  whole  line,  which  writhed  and  twisted  like  huge  anacondas  locked  in 
the  struggle  of  death.  The  attack  began  at  4 o’clock  P.  M.  of  the  30th, 
and  continued  with  unabated  fury  until  9 o’clock,  when  it  gradually  sub- 
sided and  finally  ceased.  Pat  Cleburne,  “the  Stonewall  Jackson  of  the 
West,”  the  idol  of  his  troops,  lay  dead  upon  the  field  within  a few  feet  of 
the  enemy’s  works.  Stralil  and  Adams  and  Gist  an  d Granbury  lay  stretched 
beside  him,  and  Brown  and  Quarles  and  Carter  and  Cockrill  and  Mani- 
gault  and  Scott,  all  general  officers,  took  with  them  from  the  bloody  field 
severe  and  honorable  scars.  This  battle  is  especially  painful  to  contem- 
plate by  Tennesseeans,  owing  to  the  fearful  slaughter  of  the  troops  of  the 
State  (many  of  whom  lived  at  Franklin  and  neighboring  cities)  and  to 
the  barren  fruits  of  the  result. 

The  night  after  the  battle  Schofield  retreated  to  Nashville  and  united 
with  Thomas,  and  on  December  1,  1864,  was  promptly  followed  by  Hood 
with  his  shattered,  though  gallant  army,  who  on  the  2d  formed  a line  of 
battle  and  prepared  to  invest  the  place  held  by  more  than  twice  as  many 
troops  as  he  possessed.  On  the  15th  the  enemy  moved  out  in  overwhelm- 
ing numbers  and  attacked  his  whole  line,  making  special  efforts  to  turn 
his  left,  which  was  not  accomplished  until  night,  and  then  only  in  part. 
A new  line  was  formed  and  the  next  day  a heavy  attack  on  the  whole  line 


HISTORY  OE  TENNESSEE. 


561 


was  repulsed ; but  the  artillery  and  infantry  were  concentrated  on  a weak 
point,  a breach  was  made  and  soon  the  whole  Confederate  Army  was 
thrown  back  in  more  or  less  of  a rout,  which  was  easily  corrected.  Y\  ith 
sad  hearts  the  heroic  remnant  of  the  grand  old  Army  of  Tennessee 
continued  its  retreat  southward  to  join  the  army  of  Johnston  in  the  Caro- 
linas  for  the  final  struggle.  None  who  participated  in  it  will  ever  forget 
the  suffering  and  anguish  of  that  weary  march.  The  cause  for  which 
they  had  fought  through  nearly  four  long  years  of  sorrow  and  war  was 
trembling  and  fallings  but  barefooted,  ragged  and  pinched  with  the 
severest  physical  suffering,  the  gallant  boys  turned  their  faces  from  their 
desolate  homes  and  with  their  tattered  banners  marched  down  to  the 
Carolinas  to  die,  if  need  be,  “ in  the  last  ditch.”  A few  more  engage- 
ments, Bentonville  and  elsewhere,  and  all  was  over,  and  in  April,  1865, 
having  surrendered,  they  returned  to  their  homes  to  repair  the  ravages 
of  war,  to  reconstruct  their  social  system  and  to  take  their  places  once 
more  as  useful  citizens  under  the  Federal  Government. 

Besides  the  regularly  organized  regiments  and  battalions  of  infantry, 
cavalry  and  artillery,  Tennessee  furnished  for  the  independent  Confed- 
erate service  a large  number  of  companies,  which  did  effective  work 
within  the  Federal  lines  during  the  last  three  years  of  the  war.  Fie- 
cruits  were  constantly  enlisted  or  conscripted  for  the  older  regiments,  as 
the  war  progressed,  notwithstanding  the  presence  of  Federal  troops  posted 
to  prevent  such  procedure.  It  is  safe  to  say  that  the  State  furnished 
for  the  Confederate  service  nearly  if  not  quite  100,000  men.  Its  credits 
considerably  exceeded  that  figure,  as  each  man  was  counted  as  often  as 
he  enlisted,  which  was,  in  some  cases,  three  or  four  times.  The  provis- 
ional army  of  the  State  was  mustered  in  for  one  year,  at  the  end  of 
which  period  great  efforts  were  made  to  secure  a re-enlistment  for  three 
years  or  during  the  war.  This  in  the  main  was  successful.  No  better 
soldiers  than  the  Tennesseeans  were  found  in  either  army.  For  gal- 
lantry, devotion  to  principle  believed  to  be  just,  courage,  hardihood  and 
intelligence,  they  challenge  and  receive  the  admiration  of  their  quondam 
foes.  They  have  accepted  in  good  faith  the  settlement  of  the  questions 
of  slavery,  state  sovereignty,  secession,  etc.,  and  are  now  part  of  the  warp 
and  woof  of  the  cloth  of  gold  of  the  American  Union. 

REGIMENTAL  SKETCHES. 

The  First  Confederate  (Tennessee)  Begiment,  probably  the  first 
raised  in  the  State,  was  organized  at  Winchester  April  27,  1861,  and  Avas 
raised  in  the  counties  of  Franklin,  Lincoln,  Coffee  and  Grundy.  Upon 
the  organization  Peter  Turney  Avas  elected  colonel.  The  regiment  Avas 


5G2 


HISTOEY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


ordered  to  Virginia,  where,  at  Lynchburg,  May  7,  it  was  mustered  into 
the  service  of  the  Confederate  Government.  It  saw  active  service  from 
the  start,  and  participated  in  the  earlier  engagements  of  the  war  in  that 
department.  About  the  middle  of  February,  1862,  it  was  attached  to 
Anderson’s  brigade,  the  other  regiments  being  the  Seventh  and  Four- 
teenth Tennessee.  This  was  known  as  the  “Tennessee  Brigade.” 
This  regiment  served  in  nearly  all  the  battles  of  the  Army  of  Northern 
Virginia:  Cheat  Mountain,  Winchester,  Manassas  (under  Gen.  Joe 

Johnston,  near  Yorktown),  Seven  Pines  (the  first  real  battle,  losing  heav- 
ily, including  its  brigade  commander,  Gen.  Hatton,  who  was  succeeded 
by  Gen.  Archer),  Mechanicsville,  Gains’  Mills,  Frazier’s  Farm,  Culpep- 
per Court  House,  Second  Bull  Run,  Centerville,  Fredericksburg  (where 
Col.  Turney  commanded  the  brigade  and  was  severely  wounded),  Clian- 
eellorsville,  Gettysburg  (again  losing  heavily  and  displaying  great  gal- 
lantry in  the  famous  charge  on  Cemetery  Hill),  Falling  Water,  Bristoe 
Station,  Wilderness,  Spottsylvania,  Cold  Harbor,  Petersburg  and  many 
others,  losing  in  the  aggregate  two-thirds  of  those  engaged.  It  was  sur- 
rendered at  Appomattox  in  April,  1865.  Col.  Turney  had  been  wounded, 
and  was  in  Florida  at  the  time  of  the  surrender.  This  was  one  of  the 
best  regiments  from  the  State. 

The  First  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  raised  in  Middle 
Tennessee,  in  April,  1801,  immediately  after  the  fall  of  Sumter,  and  was 
organized  with  George  Maney  as  colonel,  and  was,  July  10,  transferred 
to  Virginia,  where,  with  the  Seventh  and  Fourteenth  Regiments,  it  was 
brigaded  under  Gen.  Anderson.  The  trip  to  Mingo  Flats  was  the  first 
hardship,  and  near  Cheat  Pass  the  regiment  was  first  under  fire.  It  par- 
ticipated in  the  movement  at  Big  Sewell  Mountain,  and  prepared  winter 
quarters  at  Huntersville,  but  December  8 moved  to  Winchester,  and 
early  in  January,  1862,  amid  intense  suffering  and  cold,  moved  to  Rom- 
ney; thence  back  to  Winchester  early  in  February.  After  the  fall  of 
Fort  Donelson,  the  First  was  ordered  to  the  command  of  Gen.  A.  S.  John- 
ston. Part  was  left  at  Knoxville,  and  part  joined  Johnston.  The  latter, 
the  left  wing,  participated  in  the  battle  of  Shiloh  on  the  second  day,  but 
the  right  wing  had  been  detained  for  want  of  transportation.  After  Shi- 
loh the  wings  were  reunited  and  late  in  April  the  First  was  reorganized, 
H.  R.  Field  becoming  colonel,  vice  Maney  promoted.  Hawkins’  battalion 
was  added  to  the  regiment  as  Company  L.  The  First  was  in  Maney’s 
brigade  of  Cheatham’s  division.  July  11,  1862,  it  left  Tupelo,  and  via 
Chattanooga  moved  into  Kentucky,  reaching  Harrodsburg  October  6. 
It  fought  on  the  extreme  right  at  Perryville,  doing  gallant  service  and 
losing  over  one-half  its  men  killed  and.  wounded.  It  captured  four 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


563 


twelve- pound  guns  and  had  fifty  men  killed.  It  retreated  south  Avith 
Bragg,  and  in  December  Avas  consolidated  with  the  Twenty-seventh  Ten- 
nessee, and  later  Avas  engaged  in  the  battle  of  Murfreesboro,  where  it  lost 
heavily.  It  moved  south,  and  in  September  participated  in  the  battle  of 
Chickamauga  with  conspicuous  daring.  Late  in  November  it  Avas  en- 
gaged in  the  battle  of  Missionary  Ridge,  and  then  retreated  with  the 
Confederate  Army.  From  Dalton  to  Atlanta  the  regiment  was  constantly 
engaged  in  all  the  memorable  movements  of  that  campaign,  fighting 
desperately  at  “ Dead  Angle.”  In  front  of  the  First  were  found  385 
Federal  dead.  The  First  lost  twenty-seven  killed  and  wounded.  It 
fought  on  the  20th  and  2 2d  of  July,  and  at  Jonesboro  August  19  and  20. 
It  moved  north  Avith  Hood,  fighting  at  Spring  Hill,  Franklin  and  Nash- 
ville, and  then  retreated,  moving  to  North  Carolina,  where  it  participated 
at  Bentonville,  and  finally  surrendered  April  26,  1865. 

The  Second  Confederate  (Tennessee)  Regiment  was  organized  May  5, 
1861,  with  William  B.  Bate,  colonel,  and  was  mustered  into  the  Con- 
federate service  at  Lynchburg,  Ya.,  early  in  May,  1861.  It  was  raised 
in  Middle  Tennessee.  It  occupied  various  positions  until  June  1,  when, 
at  Acquia  Creek,  it  supported  Confederate  batteries  in  an  engagement 
with  Federal  war  ships.  It  made  a forced  march  to  assist  Beauregard  at 
Manassas,  and  on  the  21st  was  marched  seven  miles  at  a double-quick,  a 
portion  of  the  time  under  a heavy  artillery  fire.  It  occupied  Evanspoit 
and  erected  batteries,  etc.,  until  February,  1862,  when  it  re-enlisted  for 
three  years  and  took  a furlough  of  sixty  days.  It  joined  the  Confeder- 
ate forces  at  Huntsville,  Ala.,  late  in  March,  1862;  thence  moAred  to  Cor- 
inth, and  April  6 and  7 was  hotly  engaged  at  Shiloh  in  the  brigade  of 
Gen.  P.  R.  Cleburne,  where  it  lost  in  killed  and  wounded  the  appalling 
number  of  235  men.  Col.  Bate  Avas  se\Terely  wounded  and  was  immedi- 
ately promoted.  After  this  sanguinary  battle  the  regiment  was  reorgan- 
ized. It  skirmished  around  Corinth,  retreated  to  Tupelo,  and  then  Avith 
its  brigade  was  moved  to  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  thence  through  Wilson’s  Gap 
into  Kentucky,  to  cut  off  Gen.  Morgan’s  retreat  from  Cumberland  Gap. 
August  30,  1862,  it  was  desperately  engaged  at  Richmond,  Ky.,  losing 
many  men-.  It  then  moved  to  Latonia  Springs;  thence  to  Shelby\Tille, 
threatening  Louis\rille;  thence  fought  at  Perryville,  its  commander  being 
Sr.-Capt.  C.  P.  Moore.  It  then  moved  to  Knoxville,  where  W.  D.  Rob- 
ison was  elected  colonel.  December  31,  1862,  it  fought  at  Murfrees- 
boro, suffering  heaA’ily.  It  wintered  at  Tullahoma  and  in  the  spring  of 
1863  did  guard  duty,  skirmishing  several  times.  Later  it  moved  to 
Bridgeport  and  was  engaged  at  McLemore’s  Cove,  Chickamauga,  Mis- 
sionary Ridge  and  Ringgold  Gap  It  did  outpost  duty  during  the  winter 


564 


HISTOBY  OB  TENNESSEE. 


of  1863-64,  and  in  the  spring  retreated  with  Johnston  from  Dalton  to 
Atlanta,  participating  in  the  engagements  at  Resaca,  New  Hope  Church, 
“Dead  Angle”  and  Atlanta.  At  Peach  Tree  Creek  two  of  its  companies 
were  captured.  It  fought  at  Jonesboro,  where  the  dashing,  gallant  Maj. 
Driver  was  killed,  and  at  Lovejoy’s  Statiog.  It  moved  north  with  Gen. 
Hood  and  at  the  battles  of  Franklin  and  Nashville  suffered  heavy  loss. 
It  retreated  to  Tupelo,  was  transferred  to  North  Carolina,  fought  at 
Bentonville,  losing  its  commander,  Wilkerson.  April  26,  1865,  it  was 
surrendered  by  Gen.  Johnston  at  Greensboro,  N.  C.,  to  Gen.  Sherman. 

The  Second  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  raised  in  Mem- 
phis and  organized  about  the  1st  of  May,  1861,  with  J.  K.  Walker,  colonel, 
and  reported  to  Gen.  J.  L.  T.  Sneed  at  Randolph.  Later  it  participated 
in  the  movement  northward  and  fought  in  the  battle  of  Belmont,  Novem- 
ber 7,  with  considerable  loss.  It  returned  southward  occupying  several 
points,  and  finally  from  Corinth,  in  April,  1862,  moved  up  and  engaged 
the  enemy  at  Shiloh,  in  which  bloody  engagement  it  lost  severely.  Soon 
after  this  it  was  consolidated  with  the  Twenty-first  Tennessee  Regiment 
to  form  the  Fifth  Confederate  Regiment. 

The  Third  Confederate  (Tennessee)  Regiment  was  organized  at 
Knoxville,  May  29,  1861,  with  John  C.  Vaughn,  colonel,  and  July 
2,  1861,  left  for  the  field  in  Virginia,  and  two  days  later  was  mus- 
tered into  the  Confederate  service.  The  first  engagement  was  June 
19,  when  Companies  I and  K captured  New  River  Bridge  and  two  can- 
nons. July  21  it  was  engaged  at  the  first  battle  of  Manassas,  and  then 
did  picket  duty.  February  16,  1862,  it  moved  to  East  Tennessee,  and 
April  1 skirmished  with  guerrillas  in  Scott  County,  Tenn.  May  1 it 
was  reorganized  at  Big  Creek  Gap,  Vaughn  being  re-elected  colonel. 
August  6,  1862,  the  regiment  defeated  three  regiments  of  Federals  at 
Tazewell,  Tenn.,  losing,  7 killed  and  31  wounded.  It  participated  in  the 
siege  of  Cumberland  Gap;  thence  moved  with  Bragg  into  Kentucky, 
and  here  N.  J.  Lillard  became  colonel,  vice  Vaughn  promoted.  In 
December,  1862,  the  regiment  with  three  others  of  East  Tennessee  under 
Gen.  Reynolds,  started  for  Vicksburg,  arriving  January  5,  1863;  took 
an  active  part  in  the  surrounding  engagements  and  surrendered  with 
Pemberton  July  4.  July  10  the  troops  were  paroled,  and  October  19 
were  formally  exchanged.  It  was  assigned  to  Longstreet’s  command  and 
saw  service  around  Knoxville.  A portion  of  the  regiment  in  Virginia, 
during  the  summer  of  1864,  lost  at  Piedmont  forty-seven  killed  and 
wounded.  It  participated  at  Bull’sGap,  Greeneville  and  Morristown,  and 
surrendered  May  9,  1865. 

The  Third  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  organized  in  Giles 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


505 


County  May  16,  1861,  with,  five  companies  from  Giles,  three  from  Maury, 
one  from  Lawrence  and  one  from  Lewis,  and  was  placed  in  command  of 
Col.  J.  C.  Brown.  The  Third,  after  occupying  camp  of  instruction,  was, 
about  the  middle  of  September,  1861,  sent  to  Gen.  Buckner’s  command 
at  Bowling  Green,  Ky.  February  8,  1862,  it  reached  Fort  Donelson 
where  it  began  work.  It  was  commanded  by  Lieut. -Col.  Gordon,  Col. 
Brown  having  charge  of  a brigade.  During  the  siege  of  Fort  Donelson 
the  Third  was  prominently  engaged.  It  made  several  sallies  and  charges 
with  great  spirit  and  considerable  loss.  It  was  surrendered  with  the 
fort,  having  lost  13  killed,  56  wounded  and  722  captured!  The  prison- 
ers were  taken  North  September  23,  1862;  607  were  exchanged  and  im- 
mediately (September  26,  1862,  at  Jackson,  Miss.)  reorganized  with  C. 
H.  Walker,  colonel.  It  took  the  field,  skirmished  at  Springdale,  Miss., 
fought  at  Chickasaw  Bayou,  losing  2 men,  did  good  service  at  Port  Hud- 
son; thence  in  May,  1863,  moved  to  Baymond,  where,  in  the  fiercest  en- 
gagement of  the  war,  it  lost  the  appalling  number  of  32  killed  on  the 
field,  76  wounded  and  68  captured.  After  this  it  was  engaged  at  Chick- 
amauga,  losing  24  killed,  62  wounded  and  7 prisoners ; and  at  Missionary 
Ridge,  losing  3 wounded  and  1 captured.  It  participated  at  Resaca,  New 
Hope  Church,  near  Marietta,  around  Atlanta,  at  Jonesboro,  and  in  nu- 
merous lesser  engagements.  It  went  north  with  Hood,  to  Franklin  and 
Nashville,  and  then  moved  to  North  Carolina,  where  at  Greensboro, 
April  26,  1865,  it  was  surrendered.  This  was  one  of  the  best  of  the 
Tennessee  regiments. 

The  Fourth  Confederate  (Tennessee)  Regiment  was  organized  at 
Camp  Sneed,  near  Knoxville,  in  the  month  of  July,  1861,  and  comprised 
companies  from  the  counties  of  Davidson,  Rutherford,  Williamson  and 
others,  and  from  Alabama,  and  was  commanded  by  Col.  W.  M.  Church- 
well.  The  lieutenant-colonel  was  J ames  McMurray,  and  the  major,  Lewis. 
This  regiment  first  saw  service  in  East  Tennessee.  After  various 
movements  it  joined  Gen.  Bragg  on  the  campaign  into  Kentucky,  where, 
at  Perryville,  it  was  engaged.  It  marched  southward  with  the  army  and 
participated  in  the  furious  charges  at  Murfreesboro,  sustaining  severe  loss, 
and  later,  at  the  splendid  Confederate  victory  at  Chickamauga,  bore 
its  full  share  of  the  bloody  work.  It  was  at  Missionary  Ridge  and  at  all 
the  various  movements  of  Gen.  Johnston  in  the  Georgia  campaign,  fight- 
ing often  and  losing  heavily.  It  marched  back  on  Hood’s  Tennessee,  cam- 
paign and  participated  at  Nashville  and  Franklin ; thence  marched  to 
North  Carolina  with  the  gallant  Army  of  the  Tennessee,  where  it  surren- 
dered in  the  spring  of  1865. 

The  Fourth  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  raised  in  the 


566 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


counties  of  Dyer,  Obion,  Lauderdale,  Gibson,  Tipton  and  Hardeman, 
and  was  organized  May  18,  1861,  with  R.  P.  Neely,  colonel.  It  moved 
to  Memphis  May  20;  thence  up  to  Randolph;  thence  to  Fort  Pillow 
July  18;  thence  to  New  Madrid,  and  November  7,  at  Belmont,  served  as 
a reserve,  February  4,  1862,  at  Island  No.  10,  it  was  under  the  fire  of 
Federal  gun-boats.  It  reached  Memphis  March  20 ; thence  moved  to 
Corinth,  and  on  the  6th  of  April  began  the  brilliant  fight  at  Shiloh.  In 
one  charge,  when  it  captured  a fine  battery,  it  lost  31  killed  and  160 
wounded,  and  during  the  battle  nearly  half  of  those  engaged.  The 
Fourth  was  reorganized  April  25,  with  O.  F.  Strahl,  colonel.  In  July  it 
moved  to  Chattanooga  and  August  17  started  on  the  Kentucky  campaign, 
passing  through  Sparta,  Gainesboro,  Munfordville,  Bardstown  and 
Harrodsburg.  At  Perryville,  in  the  afternoon  of  the  8th,  it  participated 
in  a brilliant  charge  on  the  Federals,  losing  about  one-tliird  of  those 
engaged.  It  moved  south  via  Knoxville  and  Tullahoma  to  Murfrees- 
boro,  where  it  was  hotly  engaged  December  31.  In  July,  1863,  A.  J. 
Kellar  became  colonel.  At  Chickamauga,  September  18  and  19,  the 
Fourth  fought  gallantly,  and  November  26  participated  in  the  severe 
contest  on  Missionary  Ridge,  losing  nearly  one-third  of  its  men. 
Beginning  at  Dalton  in  May,  1864,  the  Fourth  was  under  fire  sixty  days 
in  the  movement  toward  Atlanta,  fighting  at  Dug  Gap,  Mill  Creek  Gap, 
Resaca,  Ellsbury  Mountain,  Kenesaw,  Atlanta  and  Jonesboro,  suffering 
severe  loss.  At  Spring  Hill  and  Franklin  and  Nashville  the  Fourth  was 
gallantly  engaged.  After  this  the  regiment  moved  to  North  Carolina, 
fought  at  Bentonville  and  April  26,  1865,  surrendered  at  Greensboro. 

The  Fifth  Confederate  (Tennessee)  Regiment  was  formed  from  the 
Second  and  the  Twenty-first  Tennessee  Regiments  at  Tupelo,  Miss., 
about  the  1st  of  June,  1862,  with  J.  A.  Smith,  colonel.  About  August  1 
it  moved  to  near  Chattanooga.  It  moved  north  with  Gen.  Bragg  on  the 
Kentucky  campaign,  skirmishing  several  times  and  assisting  in  the 
capture  of  Fort  Denham  at  Munfordville.  Returning  south  from  Bards- 
town the  Fifth  fought  desperately  at  Pejryville  October  8,  losing  many 
valuable  men.  It  continued  on  to  Knoxville;  thence  to  Tullahoma  and 
Eagleville,  and  December  31  commenced  in  the  brilliant  Confederate 
achievement  at  Murfreesboro.  The  regiment  displayed  great  gallantry 
and  after  the  battle  moved  to  Tullahoma,  where  it  wintered;  then  to 
Wartrace  and  in  June,  1863,  to  Hoover’s  Gap,  and  then  to  Chattanooga. 
In  September  it  fought  with  conspicuous  gallantry  at  bloody  Chicka- 
mauga, losing  heavily  of  its  best  and  bravest.  Later,  at  Missionary 
Ridge,  the  Fifth  held  its  position  on  the  right  until  left  alone.  From 
Dalton  to  Atlanta  it  was  constantly  engaged,  losing  many  in  killed, 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


567 


wounded  and  prisoners.  It  moved  north  with  Gen.  Hood  and  fought  as 
it  never  had  before  at  Franklin  in  that  hottest  engagement  of  the  war, 
where  it  was  reduced  to  twenty-one  men.  At  Nashville  it  fought  on  the 
Tight  and  then  moved  south.  It  was  consolidated  at  Corinth  with  other 
skeleton  regiments  and  moved  to  North  Carolina,  where  it  participated 
at  Bentonville  and  was  finally  surrendered  April  26,  1865.  Much  of  the 
time  of  service  the  regiment  was  in  the  brigade  of  the  gallant  and 
beloved  Cleburne. 

The  Fifth  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  raised  in  Henry 
County  (a  few  in  Benton  and  in  Carroll)  and  organized  at  Paris  May 
20,  1861,  with  W.  E.  Travis,  colonel,  with  twelve  companies.  It 
occupied  Humboldt  and  Union  City  until  September  -I,  1861 ; then 
moved  to  Columbus,  Ky.,  and  at  the  battle  of  Belmont  supported  the 
artillery.  It  formed  part  of  Stewart’s  brigade,  Cheatham’s  division, 
Polk’s  corps.  When  Donelson  fell  the  regiment  moved  to  New  Madrid, 
where  several  skirmishes  were  had  with  the  Federals.  The  Fifth 
marched  to  Corinth,  and  April  6 and  7 fought  with  notable  bravery  at 
Shiloh,  losing  heavily.  It  then  moved  to  Tupelo;  thence  to  Chatta- 
nooga. In  September  it  moved  on  the  Kentucky  expedition,  and  at 
Perryville  sustained  a heavy  loss.  For  the  Fifth  this  was  one  of  the 
sharpest  fights  of  the  war.  It  then  moved  via  Knoxville  to  Murfrees- 
boro, where  it  was  consolidated  with  the  Fourth  under  Col.  Lamb,  and 
was  desperately  engaged  at  the  battle  of  the  latter  name.  In  the  move- 
ment south  it  skirmished  at  Guy’s  Gap.  The  Fifth  fought  in  the  bloody 
battle  of  Chickamauga  for  two  days,  and  at  Missionary  Ridge,  in 
November,  1863,  was  one  of  the  last  to  leave  the  ridge,  and  was  then 
used  to  cover  the  retreat.  It  checked  the  victorious  Federals  until 
2 A.  M.  the  next  morning,  though  overwhelmed  with  numbers.  On  the 
retreat  it  fought  all  the  way  to  Ringgold  Gap.  It  wintered  at  Dalton, 
and  in  the  spring,  on  the  Atlanta  campaign,  fought  almost  continuously 
to  Atlanta.  Col.  Lamb  was  mortally  wounded  at  Ellsbury  Ridge,  and 
was  succeeded  by  A.  J.  Kellar.  It  moved  north  with  Hood,  fought  at 
Franklin  and  Nashville,  retreated  south,  and  in  the  spring  of  1865  a 
mere  remnant  was  surrendered  in  North  Carolina. 

The  Sixth  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  raised  in  Madison, 
Fayette  and  Haywood,  nine  of  the  eleven  companies  in  Madison,  and  was 
organized  in  May,  1861,  by  the  election  of  AY.  H.  Stephens,  colonel,  and 
was  mustered  in  for  one  year  on  May  15.  May  26  it  moved  to  Union 
City,  where  it  was  thoroughly  disciplined.  It  moved  to  Columbus,  Ky., 
but  was  not  engaged  at  Belmont.  After  the  surrender  of  Fort  Donelson 
the  regiment  moved  south  to  Corinth.  April  6 and  7,  1862,  the  Sixth 


568 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


was  first  engaged  at  Sliilofi,  having  to  endure  the  trial  of  a severe  artil- 
lery fire  before  being  engaged.  About  11  o’clock  of  the  6tli  it  was  or- 
dered to  charge  a battery,  which  it  did  in  gallant  style,  meeting  with  a 
terrific  fire,  which  cut  down  250  men.  It  did  splendid  work  on  both  of 
those  memorable  days,  losing  over  one-third  of  those  engaged.  It 
returned  to  Corinth,  in  the  vicinity  of  which  it  participated  in  several 
hot  skirmishes,  losing  severely.  It  then  moved  to  Chattanooga,  and  in 
September  started  on  the  campaign  into  Kentucky.  At  Perry ville, 
October  8,  the  Sixth,  under  Col.  G.  C.  Porter,  occupied  the  center  of 
Maney’s  gallant  brigade,  and  lost  over  150  killed,  wounded  and  missing. 
The  regiment  was  next  engaged  at  Murfreesboro,  having  previously  been 
consolidated  with  the  Ninth  Tennessee,  under  Col.  Hurt.  It  brought  on 
the  battle  and  was  then  held  in  reserve,  but  was  rapidly  moved  from 
point  to  point,  being  much  of  the  time  under  heavy  artillery  fire.  Next 
at  Chickamauga  the  Sixth,  under  Col.  Porter,  did  noble  work  in  the 
fiercest  of  the  fight,  losing  over  a third  of  its  men.  At  Missionary  Ridge 
it  was  prominently  engaged,  and  was  one  of  the  last  to  leave  the  field. 
It  wintered  at  Dalton,  and  in  the  spring  of  1864  fought  at  Ivenesaw, 
“Dead  Angle,”  siege  of  Atlanta,  Jonesboro,  Lovejoy  and  Franklin,  No- 
vember 30,  1864,  where  it  was  immortalized.  It  fought  at  Nashville, 
Spring  Hill,  Elk  River,  and  finally  surrendered  in  North  Carolina. 

The  Seventh  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  raised  in  Sumner, 
Wilson,  Smith  and  DeKalb  Counties,  and  was  organized  May  25,  1861, 
with  Robert  Hatton,  colonel.  It  remained  at  Camp  Trousdale,  Sumner 
County,  until  in  July,  Avlien  it  moved  to  Virginia,  and  with  the  First  and 
Fourteenth  Tennessee  Regiments,  was  constituted  Anderson’s  Brigade. 
It  skirmished  on  the  Parkersburg  road  as  part  of  Loring’s  division  of 
Jackson’s  corps,  and  at  Hancock,  Md. ,“  and  later  the  First  Confederate 
( Turney’s  Tennessee)  took  the  place  of  the  First  Tennessee  (Confed- 
erate), the  whole  being  called  the  “First  Tennessee  Brigade.”  The 
Seventh  participated  in  the  Yorktown  campaign,  and  later  Goodlier  was 
commissioned  colonel,  Hatton  brigadier,  and  G.  W.  Smith  major-general. 
May  30,  1862,  at  Seven  Pines,  the  Seventh,  in  a desperate  charge,  lost 
eight  captains,  half  its  privates,  and  Brig. -Gen.  Hatton.  In  the  “seven 
days”  battles  it  fought  with  notable  daring  and  dash  at  Mechanicsville, 
Gaines’  Mills,  Frazier’s  Farm,  Malvern  Hill  and  elsewhere,  losing  many 
valuable  men.  It  lost  heavily  at  Culpepper  Court  House,  and  at  Bull 
Run  Company  H lost  all  its  men  killed  or  wounded,  a remarkable  cir- 
cumstance. At  Centerville,  Bolivar  Heights  and  Antietam  the  Seventh 
fought  with  conspicuous  valor,  losing  at  the  latter  battle  over  thirty  of 
less  than  100  engaged.  At  Fredericksburg  and  Ckancellorsville  it  sus- 

o o o 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


569 


tainecl  severe  loss  amid  brilliant  action  on  the  field.  At  Gettysburg  it 
commenced  the  attack,  losing  tlie  first  man  on  the  Confederate  side, 
being  held  in  reserve  the  second  day,  and  conjointly  with  Pickett’s  divis- 
ion, on  the  third  day,  forming  the  column  which  made  the  historic  and 
headlong  charge  on  Cemetery  Hill.  In  the  Wilderness,  at  Spottsylvania, 
at  Petersburg,  on  Weldon  Railroad,  at  Fort  Archer  and  in  a multitude 
of  skirmishes,  the  Seventh  bore  an  honorable  and  conspicuous  part. 
Forty-seven  sad-hearted,  noble  men  surrendered  at  Appomattox. 

The  Eighth  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  raised  in  the  coun- 
ties of  Marshall,  Lincoln,  Overton,  Jackson  and  Smith,  and  was  organ- 
ized at  Camp  Harris,  Lincoln  County,  in  May,  1861,  and  was  mustered 
into  the  provisional  army  of  Tennessee  by  Col.  D.  R.  Smythe.  Later  in 
May  it  moved  to  Camp  Trousdale.  Its  colonel  was  Alfred  S.  Fulton. 
It  moved  first  to  West  Virginia,  where  it  operated  for  some  time,  skir- 
mishing occasionally  with  some  loss.  Later  it  returned  to  Tennessee, 
and  finally  joined  Bragg’s  Kentucky  campaign,  and  was  engaged  October 
8,  1862,  at  Perryville  with  loss.  It  moved  south  and  participated  in  the 
hottest  of  the  fight  at  Murfreesboro,  losing  nearly  half  the  number  en- 
gaged in  killed  and  wounded.  After  this  it  participated  in  all  the  bril- 
liant movements  of  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee — at  Chickamauga,  Mission- 
ary Ridge,  on  the  Atlanta  and  Hood’s  Tennessee  campaigns,  fighting  with 
distinguished  valor,  and  losing  its  bravest  and  best.  At  Murfreesboro  it 
was  in  Donelson’s  brigade  of  Cheatham’s  division.  At  Chickamauga  it 
was  in  Wright’s  brigade,  and  was  commanded  by  Col.  John  H.  Anderson. 
After  long  and  gallant  service  it  was  surrendered  to  Gen.  Sherman  in 
North  Carolina. 

The  Ninth  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment,  was  raised  in  Hay- 
wood, Fayette,  Tipton,  Hardeman,  Shelby,  Lauderdale,  Weakley  and 
Obion  Counties,  and  was  organized  at  Camp  Beauregard,  Jackson,  May 
22,  1861,  with  H.  L.  Douglas,  colonel.  It  was  disciplined  at  Union  City 
where  many  died  of  measles.  In  August  it  moved  to  Columbus,  Ky. ; in 
October  to  Mayfield;  thence  back  to  Columbus,  and  in  March,  1862,  to 
Corinth.  From  Bethel  Station  it  marched  sixteen  miles  to  engage  the 
enemy  at  Shiloh,  and  was  in  the  hottest  of  the  fight,  losing  about  sixty 
men.  C.  S.  Hurt  soon  became  colonel,  and  in  August  the  Ninth  marched 
to  Chattanooga,  and  in  September  northward  on  the  Kentucky  campaign. 
At  Perryville,  October  8,  it  fought  its  severest  and  most  desperate  fight 
of  the  'war,  losing  52  killed  and  76  wounded.  It  was  then  trans- 
ferred via  Knoxville  to  Murfreesboro,  where  it  was  consolidated  with 
the  Sixth,  and  where  December  31,  it  sustained  heavy  loss  on  a bloody 
fielcl.  Soon  after  this,  Col.  Porter  succeeded  Col.  Hurt.  The  Ninth  fell 


570 


HISTOEY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


back  with  the  army  to  Chattanooga ; thence  to  Chickamauga,  where  Sep- 
tember 19  and  20  it  did  brilliant  service,  losing  35  killed  and 
40  wounded.  At  Missionary  Eidge  it  fought  in  reserve,  and  then  fell 
slowly  back  to  Dalton,  where  it  wintered.  On  the  Atlanta  campaign,, 
beginning  in  May,  1864.  it  fought  at  Eesaca,  Dallas,  Kenesaw,  Dead 
Angle,  Peach  Tree  Creek  and  at  Atlanta,  where  it  lost  many  officers  and 
was  in  numerous  skirmishes.  It  participated  in  the  engagements  at 
Jonesboro,  Lovejoy,  Dalton  and  Decatur,  without  serious  loss;  and  at 
bloody  Franklin  fought  with  great  fierceness,  sustaining  a loss  of  one- 
fourth  its  men,  and  at  Nashville  suffered  much  amid  gallant  action  before 
an  overwhelming  force.  As  Company  E of  the  First  Consolidated  Ten- 
nessee Begiment,  the  Ninth  marched  to  North  Carolina,  where  April  26, 
1865,  it  surrendered  with  forty  men. 

The  Tenth  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Begiment  was  raised  in  David- 
son, Montgomery  and  Giles  Counties,  and  was  organized  at  Fort  Henry, 
in  May,  1861,  with  Adolphus  Heiman,  colonel.  It  was  disciplined  at 
Fort  Henry,  and  during  the  investment  lost  seven  men  killed  and 
wounded  by  the  bursting  of  a 64-pounder.  At  Fort  Donelson,  where  it 
retreated,  it  was  under  constant  and  destructive  musketry  and  artillery 
fire  for  three  days,  and  became  prisoners  of  war  February  16,  1862.. 
Here  it  earned  the  designation  “ Bloody  Tenth.”  September  24  it  was 
exchanged,  and  October  2 reorganized  at  Clinton,  Miss.  B.  W.  McGa- 
vock  succeeded  Col.  Heiman,  who  had  died.  In  December,  in  Gregg’s 
brigade,  it  helped  defeat  Sherman  at  Chickasaw  Bayou.  January  3 it 
moved  to  Port  Hudson,  where  March  13,  at  night,  it  sustained  a heavy 
bombardment  by  Federal  gun-boats.  May  7 it  fought  at  Jackson,  and 
May  12  brilliantly  at  Baymond,  losing  Col.  McGavock.  The  Tenth  was 
consolidated  with  the  Thirtieth  under  Col.  Turner.  After  the  capitula- 
tion of  Yicksburg  it  joined  Bragg  at  Binggold,  and  September  19  and 
20  at  fierce  Chickamauga  lost  224  men  killed  and  wounded  out  of  328 
engaged,  a result  with  scarcely  a parallel  in  the  annals  of  war.  The  brig- 
ade was  broken  up  on  the  death  of  Gen.  Gregg,  and  the  Tenth  was  trans- 
ferred to  Tyler’s  brigade.  At  Missionary  Bidge  the  regiment  fought 
hotly,  being  one  of  the  last  to  leave  the  field.  In  May,  1864,  it  began 
the  southward  movement,  fighting  with  conspicuous  bravery  at  Bocky 
Face  Bidge,  Binggold  Gap,  Buzzard  Boost,  Besaca,  New  Hope  Church; 
Pine  Mountain,  Kenesaw  Mountain,  Peach  Tree  Creek,  Decatur  (July 
22),  Atlanta  and  Jonesboro,  where  Col.  Grace  was  mortally  wounded. 
In  Hood’s  campaign  into  Tennessee  it  participated  in  the  awful  charges 
at  Franklin  and  the  stubborn  fighting  at  Nashville.  It  then  moved  to 
Bentonville,  N.  C.,  and  surrendered  at  Greensboro. 


HISTOEY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


571 


The  Eleventh  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  raised  in  David- 
son, Humphreys,  Dickson,  Robertson  and  Hickman  Counties,  and  was 
organized  May  22,  1861,  at  Camp  Cheatham,  with  J.  E.  Rains  as  colonel. 
Late  in  July  it  was  ordered  into  East  Tennessee,  and  in  October  was 
moved  into  Kentucky  with  Gen.  Zollicoffer.  At  “ Wild  Cat”  it  lost  nine 
killed  and  wounded,  and  then  guarded  Cumberland  Gap  until  the  early 
summer  of  1862.  It  moved  south,  skirmishing  at  Walden’s  Ridge,  los- 
ing by  capture  its  colonel,  Gordon.  After  sundry  movements  it  joined 
Bragg  at  Harrodsburg,  thence  moved  south  via.  Knoxville  to  Murfrees- 
boro, where  the  Eleventh  fought  its  first  pitched  battle  with  splendid 
dash  and  intrepidity,  losing  many  men,  among  whom  was  Col.  Gordon, 
severely  wounded.  Gen.  Rains  was  killed  on  the  field.  After  this  the 
Eleventh  was  assigned  to  the  Tennessee  Brigade  of  Gen.  Preston  Smith, 
comprising  the  Twelfth,  Thirteenth,  Twenty-ninth,  Forty-seventh  and 
One  Hundred  and  Fifty-fourth.  It  spent  the  summer  of  1863  as  Chat- 
tanooga, and  in  September  participated  in  the  bloody  battle  of  Chicka- 
rnauga  with  great  bravery  and  severe  loss.  At  Missionary  Ridge  it 
fought  desperately,  resisting  the  furious  charges  of  the  Federals  for 
hours,  and  until  flanked.  Four  regimental  color- bearers  were  shot  down 
and  Maj.  Green  was  mortally  wounded.  In  the  Atlanta  campaign,  in 
1864,  it  was  engaged  at  Resaca,  Calhoun,  New  Hope  Church,  Dead 
Angle,  Ivenesaw,  Peach  Tree  Creek,  Sugar  Creek  and  elsewhere,  losing 
in  the  aggregate  heavily,  and  invariably  displaying  wonderful  dash  and 
pluck.  At  Jonesboro  it  lost  Col.  Long.  In  the  awful  battle  of  Franklin 
and  again  at  Nashville  it  bore  a distinguished  part.  It  was  at  Benton- 
ville,  N.  C.,  and  April  26,  1865,  surrendered  at  Greensboro.  About  the 
beginning  of  Hood’s  Tennessee  campaign  it  was  consolidated  with  the 
Twenty-ninth  Regiment. 

The  Twelfth  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  raised  in  Gibson, 
Dyer,  Qarroll,  Fulton  and  Hickman  Counties,  Tenn.,  and  Graves  County, 
Ky.,  and  was  mustered  in  at  Jackson,  May  28,  1861,  R.  M.  Russell  be- 
coming colonel.  It  was  thoroughly  fitted  for  the  field  at  Trenton  and 
Union  City,  and  in  September  moved  to  Columbus,  Ky.,  and  November 
7 took  active  part  in  the  battle  of  Belmont,  T.  H.  Bell,  commanding, 
losing  about  thirty  killed  and  wounded.  Soon  after  the  surrender  of 
Fort  Donelson  it  was  transferred  to  Corinth,  and  April  6 and  7 par- 
ticipated in  the  headlong  victory  at  Shiloh  with  severe  loss,  Col.  Bell 
receiving  dangerous  wounds.  In  May  1862,  it  was  reorganized  witk 
Bell  as  colonel,  and  was  consolidated  with  the  Twenty -second.  It  was. 
moved  to  Chattanooga ; thence  detached  to  Kirby  Smith,  at  Knoxville ; 
thence  marched  into  Kentucky,  where  at  Richmond  it  defeated  the  enemy 


572 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


with  loss.  It  joined  Bragg  at  Harrodsburg,  was  in  reserve  at  Perryville, 
returned  to  Knoxville  and  was  consolidated  with  the  Forty -seventh.  It 
was  then  transferred  to  Murfreesboro  where  it  bore  a gallant  part,  leaving 
its  gallant  dead  thick  on  the  field.  At  Chickamauga,  in  September,  and 
at  Missionary  Ridge,  in  November,  it  distinguslied  itself  on  the  field  by 
its  impetuous  charges  and  adamantine  stands.  Again  in  1861  at  Rocky 
Face  Ridge,  Resaca,  Adairsville,  New  Hope  Church,  Kenesaw,  “Dead 
Angle,”  Peach  Tree  Creek,  Decatur  and  Atlanta,  it  bore  its  heroic  part. 
At  Jonesboro  and  Love  joy  Station  it  suffered  severely,  and  in  the  dread- 
ful slaughter  at  Franklin,  and  in  the  dogged  and  desperate  fighting  at 
Nashville  it  fought  with  its  accustomed  dash  and  courage.  It  made  the 
dark  and  sorrowful  march  to  the  Carolinas,  participated  at  Bentonville 
and  surrendered  at  Greensboro,  N.  C,,  April  26,  1865,  with  fifty  men. 

The  Thirteenth  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  raised  in  Fay- 
ette, Shelby,  Gibson,  McNairy  and  Dyer  Counties,  Tenn,,  and  Marshall 
County,  Miss.,  and  was  mustered  in  at  Jackson  June  3,  1861,  J.  V. 
Wright  becoming  colonel.  It  moved  to  Randolph  and  joined  Sneed’s 
brigade.  After  occupying  various  stations  it  moved  in  September  to 
Columbus,  Ky.,  where  on  the  10th  it  was  brigaded  with  the  Twelfth  and 
Twenty-first  Regiments,  under  Col.  Russell.  November  7,  at  Bel- 
mont, it  was  desperately  engaged  driving  the  enemy  back  to  his  boats, 
but  losing  the  enormous  number  of  119  killed  and  wounded  out  of  100 
engaged.  Soon  after  this  A.  J.  Vaughn  succeeded  Wright  as  colonel. 
March  19,  1862,  it  reach  Corinth,  and  April  6 and  7 fought  with  des- 
perate valor  at  Shiloh,  losing  112  killed  and  Avounded.  It  was  then  re- 
organized and  a company  from  LaGrange  was  added.  Early  in  August 
it  moved  to  Chattanooga;  Avas  detached  and  sent  to  Gen.  Cleburne,  at 
KnoxAulle;  thence  marched  into  Kentucky  and  assisted  in  severely  de- 
feating the  Federals  at  Richmond.  It  was  in  reserve  at  Perryville; 
thence  moved  to  Murfreesboro  via  Knoxville  and  Tullahoma.  • At  the 
furious  battle  of  Murfreesboro  it  lost  110  killed  and  wounded  out  of  226 
engaged.  At  Chickamauga  in  September,  1863,  and  Missionary  Ridge 
in  November,  it  displayed  its  usual  desperation  and  valor.  In  the 
Georgia  campaign  it  was  honorably  and  gallantly  engaged  in  all  the  prin- 
cipal battles  to  Atlanta,  suffering  in  the  aggregate  severely,  and  in  the 
Tennessee  campaign,  at  Spring  Hill,  fierce  Franklin  and  Nashville  sus- 
tained further  and  sorrowful  losses.  Sadly  the  skeleton  regiment  joined 
Johnson’s  army  in  North  Carolina,  where  at  Bentonville  it  surren- 
dered. 

The  Fourteenth  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  wa raised  in  Mont- 
gomery, Robertson  and  Stewart  Counties,  and  was  organized  at  Camp 


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HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


573 


Duncan,  Clarksville,  in  May,  1861,  under  Col.  IV.  A.  Forbes.  About  the 
middle  of  July  it  was  transferred  to  Virginia,  where  it  was  brigaded 
with  the  First  and  the  Seventh,  under  Gen.  S.  R.  Anderson.  In  the  har- 
rassing  Cheat  Mountain  expedition,  it  suffered  intensely  and  was  first  un- 
der fire.  During  the  winter  of  1861-62,  it  participated  in  the  campaigns 
around  Romney,  Winchester,  and  the  bombardment  of  Hancock.  From 
this  date  it  was  in  all  the  historical  movements  of  the  Army  of  Northern 
Virginia.  May  31,  1862,  it  fought  at  Seven  Pines  with  great  bravery, 
losing  heavily.  At  Chickahominy,  Cold  Harbor.  Gaines’  Mills,  Malvern 
Hill,  Frazier’s  Farm  and  elsewhere  it  left  its  gallant  dead  on  the  bloody 
fields.  Again  at  Cedar  Mountain,  second  Manassas  (where  Col.  Forbes 
was  killed),  Chantilly,  Harper’s  Ferry,  Antietam,  Sliepardstown,  Freder- 
icksburg and  Chancellorsville  (May,  1863)  it  bore  a distinguished  and 
honorable  part,  leaving  its  best  blood  on  the  ever  memorable  fields.  Late 
in  June,  1863,  the  army  moved  into  Pennsylvania,  where  at  Gettysburg, 
on  the  first  day,  the  Fourteenth  fought  with  desperate  valor  and  heroic 
achievements,  sustaining  the  loss  of  many  of  its  best  soldiers.  On  the 
3d  of  July  its  brigade  and  pickets  made  the  memorable  and  brilliant 
charge  on  Cemetery  Ridge.  This  extraordinary  charge  has  no  superior 
in  the  annals  of  war.  Again  at  Falling  Waters,  Bristow  Station,  in  the 
bloody  Wilderness,  at  fearful  Spottsylvania,  at  Cold  Harbor,  Petersburg, 
the  defenses  of  Richmond  and  elsewhere,  it  sustained  its  heroic  record. 
In  April,  1865,  tho  remnant  of  this  war-scarred  regiment  laid  down  its 
dripping  arms  at  . ppomattex 

The  Fifteenth  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  raised  mainly 
in  Shelby  County  and  at  McKenzie,  and  was  organized  at  Jackson  June 
7,  1861,  under  Col.  Charles  M.  Carroll.  Later  several  companies  with- 
drew and  were  succeeded  by  others  from  Shelby  County  and  Paducah, 
Ky.  After  occupying  various  positions  it  finally  participated  in  the  bat- 
tle of  Belmont,  where  it  suffered  slight  loss.  In  March,  1862,  it  moved 
south  from  Columbus,  Ky.,  and  finally,  April  6 and  7,  from  Bethel  Sta- 
tion, near  Corinth,  fought  in  the  bloody  battle  of  Shiloh  where  it  lost  the 
fearful  number  of  nearly  200  killed  and  wounded,  receiving  high  praise 
for  its  dash  and  daring.  It  then  returned  to  Tupelo  where  it  was  reor- 
ganized, and  later  was  moved  via  Chattanooga  northward  on  the  Ken- 
tucky campaign,  fighting  in  the  severe  contest  of  Perryville,  where  in  a 
hand-to-hand  encounter  it  assisted  in  capturing  a stone  wall.  It  moved 
south  via  Knoxville  to  Murfreesboro,  in  which  battle  it  further  distin- 
guished itself.  Later  it  was  consolidated  with  the  Thirty-seventh  Regi- 
ment, Tyler  of  the  Fifteenth  taking  command,  which  occasioned  much 
ill-feeling  during  the  remainder  of  the  war.  It  moved  back  to  Chatta- 

36 


574 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


nooga,  thence  to  Chickamauga,  where  in  September,  1863,  it  was  hotly 
engaged,  thence  to  Missionary  Ridge  in  November,  sustaining  in  both 
actions  heavy  loss.  It  followed  the  fortunes  of  the  Georgia  campaign, 
fighting  in  all  the  principal  battles  with  splendid  courage  and  severe  loss. 
In  Hood’s  unfortunate  campaign  into  Tennessee,  it  engaged  fiercely  in  the 
actions  of  Franklin  and  Nashville,  and  finally  marched  to  North  Caro- 
lina, where  it  surrendered. 

The  Sixteenth  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  raisedmainly  on 
the  Cumberland  Table-land,  in  and  around  Putnam  County,  and  was  mus- 
tered in  June  9 at  Camp  Trousdale,  Sumner  County,  with  John  H.  Sav- 
age, colonel.  Late  in  July  it  moved  to  Virginia,  where  it  was  brigaded 
with  the  Eighth  under  Gen.  Donelson.  The  first  severe  hardship  and  the 
first  engagement  was  on  the  Cheat  Mountain  expedition.  It  participated 
in  the  harrassing  expedition  to  Little  Sewell  Mountain.  In  December, 
1861,  it  was  transferred  to  Port  Royal,  opposite  Beaufort  Island,  where 
it  did  valuable  guard  duty  until  after  Shiloh,  when  it  reported  at  Corinth 
and  joined  Bragg’s  campaign  into  Kentucky,  where  at  Perryville  it  fought 
its  first  severe  battle  with  great  pluck  and  intrepidity.  It  then  returned 
and  participated  gallantly  in  the  precipitous  charges  at  Murfreesboro.  It 
then  moved  south  and  in  September  fought  with  conspicuous  courage  at 
dreadful  Chickamauga,  and  later  sustained  for  hours  the  shock  of  the 
Federal  Army  at  Missionary  Ridge,  losing  heavily  in  both  actions.  In 
1864,  on  the  Georgia  campaign,  it  fought  at  Rocky  Face  Ridge,  Kenesaw, 
Resaca,  Peach  Tree  Creek  and  around  Atlanta,  losing  many  in  the  aggre- 
gate and  sustaining-  its  fine  record.  Again  at  Jonesboro,  and  at  that 
hottest  battle  of  the  civil  war — Franklin — -and  again  at  Nashville,  it 
poured  the  blood  of  its  bravest  on  the  ensanguined  fields.  With  heavy 
hearts  the  skeleton  remnant  of  the  gallant  Sixteenth  marched  down  to 
North  Carolina  where  it  finally  surrendered. 

The  Seventeenth  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  raised  in 
Bedford,  Marshall,  Franklin,  Jackson  and  Putnam  Counties,  and  with  T. 
W.  Newman,  colonel,  was  mustered  in  May  5,  1861.  It  was  disciplined  at 
Camp  Trousdale  and  late  in  July  was  transferred  to  Virginia,  but  in  Au- 
gust returned  to  East  Tennessee.  It  joined  Zollicoffer’s  Kentucky  cam- 
paign and  at  the  battle  of  Rock  Castle  in  half  an  hour  lost  11  killed  and 
27  wounded.  Again  it  participated  in  the  battle  of  Fishing  Creek  (where 
Gen.  Zollicoffer  was  killed),  with  the  loss  of  10  killed  and  36  wounded. 
February  19,  1862,  it  reached  Murfreesboro;  thence  moved  to  northern 
Mississippi,  where  it  participated  in  the  siege  of  Corinth.  In  May,  T. 
C.  H.  Miller  became  colonel,  but  was  soon  succeeded  by  Albert  S.  Marks. 
It  was  transferred  to  Chattanooga  early  in  August,  and  in  September 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


575 


moved  into  Kentucky  with  Bragg,  fighting  stubbornly  at  Perryville; 
thence  moved  soutli  with  the  army  and  December  31  was  engaged  with 
magnificent  courage  at  Murfreesboro,  losing  the  extraordinary  number  of 
246  killed  and  wounded.  Later  it  was  engaged  at  Hoover’s  Gap,  and  in 
September,  1863,  at  the  fearful  contest  of  Chickamauga  lost  145  killed 
and  wounded.  It  soon  moved  north  with  Longstreet  against  Knoxville; 
assisted  in  the  assault  on  Fort  Loudon;  lost  10  men  killed  and  wounded 
at  Bean’s  Station;  and  passed  the  winter  of  1863-64  in  East  Tennessee, 
suffering  incredibly.  In  May,  1864,  it  moved  to  Petersburg,  Va.,  and 
assaulted  the  enemy  at  Drury  Bluff  May  16,  losing  12  killed  and  50 
wounded.  It  fought  in  numerous  skirmishes  around  Richmond,  and 
February  5,  1865,  sustained  considerable  loss  at  Hatcher’s  Run.  April 
2 it  fought  its  last  battle  on  the  defenses  of  Petersburg,  losing  severely, 
over  half  its  men  being  captured.  It  surrendered  at  Appomattox  April  9. 

The  Eighteenth  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  formed  at 
‘Camp  Trousdale  June  11,  1861,  of  companies  from  Rutherford,  Bedford, 
Davidson,  Wilson,  Cannon,  Sumner  and  Cheatham  Counties,  with  J.  B. 
Palmer,  colonel.  September  17  it  moved  to  Bowling  Green,  Ky.,  and 
February  8,  1862,  advanced  to  the  relief  of  Fort  Donelson.  At  the  siege 
two  companies  of  the  Eighteenth  were  the  first  to  engage  the  enemy. 
After  hard  fighting  the  regiment  was  surrendered  February  16.  After 
about  six  months  it  was  exchanged  and  was  reorganized  at  Jackson, 
Miss.,  with  Palmer  as  colonel.  It  was  soon  transferred  to  Knoxville  to 
invade  Kentucky,  but  instead  was  moved  to  Murfreesboro  and  brigaded 
with  the  Twenty-sixth  and  the  Thirty-second  Regiments  and  others, 
which  last  were  soon  replaced  with  the  Forty-fifth  Tennessee.  At  Mur- 
freesboro it  participated  in  one  of  the  most  famous  and  brilliant  charges 
of  history  with  severe  loss.  Col.  Palmer  received  three  wounds.  In 
September,  1863,  at  Chickamauga,  it  distinguished  itself  by  its  furious 
fighting  and  desperate  losses.  Col.  Palmer  was  again  dangerously 
wounded.  Again  at  Missionary  Ridge  it  fought  with  its  accustomed  gal- 
lantry and  loss.  It  wintered  at  Dalton,  and,  in  1864,  resisted  the  advance 
of  the  enemy  on  numerous  bloody  fields  on  the  way  to  Atlanta.  Palmer 
was  commissioned  brigadier-general  and  given  a brigade  of  the  Third, 
Eighteenth,  Thirty-second  and  Forty-fifth  Regiments.  W.  R.  Butler  be- 
came colonel  of  the  Eighteenth.  In  a heroic  encounter  at  Atlanta  against 
vastly  superior  numbers  the  regiment  was  outflanked  and  a majority  of 
its  members  captured.  The  regiment  was  consolidated  with  the  Third 
under  Col.  Butler.  It  fought  at  Jonesboro  and  moved  north,  reaching 
Franklin  too  late  for  the  battle ; was  detached  to  aid  Forrest,  and  engaged 
the  enemy  near  Murfreesboro  and  elsewhere;  and  after  Hood’s  defeat  at 


576 


HISTOBY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Nashville  moved  to  the  Carolinas  where  it  fought  at  Benton ville  and  sur- 
rendered at  Greensboro. 

The  Nineteenth  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  raised  in 
Hamilton,  Knox,  Polk,  Rhea,  Hawkins,  Washington  and  Sullivan  Coun- 
ties, and  was  organized  in  May,  1861,  at  Knoxville,  with  David  M.  Cum- 
mings, colonel.  It  was  first  distributed  over  East  Tennessee  to  do  guard 
duty,  and  about  July  1 was  united  and  stationed  at  Cumberland  Gap.  It 
marched  north  on  the  Kentucky  campaign;  lost  one  man  killed  at  Bar- 
boursvilie;  was  in  reserve  at  “Wild  Cat;”  fought  bravely  at  Pishing 
Creek,  losing  about  fifteen  killed  and  wounded.  Afterward  terrible  pri- 
vations and  sufferings  were  endured.  It  moved  to  Murfreesboro  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1862;  thence  to  northern  Mississippi;  thence  to  Shiloh,  where 
April  6 and  7 it  was  furiously  engaged  in  the  awful  assaults  on  the  “Hor- 
net’s Nest,”  losing  over  100  killed  and  wounded,  and  assisted  in  the  cap- 
ture of  Prentiss’  division.  It  was  then  reorganized  and  moved  to  Vicks- 
burg, where,  in  the  swamps,  it  suffered  terribly  from  disease,  and  later 
fought  at  Baton  Rouge.  It  then  moved  north  and  joined  Bragg’s  army 
and  participated  in  the  sweeping  Confederate  victory  at  Murfreesboro 
losing  over  125  killed  and  wounded.  It  moved  south  and  in  September, , 
1863,  at  Chickamauga,  fought  with  magnificent  bravery,  losing  over  one- 
third  of  those  engaged.  Again  at  Missionary  Ridge,  in  November,  it  was 
hotly  and  stubbornly  engaged,  sustaining  severe  loss.  In  1864,  from 
Dalton  to  Atlanta,  in  all  the  bloody  battles  of  that  memorable  campaign, 
it  fought  with  conspicuous  daring  and  sorrowful  losses.  Among  the 
slain  was  the  beloved  Col.  Walker.  It  did  its  duty  at  Jonesboro  and 
Lovejoy,  and  in  the  awful  assault  at  Franklin  shed  its  best  blood  without 
stint  all  over  the  stricken  field.  It  fought  at  Nashville,  retreated  sorrow- 
fully south,  skirmishing  at  Sugar  Creek  and  Pulaski.  It  fought  its  last, 
battle  at  Bentonville,  and  surrendered  at  High  Point,  N.  C.,  with  sixty- 
four  men. 

The  Twentieth  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  raised  in 
Davidson,  Williamson,  Rutherford,  Sumner,  Perry  and  Smith  Counties, 
and  was  organized  at  Camp  Trousdale  in  June,  1861,  with  Joel  A.  Bat- 
tle, colonel.  Late  in  July  it  was  ordered  to  Virginia,  but  returned  after 
reaching  Bristol,  and  marched  north  with  Zollicoffer  on  the  Kentucky 
campaign,  skirmishing  at  Barboursville,  participating  in  the  action  at 
“Wild  Cat,”  fighting  furiously  at  Fishing  Creek,  losing  33  killed 
on  the  field  and  about  100  wounded.  It  then  moved  to  northern  Mis- 
sissippi and  in  April  participated  with  splendid  valor  in  the  brilliant  i 
Confederate  success  at  Shiloh,  losing  187  men  killed  and  wounded.  The 
regiment  was  then  reorganized,  moved  to  Vicksburg,  participated  in  the  j 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


0 l I 


movement  there,  fought  at  Baton  Rouge,  thence  marched  to  Murfrees- 
boro, in  which  memorable  battle  it  was  hotly  and  furiously  engaged,  sus- 
taining a loss  of  178  killed  and  wounded  of  350  engaged.  Later  it  fought 
desperately  at  Hoover’s  Gap,  losing  45  killed  and  wounded.  At  bloody 
Chickamauga  the  Twentieth  displayed  wonderful  dash  and  pluck,  losing 
98  killed  and  wounded  of  140  engaged.  At  Missionary  Ridge  it  fought 
brilliantly  and  retreated  in  good  order.  It  wintered  at  Dalton  and  in 
1864,  in  the  famous  Georgia  campaign,  fought  with  splendid  courage  at 
Resaca,  Dalton,  New  Hope  Church,  Pine  Mountain,  Kenesaw,  Peach  Tree 
Creek,  Jonesboro  and  the  actions  around  Atlanta,  losing  heavily  in  the 
aggregate.  Again  at  Franklin,  in  those  awful  assaults  in  the  flaming 
teeth  of  death,  it  displayed  heroic  valor  and  suffered  desperate  loss.  It 
bore  its  gallant  but  sorrowful  part  at  Nashville  and  sadly  retreated, 
marching  to  the  Carolinas  to  almost  literally  “die  in  the  last  ditch.”  At 
Greensboro,  N.  C.,  thirty-four  sad  men  surrendered  and  returned  to 
blighted  homes  to  repair  the  ravages  of  war. 

The  Twenty -first  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  raised  in 
•Shelby  and  Hardeman  Counties  about  the  last  of  April,  1861,  and  was 
soon  organized  with  Ed.  Pickett,  colonel.  It  reported  first  to  Gen.  Cheat- 
ham at  FTnion  City,  and  later  moved  up  to  Columbus,  Ky.  It  partici- 
pated in  the  sharp  action  at  Belmont,  November  7,  then  moved  back  to 
Columbus  and  to  Union  City  where  it  remained  a short  period;  then 
moved  southward  and  finally  participated  in  the  furious  battle  of  Shiloh, 
and  later  was  consolidated  with  the  Second  Regiment  to  form  the  Fifth 
Confederate  Regiment. 

The  Twenty-second  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  raised  in 
the  counties  of  Gibson,  Carroll,  Dyer,  Hardeman  and  in  Kentucky  and 
Louisiana,  and  was  organized  at  Trenton  about  July  1,  1861,  with  Thom- 
as J.  Freeman,  colonel.  It  operated  in  West  Tennessee  and  in  the 
movement  which  culminated  in  the  battle  of  Belmont,  November  7,  where 
it  fought  and  lost  about  seventy-five  killed  and  wounded.  It  returned 
south  with  the  army  and  located  near  Corinth.  It  fought  at  Shiloh,  los- 
ing nearly  one-half  of  those  engaged,  and  displayed  great  gallantry  on 
the  field,  Col.  Freeman  being  wounded.  It  then  moved  back  to  Corinth, 
where  it  was  re-organized  and  consolidated  with  the  Twelfth  Regiment 
and  thenceforward  lost  its  identity.  Col.  Freeman  served  the  one  year 
of  enlistment.  The  consolidation  was  commanded  by  Col.  Bell,  who  be- 
came a brigadier  under  Forrest.  Col.  Freeman,  at  Shiloh,  received  the 
surrender  of  Gen.  Prentiss,  who  handed  him  his  sword. 

The  Twenty-third  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  raised  in 
Bedford,  Marshall,  Rutherford  and  other  counties  of  Middle  Tennessee, 


578 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


and  was  organized  about  tlie  middle  of  July,  1861,  with  R.  H.  Keeble,, 
colonel.  It  saw  its  first  service  in  Virginia,  and  participated  in  the  en- 
gagement at  Drury’s  Bluff,  with  a loss  of  fifteen  or  twenty  killed  and 
wounded.  After  various  movements  it  was  engaged  in  the  brilliant  and 
furious  battle  of  Shiloh,  where  it  lost  severely.  It  moved  north  with 
Bragg  and  fought  at  Perryville,  then  turned  south  and  participated  at 
Murfreesboro,  after  which  it  continued  with  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee 
during  the  remainder  of  the  war.  At  Cliickamauga  it  lost  heavily.  It  was 
at  Missionary  Ridge  and  in  the  famous  Georgia  campaign,  after  which  it 
marched  back  with  Hood  into  Tennessee,  and  participated  at  Franklin 
and  Nashville,  then  moved  to  North  Carolina  where  it  surrendered.  At 
Murfreesboro  it  was  in  Johnson’s  brigade  of  Cleburne’s  division. 

The  Twenty-fourth  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  organized 
in  June,  1861,  at  Camp  Anderson,  near  Murfreesboro,  and  comprised 
twelve  companies  raised  in  the  counties  of  Williamson,  Rutherford, 
Maury,  Bedford,  Coffee,  Smith,  DeKalb,  Sumner,  Hickman  and  Perry. 
It  was  first  commanded  by  Col.  R.  D.  Allison,  and  later  by  Col.  Bratton 
and  Col.  John  Wilson.  It  moved  into  Kentucky  and  was  stationed  at 
Cave  City  in  October.  At  this  time  it  was  in  Col.  Shaver’s  brigade  of 
Hardee’s  division.  It  was  in  Gen.  Strahl’s  brigade  during  the  most  of 
the  war.  It  participated  in  the  pitched  battle  of  Shiloh,  losing  many, 
and  was  reorganized  at  or  near  Corinth;  thence  moved  via  Chattanooga 
on  the  Kentucky  campaign,  and  was  severely  engaged  at  Perryville.  It 
then  retreated  with  Bragg’s  army,  and  on  December  31,  1862,  partic- 
ipated in  the  splendid  charge  at  Murfreesboro,  losing  again  heavily. 
It  moved  south,  and  in  September,  1863,  was  hotly  engaged  at  bloody 
Cliickamauga,  and  later  participated  at  Missionary  Ridge.  In  1864  it 
was  in  all  the  leading  engagements  in  the  famous  Georgia  campaign,  and 
in  the  aggregate  lost  heavily.  It  moved  with  Hood’s  army  to  Jonesboro; 
thence  to  Tennessee,  where  it  participated  at  Franklin  and  Nashville; 
thence  moved  to  North  Carolina,  and  in  the  spring  of  1865  surrendered 
at  Greensboro. 

The  Twenty-fifth  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  raised  in 
Overton,  White,  Putnam  and  Jackson  Counties,  and  was  organized  at 
Camp  Zollicoffer,  near  Livingston,  early  in  June,  1861,  with  S.  S.  Stan- 
ton, colonel.  After  several  months  of  discipline  it  invaded  Kentucky  to 
break  up  organizations  of  Federal  home  guards,  and  in  January,  1862, 
joined  Gen.  Zollicoffer  at  Mill  Springs,  Ky.,  and  was  engaged  in  the  bat- 
tle of  Fishing  Creek,  suffering  considerable  loss  and  displaying  great 
dash  and  pluck.  It  then  moved  to  Murfreesboro,  thence  to  northern 
Mississippi,  where  it  did  important  provost  duty,  and  after  Shiloh  was 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


579 


reorganized,  with  Stanton,-  colonel,  who  was  soon  succeeded  by  J ohn  M. 
Hughes.  It  marched  to  Chattanooga,  thence  north  on  Bragg's  Ken- 
tucky campaign ; fought  bravely  at  Perryville,  with  loss ; thence  marched 
to  Murfreesboro,  in  which  headlong  battle  it  displayed  magnificent  fight- 
ing qualities  and  lost  heavily  in  killed  and  wounded.  It  participated  at 
Fairfield,  Beach  Grove  and  Hoover’s  Gap,  losing  heavily  at  the  latter 
battle.  At  the  fierce  battle  of  Chickamauga  it  distinguished  itself,  cap- 
turing valuable  ordnance  and  sweeping  desperately  everything  from  its 
course.  It  then  moved  with  Longstreet  against  Knoxville,  fighting  at 
Fort  Loudon,  Bean's  Station  (twice),  Clinch  Yalley  and  Fort  Sanders, 
suffering  severe  loss.  It  passed  a winter  of  intense  suffering  among  the 
mountains  of  East  Tennessee,  and  in  February,  1864,  moved  to  near 
Richmond,  Ya.  It  fought  desperately  at  Drury  Bluff  and  in  numerous 
engagements  around  Petersburg  and  Richmond,  displaying  its  habitual 
brilliancy,  and  was  finally  surrendered  at  Appomattox. 

The  Twenty-sixth  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  raised  in 
Washington,  Sullivan,  Meigs,  Cocke,  Grainger,  Rhea,  Hamilton,  Knox 
and  Roane  Counties,  and  was  organized  at  Camp  Lillard,  Knoxville, 
September  6,  1861,  with  John  M.  Lillard,  colonel.  Late  in  September 
it  moved  to  Bowling  Green;  thence  later  to  Russellville.  Ky.,  and  early 
in  February  to  the  relief  of  Fort  Donelson.  Here  it  did  its  first  gallant 
fighting,  amid  severe  loss  and  heroic  personal  achievements.  It  was 
captured,  taken  to  Northern  prisons,  and  exchanged  at  Yicksburg  in  Sep- 
tember, 1862.  It  was  reorganized  at  Knoxville,  with  Lillard,  colonel, 
moved  west,  and  in  December,  at  brilliant  Murfreesboro,  fought  in  the 
furious  charges  of  that  famous  battle.  It  moved  south,  and  at  Chicka- 
mauga fought  with  fiery  energy,  losing  heavily,  Col.  Lillard  falling  mor- 
tally wounded.  R.  M.  Saffell  succeeded  him  in  command.  It  also  did 
meritorious  and  bloody  work  at  Missionary  Ridge,  passed  the  winter  of 
1863-64  in  northern  Georgia,  and  fought  brilliantly  in  all  the  leading 
engagements  down  to  Atlanta,  suffering  severe  loss.  At  Jonesboro  and 
Lovejoy,  and  in  the  Tennessee  campaign  at  bloody  Franklin  and  stubborn 
Nashville,  it  displayed  its  accustomed  dash  and  valor.  It  retreated 
south,  and  at  Benton ville,  N.  C.,  lost  Col.  Saffell,  whose  successor  on  the 
field,  Col.  A.  F.  Boggess,  fell  in  the  same  fi°dit.  The  regiment  surren- 
dered  in  April,  1865. 

The  Twenty-seventh  Tennessee  ( Confederate ) Regiment  was  raised 
in  Benton,  Obion,  McNairy,  Haywood,  Weakley,  Carroll,  Decatur  and 
Henderson  Counties,  and  was  organized  at  Trenton,  late  in  July,  1861, 
with  C.  H.  Williams,  colonel.  It  occupied  Camp  of  Instruction  until  after 
the  battle  of  Belmont;  then  moved  to  Columbus,  Ky.,  and  later  to  Bowling 


580 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


Green.  Early  in  February,  1862,  it  moved  to  Nashville;  then  to  Mur- 
freesboro, then  to  northern  Mississippi.  In  April  it  fought  desperately 
at  Shiloh,  losing  over  100  killed  and  wounded.  It  was  transferred  to 
Chattanooga,  and  then  moved  north  on  the  Kentucky  campaign.  Octo- 
ber 8,  at  Perryville,  it  left  the  bloody  field  proud  of  its  splendid  conduct. 
At  Murfreesboro,  in  December,  it  assisted  in  the  furious  charges  which 
swept  the  right  wing  of  the  Federals  back  several  miles.  At  Chicka- 
mauga  it  fought  with  superb  courage,  forcing  the  enemy  back  at  every 
point,  and  at  Missionary  Ridge  held  its  ground  long  against  overwhelm- 
ing numbers.  In  the  Georgia  campaign  of  1864  it  fought  with  its  usual 
brilliancy  in  all  the  leading  engagements  on  the  retrograde  movement  to 
Atlanta.  Again  at  Jonesboro  and  Lovejoy  it  participated  and  marched 
north  on  the  ill-fated  Tennessee  campaign.  In  the  furious  and  brilliant 
charges  at  Franklin  the  gallant  regiment  steadily  carried  its  streaming 
banner  across  the  bloody  field,  losing  nearly  half  of  those  engaged.  In 
the  stubborn  contest  for  its  capital  city  it  bore  a heroic  part,  but  was 
overwhelmed  and  swept  back,  and  then  sadly  marched  down  to  the  Caro- 
iinas,  where  at  Bentonville  it  fought  its  last  battle.  It  surrendered  in 
April,  1865. 

The  Twenty-eighth  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  raised  in 
Wilson,  Putnam,  Jackson,  White  and  Smith  Counties,  and  was  organized 
at  Camp  Zollicoffer,  Overton  County,  in  August,  1861,  with  John  P. 
Murray,  colonel.  After  destroying  Federal  supplies  the  regiment  joined 
Gen.  Zollicoffer  and  fought  at  Fishing  Creek  with  the  loss  of  10  men. 
It  then  moved  south  to  northern  Mississippi,  and  in  April,  1862,  partici- 
pated in  the  brilliant  movements  at  Shiloh,  with  the  loss  of  over  100  of  its 
best  men.  It  then  moved  south  and  finally  fought  at  Baton  Rouge  and 
Port  Hudson,  displaying  brilliant  and  meritorious  courage.  It  then 
joined  Bragg’s  campaign  to  Kentucky,  and  fought  at  Perryville;  then 
moved  south  and  engaged  the  enemy  in  the  brilliant  charge  at  Murfrees- 
boro. It  was  reorganized  with  S.  S.  Stanton,  colonel,  and  consolidated 
with  the  Eighty-fourth.  At  Chickamauga  it  fought  its  hardest  and  grand- 
est battle,  losing  230  killed  and  wounded,  and  covering  itself  with  im- 
perishable glory.  It  skirmished  around  Chattanooga  and  did  guard 
duty  in  East  Tennessee.  In  the  Georgia  campaign  it  was  engaged  in  all 
the  principal  contests,  losing  heavily,  and  in  Hood’s  Tennessee  campaign 
distinguished  itself  for  courage  and  hardihood,  displaying  rare  daring 
and  valor  on  Franklin’s  bloody  field.  After  the  battle  of  Nashville  it 
moved  south,  and  after  Bentonville  was  surrendered  in  North  Carolina. 

The  Twenty-ninth  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  Avas  composed 
of  companies  from  Greene,  Bradley,  Hawkins,  Polk,  Claiborne.  Hancock 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


581 


and  Washington  Counties,  and  was  organized  at  Henderson’s  Mills, 
Clreene  County,  in  July,  1861,  with  Samuel  Powell,  colonel.  It  did 
guard  duty  in  East  Tennessee  until  December,  and  then  joined  Zolli- 
coffer  at  Mill  Springs,  and  January  19  met  the  enemy  at  the  battle  of 
Pishing  Creek,  where  Col.  Powell  was  permanently  disabled.  It  marched 
to  northern  Mississippi  via  Murfreesboro,  and  remained  at  Iuka  during 
the  battle  of  Shiloh.  It  skirmished  around  Corinth,  moved  to  Chatta- 
nooga ; thence  north  on  the  Kentucky  campaign,  being  commanded  by 
Horace  Pice,  who  had  succeeded  Arnold,  met  the  enemy  at  Perry ville ; 
thence  marched  to  Murfreesboro,  where  it  exhibited  splendid  intrepidity 
and  courage,  losing  36  killed  on  the  field  and  136  wounded.  At  Chicka- 
mauga  it  was  held  much  in  reserve,  but  lost,  killed  and  wounded  32. 
At  Missionary  Ridge  it  did  gallant  work  and  was  complimented  on  the 
field  by  Gens.  Cheatham  and  Hardee.  In  1861  at  Dalton,  Rocky  Face 
Ridge,  Resaca,  Kenesaw  Mountain,  Peach  Tree  Creek  and  around  Atlanta 
it  was  prominently  engaged.  It  participated  at  Jonesboro  and  Lovejoy; 
and  in  Hood’s  Tennessee  campaign  at  Franklin  its  gallant  action  was 
surpassed  by  no  other  regiment,  its  dead  and  wounded  lying  scattered 
over  its  bloody  path.  It  fought  at  Nashville,  retreated  south  with  the  army, 
and  fought  late  in  the  day  at  Bentonville.  It  surrendered  at  Greensboro 
April  26. 

The  Thirtieth  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  raised  in 
Davidson,  Sumner,  Robertson  and  Smith  Counties,  and  was  organized 
early  in  October  with  J.  W.  Head,  colonel.  In  November  it  moved  to 
Fort  Donelson,  and  February  13  to  16  was  prominently  engaged  and  was 
surrendered  on  the  16th  and  taken  to  Northern  prisons.  They  were  ex- 
changed the  following  July,  were  reorganized  at  Camp  Jackson  with  J. 
J.  Turner  as  colonel,  moved  to  Holly  Springs,  thence  to  Grenada,  thence 
to  Vicksburg,  fought  bravely  at'  Chickasaw  Bayou,  doing  the  enemy 
great  damage.  It  then  moved  to  Port  Hudson,  thence  to  Jackson.  At 
Raymond  May  12,  1863,  the  regiment  fought  with  great  skill  and  desper- 
ation against  superior  numbers,  losing  about  seventy-five  killed  and. 
wounded,  and  then  retreated  to  Jackson.  After  various  movements  it 
participated,  September  19  and  20,  at  the  fearful  contest  at  Chickamauga, 
displaying  wonderful  dash  and  staying  qualities,  and  losing  killed  and 
wounded  about  half  of  those  engaged.  At  Missionary  Ridge  it  was  hot- 
ly and  gallantly  engaged,  losing  severely.  Winter  was  passed  at  Dalton. 
In  1864,  from  Dalton  to  Jonesboro,  in  all  the  bloody  principal  engage- 
ments, the  Thirtieth  sustained  its  high  honor  and  courage  and  in  the  ag- 
gregate lost  many  splendid  men.  At  Jonesboro  the  regiment  in  heroic 
action  lost  one-third  of  its  troops.  In  the  unfortunate  campaign  of  Gen. 


582 


HISTOBY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


Hood  into  Tennessee  the  regiment  participated  at  Murfreesboro,  Frank- 
lin and  Nashville  further  distinguishing  itself  in  the  bloody  art  of  war. 
It  marched  down  to  the  Carolinas  to  fight  its  last  battle  at  Bentonville 
and  surrendered  April  26. 

The  Thirty-first  Tennessee  (Confederate,  West  Tennessee)  Begiment 
was  raised  in  Weakley,  Haywood,  Madison,  McNairy  and  Decatur 
Counties,  and  was  organized  during  the  summer  of  1861  with  A.  H. 
Bradford,  colonel,  and  November  29  marched  for  Columbus,  Ky.,  where 
it  remained  until  the  surrender  of  Fort  Donelson  in  February,  1862; 
thence  moved  to  Tiptonville,  thence  to  Fort  Pillow,  and,  after  the  battle 
of  Shiloh,  to  Corinth.  Later  it  was  moved  to  Chattanooga,  and  then 
moved  north  campaigning  through  Kentucky  with  Bragg.  At  Perryville 
the  regiment  had  its  first  heavy  engagement,  displaying  great  gallantry 
and  losing  many  valuable  soldiers.  Egbert  E.  Tansil  succeeded  Brad- 
ford as  colonel.  It  marched  south  with  the  army  and  December  81 
fought  ■with  conspicuous  courage  at  Murfreesboro,  and  retreated  south 
with  the  army,  and  in  September,  1863,  fought  in  the  awful  battle' of 
Chickamauga,  losing  nearly  half  its  men.  In  1864,  in  the  Georgia 
campaign,  it  was  engaged  in  nearly  all  the  principal  battles,  losing 
heavily  in  the  aggregate.  In  the  Tennessee  campaign  of  Hood  it  fought 
at  Franklin,  losing  over  half  the  number  engaged.  Col.  Stafford  was 
killed  on  the  enemy’s  line,  to  which  he  had  penetrated.  Again  it  fought 
at  Nashville,  thence  moved  to  North  Carolina,  where  it  surrendered. 

The  Thirty-first  Tennessee  (Confederate,  East  Tennessee)  Begiment 
was  raised  in  Jefferson,  Blount  and  Knox  Counties,  and  was  organized 
March  28,  1862,  with  W.  M.  Bradford,  colonel,  and  was  reorganized 
May  3.  It  did  guard  duty  in  East  Tennessee  and  at  Cumberland  Gap, 
joined  Bragg  at  Harrodsburg  after  the  battle  of  Perryville,  and  late  in 
December  moved  to  Vicksburg,  in  the  vicinity  of  which  it  participated  in 
numerous  expeditions  and  skirmishes,  and  in  the  siege  of  that  city  where 
the  soldiers  were  almost  starved  to  death  and  finally  captured.  In 
September,  1863,  the  regiment  was  exchanged  and  late  in  that  year  was 
transformed  into  cavalry,  and  as  such  brigaded  under  Gen.  Vaughn.  It 
did  service  in  East  Tennessee,  recruited  in  North  Carolina,  part  was 
sent  to  Virginia  and  while  there  fought  at  Kernstown,  Martinsburgh, 
Hagerstown,  Winchester,  Piedmont  and  elsewhere,  losing  heavily. 
Later  the  united  regiment  Avas  engaged  at  Marion,  Saltville,  Morristown, 
Bull’s  Gap,  Greeneville  and  elsewhere.  Marching  to  join  Lee  in  the 
spring  of  1865,  it  Avas  learned  that  he  had  surrendered  and  Gen.  Echols 
disbanded  his  command,  but  this  regiment  Avith  others  refused,  and 
marched  to  North  Carolina  and  joined  President  Davis,  and  was  his 


HISTOltY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


58J 


escort  when  all  were  captured.  The  regiment  was  paroled  at  Wash- 
ington, Ga. 

The  Thirty-second  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  raised  in 
Giles,  Lawrence,  Williamson,  Lincoln,  Marshall  and  Franklin  Counties, 
and  was  organized  at  Camp  Trousdale  during  the  summer  of  1861  with 
Edmund  E.  Cook,  colonel.  About  September  it  was  moved  to  East  Ten- 
nessee, where  it  did  patrol  duty  around  Chattanooga  and  Bridgeport, 
Ala.  Late  in  December  it  moved  to  Bowling  Green,  Ky.,  thence  in 
February,  1862,  to  Russellville;  thence  to  Clarksville,  and  thence  to 
Fort  Donelson,  where  from  the  13th  to  the  16th  of  February  it  partici- 
pated in  all  the  daring  movements  of  the  siege  with  severe  loss,  and  was 
captured  with  the  fort.  After  about  six  months  the  regiment  was  ex- 
changed at  Vicksburg.  It  was  reorganized  about  October  1,  with  E. 
Cook,  colonel,  and  moved  to  Murfreesboro  via  Knoxville,  and  during  the 
battle  was  posted  at  Wai’trace.  It  wintered  at  Tullahoma,  endured  a 
terrible  forced  march  in  June,  moved  to  Chattanooga  with  Bragg  in  July, 
and  fought  with  superb  courage  and  coolness  in  the  awful  conflict  at 
Chickamauga  with  heavy  loss.  Again  it  was  engaged  at  Lookout  Moun- 
tain, and  in  November  at  Missionary  Ridge,  where  it  fought  with  its- 
accustomed  gallantry.  It  wintered  at  Dalton,  and  in  1864  participated 
in  the  famous  Georgia  campaign,  fighting  in  all  the  leading  battles 
down  to  Atlanta  with  heavy  loss  in  the  aggregate.  It  fought  desperately 
and  with  grievous  loss  at  Jonesboro,  and  marched  north  to  invade  Ten- 
nessee under  Hood,  but  reached  bloody  Franklin  too  late  for  the  battle. 
It  participated  in  the  action  at  Nashville,  retreated  south  skirmishing  on 
the  way,  fought  its  last  battle  at  Bentonville,  N.  C.  and  surrendered 
with  Gen.  Johnston. 

The  Thirty -third  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  raised  in 
Weakley,  Obion,  Madison  and  other  counties,  and  was  organized  at  Union 
City  October  18,  1861,  with  A.  W.  Campbell,  colonel.  In  January,  1862 
it  marched  to  Columbus,  Ky.,  where  it  wintered;  then  moved  south  into 
northern  Mississippi,  and  in  April  met  the  enemy  on  the  furious  field  of 
Shiloh,  and  attested  its  courage  in  its  desperate  charges  and  its  loss  of 
nearly  200  men  killed  and  wounded  out  of  about  500  engaged.  The  reg- 
iment moved  back  to  Corinth,  and  later,  via  Chattanooga,  invaded  Ken- 
tucky under  Gen.  Bragg,  and  at  Perryville,  in  October,  fought  with  mag- 
nificent bravery,  suffering  heavy  losses.  After  this  it  moved  south  with 
Bragg,  and  at  Murfreesboro  bore  an  honorable  part,  losing  many  noble 
men.  At  Chickamauga  it  assisted  in  the  awful  charges  which  beat  back 
the  Federal  hosts.  It  fought  at  Missionary  Ridge  and  retreated  south, 
wintering  at  Dalton,  and  in  1864  participated  in  the  series  of  bloody  and. 


584 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


memorable  battles  from  that  point  to  Atlanta,  shedding  the  blood  of  its 
bravest  boys  in  defense  of  the  cause  which  to  them  seemed  right.  It 
marched  north  with  Hood;  was  at  Franklin  and  Nashville;  thence  marched 
south,  and  finally  surrendered  in  North  Carolina  in  April,  1865. 

The  Thirty -fourth  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  raised  part- 
ly in  Middle  Tennessee  and  partly  in  East  Tennessee,  and  was  organized 
during  the  autumn  of  1861,  with  William  Cliurcliwell,  colonel.  It 
first  saw  service  in  East  Tennessee,  where  it  remained  for  a considerable 
period  engaged  in  outpost  duty.  It  finally  participated  in  the  Kentucky 
campaign,  and  later  joined  the  army  of  Bragg  in  time  for  the  battle  of 
Murfreesboro,  in  which  desperate  engagement  it  was  conspicuously  act- 
ive, losing  severely  in  killed  and  wounded.  It  moved  south  with  the  re- 
treating army,  and  after  various  movements  was  engaged  in  the  bloody 
battle  of  Chickamauga,  in  September,  1863,  where  it  behaved  gallantly 
and  lost  severely.  In  1864  it  participated  in  the  actions  of  the  Georgia 
campaign,  terminating  at  Atlanta,  and  then  moved  back  into  Tennessee 
with  Hood,  taking  part  in  his  bloody  battles.  It  then  moved  south  with 
the  army,  and  finally  surrendered  in  North  Carolina. 

The  Thirty-fifth  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  raised  in 
Grundy,  Sequatchie,  Warren,  Cannon,  Bledsoe  and  Yan  Buren,  and  was 
organized  in  the  autumn  of  1861,  with  B.  J.  Hill,  colonel.  About  the 
first  of  the  year  1863  it  moved  to  Bowling  Green,  Ky.,  and  after  the  sur- 
render of  Fort  Donelson  marched  south  with  the  army  to  northern  Mis- 
sissippi, and  early  in  April  participated  in  the  battle  of  Shiloh,  with 
heavy  loss.  Its  charges  were  brilliant,  sweeping  and  destructive.  It 
then  skirmished  around  Corinth,  fighting  with  heroic  desperation  at 
Shelton  Hill  amid  a terrible  fire.  It  was  complimented  for  this  in  gen- 
eral orders  by  Gen.  Beauregard.  It  moved  with  Bragg  on  the  Ken- 
tucky campaign,  meeting  the  enemy  again  at  Richmond  and  Perryville, 
displaying  its  usual  heroism.  At  Murfreesboro  it  was  hotly  engaged, 
suffering  severely,  and  again,  in  September,  1863,  at  brilliant  Chicka- 
mauga sustained  itself  with  distinguished  valor.  It  did  important  pro- 
vost or  guard  duty  throughout  northern  Alabama,  and  finally  surrendered 
at  Chattanooga  in  the  spring  of  1865. 

The  Thirty-sixth,  Thirty-ninth  and  Fortieth  Tennessee  Regiments 
were  only  partly  organized,  and  in  the  main  saw  detached  duty.  The  first 
was  commanded  by  Col.  Morgan,  the  second  by  Col.  Avery.  The  last  was 
at  Fort  Pillow  in  January,  1862.  Col.  Avery  was  at  Bowling  Green  in 
December,  1861,  and  Col.  Morgan  at  Cumberland  Gap  in  March,  1862. 

The  Thirty-seventh.  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  raised  in 
Hamilton,  Jefferson,  Grainger,  Blount,  Sevier,  Claiborne,  Coffee  and 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


585 


Washington  Counties,  in  northern  Georgia  and  in  Alabama,  and  was  or- 
ganized in  October,  1861,  at  Camp  Ramsey,  near  Knoxville,  with  W.  H. 
Carroll,  colonel.  At  Germantown,  West  Tennessee,  to  which  point  it 
was  transferred,  it  drilled  for  about  a month.  In  November  it  moved  to 
Chattanooga.  It  marched  north  and  ivas  present  at  the  battle  of  Fish- 
ing Creek,  but  did  not  participate  in  the  main  battle,  losing  only  five  or 
six  killed  and  wounded.  It  then  moved  south  via  Murfreesboro  to  north- 
ern Mississipi,  and  occupied  Burnsville  during  the  battle  of  Shiloh. 
The  regiment  did  valuable  picket  service  around  Corinth.  In  July  it 
moved  to  Mobile,  Montgomery,  Atlanta,  Dalton,  Cliickamauga  Station, 
Chattanooga,  and  thence  on  the  Kentucky  campaign,  and  October  8,  at 
Perryville,  was  hotly  engaged.  It  then  marched  south,  and  in  October 
reached  Murfeesboro,  where,  December  31,  it  was  engaged  in  that  battle 
in  the  hottest  part,  losing  about  half  its  members  killed  and  wounded. 
It  then  moved  to  Chattanooga.  The  following  June  it  was  consolidated 
with  the  Fifteenth  under  the  latter  name,  and  so  lost  its  old  existence. 

The  Thirty-eighth  Tennessee  Confederate  Regiment  was  raised  in 
Madison,  Fayette,  Shelby  and  other  West  Tennessee  counties,  in  Wilson 
County,  and  in  Georgia  and  Alabama,  and  was  organized  in  September, 
1861,  with  Robert  F.  Looney,  of  Memphis,  colonel.  It  moved  first  to 
Chattanooga,  thence  later  to  Knoxville,  where  it  was  stationed  at  the 
date  of  the  battle  of  Fishing  Creek,  Kentucky,  having  no  arms  with 
which  to  assist  Gen.  Zollicoffer.  It  was  finally  ordered  to  Iuka,  Miss., 
thence  to  Eastport,  thence  to  Corinth,  and  was  brigaded  first  with  Gen. 
Gladden,  and  later  with  Gen.  Preston  Pond,  with  Louisiana  troops.  It 
moved  up  and  fought  at  Shiloh,  losing  ninety  killed  and  wounded.  It 
moved  with  Bragg  to  Perryville,  where  it  fought,  and  was  soon  after  re- 
organized, with  John  C.  Carter,  colonel.  It  moved  back  and  fought  at 
Murfreesboro;  thence  marched  down  to  Cliickamauga,  where  it  distin- 
guished itself.  It  was  at  Missionary  Ridge,  and  in  1864  engaged  in  the 
Georgia  campaign  with  heavy  loss.  It  came  north  with  Hood,  fought 
at  Franklin,  -where  Gen.  Carter  was  killed,  and  at  Nashville,  then  marched 
south,  and  in  1865  surrendered  in  North  Carolina. 

The  Forty-first  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  raised  in  Frank- 
lin, Lincoln,  Bedford  and  Marshall  Counties,  and  was  organized  at  Camp 
Trousdale  in  November,  1861,  with  Robert  Farquharson,  colonel.  In 
December  it  moved  to  Bowling  Green;  thence  to  Fort  Donelson,  where 
it  fought  gallantly  and  was  captured  by  the  enemy.  In  September,  1862, 
it  was  exchanged  at  Yicksburg,  and  was  reorganized  with  Farquharson 
colonel.  After  various  expeditions  the  regiment  was  transferred,  in  Jan- 
uary, 1863,  to  Port  Hudson.  In  May  it  moved  north,  where,  at  Ray- 


£86 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


moral,  it  met  tlie  enemy  in  a sharp  battle,  and  afterward  in  that  vicinity 
and  around  Jackson  participated  in  several  severe  fights  and  numerous 
skirmishes.  It  was  at  Yazoo  City  when  Yicksburg  surrendered.  Early  in 
September  it  marched  east  to  Chickamauga,  and  was  in  the  hottest  part 
of  that  gigantic  and  desperate  battle.  Many  of  its  bravest  were  stretched 
dead  upon  the  field.  It  wintered  near  Dalton,  and  in  1864,  in  the 
Georgia  campaign,  was  engaged  in  all  the  principal  engagements  down 
to  Atlanta,  fighting  gallantly  and  losing  heavily.  At  Jonesboro  it  also 
fought,  and  on  the  Tennessee  campaign  at  Franklin  was  not  surpassed  in 
desperate  fighting  by  any  other  regiment.  It  finally  surrendered  in 
North  Carolina.  During  the  war  it  lost  more  men  on  picket  duty  than 
in  battle. 

The  Forty-second  Tennessee  Confederate  Regiment  was  raised  under 
the  first  call  in  Cheatham,  Montgomery  and  other  counties,  and  five  com- 
panies in  Alabama,  and  was  organized  about  the  1st  of  October,  1861,  with 
W.  A.  Quarles,  colonel.  It  occupied  Camps  Cheatham  and  Sevier,  and 
in  February  reached  Fort  Donelson  just  in  time  for  the  battle,  in  which 
it  distinguished  itself  and  lost  severely.  It  was  captured,  and  in  Sep- 
tember, 1862,  was  exchanged  at  Yicksburg,  and  soon  reorganized  at  Clin- 
ton, Miss.  Quarles  was  re-elected  colonel.  Here  five  companies  from 
West  Tennessee  took  the  place  of  the  five  Alabama  companies.  In 
March,  1868,  I.  N.  Hulme  became  colonel,  vice  Quarles  promoted.  It 
participated  in  various  movements  in  Mississippi  before  the  surrender  of 
Yicksburg  and  during  the  seige.  It  then  moved  on  sundry  expeditions, 
and  in  1864  joined  the  campaign  through  Georgia,  and  was  engaged  at 
New  Hope  Church,  Pine  Mountain,  Kenesaw,  Smyrna  Depot,  Peach  Tree 
Creek,  Atlanta  and  Lick  Skillet  road,  losing  in  the  aggregate  heavily. 
In  Hood’s  bloody  campaign  the  regiment  at  Franklin,  in  those  awful  as- 
saults, left  about  half  its  numbers  killed  and  wounded  upon  the  field. 
This  was  its  most  desperate  battle,  and  here  it  exhibited  superb  courage. 
It  participated  in  the  stubborn  contest  at  Nashville,  and  moved  south  with 
the  army,  and  finally  surrendered  in  North  Carolina  in  April,  1865. 

The  Forty-third  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  raised  in 
the  counties  of  Hamilton,  Rhea,  Meigs,  Polk,  Bledsoe,  Jefferson,  Roane, 
Bradley,  Hawkins  and  McMinn,  and  was  organized  in  November,  1861, 
with  J.  W.  Gillespie,  colonel.  Its  first  service  rvas  guard  duty  in  East 
Tennessee  until  the  reorganization  in  May  1862.  After  various  move- 
ments and  thorough  drill  at  Charleston,  it  was,  in  August,  sent  to  Hum- 
phrey Marshall’s  brigade  in  Virginia.  It  soon  afterward  joined  Bragg’s 
Kentucky  campaign,  but  was  in  no  noteworthy  engagement.  In  Decem- 
ber it  was  transferred  to  Yicksburg  and  was  subjected  to  hard  service, 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


587 


and  in  May,  1868,  moved  to  Port  Gibson  to  oppose  Grant’s  advance.  It 
fought  at  Champion  Hill  and  covered  the  retreat  to  Vicksburg.  It 
fought  often  during  the  siege,  always  with  dash  and  daring,  losing  heav- 
ily in  the  aggregate.  It  surrendered  early  in  July,  and  was  soon  ex- 
changed and  was  ordered  to  re-enforce  Longstreet,  who  was  beseiging 
Knoxville.  During  the  winter  the  regiment  was  mounted,  and  in  the 
spring  of  1864  did  outpost  duty  in  East  Tennessee,  skirmishing  often 
and  losing  severely.  It  was  engaged  at  Piedmont,  losing  several  men. 
In  Virginia  it  was  often  engaged,  moving  with  Early  around  Washing- 
ton and  fighting  at  Winchester,  Monocacy,  Cedar  Creek,  Fislierville, 
White  Post,  Kernstown,  Darksville  and  Martinsburg.  In  the  fall  of 
1864  it  returned  to  East  Tennessee.  It  fought  at  Morristown,  losing 
heavily ; raided  Russelville  with  success ; during  the  winter  it  did  out- 
post duty.  In  the  spring  it  learned  of  Lee’s  surrender  and  then  moved 
south  to  join  Johnson,  but  at  Charlotte  met  President  Davis  and  served 
as  his  escort  until  his  capture.  It  was  paroled  in  May,  1865. 

The  Forty-fourth  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  raised  in 
Bedford,  Grundy,  Lincoln,  Franklin  and  Coffee  Counties,  and  was  organ- 
ized at  Camp  Trousdale  in  December,  1861,  with  C.  A.  McDaniel, 
colonel.  It  soon  moved  to  Bowling  Green,  and  early  in  February,  1862, 
to  Nashville,  thence  to  Murfreesboro,  thence  to  Corinth,  where  it  arrived 
March  20.  In  April  it  marched  north  and  fought  gallantly  at  bloody 
Shiloh,  losing  350  killed,  wounded,  captured  and  missing  out  of  470  en- 
gaged. It  reorganized  at  Corinth  and  with  it  was  consolidated  the  rem- 
nant of  the  Fifty-fifth  Regiment.  Late  in  J uly  it  moved  to  Chattanooga, 
thence  north  to  invade  Kentucky,  and  October  8 fought  desperately  at 
Perryville,  losing  42  killed  and  wounded.  It  suffered  in  that  awful  re- 
treat south.  September  19  and  20,  1863,  at  Chattanooga  the  regiment 
fought  heroically  and  charged  the  enemy  with  terrible  effect,  losing 
severely,  It  was  soon  detached  and  sent  with  Longstreet  to  besiege 
Knoxville.  It  fought  at  Bean’s  Station  and  elsewhere  and  went  into 
winter  quarters  at  Morristown.  In  May,  1864,  it  moved  to  Richmond 
Va.,  and  was  engaged  at  Drury’s  Bluff,  Petersburg,  Walthall’s  Junction 
and  elsewhere  besides  numerous  skirmishes,  and  was  finally  surrendered 
and  paroled. 

The  Forty-fifth  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  raised  in  the 
counties  of  Wilson  (Companies  B,  F,  G and  H),  Williamson  (A),  and 
Rutherford  (D,  C,  E and  I ),  and  was  organized  at  Camp  Tiousdale,  Sum- 
ner County  in  the  autumn  of  1861,  with  Addison  Mitchell,  colonel.  After 
various  movements,  during  which  it  did  duty  in  Mississippi  and  Louisiana, 
it  joined  the  army  of  Gen.  A.  S.  Johnston  and  participated  in  the  brilliant 


588 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Confederate  victory  at  Shiloh,  losing  heavily  in  killed  and  wound- 
ed. Company  A suffered  a loss  of  7 killed  and  about  twice  as  many 
wounded.  It  was  reorganized  at  Corinth  and  was  then  placed  on  de- 
tached duty  for  some  time,  after  which  it  participated  in  the  Kentucky 
campaign,  and  later  was  engaged  in  the  headlong  charges  at  Murfrees- 
boro, where  it  again  lost  severely.  It  moved  southward;  fought  in  the 
hottest  of  the  awful  battle  of  Chickamauga  and  again  at  Missionary  Ridge, 
and  in  1864,  in  many  of  the  general  engagements,  on  the  movement  to 
Atlanta,  Rocky  Face  Ridge,  Resaca  (two)  Powder  Springs,  Atlanta  and 
Jonesboro  and  then  at  Columbia;  second  Murfreesboro,  and  in  1865,  at 
Benton ville,  N.  C.,  where  it  surrendered. 

The  Forty-sixth  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  raised  in 
West  Tennessee,  almost  all  the  entire  force  going  from  Henry  County, 
and  was  organized  late  in  1861,  with  J.  M.  Clarke,  colonel.  It  partici- 
pated in  the  movement  of  Gen.  Pillow  up  the  Mississippi,  was  at  Colum- 
bus and  Island  No.  10,  and  later  at  Port  Hudson,  where  it  lost  several 
men,  killed  and  wounded.  For  a time  it  was  part  of  Stewart’s  brigade. 
Many  of  the  regiment  were  captured  and  died  in  prison  at  Camp  Doug- 
las and  elsewhere.  It  participated  in  the  Kentucky  campaign  under 
Gen.  Bragg,  losing  a few  men  killed  and  wounded  at  Perry  ville.  It  par- 
ticipated with  the  Army  of  Tennessee  in  all  the  principal  movements  of 
that  command,  engaging  the  enemy  in  numerous  places  and  losing  in  the 
aggregate  heavily.  It  was  finally  consolidated  with  other  regiments. 

The  Forty-seventh  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  organized 
late  in  1861,  with  M.  R.  Hill,  colonel,  and  was  raised  in  the  counties  of 
Obion,  Gibson  and  Dyer,  and  first  participated  in  the  movements  of  Gen. 
Polk’s  army  succeeding  the  battle  of  Belmont.  It  moved  southward  and 
joined  the  army,  and  finally,  in  April,  1862,  engaged  the  enemy  at  Shiloh. 
Later  it  participated  in  the  actions  around  Corinth,  and  finally  marched 
with  Bragg  into  Kentucky,  fighting  at  Richmond  and  skirmishing  else- 
where. It  returned  to  Tennessee,  and  just  before  the  battle  of  Murfrees- 
boro was  consolidated  with  the  Twelfth  Regiment. 

The  Forty-eighth  Tennessee  (Confederate,  Voorhees)  Regiment  was- 
raised  in  Maury,  Hickman  and  Lewis  Counties,  and  was  organized  in 
December,  1861,  with  W.  M.  Voorhees,  colonel.  It  moved  to  Clarks- 
ville, thence  to  Danville,  thence  to  Fort  Henry,  and  after  the  evacuation 
there,  to  Fort  Donelson,  where,  after  fighting  in  that  historical  action,  it 
surrendered.  After  about  six  months  it  was  exchanged  at  Vicksburg^ 
was  reorganized  at  Jackson  Avitli  Voorhees  again  colonel.  A portion  of 
the  regiment,  on  details,  in  hospitals  and  on  furlough,  had  escaped  the 
capture  at  Fort  Donelson,  and  Avith  five  companies  from  Wayne  and 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


589 


Lawrence  Counties,  had  served  under  Col.  Nixon  until  December,  1862, 
when  the  old  regiment  was  reunited,  the  portion  that  had  been  captured 
having  been  incorporated  with  the  Third  from  the  exchange  in  August 
until  the  reunion.  It  was  at  the  bombardment  of  Post  Hudson,  in  March, 
1863,  and  at  the  engagements  in  and  around  Jackson  about  the  middle 
of  July.  After  various  movements  it  reached  Dalton,  Ga.,  November  26. 
January,  1864,  it  moved  to  Mobile,  thence  joined  Polk’s  army,  thence  to 
Meridian,  thence  to  Mobile,  thence  joined  Joe  Johnston  at  New  Hope 
Church,  May  27,  1864.  It  fought  at  New  Hope  Church,  Pine  Mountain, 
Kenesaw,  Peach  Tree  Creek,  Atlanta,  Lick  Skillet  Road,  losing  in  the 
aggregate  very  heavily,  particularly  at  the  last  named  engagement,  where 
it  lost  half  its  men.  It  was  in  all  of  Hood’s  engagements  on  his  Ten- 
nessee campaign  except  Franklin.  It  was  active  and  valiant  at  Nash- 
ville. In  several  small  skirmishes  detachments  of  the  regiment  fought 
with  severe  loss  and  great  bravery.  It  was  at  Benton ville,  N.  C.,  and 
surrendered  in  the  spring  of  1865. 

The  Forty-eighth  Tennessee  (Confederate,  Nixon)  Regiment  was 
raised  in  Middle  Tennessee,  and  organized  late  in  1861,  with  G.  H.  Nixon, 
colonel.  After  various  duties  it  participated  in  the  campaign  against 
Louisville,  and  was  engaged  at  Richmond,  where  it  lost  several  men 
killed  and  wounded.  It  continued  with  the  army  until  it  was  found  that 
the  forces  at  Louisville  had  been  heavily  reinforced,  then  turned  back, 
and  October  8 fought  at  Perryville,  losing  several  men.  It  was  in  vari- 
ous movements  subsidiary  to  those  of  the  Army  of  Tennessee,  was  at 
Murfreesboro,  and  in  September,  1863,  at  Chickamauga,  where  it  lost 
severely,  and  exhibited  great  gallantry  on  the  field.  After  this  it  par- 
ticipated in  all  the  principal  movements  of  the  Army  of  Tennessee — in 
many  of  the  battles  on  the  Georgia  campaign,  and  finally  took  part  in 
the  actions  around  Atlanta  and  the  invasion  of  Tennessee  by  Hood. 
After  many  vicissitudes,  it  finally  surrendered  in  the  spring  of  1865  in 
North  Carolina. 

The  Forty-ninth  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  raised  in 
Montgomery,  Dickson,  Robertson,  Benton  and  Cheatham  Counties,  and 
was  organized  in  December,  1861,  with  James  E.  Bailey,  colonel.  It 
moved  to  Fort  Donelson  where  it  was  hotly  engaged  in  the  various  des- 
perate movements  of  that  action,  and  was  surrendered  with  the  army.  It 
was  exchanged  in  September,  1862,  at  Vicksburg,  was  reorganized  at 
Clinton  with  Bailey,  colonel.  It  was  at  Port  Hudson  during  the  bom- 
bardment of  March,  1863;  thence  moved  to  Jackson,  where,  in  July,  it 
fought  in  the  several  engagements  there;  thence  moved  to  Mobile,  where 
V . F.  Young  became  colonel.  It  then  moved  north  and  joined  Bragg 

37 


590 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


at  Missionary  Ridge,  too  late  for  tlie  battle;  thence  marched  to  Dalton; 
thence  back  to  Mobile  and  Mississippi,  and  back  to  Johnston’s  army,  at 
New  Hope  Church,  where  it  fought  May  27,  1804.  It  was  afterward  en- 
gaged at  Pine  Mountain,  Kenesaw  Mountain,  Smyrna  Depot,  Peach  Tree 
Creek,  Atlanta,  Lick  Skillet  Road  and  elsewhere,  losing  at  the  last 
named  battle  76  killed,  400  wounded  and  19  missing.  Here  it  Avas 
consolidated  with  the  Forty-second  Regiment.  It  moved  north  with 
Hood,  engaging  in  all  the  battles  and  skirmishes  of  his  disastrous  cam- 
paign. At  the  awful  charges  of  Franklin  it  fought  with  great  nerve  and 
desperation,  losing  20  killed,  36  wounded  and  36  missing  out  of  130 
engaged.  It  was  engaged  at  Nashville  and  then  retreated  south,  fight- 
ing at  Lynnville,  Sugar  Creek,  Anthony’s  Hill  and  elsewhere,  and  join- 
ing Johnson’s  army  in  North  Carolina,  where,  at  Bentonville,  it  fought 
its  last  battle  and  was  surrendered  with  the  army. 

The  Fiftieth  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  raised  in  Mont- 
gomery, Stewart,  Cheatham  and  Humphreys  Counties,  and  was  organ- 
ized on  Christmas  Day,  1861,  at  Fort  Donelson,  with  G.  W.  Stacker, 
colonel.  In  January  it  moved  over  to  assist  Fort  Henry,  and  February 
8 returned  to  Fort  Donelson  and  assisted  in  the  contest  there  which  re- 
sulted in  the  surrender.  Nearly  half  of  the  regiment  escaped  capture. 
In  September,  1862,  the  regiment  was  exchanged  and  was  reorganized 
at  Jackson,  Miss. ; C.  A.  Sugg  became  colonel.  It  then  operated  in 
Mississippi,  skirmishing  several  times.  In  November  it  was  consolida- 
ted with  the  First  Tennessee  Battalion.  It  was  at  the  bombardment  of 
Port  Hudson.  In  May,  1863,  it  moved  to  Jackson,  and  May  12  took  an 
active  part  in  the  battle  of  Raymond.  It  also  fought  at  Jackson.  In 
September  it  joined  Bragg  in  Georgia.  On  the  way,  in  a railroad 
accident,  13  men  were  killed,  and  75  wounded.  The  regiment  reached 
Chickamauga  in  time  to  take  an  active  part.  It  was  in  the  bloodi- 
est part  of  that  awful  contest,  losing  132  of  186  engaged.  Col.  T. 
W.  Beaumout  was  killed,  and  Maj.  C.  W.  Robertson  took  command, 
but  was  mortally  wounded.  November  25,  at  Mission  Ridge,  the  regi- 
ment was  again  cut  to  pieces,  Col.  Sugg  of  the  brigade  being  mortally 
wounded.  The  regiment  was  then  consolidated  with  the  Fourth  Con- 
federate  Regiment  (Tennessee).  It  wintered  at  Dalton,  and  in  the 
spring  and  summer  of  1864  fought  at  Resaca,  Calhoun  Station,  Adairs- 
ville,  Kingston,  New  Hope  Church,  “Dead  Angle,”  Peach  Tree  Creek, 
Atlanta,  Jonesboro  and  elsewhere,  losing  many  valuable  men.  It  moved 
north,  fought  at  Franklin  and  Nashville,  then  marched  to  North  Carolina, 
where,  in  April,  1865,  it  surrendered. 

The  Fifty-first  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  organized  at 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


591 


Henderson  early  an  1862,  with  eight  companies,  four  from  Shelby  and 
Tipton  Counties,  and  four  from  Madison  and  Henderson  Counties.  It 
was  first  commanded  by  Col.  Browder.  It  participated  in  the  siege  of 
Forts  Henry  and  Donelson,  at  which  time  it  was  only  a battalion,  and 
at  the  latter  battle  was  assigned  to  artillery  service,  and  consisted  of  only 
about  sixty  effective  men.  Col.  Browder  and  part  of  the  battalion  were 
captured,  but  the  lieutenant-colonel,  John  Chester,  gathered  the  remain- 
der together  and  with  two  other  companies  from  Madison  and  Tipton, 
reorganized  and  moved  to  Corinth  doing  provost  duty  during  the  battle 
, of  Shiloh.  It  was  then  consolidated  with  the  Fifty-second,  with  John 
Chester,  colonel.  On  the  Kentucky  campaign  it  fought  at  Perry ville, 
doing  splendid  execution,  and  losing  8 killed  and  about  30  wounded. 
At  Murfreesboro  it  captured  a battery  and  about  600  prisoners.  At 
i Shelby  ville  many  of  the  men  captured  at  Donelson  rejoined  the  regiment. 
It  was  engaged  at  bloody  Chickamauga  with  great  gallantry,  and  again 
. at  Missionary  Bidge.  In  many  of  the  battles  from  Dalton  to  Atlanta  it 
participated,  and  later  at  Franklin  and  Nashville  lost  very  heavily. 
A small  remnant  was  surrendered  at  Greensboro,  N.  C. 

The  Fifty-second  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  raised  in 
West  Tennessee  late  in  1861,  and  was  organized  with  B.  J.  Lea  as  colo- 
nel. In  January,  1862,  it  was  stationed  to  guard  the  Tennessee  railroad 
bridge,  by  order  of  Gen.  Polk.  It  participated  in  the  battles  at  Fort 
Donelson,  and  was  then  stationed  at  Henderson’s  Station,  in  West  Ten- 
nessee, where  it  remained  until  ordered  to  Corinth  in  March,  1862.  It 
moved  with  the  army  to  Shiloh,  and  of  its  action  in  that  battle  Gen. 
Chalmers,  its  brigade  commander,  reported  as  follows:  “A  few  skirmish- 
ers of  the  enemy  advanced  secretly  and  fired  upon  the  Fifty-second, 
which  broke  and  fled  in  the  most  slnyneful  confusion,  and  all  efforts  to 
rally  it  were  without  avail,  and  it  was  ordered  out  of  the  lines,  where  it 
remained  during  the  balance  of  the  engagement,  except  companies  com- 
manded by  Russell  and  Wilson,  which  gallantly  fought  in  the  Fifth 
Mississippi  Regiment.”  In  many  a bloody  battle  afterward  it  redeemed 
itself  nobly.  It  was  consolidated  Avith  the  Fifty-first,  and  was  at  Perry- 
ville,  Murfreesboro,  Chickamauga  and  in  all  the  general  engagements  of 
the  Georgia  campaign;  came  back  Avith  Hood  and  fought  at  Franklin, 
Nashville  and  elsewhere,  and  marched  down  to  North  Carolina,  where  it 
surrendered  April,  1865. 

The  Fifty-third  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  organized 
late  in  the  year  1861,  into  a battalion  under  the  command  of  Col.  Ed  Aber- 
•nathy.  It  was  present  at  the  battles  and  assaults  of  Fort  Donelson  and 
fought  on  the  left  Aving,  showing  great  gallantry,  repulsing  two  headlong 


592 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


charges.  It  had  at  this  time  about  200  effective  men.  It  was  captured’ 
and  seems  then  to  have  lost  its  identity.  It  was  probably  consolidated 
with  other  commands. 

The  Fifty-fourth  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Eegiment  was  organized 
at  Nashville  during  the  autumn  of  1861,  and  comprised  companies  from 
the  counties  of  Lawrence,  AVayne  and  probably  others.  Upon  the  organ- 
ization William  Dealing  was  chosen  colonel.  The  regiment  moved  first 
into  Kentucky  to  assist  in  repelling  the  Federal  advance,  but  early  in 
February,  1862,  was  ordered  to  Fort  Donelson,  in  the  siege  of  which  it 
was  actively  engaged.  It  succeeded  in  making  its  escape,  but  became 
almost  disbanded.  The  portion  that  remained  was  formed  into  a 
battalion  at  Corinth,  and  placed  under  the  command  of  Col.  Nixon, 
Later  the  battalion  was  consolidated  with  the  Forty-eighth  Regi- 
ment. 

The  Fifty-fifth  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  raised  in  the 
counties  of  Davidson,  Williamson,  Smith,  Bedford  and  Lincoln,  and  was 
organized  in  November,  1861,  under  Col.  A.  J.  Brown.  It  participated 
at  Fort  Donelson  and  was  reorganized  at  Corinth.  It  was  engaged  at 
Shiloh,  where  it  lost  very  heavily  in  killed  and  wounded.  Col.  McCoen 
was  succeeded  by  Col.  Reed,  who  was  mortally  wounded  in  December, 
1862.  After  Shiloh  it  was  consolidated  with  the  Forty-fourth  Regi- 
ment. 

The -Fifty-ninth  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  raised  in 
East  Tennessee  during  the  winter  of  1861-62,  and  was  mustered  into  the 
service  with  J.  B.  Cooke,  colonel.  It  did  duty  in  various  commands  in 
Tennessee  and  Kentucky,  and  finally,  about  January  1,  1863,  became 
connected  with  the  Confederate  force  at  Vicksburg,  and  was  brigaded 
with  the  Third  Confederate,  the  Thirty-first  and  the  Forty -third  under 
Gen.  A.  W.  Reynolds  in  Stevenson’s  division.  After  this  its  record  is  the 
same  as  that  of  the  Third  Regiment.  The  regiment  was  commanded 
much  of  its  term  of  service  by  Col.  W.  L.  Eakin 

The  Sixtieth  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  organized  in 
East  Tennessee  in  the  autumn  of  1862,  with  John  H.  Crawford,  colonel. 
Soon  after  its  organization  it  was  assigned  to  the  brigade  of  John  C. 
Vaughn  and  ordered  to  Mississippi  and  Louisiana,  and  thereafter,  during 
the  remainder  of  the  war,  its  record  is  similar  to  that  of  Vaughn’s  brigade. 
It  was  engaged  at  Jackson,  and  against  Sherman’s  movement  on  Vicks- 
burg. During  the  siege  of  that  city  it  garrisoned  the  Confederate  works. 
It  also  assisted  gallantly  in  opposing  the  advance  of  Gen.  Grant  from 
below  Vicksburg.  At  Big  Black  Bridge  it  lost  severely  and  foughh 
against  great  odds.  July  4,  1863,  it  was  surrendered  with  Pemberton’s- 


HISTOBY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


593 


army,  after  having  reached  the  point  of  starvation.  It  was  finally  ex- 
changed, and  then  joined  Gen.  Longstreet  in  his  movement  against 
Knoxville.  It  was  mounted  in  December,  1863,  and  spent  the  winter  of 
1863-64  guarding  the  front  and  in  recruiting,  and  in  the  spring  ad- 
vanced into  Virginia  and  fought  at  Piedmont.  It  was  at  Lynchburg, 
Williamsport,  and  along  the  Potomac  and  the  Shenandoah  Rivers,  and 
was  engaged  in  western  Virginia  when  the  news  of  Gen.  Lee’s  surrender 
was  received.  The  gallant  regiment  resolved  to  join  Johnston,  and  ac- 
cordingly rendezvoused  at  Charlotte,  but  finally  surrendered  with 

Vaughn’s  brigade. 

© © 

The  Sixty-first  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  raised  in 
Hawkins,  Sullivan,  Greene,  Jefferson,  Washington,  Grainger  and  Clai- 
borne Comities,  and  was  organized  at  Henderson  Mills,  in  Greene 
County,  in  November,  1862,  with  F.  E.  Pitts,  colonel.  It  almost  imme- 
diately became  part  of  Vaughn’s  brigade,  with  which  it  served  during 
the  remainder  of  the  war.  (See  Sixtieth  Regiment.) 

The  Sixty-second  Tennessee  Regiment  was  organized  late  in  1862, 
with  John  A.  Rowan,  colonel,  and  was  soon  assigned  to  Vaughn’s  brig- 
ade, with  which  it  served  during  the  rest  of  the  war. 

The  Sixty-third  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  raised  in 
Washington,  Roane,  Hancock,  Claiborne,  Loudon,  Hawkins  and  Sullivan 
Counties,  and  was  organized  July  30,  1862,  with  R.  G.  Fain,  colonel.  It 
operated  in  East  Tennessee  and  was  under  the  active  or  immediate  com- 
mand of  Lieut.-Col.  W.  H.  Fulkerson.  After  various  movements  it 
joined  Bragg  in  Middle  Tennessee  in  June,  1863,  but  only  to  retreat 
with  his  army  to  Chattanooga.  It  was  then  ordered  to  Knoxville,  thence 
to  Strawberry  Plains,  but  late  in  August  it  moved  back  in  time  to  par- 
ticipate in  the  great  battle  of  Chickamauga,  which,  though  its  first  en- 
gagement, was  fought  with  splendid  daring  and  discipline.  It  lost  47 
killed  and  155  wounded,  out  of  404  ensfagfed.  It  was  then  detached 
with  Longstreet  to  operate  against  Knoxville.  It  fought  at  Fort 
Sanders,  Bean’s  Station,  where  it  lost  18  killed  and  wounded,  and  win- 
tered in  East  Tennessee.  It  was  moved  to  Virginia,  fought  at  Drury 
Bluff,  where  it  lost  150  men,  at  Walthall’s  Junction,  at  Petersburg,  and 
elsewhere,  losing  many  men.  April  2,  1865,  a portion  was  captured,  and 
the  remainder  surrendered  at  Appomattox. 

The  Eighty-fourth  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regiment  was  organized 
at  McMinnville  during  the  early  winter  of  1862,  with  S.  S.  Stanton, 
colonel,  and  was  raised  in  the  counties  of  Smith,  White,  Jackson,  Put- 
nam, DeKalb,  Overton  and  Lincoln.  In  three  days  after  its  organization 
and  in  twelve  hours  after  reaching  Murfreesboro,  it  participated  in  that 


594 


HISTORY  OR  TENNESSEE. 


furious  engagement,  where  the  right  wing  of  Rosecranz  was  routed  from: 
the  field.  It  moved  back  to  Tullahama,  and  was  here  consolidated  with: 
the  Twenty-eighth  Regiment.  (See  sketch  of  the  twenty-eighth.) 

The  One  Hundred  and  Fifty-fourth  Tennessee  (Confederate)  Regi- 
ment was  organized  at  Memphis  in  1860,  before  the  war  broke  out,  and 
was  reorganized  soon  after  the  fall  of  Sumter  with  Preston  Smith,  colonel. 
Seven  companies  were  raised  in  Memphis,  one  in  Henry  County,  one 
in  McNair y County,  and  one  in  Hardeman  County.  It  first  marched  to 
Randolph  in  May,  1861,  and  after  various  movements  marched  north  and 
participated  in  the  battle  of  Belmont,  and  afterward  moved  south  into- 
Kentucky,  and  after  the  surrender  of  Fort  Donelson  to  northern  Missis- 
sippi, and  in  April  fought  at  bloody  Shiloh  with  severe  loss.  It  was- 
then  at  Corinth  until  the  evacuation,  then  marched  north  with  Bragg  on 
the  Kentucky  campaign,  fighting  at  Richmond,  Ky.,  with  great  loss,  and! 
at  Perryville,  October  8.  It  marched  south  with  the  army,  reaching" 
Murfreesboro  where,  December  31,  it  was  hotly  engaged,  losing  over  a 
third  of  those  engaged.  It  retreated  to  Chattanooga,  thence  to  Cliick- 
amauga,  where  it  fought  in  that  great  battle  in  September,  and  later  at 
Missionary  Ridge.  It  wintered  at  Dalton,  and  in  1864,  in  the  Georgia, 
campaign,  fought  in  all  the  principal  battles  down  to  Atlanta,  losing  in 
the  aggregate  many  valuable  men.  It  marched  north  with  Hood  and! 
invaded  Tennessee,  fighting  at  Franklin,  Nashville  and  elsewhere,  and  re- 
treating south  out  of  the  State.  It  marched  to  the  Carolinas,  partici- 
pated in  the  action  at  Bentonville,  and  surrendered  in  April,  1865. 

In  addition  to  the  above  organizations  there  were  about  twenty  cav- 
alry regiments  whose  movements  it  has  been  almost  impossible  to  trace. 
About  eighteen  battalions  of  cavalry  were  in  the  Confederate  service- 
from  Tennessee.  Many  of  the  battalions,  which  had  first  served  as  such 
and  perhaps  independently,  were  consolidated  to  form  regiments.  Aside 
from  this  there  were  numerous  independent  cavalry  companies  or  squads 
organized  in  almost  every  county  of  the  State  to  assist  the  Confederate 
cause.  The  leading  cavalry  organizations  of  the  State  served  mainly 
with  the  commands  of  Gens.  Wheeler,  Wharton  and  Forrest. 

The  artillery  organizations  of  the  State  were  so  often  changed,  and 
have  left  such  obscure  records,  that  no  attempt  will  be  made  here  to  trace 
their  movements.  They  were  in  nearly  all  the  artillery  duels  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi department.  The  following  is  an  imperfect  list  of  the  Tennes- 
see batteries:  Colms’  Battery,  Capt.  S.  H.  Colrns;  Appeal  Battery,  Capt. 
W.  N.  Hogg;  Bankhead’s  Battery,  Capt.  S.  P.  Bankhead;  Barry’s  Bat- 
tery, Capt.  R.  L.  Barry;  Belmont  Battery,  Capt.  J.  G.  Anglade;  Brown's 
Battery,  Capt.  W.  R.  Marshall;  Burrough’s  Battery,  Capt.  W.  H.  Bur- 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


595 


roughs;  Carnes’  Battery,  Capt.  W.  W.  Carnes;  Scott’s  Battery,  Capt.  W. 
L.  Scott;  Miller’s  Battery,  Capt.  William  Miller;  Bice’s  Battery,  Capt.  T. 
W.  Bice;  Kain’s  Battery,  Capt.  W.  C.  Kain;  Anglade’s  Battery,  Capt.  J. 
G.  Anglade;  Mebane’s  Battery,  Capt.  J.  W.  Mebane;  Wright’s  Battery, 
Capt.  E.  E.  Wright;  Morton’s  Battery,  Capt.  J.  W.  Morton;  .Jackson’s 
Battery,  Capt.  W.  H.  Jackson;  Freeman’s  Battery,  Capt.  S.  L.  Freeman: 
Hoxton’s  Battery,  Capt.  Lewis  Hoxton ; McAdoo  s Battery,  Capt.  J.  M. 
McAdoo;  Huwald’s  Battery,  Capt.  G.  A.  Huwald;  Krone’s  Battery,  Capt 
F.  Krone;  Taylor’s  Battery,  Capt.  -J.  W.  Taylor;  Dismukes’  Battery, 
Capt.  P.  T.  Dismukes;  Griffith’s  Battery,  Capt.  B.  P.  Griffith;  Maney’s 
Battery,  Capt.  F.  Maney;  Calvert’s  Battery,  Capt.  J.  H.  Calvert;  El- 
dridge’s  Battery,  Capt.  J.  W.  Eldridge;  McClung’s  Battery,  Capt.  H.  L. 
McClung;  Tobin’s  Battery,  Capt.  Thomas  Tobin;  Stankienry’s  Battery, 
Capt.  P.  K.  Stankienry;  Bibb’s  Battery,  Capt.  B.  W.  Bibb;  Wilson's 
Battery,  Capt.  W.  O.  Williams;  Fisher’s  Battery,  Capt.  J.  A.  Fisher: 
McDonald’s  Battery,  Capt.  C.  McDonald;  Bamsey’s  Battery,  Capt.  D.  B. 
Bamsey;  Keys’  Battery,  Capt.  T.  J.  Keys;  Porter’s  Battery,  Capt.  T.  K 
Porter;  Baxter’s  Battery,  Capt.  E.  Baxter;  Humes’  Battery,  Capt.  W.  Y 
Humes;  Jackson’s  Battery,  W.  H.  Jackson;  Lynch’s  Battery,  Capt.  J, 
P.  Lynch,  and  others. 

ORGANIZATION  OF  THE  ARMY  CORPS  AT  BOWLING  GREEN,  KY.,  OCTOBER  28 
1861,  GEN.  A.  S.  JOHNSTON,  COMMANDING.* 

First  Division,  Maj.-Gen.  W.  J.  Hardee.  Infantry:  First  Brigade, 
Brig. -Gen.  Hindman — -Second  Arkansas  Begiment,  Lieut. -Col.  Bocage; 
Second  Arkansas  Begiment,  Col.  A.  T.  Hawthorn;  Arkansas  Battalion, 
Lieut. -Col.  Marmaduke.  Second  Brigade,  Col.  P.  B.  Cleburne — First 
Arkansas  Begiment,  Col.  Cleburne;  Fifth  Arkansas  Begiment,  Col.  D. 
C.  Cross;  Seventh  Mississippi  Begiment,  Col.  J.  J.  Thornton;  Tennes- 
see Mountain  Bifles,  Col.  B.  J.  Hill.  Third  Brigade,  Col.  B.  G.  Shaver — 
Seventh  Arkansas  Begiment,  Col.  Shaver;  Eighth  Arkansas  Begiment, 
Col.  W.  B.  Patterson;  Twenty-fourth  Tennessee  Begiment,  Col.  B.  D. 
Allison;  Ninth  Arkansas  Begiment,  Lieut. -Col.  S.  J.  Mason.  Cavalry — 
Adams’  Begiment  and  Phifer’s  Battalion.  Artillery — Swett’s,  Trigg’s, 
Hubbard’s  and  Byrne’s  Batteries. 

Second  Division,  Brig. -Gen.  S.  B.  Buckner.  Infantry:  First  Bri- 
gade, Col.  Hanson — Hanson’s,  Thompson’s,  Trabue’s,  Hunt’s,  Lewis' 
and  Cofer’s  Kentucky  regiments.  Second  Brigade,  Col.  Baldwin — Four- 
teenth Mississippi,  Col.  Baldwin;  Twenty-sixth  Tennessee  Begiment. 
Col.  Lillard.  Third  Brigade,  Col.  J.  C.  Brown — Third  Tennessee  Beg- 


*Taken  from  the  official  report. 


596 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


iment,  Col.  Brown;  Twenty-tliircl  Tennessee  Regiment,  Col.  Martin; 
Eighteenth  Tennessee  Regiment,  Col.  Palmer. 

Reserve — Texas  Regiment,  Col.  B.  F.  Terry;  Tennessee  Regiment, 
Col.  Stanton;  Harper’s  and  Spencer’s  Batteries. 

CONFEDERATE  FORCES  AND  LOSS  AT  SHILOH.* 

First  Corps,  Maj.-Gen.  Leonidas  Polk.  First  Division,  Brig. -Gen. 
Charles  Clark;  First  Brigade,  Col.  R.  M.  Russell;  Second  Brigade, 
Brig. -Gen.  A.  P.  Stewart.  Second  Division,  Brig. -Gen.  B.  F.  Cheat- 
ham; First  Brigade,  Brig. -Gen.  B.  R.  Johnson;  Second  Brigade,  Col. 
W,  H.  Stephens.  Second  Corps,  Maj.-Gen.  Braxton  Bragg.  First  Di- 
vision, Brig. -Gen.  Daniel  Ruggles;  First  Brigade,  Col.  R.  L.  Gibson; 
Second  Brigade,  Brig. -Gen.  Patton  Anderson;  Third  Brigade,  Col.  Pres- 
ton Pond.  Second  Division,  Brig. -Gen.  J.  M.  Withers;  First  Brigade, 
Brig. -Gen.  A.  H.  Gladden;  Second  Brigade,  Brig. -Gen.  J.  R.  Chalmers; 
Third  Brigade,  Brig. -Gen.  J.  K.  Jackson.  Third  Corps,  Maj.-Gen.  W. 
J.  Flardee.  First  Brigade,  Brig. -Gen.  T.  C.  Hindman;  Second  Brigade, 
Brig.-Gen.  P.  R.  Cleburne;  Third  Brigade,  Brig. -Gen.  S.  A.  M.  Wood. 
Reserve  Corps,  Maj.-Gen.  J.  C.  Breckinridge;  First  (Kentucky)  Brigade, 
Col.  R.  P.  Trabue;  Second  Brigade,  Brig.-Gen.  J.  S.  Bowen;  Third 
Brigade,  Col.  AY.  S.  Statham.  Total  loss,  1,728  killed,  8,012  wounded 
and  959  missing. 

CONFEDERATE  STATES  FORCES,  GEN.  BRAXTON  BRAGG,  COMMANDING,  ARMY 
OF  THE  MISSISSIPPI,  JUNE  30,  1862.* 

First  Army  Corps,  Maj.-Gen.  Leonidas  Polk,  commanding. 

First  Division, Brig. -Gen.  Clark.  First  Brigade,  Col.  Russell — Twelfth 
Tennessee,  Thirteenth  Tennessee,  Forty-seventh  Tennessee,  One  Hundred 
and  Fifty-fourth  Tennessee,  Bankhead’s  Battery.  Second  Brigade,  Brig.- 
Gen.  A.  P.  Stewart — Thirteenth  Arkansas,  Fourth  Tennessee,  Fifth  Ten- 
nessee, Thirty-first  Tennessee,  Thirty -third  Tennessee,  Stanford’s  Bat- 
tery. Second  Division,  Brig.-Gen.  B.  F.  Cheatham.  First  Brigade, 
Brig.-Gen.  D.  S.  Donelson — Eighth  Tennessee,  Fifteenth  Tennessee,  Six- 
teenth Tennessee,  Fifty-first  Tennessee,  Carnes’  Battery.  Second  Brigade, 
Brig.-Gen.  George  Maney — First  Tennessee,  Sixth  Tennessee,  Ninth 
Tennessee,  Twenty-seventh  Tennessee,  Smith’s  Battery.  Detached  Bri- 
gade, Brig.-Gen.  S.  B.  Maxey — Forty-first  Georgia,  Twenty-fourth  Mis- 
sissippi, Ninth  Texas,  Eldredge’s  Battery.  Second  Army  Corps,  Maj.- 
Gen.  Samuel  Jones.  First  Brigade,  Brig.-Gen.  Patton  Anderson — 


♦From  the  official  reports. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


597 


Twenty-fifth  Louisiana,  Thirtieth  Mississippi,  Thirty-seventh  Missis- 
sippi, Forty-first  Mississippi,  Florida  and  Confederate  Battalion,  Slo- 
cumb’s  Battery.  Second  Brigade,  Col.  A.  Reichard — Forty-fifth  Ala- 
bama, Eleventh  Louisiana,  Sixteenth  Louisiana,  Eighteenth  Louisiana, 
Nineteenth  Louisiana,  Twentieth  Louisiana,  Barnett’s  Battery.  Third 
Brigade,  Brig. -Gen.  Walker — First  Arkansas,  Twenty-first  Louisiana, 
Thirteenth  Louisiana,  Crescent  (Louisiana),  Independent  Tennessee, 
Thirty-eighth  Tennessee,  Lumsden’s  Battery,  Barrett’s  Battery.  Third 
Army  Corps,  Maj.-Gen.  W.  J.  Hardee.  First  Brigade,  Col.  St.  J.  R„ 
Liddell — -Second  Arkansas,  Fifth  Arkansas,  Sixth  Arkansas,  Seventh  Ar- 
kansas, Eighth  Arkansas,  Pioneer  Company,  Robert’s  Battery.  Second 
Brigade,  Brig.  Gen.  P.  R.  Cleburne — Fifteenth  Arkansas,  Second  Ten- 
nessee, Fifth  (Thirty-fifth)  Tennessee,  Twenty-fourth  Tennessee,  Forty- 
eighth  Tennessee,  Calvert’s  Battery.  Third  Brigade,  Brig. -Gen.  S.  A.  M. 
Wood — Sixteenth  Alabama,  Thirty-second  Mississippi,  Thirty-third  Mis- 
sissippi, Forty-fourth  Tennessee,  Baxter’s  Battery.  Fourth  Brigade,  Brig.- 
Gen.  J.  S.  Marmaduke — Third  Confederate,  Twenty-fifth  Tennessee, 
Twenty-ninth  Tennessee,  Thirty-seventh  Tennessee,  Swett’s  battery. 
Fifth  Brigade,  Col.  A.  T.  Hawthorn — -Thirty-third  Alabama,  Seventeenth 
Tennessee,  Twenty-first  Tennessee,  Twenty-third  Tennessee,  Austin’s 
Battery.  Reserve  Corps,  Brig. -Gen.  J.  M.  Withers.  First  Brigade, 
Brig. -Gen.  Frank  Gardner — Nineteenth  Alabama,  Twenty-second  Ala- 
bama, Twenty-fifth  Alabama,  Twenty-sixth  Alabama,  Thirty-ninth  Ala- 
bama, Sharpshooters,  Robertson’s  Battery.  Second  Brigade,  Brig. -Gen. 
J.  R.  Chalmers — Fifth  Mississippi,  Seventh  Mississippi,  Ninth  Missis- 
sippi, Tenth  Mississippi,  Twenty-ninth  Mississippi,  Blythe’s  Mississippi, 
Ketchum’s  Battery.  Third  Brigade,  Brig. -Gen.  J.  K.  Jackson — Seven- 
teenth Alabama,  Eighteenth  Alabama,  Twenty-first  Alabama,  Twenty- 
fourth  Alabama,  Fifth  Georgia,  Burtwell’s  Battery.  Fourth  Brigade, 
Col.  A.  M.  Manigault— Twenty-eighth  Alabama,  Thirty- fourth  Alabama, 
First  Louisiana  (detached),  Tenth  South  Carolina,  Nineteenth  South 
Carolina,  Water’s  Battery. 

ARMY  OF  THE  WEST,  MAJ.-GEN.  J.  P.  M’COWN,  COMMANDING. 

First  Division,  Brig. -Gen.  Henry  Little.  First  Brigade,  Col.  Elijah 
Gates — Sixteenth  Arkansas,  First  Missouri  (dismounted),  Second  Mis- 
souri, Third  Missouri,  Missouri  Battalion,  Wade’s  Battery.  Second  Bri- 
gade, Brig. -Gen.  P.  O.  Hebert — Fourteenth  Arkansas,  Seventeenth  Ar- 
kansas, Third  Louisiana,  Whitfield’s  Texas  Cavalry  (dismounted), 
Greer’s  Texas  Cavalry  (dismounted),  McDonald’s  Battery.  Third  Bri- 
gade, Brig. -Gen.  M.  E.  Green — Fourth  Missouri,  Missouri  Battalion,  Mis- 


598 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


souri  Cavalry  Battalion  (dismounted),  Confederate  Rangers  (dis- 
mounted), King’s  Battery.  Second  Division,  Maj. -Gen.  J.  P.  McCown. 
First  Brigade,  Brig. -Gen.  W.  L.  Cobell — McCray’s  Arkansas,  Four- 
teenth Texas  Cavalry  (dismounted),  Tenth  Texas  Cavalry  (dismounted), 
Eleventh  Texas  Cavalry  (dismounted),  Andrews’  Texas,  Good’s  Battery. 
Second  Brigade,  Brig. -Gen.  T.  J.  Churchill — Fourth  Arkansas,  First 
Arkansas  Riflemen  (dismounted),  Second  Arkansas  Riflemen  (dis- 
mounted), Fourth  Arkansas  Battalion,  Turnbull’s  Arkansas  Battalion, 
Reve’s  Missouri  Scouts,  Humphrey’s  Battery.  Third  Division,  Brig.- 
Gen.  D.  H.  Maury.  First  Brigade,  Col.  T.  P.  Dockery,  Eighteenth  Ar- 
kansas, Nineteenth  Arkansas,  Twentieth  Arkansas,  McCainrs’  Arkansas 

Battalion,  Jones’  Arkansas  Battalion,  Battery.  Second  Brigade, 

Brig. -Gen.  J.  C.  Moore— Hobb’s  Arkansas,  Adams’  Arkansas,  Thirty- 
fifth  Mississippi,  Second  Texas,  Bledsoe’s  Battery.  Third  Brigade,  Brig.- 
Gen.  C.  W.  Phifer — Third  Arkansas  Cavalry  (dismounted),  Sixth  Texas 
Cavalry  (dismounted),  Ninth  Texas  Cavalry  (dismounted),  Brook’s  Bat- 
talion, McNally’s  Battery.  Reserved  Batteries:  Hoxton’s  Landis’,  Gui- 
bor’s  and  Brown’s.  Cavalry:  Forrest’s  Regiment,  Webb’s  Squadron, 
Savery’s  Company,  McCulloch’s  Regiment  and  Price’s  Body  Guard. 

THE  ARMY  OF  TENNESSEE  AT  MURFREESBORO,  GEN.  BRAXTON  BRAGG,, 

COMMANDING.* 

Polk’s  (First)  Corps,  Lieut. -Gen.  Leonidas  Polk,  commanding. f 

First  Division,  Maj.-Gen.  B.  F.  Cheatham.  First  Brigade,  Brig.- 
Gen.  D.  S.  Donelson:  Eighth  Tennessee,  Col.  W.  L.  Moore  and  Lieut.  - 
Col.  John  H.  Anderson;  Sixteenth  Tennessee,  Col.  John  H.  Savage; 
Thirty-eighth  Tennessee,  Col.  John  C.  Carter;  Fifty-first  Tennessee, 
Col.  John  Chester:  Eighty-fourth  Tennessee,  Col.  S.  S.  Stanton;  Carnes 
Battery  (Steuben  Artillery),  Lieut.  J.  G.  Marshall.  Second  Brigade, 
Brig.-Gen.  A.  P.  Stewart;  Fourth  and  Fifth  Tennessee  Volunteers  (con- 
solidated), Col.  O.  F.  Strahl;  Nineteenth  Tennessee,  Col.  F.  M.  Walker; 
Twenty-fourth  Tennessee,  Maj.  S.  E.  Shannon  and  Col.  H.  L.  W.  Brat- 
ton; Thirty-first  and  Thirty-third  Tennessee  (consolidated),  Col.  E.  E. 
Transil;  Stanford’s  Mississippi  Battery,  Capt.  T.  J.  Stanford.  Third 
Brigade,  Brig.-Gen.  George  Maney:  First  and  Twenty-seventh  Tennes- 
see (consolidated),  Col.  H.  R.  Field;  Fourth  Tennessee  (Confederate), 
Col.  J.  A.  McMurray;  Sixth  and  Ninth  Tennessee  (consolidated),  Col. 
C.  S.  Hurt  and  Maj.  John  L.  Harris;  Tennessee  Sharpshooters,  Maj. 
F.  Maney;  M.  Smith’s  Battery,  Lieut.  W.  B.  Turner,  commanding. 


^Organization  at  the  Battle  of  Murfreesboro  or  Stone  River,  Tenn.,  December  31,  1862,  to  January  3, 1863 
JCopied  by  permission  from  Military  Annals  of  Tennessee. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


599 


Foui’th  (Smith's)  Brigade,  Col.  A.  J.  Vauglian,  Jr.:  Twelfth  Tennessee, 
Maj.  J.  N.  AVyatt;  Thirteenth  Tennessee,  Capt.  R.  F.  Lanier  and  Lieut.  - 
Col.  W.  E.  Morgan;  Twenty-ninth  Tennessee,  Maj.  J.  B.  Johnson; 
Forty-seventh  Tennessee,  Capt.  AV.  M.  Watkins;  One  Hundred  and  Fifty- 
fourth  Tennessee  (senior),  Lieut.-Col.  M.  Magevney,  Jr. ; Ninth  Texas, 
Col.  W.  H.  Young;  Sharpshooters  (P.  T.  Allen’s),  Lieut.  J.  It.  J. 
Creighton  and  Lieut.  T.  T.  Pattison;  Scott’s  Battery,  Capt.  W.  L. 
Scott. 

Second  Division,  Maj. -Gen.  J.  M.  Withers.  First  (Deas’)  Brigade, 
Cols.  J.  Q.  Loomis  and  J.  G.  Coltart:  First  Louisiana,  Lieut.-Col.  F.  H. 
Farrar,  Jr. ; Nineteenth  Alabama,  Twenty-second  Alabama,  Twenty-fifth 
Alabama,  Twenty-sixth  Alabama,  Thirty-ninth  Alabama;  Robertson’s 
Battery  (temporarily  assigned  on  January  2,  to  Gen.  Breckinridge),  Capt. 
F.  H.  Robertson.  Second  Brigade,  Brig. -Gen.  James  R.  Chalmers  and 
Col.  T.  W.  White:  Seventh  Mississippi;  Ninth  Mississippi,  Col.  T. 
AY.  White;  Tenth  Mississippi;  Forty-first  Mississippi;  Blythe’s  Forty- 
fourth  Mississippi  Regiment  (battalion  of  sharpshooters),  Capt.  O.  F. 
AYest;  Garrity’s  (late  Ketchum’s)  Battery  (Company  A,  Alabama  State 
Artillery),  Capt.  James  Garrity.  Third  (AYalthall’s)  Brigade,  Brig.- 
Gen.  J.  Patton  Anderson:  Forty-fifth  Alabama,  Col.  James  Gilchrist; 
Twenty-fourth  Mississippi,  Lieut.-Col.  R.  P.  McKelvaine;  Twenty-seventh 
Mississippi,  Col.  T.  M.  Jones,  Col.  J.  L.  Autry,  and  Capt.  E.  R.  Neilson; 
Twenty-ninth  Mississippi,  Col.  AY.  F.  Brantly  and  Lieut.-Col.  J.  B.  Mor- 
gan; Thirtieth  Mississippi,  Lieut.-Col.  J.  J.  Scales;  Thirty-ninth  North 
Carolina  (temporarily  attached  on  the  field),  Capt.  A.  AV.  Bell;  Missouri 
Battery,  Capt.  O.  W.  Barrett.  Fourth  Brigade,  Brig. -Gen.  J.  Patton 
Anderson  (Col.  A.  M.  Manigault,  commanding)  : Twenty-fourth  Alabama, 
Twenty-eighth  Alabama,  Thirty-fourth  Alabama,  Tenth  and  Nineteenth 
South  Carolina  (consolidated),  Col.  A.  J.  Lythgoe;  Alabama  Battery, 
Capt.  D.  D.  Waters.  [Note:  McCown’s  Division,  Smith’s  Corps,  was 
temporarily  attached  to  Polk’s  Corps,  but  was  with  Cleburne’s  Division, 
Hardee’s  Corps,  under  the  immediate  command  of  Gen.  Hardee.  ] 

Hardee’s  (Second)  Corps,  Lieut. -Gen.  W.  J.  Hardee,  commanding. 

First  Division,  Maj. -Gen.  J.  C.  Breckinridge.  First  Brigade,  Brig.- 
Gen.  D.  AV.  Adams,  Col.  R.  L.  Gibson:  Thirty-second  Alabama,  Col.  Alex 
McKinstry  and  Lieut. -Col.  H.  Maury;  Thirteenth  and  Twentieth  Louisiana 
(consolidated),  Col.  R.  L.  Gibson  and  Maj.  Charles  Guillet;  Sixteenth 
and  Twenty-fifth  Louisiana  (consolidated).  Col.  S.  AY.  Fisk  and  Maj.  F.  C. 
Zacharie;  Battalion  of  Sharpshooters,  Maj.  J.  E.  Austin;  Fifth  Company 
AVashington  Artillery  of  Louisiana,  Lieut.  AY.  C.  D.  Vaught.  Second 
Brigade,  Col.  J.  B.  Palmer  ( Brig. -Gen  G.  J.  Pillow,  commanding  part 


600 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


of  January  2,  1868) : Eighteenth  Tennessee,  Col.  J.  B.  Palmer  and 
Lieut. -Col.  AY.  It.  Butler;  Twenty-sixth  Tennessee,  Col.  John  M.  Lillard; 
Twenty-eighth  Tennessee,  Col.  P.  D.  Cummings;  Thirty-second  Tennes- 
see, Col.  E.  C.  Cook;  Forty-fifth  Tennessee,  Col.  A.  Searcy;  Moses’ 
Georgia  Battery,  Lieut.  R.  AY.  Anderson.  Third  Brigade,  Brig. -Gen. 
AVilliam  Preston:  First  and  Third  Florida  (consolidated),  Col.  AYilliam 
Miller;  Fourth  Florida,  Col.  AY.  L.  L.  Bowen;  Sixtieth  North  Carolina, 
Col.  J.  A.  McDowell;  Twentieth  Tennessee,  Col.  T.  B.  Smith,  Lieut.-Col. 
F.  M.  Lavender  and  Maj.  F.  Claybrooke;  AYright’s  Tennessee  Battery, 
Capt.  E.  E.  AVright  and  Lieut.  John  AV.  Mebane.  Fourth  Brigade,  Brig.- 
'Gen.  R.  AV.  Hanson  (Col.  R.  P.  Trabue,  commanding  on  January  2, 
1863):  Forty-first  Alabama,  Col.  H.  Talbird  and  Lieut. -Col.  M.  L. 
Stansel;  Second  Kentucky,  Maj.  James  AY.  Hewitt;  Fourth  Kentucky, 
Col.  Trabue  and  Capt.  T.  AY.  Thompson;  Sixth  Kentucky,  Col.  Joseph 
H.  Lewis;  Ninth  Kentucky,  Col.  Thomas  H.  Hunt;  Cobb’s  Battery,  Capt. 
R.  Cobb.  Jackson’s  Brigade  (Independent) : Fifth  Georgia,  Col.  AY.  T. 
Black  and  Maj.  C.  P.  Daniel;  Second  Georgia  Battalion  (sharpshooters), 
Maj.  J.  J.  Cox;  Fifth  Mississippi,  Lieut.-Col.  AY.  L.  Sykes;  Eighth  Missis- 
sippi, Col.  John  C.  AVilkinson  and  Lieut.-Col.  A.  M.  McNeill ; E.  E.  Prit- 
chard’s Battery;  C.  L.  Lumsden’s  Battery  (temporary), Lieut.  H.  H.  Cribbs. 

Second  Division,  Maj. -Gen.  P.  R.  Cleburne.  First  Brigade,  Brig.- 
Gen.  L.  E.  Polk:  First  Arkansas,  Col.  John  AY.  Colquitt;,  Thirteenth 
Arkansas,  Fifteenth  Arkansas,  Fifth  Confederate,  Col.  J.  A.  Smith ; Sec- 
ond Tennessee,  Col.  AV.  D.  Robison;  Fifth  Tennessee,  Col.  B.  J.  Hill; 
Helena  Battery  (J.  H.  Calvert’s),  Lieut.  T.  J.  Key  commanding.  Sec- 
ond Brigade,  Brig.-Gen.  St.  John  R.  Liddell;  Second  Arkansas,  Col.  D. 
C.  Govan;  Fifth  Arkansas,  Lieut. -Col.  John  E.  Murray;  Sixth  and 
Seventh  Arkansas  (consolidated),  Col.  S.  G.  Smith,  Lieut-Col.  F.  J. 
Cameron  and  Maj.  AY.  F.  Douglass;  Eighth  Arkansas,  Col.  John  H.  Kel- 
ley and  Lieut.-Col.  G.  F.  Bancum;  Charles  Swett’s  Battery;  (AVarren 
Light  Artillery,  Mississippi),  Lieut.  H.  Shannon,  commanding.  Third 
Brigade,  Brig.-Gen.  B.  R.  Johnson:  Seventeenth  Tennessee,  Col.  A.  S. 
Marks  and  Lieut.-Col.  AV.  AV.  Floyd;  Twenty-third  Tennessee,  Lieut.- 
Col.  Pt.  H.  Keeble;  Twenty-fifth  Tennessee,  Col.  J.  M.  Hughes  and  Lieut.- 
Col.  Samuel  Davis;  Thirty-seventh  Tennessee,  Col.  M.  AVhite,  Maj.  J. 
T.  McReynolds  and  Capt.  C.  G.  Jarnagin;  Forty-fourth  Tennessee,  Col. 
John  S.  Fulton;  Jefferson  Artillery,  Capt.  Put  Darden.  Fourth  Brigade, 
Brig.-Gen.  S.  A.  M.  AYood:  Sixteenth  Alabama,  Col.  AY.  B.  AVood;  Thirty- 
third  Alabama,  Col.  Samuel  Adams ; Third  Confederate,  Maj.  J.  F.  Cam- 
eron; Forty-fifth  Mississippi,  Lieut.-Col.  R.  Charlton;  two  companies 
Sharpshooters,  Capt.  A.  T.  Hawkins;  Semple’s  Battery  (detached  for 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


601 


Hanson's  Brigade,  Breckinridge’s  Division,  up  to  January  1,  1863,  when 
it  returned),  Henry  C.  Semple. 

Smith’s  (Third)  Corps,  Lieut. -Gen.  E.  K.  Smith  commanding. 

Second  Division,*  Maj.-Gen.  J.  P.  McCown.  First  Brigade  (dis- 
mounted cavalry)  Brig. -Gen.  M.  D.  Ector:  Tenth  Texas  Cavalry,  Col.  M. 
F.  Locke;  Eleventh  Texas  Cavalry,  Col.  J.  C.  Burks  and  Lieut-Col.  J. 
M.  Bounds ; Fourteenth  Texas  Cavalry,  Col.  J.  L.  Camp ; Fifteenth  Texas 
Cavalry,  Col.  J.  A.  Andrews;  Douglass  Battery,  Capt.  J.  P.  Douglass. 
Second  Brigade— Brig. -Gen.  James  E.  Rains  (Col.  R.  B.  Yance  com- 
manding after  the  fall  of  Gen.  Rains) : Third  Georgia  Battalion,  Lieut. - 
Col.  M.  A.  Stovall;  Ninth  Georgia  Battalion,  Maj.  Joseph  T.  Smith; 
Twenty-ninth  North  Carolina,  Col.  R.  B.  Yance  part  of  time;  Eleventh 
Tennessee,  Col.  G.  AY.  Gordon  and  Lieut.-Col.  William  Thedford;  Eu- 
faula  Light  Artillery,  Lieut.  W.  A.  McDuffie.  Third  Brigade,  Brig.- 
Gen.  E.  McNair  and  Col.  R.  W.  Harper,  commanding:  First  Arkansas 
Mounted  Rifles  (dismounted),  Col.  R.  W.  Harper  and  Maj.  L.  M.  Ram- 
seur;  Second  Arkansas  Mounted  Rifles,  Lieut.-Col.  J.  A.  Williamson; 
Fourth  Arkansas,  Col.  H.  G.  Bunn;  Thirtieth  Arkansas  (the  Thirty-first 
on  return  of  Seventeenth),  Maj.  J.  J.  Franklin  and  Capt.  W.  A.  Cot- 
ter; Fourth  Arkansas  Battalion,  Maj.  J.  A.  Ross;  Humphrey’s  Battery, 
Capt.  J.  T.  Humphreys. 

Cavalry,  Brig. -Gen.  Joseph  AYlieeler.  Wheeler’s  Brigade,  Brig.- 
Gen.  Joseph  Wheeler:  First  Alabama,  Col.  AY.  AY.  Allen;  Third  Ala- 
bama, Maj.  F.  G.  Gaines  and  Capt.  T.  H.  Mauldin;  Fifty-first  Alabama, 
Col.  John  T.  Morgan,  and  Lieut.-Col.  James  D.  Webb;  Eighth  Con- 
federate, Col.  W.  B.  AVade;  First  Tennessee,  Col.  James  E.  Carter; 
Tennessee  Battalion,  Maj.  D.  W.  Holman;  Arkansas  Battery,  Capt. 
J.  H.  AYiggins.  Wharton’s  Brigade,  Brig.-Gen.  J.  A.  AVharton:  Four- 
teenth Alabama  Battalion,  Lieut.-Col.  James  Malone;  First  Confed- 
erate, Col.  John  T.  Cox;  Third  Confederate,  Lieut.-Col.  AVilliam  N. 
Estes;  Second  Georgia,  Lieut.-Col.  J.  E.  Dunlap  and  Maj.  F.  M.  Ison; 
Third  Georgia  (detachment),  Maj.  R.  Thompson;  Second  Tennessee,  Col. 
H.  M.  Ashby;  Fourth  Tennessee,  Col.  Baxter  Smith;  Tennessee  Battalion, 
Maj.  John  R.  Davis;  Eighth  Texas,  Col.  Thomas  Harrison;  Murray’s 
Regiment,  Maj.  AY.  S.  Bledsoe;  Escort  Company,  Capt.  Paul  Henderson; 
McCown’s  Escort  Company,  Capt.  J.  J.  Partin;  AVhite’s  Battery,  Capt, 
B.  F.  White.  Buford’s  Brigade,  Brig.-Gen.  A.  Buford:  Third  Kentucky, 
Col.  J.  R.  Butler;  Fifth  Kentucky,  Col.  D.  H.  Smith;  Sixth  Kentucky, 
Col.  J.  AY.  Grigsby.  Pegram’s  Brigade,  Brig.-Gen.  John  Pegram:  First 
Georgia ; First  Louisiana. 


♦There  is  no  evidence  that  the  First  (Stevenson’s)  Division  of  Smith’s  Corps  was  engaged. 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


•f)02 


THE  ARMY  OF  TENNESSEE,  GEN.  JOSEPH  E.  JOHNSTON,  COMMANDING.* 

Hardee’s  Army  Corps,  Lieut-Gen.  W.  J.  Hardee,  commanding. 
Cheatham’s  Division,  Maj-Gen.  B.  F.  Cheatham.  Maney’s  Brigade: 
First  and  Twenty-seventh  Tennessee,  Col.  H.  R.  Field;  Fourth  Tennessee 
(Confederate),  Lieut. -Col.  O.  A.  Bradshaw;  Sixth  and  Ninth  Tennessee, 
Lieut.-Col.  J.  W.  Burford;  Nineteenth  Tennessee,  Maj.  J.  G.  Deaderick; 
Fiftieth  Tennessee,  Col.  S.  H.  Colms.  W right’s  Brigade:  Eighth  Tennessee, 
Col.  J.  H.  Anderson ; Sixteenth  Tennessee,  Capt.  B.  Randals ; Twenty-eighth 
Tennessee,  Lieut.-Col.  D.  C.  Crook;  Thirty-eighth  Tennessee,  Lieut.-Col. 
A.  D.  Gwynne;  Fifty-first  and  Fifty-second  Tennessee,  Lieut.-Col.  J.  W. 
Estes.  Strahl’s  Brigade:  Fourth  and  Fifth  Tennessee,  Maj.  H.  Hampton; 
Twenty -fourth  Tennessee,  Col.  J.  A.  Wilson;  Thirty-first  Tennessee,  Maj. 
Samuel  Sharp;  Thirty-third  Tennessee,  Col.  W.  P.  Jones;  Forty-first 
Tennessee,  Lieut.-Col.  James  D.  Tillman.  Vaughan’s  Brigade:  Eleventh 
Tennessee,  Col.  G.  W.  Gordon;  Twelfth  and  Forty-seventh  Tennessee,  Col. 
W.  M.  Watkins ; Twenty-ninth  Tennessee,  Col.  Horace  Rice ; One  Hundred 
and  Fifty-fourth  and  Thirteenth  Tennessee,  Col.  M.  Magevney,  Jr. 

Cleburne’s  Division,  Maj. -Gen.  P.  R.  Cleburne.  Polk’s  Brigade:  First 
and  Fifteenth  Arkansas,  Lieut.-Col.  W.  H.  Martin;  Fifth  Confederate, 
Maj.  R.  J.  Person;  Second  Tennessee,  Col.  W.  D.  Robison;  Thirty-fifth 
and  Forty-eighth  Tennessee,  Capt.  H.  G.  Evans.  Lowrey’s  Brigade:  Six- 
teenth Alabama,  Lieut.-Col.  F.  A.  Ashford;  Thirty -third  Alabama,  Col. 
Samuel  Adams ; Forty-fifth  Alabama,  Col.  H.  D.  Lampley;  Thirty-second 
Mississippi,  Col.  W.  H.  H.  Tison:  Forty-fifth  Mississippi,  Col.  A.  B. 
Hardcastle.  Govan’s  Brigade:  Second  and  Twenty-fourth  Arkansas, 

Col.  E.  Warfield;  Fifth  and  Thirteenth  Arkansas,  Col.  J.  E.  Murray; 
Sixth  and  Seventh  Arkansas,  Col.  S.  G.  Smith;  Eighth  and  Nineteenth 
Arkansas,  Col.  G.  F.  Baucum;  Third  Confederate,  Capt.  M.  H.  Dixon. 
Smith's  Brigade:  Sixth  and  Fifteenth  Texas,  Capt.  R.  Fisher;  Seventh 
Texas,  Capt.  C.  E.  Talley;  Tenth  Texas,  Col.  R.  Q.  Mills;  Seventeenth 
and  Eighteenth  Texas,  Capt.  G.  D.  Manion;  Twenty-fourth  and  Twenty- 
fifth  Texas,  Maj.  W.  A.  Taylor. 

Bates’  Division,  Maj. -Gen.  William  B.  Bate.  Tyler’s  Brigade:  Thir- 
ty-seventh Georgia,  Col.  J.  T.  Smith ; Fifteenth  and  Thirty-seventh 
Tennessee,  Lieut.-Col.  R.  D.  Frazier;  Twentieth  Tennessee,  Lieut.-Col. 
W.  M.  Shy;  Thirtieth  Tennessee,  Lieut.-Col.  J.  J.  Turner;  Fourth  Bat- 
talion Georgia  Sharpshooters,  Maj.  T.  D.  Caswell.  Lewis’  Brigade:  Sec- 
ond Kentucky,  Col.  J.  W.  Moss;  Fourth  Kentucky,  Lieut.-Col.  T.  W. 
Thompson;  Fifth  Kentucky,  Lieut.-Col.  H.  Hawkins;  Sixth  Kentucky, 
Col.  M.  H.  Cofer;  Ninth  Kentucky,  Col.  J.  W.  Caldwell.  Finley’s  Bri- 


^Organization  lor  the  period  endiug  June  30,  1864. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


003 


gade:  First  and  Third  Florida,  Capt.  M.  H.  Strain;  First  and  Fourth 
Florida,  Lieut. -Col.  E.  Badger;  Sixth  Florida,  Lieut. -Col.  D.  L.  Kenan; 
Seventh  Florida,  Col.  It.  Bullock. 

Walker’s  Division,  Maj.-Gen.  W.  H.  T.  Walker.  Mercer’s  Brigade, 
Brig. -Gen.  H.  W.  Mercer:  First  Georgia,  Col.  C.  H.  Olmstead;  Fifty- 
fourth  Georgia,  Lieut. -Col.  M.  Rawles;  Fifty-seventh  Georgia,  Lieut. -Col. 

C.  S.  Guyton;  Sixty -third  Georgia,  Col.  G.  A.  Gordon.  Jackson’s  Bri- 
gade, Brig. -Gen.  John  K.  Jackson:  Forty-sixth  Georgia,  Col.  A.  C.  Ed- 
wards; Sixty -fifth  Georgia,  Capt.  W.  G.  Foster;  Fifth  Mississippi,  Col. 
John  Weir;  Eighth  Mississippi,  Col.  J.  C.  Wilkinson;  Second  Battalion 
Georgia  Sharpshooters,  Maj.  R.  H.  Whiteley.  Gist’s  Brigade,  Brig.- 
Gen.  S.  R.  Gist:  Eighth  Georgia  Battalion,  Lieut. -Col.  Z.  L.  Waters; 
Forty-sixth  Georgia,  Capt.  E.  Taylor;  Sixteenth  South  Carolina,  Col. 
James  McCullough;  Twenty-fourth  South  Carolina,  Col.  E.  Capers. 
Stevens’  Brigade,  Brig.-Gen.  C.  H.  Stevens:  First  Georgia  (Confeder- 
ate), Col.  G.  A.  Smith;  Twenty-fifth  Georgia,  Col.  W.  J,  Winn;  Twenty- 
ninth  Georgia,  Maj.  J.  J.  Owen;  Thirtieth  Georgia,  Lieut. -Col.  J.  S. 
Boynton;  Sixty-sixth  Georgia,  Col.  J.  C.  Nisbett;  First  Battalion  Georgia 
Sharpshooters,  Maj.  A.  Shaaff. 

Hood’s  Army  Corps,  Lieut. -Gen.  John  B.  Hood,  commanding. 
Hindman’s  Division,  Maj.-Gen.  T.  C.  Hindman.  Deas’  Brigade, 
Col.  J.  G.  Coltart:  Nineteenth  Alabama,  Lieut.-Col.  G.  R.  Kimbrough; 
Twenty-second  Alabama,  Col.  B.  R.  Hart;  Twenty-fifth  Alabama,  Col.  G. 

D.  Johnston;  Thirty-ninth  Alabama,  Lieut.-Col.  W.  C.  Clifton;  Fiftieth 
Alabama,  Capt.  G.  W.  Arnold;  Seventeenth  Battalion  Alabama  Sharp- 
shooters, Capt.  J.  F.  Nabers.  Manigault’s  Brigade,  Brig.-Gen.  A.  M. 
Manigault:  Twenty-fourth  Alabama,  Col.  N.  N.  Davis;  Twenty-eighth 
Alabama,  Lieut.-Col.  W.  L.  Butler;  Thirty-fourth  Alabama,  Col.  J.  C.  B. 
Mitchell;  Tenth  South  Carolina,  Capt.  R.  Z.  Harlee;  Nineteenth  South 
Carolina,  Maj.  J.  L.  White.  Tucker’s  Brigade,  Col.  J.  H.  Sharp:  Sev- 
enth Mississippi,  Col.  W.  H.  Bishop;  Ninth  Mississippi,  Lieut. -Col.  B. 
F.  Johns;  Tenth  Mississippi,  Lieut.-Col.  G.  B.  Myers;  Forty-first  Mis- 
sissippi. Col.  J.  B.  Williams;  Forty-fourth  Mississippi,  Lieut.-Col.  R.  G. 
Kelsey;  Ninth  Battalion  Mississippi  Sharpshooters,  Maj.  W.  C.  Richards. 
Walthall’s  Brigade,  Col.  Sam  Benton:  Twenty-fourth  and  Twenty-seventh 
Mississippi,  Col.  R.  P.  McKelvaine;  Twenty-ninth  and  Thirtieth  Mississip- 
pi, Col.  AY.  F.  Brantley ; Thirty-fourth  Mississippi,  Capt.  T.  S.  Hubbard. 

Stevenson’s  Division,  Maj.-Gen.  C.  L.  Stevenson.  Brown’s  Brigade: 
Third  Tennessee,  Lieut.-Col.  C.  J.  Clack;  Eighteenth  Tennessee,  Lieut.- 
Col.  AY.  R.  Butler ; Twenty-sixth  Tennessee,  Capt.  A.  F.  Boggess ; 
Thirty-second  Tennessee,  Capt.  C.  G.  Tucker;  Forty-fifth  Tennessee  and 


604 


IIISTOKY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


Twenty-third  Battalion,  Col.  A.  Searcy.  Cummings*  Brigade:  Second 
Georgia  (State),  Col.  James  Wilson;  Thirty-fourth  Georgia,  Capt.  W. 
A.  Walker;  Thirty-sixth  Georgia,  Maj.  C.  E.  Broyles;  Thirty-ninth, 
Georgia,  Capt.  W.  P.  Milton;  Eifty-sixth  Georgia,  Col.  E.  P.  Watkins. 
Reynold’s  Brigade — Fifty-eighth  North  Carolina,  Capt.  S.  M.  Silver;; 
Sixtieth  North  Carolina,  Col.  W.  M.  Hardy;  Fifty-fourth  Virginia* 
Lieut.-Col.  J.  J.  Wade;  Sixty-third  Virginia,  Capt.  C.  H.  Lynch.  Pet- 
tus’  Brigade:  Twentieth  Alabama,  Capt.  S.  W.  Davidson;  Twenty-third 
Alabama,  Lieut.-Col.  J.  B.  Bibb;  Thirtieth  Alabama,  Col.  C.  M.  Shelley; 
Thirty -first  Alabama,  Capt.  J.  J.  Nix;  Forty-sixth  Alabama,  Capt.  G.  E. 
Brewer. 

Stewart’s  Division,  Maj. -Gen.  A.  P.  Stewart.  Stovall’s  Brigade, 
Brig. -Gen.  M.  A.  Stovall:  First  Georgia  (State  line),  Col.  E.  M.  Galt; 
Fortieth  Georgia,  Capt.  J.  N.  Dobbs;  Forty-first  Georgia,  Maj.  M.  S. 
Nall;  Forty-second  Georgia,  Maj.  W.  H.  Hulsey;  Forty-third  Georgia, 
Capt.  H.  R.  Howard;  Fifty-second  Georgia,  Capt.  John  R.  Russell. 
Clayton’s  Brigade,  Brig. -Gen.  H.  D.  Clayton:  Eighteenth  Alabama, 
Lieut.-Col.  P.  F.  Hunley;  Thirty-second  and  Fifty-eighth  Alabama, 
Col.  Bush  Jones;  Thirty-sixth  Alabama,  Lieut.-Col.  T.  H.  Herndon; 
Thirty-eighth  Alabama,  Capt.  D.  Lee.  Gibson’s  Brigade,  Brig.-Gen.  R. 
L.  Gibson:  First  Louisiana,  Capt.  W.  H.  Sparks;  Thirteenth  Louisiana, 
Lieut.-Col.  F.  L.  Campbell;  Sixteenth  and  Twenty-fifth  Louisiana,  Lieut.- 
Col.  R.  H.  Lindsay;  Nineteenth  Louisiana,  Col.  R.  W.  Turner;  Twentieth 
Louisiana,  Col.  Leon  Von  Zinken;  Fourth  Louisiana  Battalion,  Maj.  D. 
Buie:  Fourteenth  Battalion  Louisiana  Sharpshooters,  Maj.  J.  E.  Austin. 
Baker’s  Brigade,  Brig.-Gen.  A.  Baker:  Thirty-seventh  Alabama,  Lieut.- 
Col.  A.  A.  Greene;  Fortieth  Alabama,  Col.  J.  H.  Higley;  Forty-second 
Alabama,  Capt.  R.  K.  Wells;  Fifty-fourth  Alabama.  Lieut.-Col.  J.  A. 
Minter. 

Wheeler’s  Cavalry  Corps,  Maj. -Gen.  Joseph  Wheeler,  commanding. 
Martin’s  Division,  Maj. -Gen.  W.  T.  Martin.  Allen’s  Brigade:  First 
Alabama,  Lieut.-Col.  D.  T.  Blakey;  Third  Alabama,  Col.  James  Hagan; 
Fourth  Alabama,  Col.  A.  A.  Russell;  Seventh  Alabama,  Capt.  G.  Mason; 
Fifty-first  Alabama,  Col.  M.  L.  Kirkpatrick;  Twelfth  Alabama  Battalion, 
Capt.  W.  S.  Reese.  Iverson’s  Brigade:  First  Georgia,  Col.  S.  W. 
Davitte;  Second  Georgia,  Col.  J.  W.  Mayo;  Third  Georgia,  Col.  R. 
Thompson;  Fourth  Georgia,  Maj.  A.  R.  Stewart;  Sixth  Georgia,  Col. 
John  R.  Hart. 

Kelly’s  Division.  Anderson’s  Brigade,  Col.  R.  H.  Anderson:  Third 
Confederate,  Lieut.-Col.  J.  McCaskill;  Eighth  Confederate,  Lieut.-Col. 
J.  S.  Prather;  Tenth  Confederate,  Capt.  W.  J.  Vason;  Twelfth  Confed- 


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HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


605 


•erate,  Capt.  C.  H.  Conner;  Fifth  Georgia,  Maj.  R.  J.  Davant,  Jr.  Dib- 
rell’s  Brigade,  Col.  G.  G.  Dibrell:  Fourth  Tennessee,  Col.  W.  S.  McLe- 
more;  Eighth  Tennessee,  Capt.  J.  Leftwich;  Ninth  Tennessee,  Capt.  J. 
M.  Reynolds;  Tenth  Tennessee,  Maj.  John  Minor.  Hannon’s  Brigade, 
Col.  M.  W.  Hannon:  Fifty-third  Alabama,  Lieut. -Col.  J.  F.  Gaines; 
Twenty-fourth  Alabama  Battalion,  Maj.  R.  B.  Snodgrass. 

Hume’s  Division.  Ashby’s  Brigade,  Col.  H.  M.  Ashby:  First  East 
Tennessee  (not  reported);  First  Tennessee,  Col.  J.  T.  Wheeler;  Second 
Tennessee,  Capt.  J.  H.  Kuhn;  Fifth  Tennessee,  Col.  G.  W.  McKenzie; 
Ninth  Tennessee,  Battalion,  Capt.  J.  W.  Greene.  Harrison’s  Brigade. 
Col.  Thomas  Harrison:  Arkansas,  Col.  A.  W.  Hobson;  Sixty-sixth; 
North  Carolina  (not  reported);  Fourth  Tennessee,  Lieut. -Col.  P.  F. 
Anderson;  Eighth  Texas,  Maj.  S.  P.  Christian;  Eleventh  Texas,  Col.  G. 
R.  Reeves.  Williams’  Brigade,  Brig.-Gen.  J.  S.  Williams:  First  Ken- 
tucky, Lieut. -Col.  J.  W.  Griffith;  Second  Kentucky,  Maj.  T.  W.  Lewis; 
Ninth  Kentucky,  Col.  W.  C.  P.  Breckinridge;  Second  Kentucky  Battal- 
ion, Capt.  J.  B.  Dartch;  Allison’s  Squadron,  Capt.  J.  S.  Reese;  detach- 
ment Hamilton’s  Battalion,  Maj.  James  Shaw. 

Artillery  Corps,  Brig-Gen.  F.  A.  Shoup,  commanding. 

Artillery  of  Hardee’s  Corps,  Col.  M.  Smith.  Hoxton’s  Battalion 
— Perry’s  Battery,  Capt.  T.  J.  Perry,  Phelan’s  Battery,  Lieut.  N.  Yen- 
able;  Turner’s  Battery,  Capt.  H.  B.  Turner.  Hotchkiss’  Battalion — - 
Goldtliwait’s  Battery,  Capt.  R.  W.  Goldthwait;  Key’s  Battery,  Capt.  T. 
J.  Key;  Swett’s  Battery,  Lieut.  H.  Shannon.  Martin’s  Battalion — -Bled- 
soe’s Battery,  Lieut.  C.  W.  Higgins;  Ferguson’s  Battery,  Lieut.  J.  A, 
Alston;  Howell’s  Battery,  Lieut.  W.  G.  Robson.  Cobb’s  Battalion — Gra- 
cey’s  Battery,  Lieut.  R.  Matthews;  Mebane’s  Battery,  Lieut.  J.  W.  Phil- 
lips; Slocomb’s  Battery,  Capt.  C.  H.  Slocomb. 

Artillery  of  Hood’s  Corps,  Col.  R.  F.  Beckham.  Courtney’s  Battal- 
ion— Dent’s  Battery,  Capt.  S.  H.  Dent;  Douglass’  Battery,  Capt.  J.  P. 
Douglass;  Garrity’s  Battery,  Capt.  J.  Garrity.  Elclridge’s  Battalion — 
Fenner’s  Battery,  Capt.  C.  E.  Fenner;  Oliver’s  Battery,  Capt.  McD, 
Oliver;  Stanford’s  Battery,  Lieut.  J.  S.  McCall.  Johnston’s  Battalion— 
Corput’s  Battery,  Lieut.  W.  S.  Hoge;  Marshall’s  Battery,  Capt.  L.  G. 
Marshall;  Rowan’s  Battery,  Capt.  J.  B.  Rowan. 

Artillery  of  Wheeler’s  Corps,  Lieut. -Col.  F.  W.  Robertson.  Fer- 
rell’s Battery,  Lieut. -Davis;  Huggins’  Battery,  Capt.  A.  L.  Hug- 

gins; Ramsey’s  Battery,  Lieut.  D.  B.  Ramsey;  White’s  Battery,  Lieut.  A, 
Pue;  Wiggin’s  Battery,  Lieut.  J.  P.  Bryant. 

Reserve  Battalions,  Lieut. -Col.  J.  H.  Hallonquist.  Williams’  Battal- 
ion— Darden’s  Battery,  Jeffree’s  Battery,  Kolb’s  Battery.  Palmer’s  Bat- 

38 

' 


606 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


talion — Harris’  Battery,  Lumsden’s  Battery.  Waddill’s  Battalion — 
Barrett’s  Battery,  Bellamy’s  Battery,  Emery’s  Battery. 

Detachments : Escorts,  Gen.  J.  E Johnston’s — Company  A,  Capt. 

Guy  Dreux;  Company  B,  Capt.  E.  M.  Holloway.  Gen.  Cheatham’s — 
Capt.  T.  M.  Merritt.  Gen.  Cleburne’s — Capt.  C.  F.  Sanders.  Gen. 
Walker’s — Capt.  T.  G.  Holt.  Gen.  Bates’ — Lieut.  James  H.  Buck.  Gen. 
Hardee’s— Capt.  W.  C.  Baum.  Gen.  Hindman’s— Capt.  F.  J.  Billings- 
lea.  Gen.  Stevenson’s — Capt.  T.  B.  Wilson.  Gen.  Stewart’s — Capt. 
George  T.  Watts. 

Engineer  Troops,  Maj.  J.  W.  Green.  Cheatham’s  Division,  Capt.  H. 
N.  Pharr;  Cleburne’s  Division,  Capt.  W.  A.  Ramsay;  Stewart’s  Division, 
A.  W.  Gloster;  Hindman’s  Division,  Capt.  R.  L.  Cobb;  Buckner’s  Divis- 
ion, Capt.  E.  Winston  (detached  companies)  Capt.  R.  C.  McCalla;  De- 
tachment Sappers  and  Miners,  Capt.  A.  W.  Clarkson. 

ARMY  OP  THE  MISSISSIPPI,  LIEUT. -GEN.  LEONIDAS  POLK,  COMMANDING.* 

Loring’s  Division,  Maj. -Gen.  W.  W.  Loring.  First  Brigade,  Brig.- 
Gen.  W.  S.  Featherston:  Third  Mississippi,  Col.  T.  A.  Mellon;  Twenty- 
Second  Mississippi,  Maj.  Martin  A.  Oatis;  Thirty-first  Mississippi,  Col. 
M.  D.  L.  Stevens;  Thirty -third  Mississippi,  Col.  J.  L.  Dake;  Fortieth 
Mississippi,  Col.  W.  Bruce  Colbert;  First  Mississippi,  Battalion  Sharp- 
shooters, Maj.  J.  M.  Stigler.  Second  Brigade,  Brig. -Gen.  John  Adams: 
Sixth  Mississippi,  Col.  Robert  Lowry;  Fourteenth  Mississippi,  Lieut. - 
Col.  W.  L.  Doss ; Fifteenth  Mississippi,  Col.  M.  Farrell ; Twentieth  Mis- 
sissippi, Col.  William  N.  Brown;  Twenty-third  Mississippi,  Col.  J.  M. 
Wells;  Forty-third  Mississippi,  Col.  Richard  Harrison.  Third  Brigade, 
Col.  Thomas  M.  Scott:  Twenty-seventh  Alabama,  Col.  James  Jackson; 
Thirty-fifth  Alabama,  Col.  S.  S.  Ives;  Forty-ninth  Alabama,  Lieut. -Col. 
J.  D.  Weedon;  Fifty-fifth  Alabama,  Col.  John  Snodgrass;  Fifty-seventh 
Alabama,  Col.  C.  J.  L.  Cunningham;  Twelfth  Louisiana,  Lieut.-Col.  N. 
L.  Nelson.  Artillery  Battalion,  Maj.  J.  D.  Myrick:  Barry’s  Battery, 
Bouancliand’s  Battery,  Cowan’s  Battery,  Mississippi. 

French’s  Division,  Maj. -Gen.  S.  G.  French.  First  Brigade,  Brig.- 
Gen.  M.  D.  Ector:  Twenty-ninth  North  Carolina,  Thirty-ninth  North 
Carolina,  Ninth  Texas,  Col.  William  H.  Young;  Tenth  Texas,  Col.  C.  R. 
Earp;  Fourteenth  Texas,  Col.  J.  L.  Camp;  Thirty-second  Texas,  Col.  J 
A.  Andrews.  Second  Brigade,  Brig. -Gen.  F.  M.  Cockrell;  First  Mis- 
souri (the  First  and  Fourth  combined),  Capt.  Keith;  Second  Mis- 

souri (the  Second  and  Sixth  combined),  Col.  P.  C.  Flournoy;  Third 

Missouri  (the  Third  and  Fifth  combined),  Col.  James  McCown;  Fourth 

" 


*Organization  Jane  10, 1864. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


607 


Missouri  (the  First  and  Fourth  combined),  Capt.  Keith;  Fifth 

Missouri  (Third  and  Fifth  combined),  Col.  James  McCown;  Sixth  Mis- 
souri (Third  and  Sixth  combined),  Col.  P.  C.  Flournoy;  First  Missouri 
Cavalry,  Third  Missouri  Cavalry,  Maj.  Elijah  Yates.  Third  Brigade, 
Brig. -Gen.  C.  W.  Sears;  Fourth  Mississippi,  Col.  T.  N.  Adair;  Thirty- 
fifth  Mississippi,  Col.  William  S.  Barney;  Thirty-sixth  Mississippi,  Col. 
W.  W.  Witherspoon;  Thirty-ninth  Mississippi,  Lieut. -Col.  W.  E.  Boss; 
Forty-sixth  Mississippi,  Col.  W.  H.  Clark;  Seventh  Mississippi  Battalion. 
Artillery  Battalion,  Maj.  George  S.  Storrs;  Guibor’s  Missouri  Battery, 
Hoskin’s  Mississippi  Battery,  Ward’s  Alabama  Battery. 

Cantey’s  Division,  Brig. -Gen.  James  Cantey.  First  Brigade,  Brig.- 
Gen.  D.  H.  Beynolds:  First  Arkansas,  Second  Arkansas,  Fourth  Ar- 
kansas, Ninth  Arkansas,  Twenty-fifth  Arkansas.  Second  Brigade  (regi- 
mental commanders  not  indicated  on  original  return),  Col.  Y.  S.  Murphy; 
First  Alabama,  Seventeenth  Alabama,  Twenty-sixth  Alabama,  Twenty- 
ninth  Alabama,  Thirty-seventh  Mississippi.  Artillery  Battalion,  Maj. 
W.  C.  Preston.  Gideon  Nelson’s  Artillery,  Selden’s  Alabama  Battery, 
Tarrant’s  Alabama  Battery,  Yates’  Mississippi  Battery. 

Cavalry  Division,  Brig. -Gen.  W.  H.  Jackson.  First  Brigade,  Brig.- 
Gen.  F.  C.  Armstrong:  Sixth  Alabama,  Col.  C.  H.  Colvin  ( ?) ; First 
Mississippi,  Col.  B.  A.  Pinson;  Second  Mississippi,  Maj.  J.  J.  Perry; 
Twenty-eighth  Mississippi,  Maj.  J.  T.  McPall  ( ?) ; Ballentine’s  Begi- 

ment,  Capt.  E.  E.  Porter.  Second  Brigade,  Brig. -Gen.  Boss: 

Third  Texas,  Lieut. -Col.  J.  S.  Bogges  ( ?)  ; Sixth  Texas,  Lieut. -Col.  L.  S. 
Boss;  Ninth  Texas,  Col.  D.  W.  Jones;  Twenty-seventh  Texas,  Col.  E.  B. 

Hawkins.  Third  Brigade,  Brig. -Gen.  Ferguson;  Second  Alabama 

Lieut. -Col.  J.  N.  Carpenter;  Twelfth  Alabama,  Col.  W.  M.  Inge;  Fifty- 
sixth  Alabama,  Col.  W.  Boyles;  Miller’s  Mississippi  Begiment,  Perrin’s 
Mississippi  Begiment.  Artillery  Battalion,  Croft’s  Georgia  Battery, 
King’s  Missouri  Battery,  Waiter’s  South  Carolina  Battery (?). 

THE  ARMY  OF  TENNESSEE,  GEN.  BRAXTON  BRAGG,  COMMANDING.* 

Right  Wing,  Polk’s  Corps,  Lieut. -Gen.  Leonidas  Polk  commancing. 

Cheatham’s  Division,  Maj. -Gen.  B.  F.  Cheatham.  Escort:  Second  Geor- 
gia Cavalry,  Company  G,  Capt.  T.  M.  Merritt.  Jackson’s  Brigade,  Brig.- 
Gen.  John  K.  Jackson:  First  Georgia  (Confederate),  Second  Georgia 
Battalion,  Maj.  J.  C.  Gordon;  Fifth  Georgia,  Col.  C.  P.  Daniel;  Second 
Georgia  Battalion  (sharpshooters),  Maj.  R.  H.  Whitley;  Fifth  Missis- 
sippi, Lieut.-Col.  W.  L.  Sykes  and  Maj.  J.  B.  Herring;  Eighth  Missis- 

^Organization  of  the  army  at  Chickamanga,  September  19  and  20, 1863,  compiled  mainly  from  the  official 
reports. 


608 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


sippi,  Col.  J.  C.  Wilkinson.  Maney’s  Brigade,  Brig. -Gen.  George  Ma- 
ney:  First  and  Twenty- Seventh  Tennessee,  Col.  H.  R.  Field;  Fourth 
Tennessee  (provisional  army),  Col.  J.  A.  McMurray,  Lieut. -Col.  R.  N. 
Lewis,  Maj.  O.  A.  Bradshaw  and  Capt.  J.  Bostick;  Sixth  and  Ninth  Ten- 
nessee, Col.  George  C.  Porter;  Twenty-fourth  Tennessee  Battalion 
(sharpshooters),  Maj.  Frank  Maney.  Smith’s  Brigade,  Brig.-Gen.  Pres- 
ton Smith,  Col.  A.  J.  Vaughan,  Jr. : Eleventh  Tennessee,  Col.  G.  W. 
Gordon;  Twelfth  and  Forty-seventh  Tennessee,  Col.  W.  M.  Watkins; 
Thirteenth  and  One  Hundred  and  Fifty-fourth  Tennessee,  Col.  A.  J. 
Vaughan,  Jr.,  and  Lieut.-Col.  R.  W.  Pitman;  Twenty-ninth  Tennessee, 
Col.  Horace  Rice;  Dawson’s  Battalion  Sharpshooters  (composed  of  two 
companies  from  the  Eleventh  Tennessee,  two  from  the  Twelfth  and  Forty- 
seventh  Tennessee  (consolidated),  and  one  from  the  One  Hundred  and 
Fifty-fourth  Senior  Tennessee)  Maj.  J.  W.  Dawson  and  Maj.  William 
Green.  Wright’s  Brigade,  Brig.-Gen.  Marcus  J.  Wright:  Eighth  Ten- 
nessee, Col.  John  H.  Anderson;  Sixteenth  Tennessee,  Col.  D.  M.  Don- 
nell; Twenty-eighth  Tennessee,  Col.  S.  S.  Stanton;  Thirty-eighth  Ten- 
nessee and  Murray’s  (Tennessee)  Battalion,  Col.  J.  C.  Carter;  Fifty- 
first  and  Fifty-second  Tennessee,  Lieut.-Col.  John  G.  Hall.  Strahl’s- 
Brigade,  Brig.-Gen.  O.  F.  Strahl:  Fourth  and  Fifth  Tennessee,  Col.  J. 
J.  Lamb;  Nineteenth  Tennessee,  Col.  F.  M.  Walker;  Twenty-fourth  Ten- 
nessee, Col.  J.  A.  Wilson;  Thirty-first  Tennessee,  Col.  E.  E.  Tansil; 
Thirty-third  Tennessee.  Artillery,  Maj.  Melancthon  Smith:  Carnes’ 
(Tennessee)  Battery,  Capt.  W.  W.  Carnes;  Scogin’s  (Georgia)  Battery, 
Capt.  John  Scogin;  Scott’s  (Tennessee)  Battery,  Lieuts.  J.  H.  Marsh  and 
A.  T.  Watson;  Smith’s  (Mississippi)  Battery,  Lieut.  William  B.  Turner; 
Stanford’s  Battery,  Capt.  T.  J.  Stanford. 

Center,  Hill’s  Corps,  Lieut. -Gen.  Daniel  H.  Hill,  commanding. 

Cleburne’s  Division,'  Maj. -Gen.  P.  R.  Cleburne.  Wood’s  Brigade, 
Brig.-Gen.  S.  A.  M.  Wood:  Sixteenth  Alabama,  Maj.  3.  H.  McGaughy 
and  Capt.  F.  A.  Ashford;  Thirty-third  Alabama,  Col.  Samuel  Adams; 
Forty-fifth  Alabama,  Col.  E.  B.  Breedlove;  Eighteenth  Alabama  Battal- 
ion, Maj.  J.  H.  Gibson  and  Col.  Samuel  Adams;  Thirty-third  Alabama, 
Thirty-second  and  Forty-fifth  Mississippi,  Col.  M.  P.  Lowery;  Sharp- 
shooters, Maj.  A.  T.  Hawkins  and  Capt.  Daniel  Coleman.  Polk’s 
Brigade,  Brig.-Gen.  L.  E.  Polk.  First  Arkansas,  Col.  J.  W.  Colquitt: 
Third  and  Fifth  Confederate,  Col.  J.  A.  Smith;  Second  Tennessee, 
Col.  W.  D.  Robison;  Thirty-fifth  Tennessee,  Col.  B.  J.  Hill;  Forty- 
eighth  Tennessee,  Col.  G.  H.  Nixon.  Deshler’s  Brigade,  Brig.-Gen. 
James  Deshler,  Col.  R.  Q.  Mills:  Nineteenth  and  Twenty-fourth  Arkan- 
sas, Lieut. -Col.  A.  S.  Hutchinson;  Sixth,  Tenth  and  Fifteenth  Texas,  Col. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


009 


R.  Q.  Mills  and  Lieut. -Col.  T.  Scott  Anderson ; Seventeenth,  Eighteenth, 
Twenty-fourth  and  Twenty-fifth  Texas  (dismounted  cavalry),  Col.  F.  C. 
Wilkes,  Lieut. -Col.  John  T.  Coit  and  Maj,  W.  A.  Taylor.  Artillery: 
Maj.  T.  R.  Hotchkiss,  Capt.  H.  C.  Semple;  Calvert’s  Battery,  Lieut. 
Thomas  J.  Key;  Douglas’s  Battery,  Capt.  J.  P.  Douglas;  Semple’s  Bat- 
tery, Capt.  H.  C.  Semple  and  Lieut.  R.  W.  Goldthwaite. 

Breckinridge’s  Division,  Maj. -Gen.  John  C.  Brickinridge.  Helm’s 
Brigade,  Brig. -Gen.  Benjamin  H.  Helm,  Col.  J.  H.  Lewis:  Forty-first 
Alabama,  Col.  M.  L.  Stansel;  Second  Kentucky,  Col.  J.  W.  Hewitt  and 
Lieut. -Col.  J.  W.  Moss;  Fourth  Kentucky,  Col.  Joseph  P.  Nuckols,  Jr., 
and  Maj.  T.  W.  Thompson;  Sixth  Kentucky,  Col.  J.  H.  Lewis  and  Lieut.  - 
Col.  M.  H.  Cofer;  Ninth  Kentucky,  Col.  J.  W.  Caldwell  and  Lieut. -Col. 
J.  C.  Wickliffe.  Adam’s  Brigade,  Brig. -Gen.  Daniel  W.  Adams,  Col. 

R.  L.  Gibson:  Thirty-second  Alabama,  Maj.  J.  C.  Kimball;  Thirteenth 
:and  Twentieth  Louisiana,  Cols.  R.  L.  Gibson  and  Leon  Yon  Zinken  and 
Capt.  E.  M.  Dubroca;  Sixteenth  and  Twenty -fifth  Louisiana,  Col.  D. 
Gober;  Nineteenth  Louisiana,  Lieut. -Col.  R.  W.  Turner,  Maj.  L.  Butler 
and  Capt.  H.  A.  Kennedy;  Fourteenth  Louisiana  Battalion,  Maj.  J.  E. 
Austin.  Stovall’s  Brigade,  Brig. -Gen.  M.  A.  Stovall:  First  and  Third 
Florida,  Col.  W.  S.  Dilworth ; F ourth  Florida,  Col.  W.  L.  L.  Bowen ; 
Forty-seventh  Georgia,  Capts.  William  S.  Phillips  and  Joseph  S.  Cone; 
Sixtieth  North  Carolina,  Lieut. -Col.  J.  M.  Ray  and  Capt.  J.  T.  Weaver. 
Artillery,  Maj.  R.  E.  Graves:  Cobb’s  Battery,  Capt.  Robert  Cobb; 
Mebane’s  Battery,  Capt.  John  W.  Mebane;  Slocomb’s  Battery,  Capt.  C. 
H.  Slocomb. 

Reserve  Corps,  Maj. -Gen.  W.  H.  T.  Walker,  commanding. 

Walker’s  Division,  Brig.-Gen.  S.  R.  Gist.  Gist’s  Brigade,  Brig.-Gen. 

S.  R.  Gist,  Col.  P.  H.  Colquitt,  Lieut.-Col.  L.  Napier:  Forty-sixth  Geor- 

gia, Col.  P.  H.  Colquitt  and  Maj.  A.  M.  Speer:  Eighth  Georgia  Battal- 
ion, Lieut.-Col.  L.  Napier;  Sixteenth  South  Carolina  (not  engaged;  at 
Rome),  Col.  J.  McCullough;  Twenty-fourth  South  Carolina,  Col.  C.  H. 
Stevens  and  Lieut.-Col.  E.  Capers.  Ector’s  Brigade,  Brig.-Gen.  M.  D. 
Ector:  Stone’s  Alabama  Battalion,  Pound’s  Mississippi  Battlalion, 

Twenty-ninth  North  Carolina,  Ninth  Texas,  Tenth,  Fourteenth  and 
Thirty-second  Texas  Cavalry  (serving  as  infantry).  Wilson’s  Brigade, 
Col.  C.  C.  Wilson:  Twenty-fifth  Georgia,  Lieut.-Col.  A.  J.  Williams; 

Twenty-ninth  Georgia,  Lieut.  G.  R.  McRae;  Thirtieth  Georgia,  Lieut.- 
Col.  J.  S.  Boynton;  First  Georgia  Battalion  (sharpshooters),  Fourth 
Louisiana  Battalion.  Artillery,  Ferguson’s  Battery  (not  engaged;  at 
Rome),  Lieut.  R.  T.  Beauregard;  Martin’s  Battery. 

Liddell’s  Division,  Brig.-Gen.  St.  John  R.  Liddell.  Liddell’s  Bri- 


610 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


gade,  Col.  D.  C.  Govan:  Second  and  Fifteenth  Arkansas,  Lieut. -Col.  R.. 
T.  Harvey  and  Capt.  A.  T.  Meek;  Fifth  and  Thirteenth  Arkansas,  Col. 
L.  Featherstone  and  Lieut. -Col.  John  E.  Murray;  Sixth  and  Seventh. 
Arkansas,  Col.  D.  A.  Gillespie  and  Lieut. -Col.  P.  Snyder;  Eighth  Ar- 
kansas, Lieut. -Col.  G.  F.  Baucum  and  Maj.  A.  Watkins;  First  Louisiana, 
Lieut. -Col.  G.  F.  Baucum  and  Maj.  A.  Watkins.  Walthall’s  Brigade,. 
Brig.-Gen.  E.  C.  Walthall:  Twenty-fourth  Mississippi,  Lieut.-Col.  R. 
P.  McKelvaine,  Maj.  W.  C.  Staples  and  Capts.  B.  F.  Toomer  and  J. 
D.  Smith:  Twenty-seventh  Mississippi,  Col.  James  A.  Campbell;  Twen- 
ty-ninth Mississippi,  Col.  W.  F.  Brantly:  Thirtieth  Mississippi,  Col. 
J.  I.  Scales;  Lieut.-Col.  Hugh  A.  Reynolds  and  Maj.  J.  M.  John- 
son: Thirty-fourth  Mississippi  (Thirty-fourth  Mississippi  had  four  com- 
manders at  Chickamauga),  Maj.  W.  G.  Pegram,  Capt.  H.  J.  Bowen;. 

Lieut.-Col.  H.  A.  Reynolds  and . Artillery,  Capt.  Chas.  Swett:: 

Fowler’s  Battery,  Capt.  W.  H.  Fowler;  Warren  Light  Artillery,  Lieut.. 
H.  Shannon. 

Left  Wing,  Lieut. -Gen.  James  Longstreet,  commanding. 

Hindman’s  Division,  Maj. -Gen.  T.  C.  Hindman,  Brig.-Gen.  J.  Patton 
Anderson.  Anderson’s  Brigade,  Brig.-Gen.  J.  Patton  Anderson:  Col.  J.  H. 
Sharp,  Seventh  Mississippi ; Col.  W.  H.  Bishop;  Ninth  Mississippi,  Maj. 
T.  H.  Lyman;  Tenth  Mississippi  Lieut. -Col.  James  Barr;  Forty-first 
Mississippi,  Col.  W.  F.  Tucker ; Forty-fourth  Mississippi,  Col.  J.  H.  Sharp 
and  Lieut.-Col.  R.  G.  Kelsey;  Ninth  Mississippi,  Battalion  (sharpshoot- 
ers), Maj.  W.  C.  Richards;  Garrity’s  Battery,  Capt.  J.  Garrity.  Deas’ 
Brigade,  Brig.-Gen.  Z.  C.  Deas:  Nineteenth  Alabama,  Col.  S.  K.  Mc- 
Spadden;  Twenty-second  Alabama,  Lieut.  Col.  John  Weedon  and  Capt. 
H.  T.  Toulmin;  Twenty-fifth  Alabama,  Col.  George  D.  Johnston;  Thirty- 
ninth  Alabama,  Col.  W.  Clark;  Fiftieth  Alabama,  Col.  J.  G.  Coltart;. 
Seventeenth  Alabama  Battalion  (sharpshooters),  Capt.  James  F.  Na- 
bers;  Robertson’s  Battery,  Lieut.  S.  H.  Dent.  Manigault’s  Brigade,  Brig.- 
Gen.  A.  M.  Manigault:  Twenty-fourth  Alabama,  Col.  N.  N.  Davis? 
Twenty-eighth  Alabama,  Col.  John  C.  Reid;  Thirty-fourth  Alabama,  Mai. 
J.  N.  Slaughter;  Tenth  and  Nineteenth  South  Carolina,  Col.  James  F. 
Pressley;  Waters’  Battery,  Lieut.  Charles  W.  Watkins  and  George  D. 
Turner. 

Buckner’s  Corps,  Maj.  Gen. -Simon  B.  Buckner,  commanding. 
Stewart’s  Division,  Maj. -Gen.  A.  P.  Stewart.  Johnson’s  Brigade1 
(part  of  Johnson’s  provisional  division),  Brig.-Gen.  B.  R.  Johnson,  Col. 
J.  S.  Fulton:  Seventeenth  Tennessee,  Lieut.-Col.  WattW.  Floyd;  Twenty- 
third  Tennessee,  Col.  R.  H.  Keeble;  Twenty-fifth  Tennessee  Lieut.-Col. 
R.  B.  Snowden;  Forty-fourth  Tennessee,  Lieut.-Col.  J.  L.  McEwen,  Jr. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


611 


and  Maj.  G.  M.  Crawford.  Brown's  Brigade:  Brig. -Gen.  J.  C.  Brown, 
Col.  Edmund  C.  Cook:  Eighteenth  Tennessee,  Col.  J.  B.  Palmer;  Lieut  - 
Col.  W.  R.  Butler  and  Capt.  Gideon  H.  Lowe;  Twenty-sixth  Tennessee, 
Col.  J.  M.  Lillard  and  Maj.  R.  M.  Saffell;  Thirty-second  Tennessee,  CoL 
E.  C.  Cook  and  Capt.  C.  G.  Tucker;  Forty-fifth  Tennessee,  Col.  A.  Searcy; 
Twenty-third  Tennessee  Battalion,  Maj.  T.  W.  Newman  and  Capt.  W.  P. 
Simpson.  Bate’s  Brigade, Brig. -Gen.  W.  B.  Bate:  Fifty-eighth  Ala.,  CoL 

B.  Jones;  Thirty-seventh  Georgia,  Col.  A.  F.  Rudler  and  Lieut. -Col.  J.  T. 
Smith;  Fourth  Georgia  Battalion  (sharpshooters),  Maj.  T.  D.  Caswell, 
Capt.  B.  M.  Turner  and  Lieut.  Joel  Towers ; Fifteenth  and  Thirty-seventh 
Tennessee,  .Col.  R.  C.  Tyler,  Lieut. -Col.  R.  D.  Trayser,  and  Capt,  R.  M 
Tankesley;  Twentieth  Tennessee,  Col.  T.  B.  Smith  and  Maj.  W.  M.  Shy. 
Clayton’s  Brigade,  Brig.-Gen.  H.  D.  Clayton:  Eighteenth  Alabama, 
Col.  J.  T.  Holtzclaw,  Lieut. -Col.  R.  F.  Inge  and  Maj.  P.  F.  Hunley; 
Thirty-sixth  Alabama,  Col.  L.  T.  Woodruff;  Thirty-eighth  Alabama. 
Lieut.  Col.  A.  R.  Lankford.  Artillery,  Maj.  J.  W.  Eldridge:  First 
Arkansas  Battery,  Capt.  J.  T.  Humphreys;  T.  H.  Dawson’s  Battery, 
Lieut.  R.  W.  Anderson;  Eufaula  Artillery,  Capt.  McD.  Oliver;  Ninth 
Georgia  Artillery  Battalion,  Company  E,  Lieut.  W.  S.  Everett. 

Preston’s  Division,  Brig.-Gen.  William  Preston.  Gracie’s  Brigade, 
Brig.-Gen.  A.  Gracie,  Jr.:  Forty-third  Alabama,  Col.  Y.  M.  Moody;  First 
Alabama, Battalion  (Hilliard’s  Legion), Lieut. -Col.  J.  H.Holt  andCaptG, 
W.  Huguley;  Second  Alabama  Battalion,  Lieut. -Col.  B.  Hall,  Jr.,  and 
Capt.  W.  D.  Walden;  Third  Alabama  Battalion  (all  of  Hilliard’s  Le- 
gion), Maj.  J.  W.  A.  Sanford;  Fourth  Alabama  Battalion  (Artillery  bat- 
talion, Hilliard’s  Legion),  Maj.  J.  D.  McLennan;  Sixty-third  Tennessee, 
Lieut.-Col.  A.  Fulkerson  and  Maj.  John  A.  Aiken.  Trigg’s  Brigade, 
Co],  R.  C.  Trigg:  First  Florida  Cavalry  (dismounted),  Col.  G.  T.  Max- 
well; Sixth  Florida,  Col.  J.  J.  Finley;  Seventh  Florida,  Col.  R.  Bullock; 
Fifty -fourth  Virginia,  Lieut.  Col.  John  J.  Wade.  Third  Brigade,  CoL 
J.  H.  Kelly:  Sixty-fifth  Georgia,  Col.  R.  H.  Moore;  Fifth  Kentucky,  Col. 
H.  Hawkins;  Fifty-eighth  North  Carolina,  Col.  J.  B.  Palmer;  Sixty-third 
Virginia,  Maj.  J.  M.  French.  Artillery  Battalion:  Maj.  A.  Leyden;  Jef- 
fress’s  Battery,  Puble’s  Battery,  Wolihin’s  Battery,  York’s  Battery.  Re- 
serve Corps  Artillery:  Maj.  S.  C.  Williams;  Baxter's  Battery,  Darden’s 
Battery,  Kolb’s  Battery,  McCant’s  Battery. 

Johnson's  Division,*  Brig.-Gen.  Bushrod  R.  Johnson.  Gregg's 
Brigade,  Brig.-Gen.  John  Gregg,  Col.  C.  A.  Sugg:  Third  Tennessee,  CoL 

C.  H.  Walker;  Tenth  Tennessee,  Col.  Wm.  Grace;  Thirtieth  Tennessee; 

*A  provisional  organization,  embracing  Johnson’s  and  part  of  the  time  Robertson's  Brigades,  as  well  as 
Gregg’sand  McNair’s,  September  19,  attached  to  Lungstreet’s  Corps,  under  Maj.-Gen.  Hood. 


312 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Forty-first  Tennessee,  Lieut. -Col.  J.  D.  Tillman;  Fiftieth  Tennessee, 
Col.  C.  A.  Sugg,  Lieut. -Col.  T.  W.  Beaumont,  Maj.  C.  W.  Bobertson 
and  Col.  C.  H.  Walker;  First  Tennessee  Battalion,  Majs.  S.  H.  Colms 
and  C.  W.  Bobertson;  Seventh  Texas,  Maj.  K.  M.  Yanzandt;  Bledsoe’s 
(Missouri)  Battery,  Lieut.  B.  L.  Wood.  McNair’s  Brigade,  Brig. -Gen. 
E.  McNair,  Col.  D.  Coleman:  First  Arkansas  Mounted  Bifles,  Col.  Bobert 
W.  Harper;  Second  Arkansas  Mounted  Bifles,  Col.  James  A.  William- 
son; Twenty-fifth  Arkansas,  Lieut.-Col.  Eli  Huffstetter;  Fourth  and 
Tliirty-first  Arkansas  Infantry  and  Fourth  Arkansas  Battalion  (consoli- 
dated), Maj.  J.  A.  Boss;  Thirty-ninth  North  Carolina,  Col.  D.  Coleman; 
Culpepper’s  (South  Carolina)  Battalion,  Capt.  J.  F.  Culpepper. 

Longstreet’s  Corps,*  Left  Wing,  Maj.  John  B.  Hood,  commanding. 

McLaw’s  Division,  Maj. -Gen.  Lafayette  McLaws,  Brig. -Gen.  J.  B. 
Kershaw.  Kershaw’s  Brigade,  Brig. -Gen.  J.  B.  Kershaw:  Second  South 
Carolina,  Lieut.-Col.  F.  Gaillard;  Third  South  Carolina,  Col.  J.  D. 
Nance;  Seventh  South  Carolina,  Lieut.-Col.  Elbert  Bland,  Maj.  J.  S. 
Hard  and  Capt.  E.  J.  Goggans;  Eighth  South  Carolina,  Col.  J.  W.  Han- 
agan:  Fifteenth  South  Carolina,  Col.  Joseph  F.  Gist;  Third  South  Car- 
olina Battalion,  Capt.  J.  M.  Townsend.  Wofford’s  Brigade  (Longstreet’s 
report  indicates  that  these  brigades  did  not  arrive  in  time  to  take  part 
in  the  battle),  Brig. -Gen.  W.  T.  Wofford:  Sixteenth  Georgia,  Eighteenth 
Georgia,  Twenty-fourth  Georgia,  Third  Georgia  Battalion  (sharpshoot- 
ers), Cobb’s  (Georgia)  Legion,  Phillip’s  (Georgia)  Legion.  Hum- 
phrey’s Brigade,  Brig. -Gen.  B.  G.  Humphreys:  Thirteenth  Mississippi, 
Seventeenth  Mississippi,  Eighteenth  Mississippi,  Twenty-first  Missis- 
sippi. Bryan’s  Brigade  (Longstreet’s  report,  etc.,  as  above),  Brig.-Gen. 
Goode  Bryan:  Tenth  Georgia,  Fiftieth  Georgia,  Fifty -first  Georgia  and 
Fifty-third  Georgia, 

Hood’s  Division,  Maj. -Gen.  John  B.  Hood,  Brig.-Gen.  E.  M.  Law. 
Jenkins’  Brigade  (did  not  arrive  in  time  to  take  part  in  the  battle;  Jen- 
kin’s  Brigade  assigned  to  the  division  September  11,  1863),  Brig.-Gen. 
M.  Jenkins:  First  South  Carolina,  Second  South  Carolina  Bifles,  Fifth 
South  Carolina,  Sixth  South  Carolina,  Hampton  Legion,  Palmetto  Sharp- 
shooters. Law’s  Brigade,  Brig.-Gen.  E.  M.  Law,  Col.  J.  L.  Sheffield: 
Fourth  Alabama,  Fifteenth  Alabama,  Col.  W.  C.  Oates;  Forty-fourth 
Alabama,  Forty-seventh  Alabama,  Forty-eighth  Alabama.  Bobertson’s 
Brigade  (served  part  of  the  time  in  Johnson’s  provisional  division), 
Brig.-Gen.  J.  B.  Bobertson,  Col.  Yan  H.  Manning:  Third  Arkansas,  Col. 
Yan  H.  Manning;  First  Texas,  Capt.  B.  J.  Harding;  Fourth  Texas,  Col. 


* Army  of  Northern  Virginia,  organization  taken  from  return  of  that  army  for  August  31,  1863  ; Pickett’s 
Division  was  left  in  Virginia. 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


613 


John  P.  Bane  and  Capt.  R.  H.  Bassett;  Fifth  Texas,  Maj.  J.  C.  Rogers 
and  Capt.  J.  S.  Cleveland  and  T.  T.  Clay.  Anderson’s  Brigade  (did  not 
arrive  in  time  to  take  part  in  the  battle),  Brig. -Gen.  George  T.  Ander- 
son: Seventh  Georgia,  Eighth  Georgia,  Ninth  Georgia,  Eleventh 
Georgia,  Fifty-ninth  Georgia.  Benning’s  Brigade,  Brig. -Gen.  H.  L. 
Benning:  Second  Georgia,  Lieut. -Col.  Wm.  S.  Shepherd  and  Maj.  W. 
W.  Charlton;  Fifteenth  Georgia,  Col.  D.  M.  Du  Bose  and  Maj.  P.  J. 
Shannon;  Seventeenth  Georgia,  Lieut.-Col.  Charles  W.  Matthews; 
Twentieth  Georgia,  Col.  J.  D.  Waddell.  Artillery  Corps  (did  not  arrive 
in  time  to  take  part  in  the  battle),  Col.  E.  Porter  Alexander:  Fickling’s 
(South  Carolina)  Battery,  Jordan’s  (Virginia)  Battery,  Moody’s  (Louis- 
iana) Battery,  Parker’s  (Virginia)  Battery,  Taylor’s  (Virginia)  Battery, 
Woolfolk’s  (Virginia)  Battery.  Artillery  Reserve  (Army  of  Tennessee), 
Maj.  Felix  Robertson:  Barrett’s  (Missouri)  Battery,  Le  Gardeur’s  (Lou- 
isiana) Battery  (not  mentioned  in  the  reports,  but  in  Reserve  Artillery 
August  31,  and  Capt.  Le  Gardeur,  etc.,  relieved  from  duty  in  the  Army 
of  the  Tennesse,  November  1,  1863),  Havis’  (Alabama)  Battery,  Lums- 
den’s  (Alabama)  Battery,  Massenburg’s  (Georgia)  Battery. 

Cavalry  Corps,  Maj. -Gen.  Joseph  Wheeler,  commanding. 

Wharton’s  Division,  Brig.-Gen.  John  A.  Wharton.  First  Brigade, 
Col.  C.  C.  Crews;  Seventh  Alabama,  Second  Georgia,  Third  Georgia, 
Fourth  Georgia,  Col.  I.  W.  Avery.  Second  Brigade,  Col.  T.  Harrison; 
Third  Confederate,  Col.  W.  N.  Estes;  First  Kentucky,  Lieut.-Col.  J.  W. 
Griffith;  Fourth  Tennessee,  Col.  Paul  F.  Anderson;  Eighth  Texas,  Elev- 
enth Texas,  White’s  (Georgia)  Battery. 

Martin’s  Division,  Brig.-Gen.  W.  T.  Martin.  First  Brigade,  Col.  J. 
T.  Morgan:  First  Alabama,  Third  Alabama,  Lieut.-Col.  T.  H.  Mauldin; 
Fifty-first  Alabama,  Eighth  Confederate.  Second  Brigade,  Col.  A.  A. 
Russell:  Fourth  Alabama  (two  regiments  of  same  designation,  Lieut.- 
Col.  Johnson  commanded  that  in  Roddey’s  Brigade),  First  Confederate, 
Col.  W.  B.  Bate;  Wiggin’s  (Arkansas)  Battery.  Roddey’s  Brigade, 
Brig.-Gen.  P.  D.  Roddey:  Fourth  Alabama  (two  regiments,  etc.,  as 
above),  Lieut.-Col.  Wm.  A.  Johnson;  Fifth  Alabama,  Fifty-third  Ala- 
bama, Forrest’s  (Tennessee)  Regiment,  Ferrell’s  (Georgia)  Battery. 

Forrest’s  Cavalry  Corps,  Brig.-Gen.  N.  B.  Forrest,  commanding. 

Armstrong’s  Division  (from  returns  of  August  31,  1863,  and  reports), 
Brig.-Gen.  F.  C.  Armstrong.  Armstrong’s  Brigade,  Col.  J.  T.  Wheeler: 
Third  Arkansas,  First  Tennessee,  Eighteenth  Tennessee  Battalion,  Maj. 
Charles  McDonald.  Forrest’s  Brigade,  Col.  G.  G.  Dibrell:  Fourth  Ten- 
nessee, Col.  W.  S.  McLemore;  Eighth  Tennessee,  Capt.  Hamilton  Mc- 
Ginnis; Ninth  Tennessee,  Col.  J.  B.  Biffle;  Tenth  Tennessee,  Col.  N.  N. 


614 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Cox;  Eleventh  Tennessee,  Col.  D.  W.  Holman;  Shaw’s  (or  Hamilton’s) 
Battalion  (?),  Maj.  J.  Shaw;  Freeman’s  (Tennessee)  Battery,  Capt.  A. 
L.  Huggins;  Morton’s  (Tennessee)  Battery,  Capt.  John  W.  Morton. 

Pegram’s  Division  (taken  from  Pegram’s  and  Scott’s  reports  and  as- 
signments ; but  the  composition  of  this  division  is  uncertain),  Brig. -Gen. 
John  Pegram.  Davidson’s  Brigade,  Brig. -Gen.  H.  B.  Davidson:  First 
Georgia,  Sixth  Georgia,  Col.  John  B.  Hart;  Sixth  North  Carolina, 
Rucker’s  Legion,  Huwald’s  (Tennessee)  Battery.  Scott’s  Brigade,  Col. 
J.  S.  Scott:  Tenth  Confederate,  Col.  C.  T.  Goode;  detachment  of  Mor- 
gan’s command,  Lieut.-Col.  R.  B.  Martin;  First  Louisiana,  Second  Ten- 
nessee, Fifth  Tennessee,  Twelfth  Tennessee  Battalion ; Sixteenth  Tennes- 
see Battalion,  Capt.  J.  Q.  Arnold;  Louisiana  Battery  (one  section). 

THE  ARMY  OF  TENNESSEE,  GEN.  JOSEPH  E.  JOHNSTON,  COMMANDING.* 

Hardee’s  Army  Corps,  Lieut. -Gen.  Wm.  J.  Hardee,  commanding. 

Brown’s  Division,  Maj. -Gen.  John  C.  Brown.  Smith’s  Brigade — 
Brig. -Gen.  James  A.  Smith;  Florida  Regiment,  composed  of  First,  Third, 
Sixth,  Seventh  and  Fourth  Infantry  and  First  Cavalry,  dismounted  (con- 
solidated), Lieut.-Col.  E.  Mashburn;  Georgia  Regiment,  composed  of 
First,  Fifty-seventh  and  Sixty -third  Georgia  Regiments  (consolidated), 
Col.  C.  H.  Olmstead;  Georgia  Regiment,  composed  of  Fifty-fourth  and 
Thirty-seventh  Georgia  and  Fourth  Georgia  Battalion  Sharpshooters 
(consolidated),  Col.  T.  D.  Caswell.  Govan’s  Brigade,  Brig. -Gen.  D.  C. 
Govan:  Arkansas  Regiment,  composed  of  First,  Second,  Fifth,  Sixth, 
Seventh,  Eighth,  Thirteenth,  Fifteenth,  Nineteenth  and  Twenty-fourth 
Arkansas  and  Third  Confederate  (consolidated),  Col.  E.  A.  Howell;  Texas 
Regiment,  composed  of  Sixth,  Seventh,  Tenth,  Fifteenth,  Seventeenth, 
Eighteenth,  Twenty-fourth  and  Twenty-fifth  Texas  (consolidated), 
Lieut.-Col.  W.  A.  Ryan. 

Hoke’s  Division,  Maj. -Gen.  R.  F.  Hoke.  Clingman’s  Brigade: 
Eighth  North  Carolina,  Lieut.-Col.  R.  A.  Barrier;  Thirty-first  North 
Carolina,  Col.  C.  W.  Knight;  Thirty-sixth  and  Fortieth  North  Carolina, 
Maj.  W.  A.  Holland;  Fifty-first  North  Carolina,  Capt.  J.  W.  Lippitt;, 
Sixty-first  North  Carolina,  Capt.  S.  W.  Noble.  Colquitt’s  Brigade: 
Sixth  Georgia,  Maj.  J.  M.  Culpepper;  Nineteenth  Georgia,  Lieut.-Col.. 
R.  B.  Hogan;  Twenty -third  Georgia,  Col.  M.  R.  Ballinger;  Twenty- 
seventh  Georgia,  Lieut.-Col.  H.  Bussey;  Twenty-eighth  Georgia,  Capt. 
G.  W.  Warthen.  Haygood’s  Brigade:  Eleventh  South  Carolina,  Capt. 
B.  F.  Wyman;  Twenty -first  South  Carolina,  Capt.  J.  W.  Thomas  (prob- 


*Organization  for  period  ending  April  17,  1865. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


615 


E.  It.  Lesesne ; Twenty-seventh  South  Carolina,  Capt.  T.  Y.  Simons ; 
Seventh  South  Carolina  Battalion,  Capt.  Wm.  Clyburn.  Kirkland’s 
Brigade:  Seventeenth  North  Carolina,  Lieut. -Col.  T H.  Sharp;  Forty- 
second  North  Carolina,  Col.  J.  E.  Brown;  Fiftieth  North  Carolina,  Col. 
Geo.  Wortham;  Sixty-sixth  North  Carolina,  Col.  J.  H.  Nethercutt. 
First  Brigade  Junior  Reserves:  First  North  Corolina,  Lieut.-Col.  C.  W. 
Broadfoot;  Second  North  Carolina,  Col.  J.  H.  Anderson;  Third  North 
Carolina,  Col.  J.  W.  Hinsdale;  First  North  Carolina  Battalion,  Capt.  C. 
M.  Hall. 

Cheatham’s  Division,  Maj. -Gen.  B.  F.  Cheatham.  Palmer’s  Brigade: 
Field’s  Regiment,  First,  Sixth,  Eighth,  Ninth,  Sixteenth,  Twenty-seventh, 
Twenty-eighth  and  Thirty-fourth  Tennessee  Regiments  and  Twenty- 
fourth  Tennessee  Battalion  (consolidated),  Lieut.-Col.  O.  A.  Bradshaw; 
Rice’s  Regiment,  Eleventh,  Twelfth,  Thirteenth,  Twenty-ninth,  Forty- 
seventh,  Fiftieth,  Fifty-first,  Fifty-second  and  One  Hundred  and  Fifty- 
fourth  Tennessee  (consolidated),  Lieut.-Col.  W.  A.  Pease  ( ?)  ; Searcy’s 
Regiment,  Second,  Third,  Tenth,  Fifteenth,  Eighteenth,  Twentieth, 
Twenty-sixth,  Thirtieth,  Thirty-second,  Thirty-seventh  and  Forty-fifth 
Tennessee  Regiments  and  Twenty-third  Tennessee  Battalion  (consoli- 
dated), Col.  A.  Searcy;  Tillman’s  Regiment,  Fourth,  Fifth,  Nineteenth, 
Twenty-fourth,  Thirty-first,  Thirty-third,  Thirty-fifth  Thirty-eighth,  and 
Forty-first  Tennessee  (consolidated),  Col.  J.  D.  Tillman.  Gist’s 
Brigade:  Forty-sixth  Georgia,  Capt.  A.  Miles;  Sixty-fifth  Georgia  and 
Second  and  Eighth  Georgia  Battalions  (consolidated),  Col.  W.  G. 
Foster;  Sixteenth  and  Twenty-fourth  South  Carolina  (consolidated), 
Maj.  B.  B.  Smith. 

Stewart’s  Army  Corps,  Lieut. -Gen.  A.  P.  Stewart,  commanding. 

Loring’s  Division,  Maj. -Gen.  W.  W.  Loring.  Featherston’s  Brigade. 
First  Arkansas;  First,  Second,  Fourth,  Ninth  and  Twenty-fifth  Arkansas 
(consolidated) ; Third,  Thirty-first  and  Fortieth  Mississippi  (consoli 
dated) ; First,  Twenty-second  and  Thirty -third  Mississippi  and  First 
Battalion  (consolidated).  Lowry’s  Brigade:  Twelfth  Louisiana,  Capt. 

J.  A.  Dixon;  Fifth,  Fourteenth  and  Forty-third  Mississippi  (consolidat- 
ed) ; Sixth,  Fifteenth,  Twentieth  and  Twenty-third  Mississippi  (consoli- 
dated). Shelley’s  Brigade:  Sixteenth,  Thirty-third  and  Forty-fifth  Ala- 
bama (consolidated);  Twenty-seventh  Alabama ; Twenty-seventh,  Thirty- 
fifth,  Forty-ninth,  Fifty-fifth  and  Fifty-seventh  Alabama  (consolidated), 
Lieut.-Col.  Daniel  (probably  J.  W.  L.  Daniel,  of  the  Fifteenth  Alabama). 

Anderson’s  Division,  Maj. -Gen.  Patton  Anderson.  Elliott’s  Brigade: 
Twenty-second  Georgia  Artillery  Battalion,  Maj.  M.  J.  McMullen; 
Twenty-seventh  Georgia  Battalion,  Maj.  A.  L.  Hartridge;  Second  South 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


-616 

Carolina  Artillery,  Maj.  F.  F.  Warley;  Manigault’s  Battalion,  Lieut.  H. 
Klatte.  Rliett’s  Brigade:  First  South  Carolina,  Maj.  T.  A.  Huguenin; 
First  South  Carolina  Artillery,  Lieut. -Col.  J,  A.  Yates;  Lucas’ 
Battalion,  Maj.  J.  J.  Lucas. 

Walthall’s  Division,  Maj. -Gen.  E.  C.  Walthall.  Harrison’s  Brigade: 
First  Georgia  Regulars,  Fifth  Georgia,  Fifth  Georgia  Reserves,  Maj.  C. 
E.  McGregor;  Thirty-second  Georgia,  Lieut. -Col.  E.  H.  Bacon,  Jr., 
Forty-seventh  Georgia  and  Bonaud’s  Battalion  (consolidated).  Con- 
ner’s Brigade:  Second  South  Carolina  Volunteers,  composed  of  Second 
and  Twentieth  South  Carolina  and  Blanchard’s  Reserves  (consolidated) ; 
Third  South  Carolina  Volunteers,  composed  of  Third  and  Eighth  Regi- 
ments, Third  South  Carolina  Battalion  and  Blanchard’s  Reserves  (con- 
solidated) ; Seventh  South  Carolina  Volunteers,  composed  of  Seventh 
and  Fifteenth  South  Carolina  and  Blanchard’s  Reserves  (consolidated). 

Lee’s  Army  Corps,  Lieut. -Gen.  S.  D.  Lee,  commanding. 

Hill’s  Division,  Maj. -Gen.  D.  H.  Hill.  Sharp’s  Brigade,  Brig. -Gen. 
J.  H.  Sharp:  Fourteenth  Alabama,  composed  of  Twenty-fourth,  Twenty  - 
eighth  and  Thirty-fourth  Alabama  (consolidated),  Col.  J.  C.  Carter; 
Eighth  Mississippi  Battalion  (?),  composed  of  Third  Mississippi  Bat- 
talion, and  Fifth,  Eighth  and  Thirty-second  Mississippi  Regiments 
(consolidated),  Capt.  J.  Y.  Carmack;  Ninth  Mississippi,  composed  of 
Ninth  Battalion  Mississippi  Sharpshooters,  and  Seventh,  Ninth,  Tenth, 
Forty-first  and  Forty-fourth  Mississippi  Regiments  (consolidated), 
Col.  W.  C.  Richards;  Nineteenth  South  Carolina,  composed  of  Tenth 
and  Nineteenth  South  Carolina  (consolidated),  Maj.  James  O.  Farrell. 
Brantley’s  Brigade,  Brig. -Gen.  W.  F.  Brantley:  Twenty-second  Ala- 
bama, composed  of  Twenty-second,  Twenty-fifth,  Thirty -ninth  and  Fifti- 
eth Alabama  (consolidated),  Col.  H.  T.  Toulmin;  Thirty-seventh  Ala- 
bama, composed  of  Thirty-seventh,  Forty-second  and  Fifty-fourth  Ala- 
bama (consolidated),  Col.  J.  A.  Minter;  Twenty-fourth  Mississippi,  com- 
posed of  Twenty-fourth,  Twenty-seventh,  Twenty-ninth,  Thirtieth  and 
Thirty-fourth  Mississippi  (consolidated),  Col.  R.  W.  Williamson;  Fifty- 
eighth  North  Carolina,  composed  of  Fiftieth  and  Sixtieth  North  Carolina 
(consolidated). 

Stevenson’s  Division,  Maj. -Gen.  C.  L.  Stevenson.  Henderson’s  Bri- 
gade: First  Georgia  (Confederate)  Battalion,  composed  of  First  (Con- 
federate) Georgia  Regiment,  First  Battalion  Georgia  Sharpshooters, 
Twenty-fifth,  Twenty-ninth,  Thirtieth  and  Sixty-sixth  Georgia  (consoli- 
dated), Capt.  W.  J.  Whitsitt;  Thirty-ninth  Georgia,  composed  of  nine 
companies  of  Thirty -fourth  Georgia,  six  companies  of  Fifty-sixth  Georgia 
and  all  of  Thirty-ninth  Georgia,  Lieut. -Col.  W.  P.  Milton;  Fortieth 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


617 


Georgia  Battalion,  composed  of  Fortieth,  Forty-First  and  Forty-third 
Georgia  (consolidated),  Lieut.-Col.  TV.  H.  Dunnall;  Forty-second 
Georgia,  composed  of  ten  companies  of  Forty-second  Georgia,  ten  com- 
panies of  Thirty-sixth  Georgia,  two  companies  of  Fifty-sixth  Georgia 
and  one  company  of  Thirty-fourth  and  Thirty-sixth  Georgia,  Lieut.-Col. 
L.  P.  Thomas.  Pettus’  Brigade:  Nineteenth  Alabama,  Lieut.-Col.  E.  S. 
Gulley;  Twentieth  Alabama,  Lieut.-Col.  J.  K.  Elliott  (belonged  to  Thir- 
tieth Alabama) ; Twenty-third  Alabama,  Maj.  J.  T.  Hester;  Fifty-fourth 
Virginia  Battalion,  Lieut. -Col.  C.  H.  Lynch. 

Stewart’s  Artillery  Corps. 

R.  B.  Rhett’s  Battalion;  Anderson’s  Battery,  Capt.  R.  TV.  (?)  Ander- 
son; Brook’s  Battery  (probably  Terrel  Artillery) ; Le  Gardeurs’  Battery, 
Capt.  G.  Le  Gardeur;  Parker’s  Battery,  Capt.  Ed  L.  Parker;  Stuart’s 
Battery,  Capt.  H.  M.  Stuart;  TVlieaton’s  Battery,  Capt.  J.  F.  Wheaton. 
Lee’s  Corps:  Kanapaux’s  Battery,  Capt.  J.  T.  Kanapaux. 


CHAPTER  XVII* 

Tennessee  Literature— A Catalogue  of  the  Leading  Literary  Men  and 
Women  of  the  State,  with  the  Titles  of  their  Productions,  and  with 
Analytical  Reviews  of  Styles,  Methods  and  General  Merits;  to- 
gether with  a Comprehensive  Presentation  of  the  Origin,  Success 
and  Variation  of  the  State  Press. 

THE  activities  of  the  pioneer  intellect  at  the  period  of  the  earliest 
settlement  of  Tennessee  were  engrossed  in  what  was  of  more  im- 
mediate importance  than  the  writing  of  history.  Prior  thereto  a glimpse 
of  the  people  and  of  the  physical  geography  of  the  mountainous  section 
of  the  State  may  be  had  in  a rare  and  valuable  old  book  published  in 
London  in  1775,  “Adair’s  History  of  the  American  Indians.”  Adair,  as 
an  Indian  trader,  was  among  the  Cherokees  of  East  Tennessee  a long 
time  before  the  French  and  Indian  War,  when  the  fierce  and  haughty 
Cherokee  warriors  ruled  the  land  “untrammeled  and  alone.”  A map 
accompanying  the  volume  calls  the  Tennessee  River  the  Tanase.  The 
men  of  action — the  heroes  who  planted  the  white  race  in  this  hot-bed  of 
aboriginal  hostility,  in  the  latter  part  of  the  eighteenth  and  the  earlier 
part  of  the  nineteenth  century,  were  too  much  engrossed  by  the  sword 
to  find  much  time  for  the  pen. 

The  list  of  Tennessee  authors  found  in  works  devoted  to  that  subject 


♦Prepared  for  this  work  by  “ Mary  Faith  Floyd  ” of  Knoxville,  and  by  others. 


618 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


is  not  so  large  as  that  of  other  Southern  States.  It  has  been  said,  “The 
fame  of  a great  man  needs  time  to  give  it  perspective.”  This  is  essen- 
tially true  of  authors,  and  it  remains  for  the  future  biographer,  after 
time  has  done  its  work  in  giving  due  perspective  to  the  great  minds  of 
our  State,  to  do  justice  to  the  merits  and  works  of  Tennessee’s  eminent 
literary  laborers.  Among  writers  historians  may  well  be  mentioned 
first.  Judge  John  Haywood  is  earliest  on  the  list.  The  son  of  a farmer 
of  Halifax  County,  N.  C.,  he  had  no  opportunity  for  collegiate  education, 
but  learned  some  Latin  and  Greek  and  studied  law,  beginning  with  the 
study  of  “Reynolds’  Reports,”  thence  advancing  from  particulars  to  gen- 
eral principles.  He  became  attorney-general  of  North  Carolina  in  1794, 
and  soon  afterward  judge  of  the  superior  court  of  law  and  equity.  In 
1800  he  returned  to  legal  practice.  Judge  Haywood  removed  to  Tennes- 
see in  1807,  and  located  seven  miles  south  of  Nashville.  He  was  fond 
of  applause;  became  judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Tennessee  in  1816. 
Mr.  Hiram  Barry  (the  oldest  printer  in  the  State),  who  was  personally 
acquainted  with  Judge  Haywood,  says,  “He  was  of  low  stature  and  very  cor- 
pulent.” He  wrote  a very  difficult  hand  to  read,  and  Mr.  Barry  who  set 
the  type  in  the  printing  of  “Haywood’s  History,”  was  the  oidy  printer  who 
could  decipher  it.  Judge  Haywood  was  author  of  “Natural  and  Abo- 
riginal History  of  Tennessee,”  “History  of  Tennessee  from  1770  to  1795,” 
“The  Evidences  of  Christianity.”  “ Haywood’s  History”  is  written  in 
narrative  style  without  rhetorical  ornament,  and  it  is  not  always  as  clear 
as  the  relation  of  historic  events  ought  to  be.  It  contains  a mass  of  val- 
uable materials  relative  to  early  events  and  it  is  now  a rare  book.  The 
mistake  is  made  of  locating  Fort  Loudon  on  the  north  side  of  the  Little 
Tennessee.  It  was  situated  on  the  south  side  of  that  stream.* 

Dr.  J.  G.  M.  Ramsey  was  of  Scotch  descent.  His  father  was  a gal- 
lant soldier  of  the  Revolutionary  war,  fighting  under  Gen.  Washington 
at  Valley  Forge,  Trenton  and  Princeton.  Dr.  Ramsey  was  born  in  Knox 
County,  six  miles  east  of  Knoxville,  in  1797,  and  died  in  that  place  in 
1884,  in  his  eighty-eighth  year.  He  lies  buried  at  Mecklenburg,  four 
miles  east  of  Knoxville,  at  the  confluence  of  the  Tennessee  and  French 
Broad  Rivers.  He  read  medicine  under  Dr.  Joseph  Strong,  was  gradu- 
ated in  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  and  was  a practitioner  most  of 
his  life.  In  the  late  war,  being  an  ardent  secessionist,  he  was  compelled 
to  leave  the  State  during  Federal  occupation  in  1868-65.  He  went  to 
North  Carolina  and  remained  there  some  years.  In  1853  he  brought  out 
his  “Annals  of  Tennessee,”  a valuable  compend  of  history  up  to  the  close 
of  the  eighteenth  century.  He  had  the  manuscripts  of  the  second  volume 


♦See  Aboriginal  map  accompanying  this  volume. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


619 


ready  for  the  printer,  but  the  family  residence,  while  he  was  in  exile, 
was  burnt,  and  with  it  the  manuscripts  and  many  valuable  papers.  Dr. 
Ramsey  ranks  high  as  an  author.  He  was  a polished  and  fluent  writer, 
and  possessed  a large  fund  of  information  on  all  subjects.  “Annals  of 
Tennessee”  is  a store-house  of  knowledge  to  the  future  historian.  It 
evinces  much  research  and  is  very  accurate  and  reliable.  He  was  also 
the  author  of  many  elegant  addresses,  essays  and  poems.  For  some 
years  he  was  president  of  the  Historical  Society  of  Tennessee. 

A.  Waldo  Putnam  published  in  Nashville,  in  1859,  Putnam’s  “His- 
tory of  Middle  Tennessee,  or  Life  and  Times  of  Glen.  James  Robertson. ” 

It  appears  from  the  title  page  that  Mr.  Putnam  was  president  of  the 
Tennessee  Historical  Society.  He  was  born  in  Belfast,  Ohio,  in  1799, 
and  was  graduated  at  the  University  of  Ohio.  He  wrote  the  sketch  of 
Gen.  John  Sevier  in  “Wheeler’s  History  of  North  Carolina,”  and  a volume 1 
entitled  “ Life  and  Times  of  John  Sevier.”  Mr.  Putnam  married  a de- 
scendant of  Gen.  Sevier.  The  preface  to  “ History  of  Middle  Tennes- 
see ” is  pleasing  and  somewhat  fanciful.  The  work  is  a comprehensive 
account  of  the  settlement  of  the  Cumberland  Valley,  and  abounds  in  the 
incidents  and  dangers  that  follow  life  in  the  wilderness.  In  addition  to 
the  historical  works  mentioned  is  Clayton’s  “ History  of  Davidson  Coun-  v' 
ty,  Tennessee,”  an  important  and  valuable  work,  giving  much  detailed 
and  statistical  information. 

“ Military  Annals  of  Tennessee”  is  the  title  of  an  octavo  volume  con- 
taining 882  pages  of  closely  printed  matter,  recently  issued  under  the 
supervision  of  Dr.  J.  Berrien  Lindsley.  The  first  part  comprises  two 
very  brief,  generalized  accounts  of  the  war  in  Tennessee,  ably  written  by 
J.  M.  Keating,  of  Memphis,  and  A.  P.  Stewart,  of  Mississippi.  The  re- 
mainder of  the  volume  consists  of  regimental  records  so  full  of  mistakes 
and  so  manifestly  incomplete  as  to  bar  the  volume  from  its  probable  de- 
sign of  representing  fully  the  splendid  Confederate  history  of  the  State. 
The  preparation  of  the  volume  was  apparently  a financial  enterprise. 

As  early  as  1834  Eastin  Morris  brought  out  “Tennessee  Gazetteer, 
or  Topographical  Dictionary  ” of  the  State  of  Tennessee.  It  is  a valu- 
able compendium  of  the  history  of  the  State,  from  earliest  times  to  1834, 
including  the  constitution  of  Tennessee  framed  by  the  convention  of 
1834.  A second  edition  of  this  book  was  published  in  Nashville,  ac- 
companied by  ample  foot  notes. 

Pascliall  is  the  author  of  “Old  Times,  or  Tennessee  History,”  a work 
for  schools.  Knowing  the  love  children  have  for  “ story-reading,”  Pas- 
chall  has  arranged  historic  facts  in  a most  agreeable  form.  Each  chap- 
ter, as  far  as  possible,  has  a beginning  and  ending,  and  by  this  means 


620 


HISTOKY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


each  fragment  of  history  becomes  a unit  and  fastens  firmly  in  the  mind 
of  the  juvenile  reader.  Mr.  Paschall  was  an  old  school-teacher,  and  his 
excellent  little  book  is  the  result  of  long  experience  in  the  best  methods 
of  enlisting  interest  in  young  people  for  grave  study.  Another  book 
much  valued  is  “Life  as  it  is,  or  Matters  and  Things  in  General,”  pub- 
lished in  Knoxville  in  1844,  by  J.  W.  M.  Brazeale.  This  book  has  many 
historic  facts  and  comments  on  the  customs  of  the  early  settlers  of  Ten- 
nessee. There  is  a good  article  on  the  battle  of  King’s  Mountain,  and 
an  account  of  the  “Harps,”  two  noted  murderers  who,  without  being 
robbers,  went  about  the  county  committing  atrocious  murders,  appar- 
ently as  a pleasure.  No  doubt,  De  Quincy-like,  they  considered  murder 
“one  of  the  fine  arts.”  Brazeale  was  a native  of  Roane  County,  and 
practiced  law  in  Athens,  Tenn. 

Mr.  Wilkins  Tannehill  is  the  author  of  “History  of  Literature,”  “Man- 
ual of  Freemasonry”  and  several  other  works  of  ability.  He  was  a dis- 
tinguished light  in  the  Masonic  fraternity,  and  is  said  to  have  been  a forci- 
ble and  fluent  writer.  Clark’s  “Miscellany  of  Prose  and  Poetry”  is  some- 
thing in  the  line  of  English  literature. 

“ Jack  Robinson”  is  the  author  of  “ The  Savage,”  a book  of  pungent 
essays,  criticising  the  life  and  usages  of  the  civilized  man,  in  contrast 
with  those  of  the  aboriginal  savage.  It  purports  to  be  written  by  “ Pio- 
rningo,  a chief  of  the  Muscogulgee  nation,”  published  in  Knoxville  in 
1833.  The  author  was  a Tennesseean,  born  probably  in  Carter  County, 
where  he  committed  a homicide  early  in  life;  whence  his  after  life  was 
poisoned  by  remorse.  He  is  said  to  have  lived  a veritable  hermit’s  life, 
in  which  existence  these  essays  were  written.  Robinson  is  accredited 
with  the  authorship  of  a forcible  poem  in  the  same  solemn  vein  as  Gray’s. 
Elegy,  but  any  certain  facts  of  his  career  seem  lost. 

Prior  to  1804  Willie  Blount’s  “ Catechetical  Exposition  of  the  Con- 
stitution of  the  State  of  Tennessee”  was  published.  This  is  a work  for 
the  use  of  schools  written  in  conversational  style.  Abijah  Fowler  of 
Washington  County,  in  1838,  brought  out  “Fowler’s  Arithmetic,”  a text- 
book of  much  popularity  in  this  region  at  that  period.  “Biblical  Nom- 
enclature or  Vocabulary  of  the  Principal  Part  of  the  Proper  Names  Con- 
tained in  the  Bible,  with  their  Signification,  together  with  Scriptural 
Tables  of  Money,  Weights  and  Measures,  to  which  is  added  President 
Washington’s  Valedictory  Address,  Intended  for  the  Use  of  Schools;  by 
John  Wilkinson.  Heiskell  & Brown,  printers,  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  1820.’ 
The  book  is  recommended  as  one  “of  ability,  judgment  and  care,”  and 
persons  are  urged  to  patronize  it,  by  Isaac  Anderson,  John  McCamp- 
bell,  Robert  Hardin.  August,  1810.  I 


HISTORY  OE  TENNESSEE. 


621 


Clerical  writers  are  numerous.  One  of  the  most  fluent  and  prolific  is 
Hev.  David  Rice  McAnally,  D.  D.,  of  the  Methodist  Church,  South;  a 
native  of  Grainger  County,  born  in  1810,  and  for  some  years  a resident 
of  Knoxville.  He  was  president  of  the  East  Tennessee  Female  Institute 
in  Knoxville  for  eight  years.  He  removed  to  St.  Louis  in  1851,  where 
he  still  edits  the  St.  Louis  Christian  Advocate.  He  is  a man  of  exten- 
sive reading  and  great  charity  of  mind;  is  remarkable  for  clearness  and 
vigor  of  style,  and  is  perfectly  fearless  in  advocating  his  convictions  of 
right.  He  does  not  mince  matters,  but  calls  things  by  their  right  names 
and  is  bold  in  denouncing  vice,  while  he  is  liberal  and  kind  to  all.  His 
works  are  “ Martha  Laurens  Ramsey,”  a biography  of  a lady  of  South 
Carolina;  “ Life  and  Times  of  Rev.  William  Patton;”  “ Life  and  Times 
of  Rev.  Samuel  Patton,  D.  D. ;”  “A  Hymn  Book;”  “ A Sunday-school 
Manual;”  “Annals  of  the  Holston  Conference.” 

Rev.  J.  B.  McFerrin,  D.  D.,  the  head  of  the  Methodist  Publishing 
House  at  Nashville,  is  the  author  of  a learned  and  important  work,  “His- 
tory of  Methodism  in  Tennessee,”  published  at  Nashville  in  1872  in 
three  volumes.  He  was  born  in  Rutherford  County,  Tenn.,  June  15,  1807 ; 
entered  the  ministry  at  eighteen  and  has  filled  many  prominent  positions 
in  the  Methodist  Church  ever  since.  His  name  is  identified  with  the 
history  of  the  church,  and  he  has  shared  in  its  “ deliberative  assemblies, 
and  pursued  his  life-work  with  a concentration  of  purpose  seldom 
equaled.”  He  ranks  as  a man  of  the  rarest  courage  which  is  stimulated 
and  increased  when  surrounded  by  difficulties,  and  he  is  never  found 
wanting  in  any  emergency.  As  an  orator  he  possessed  wit,  humor,  pa- 
thos, and  his  sermons  “ engage  attention,  command  confidence  and 
awaken  conscience.” 

Among  early  clerical  writers  was  Rev.  Abel  Pearson,  author  of  “ An 
Analysis  of  the  Principles  of  Divine  Government,”  in  a series  of  con- 
versations, and  also  “ Conversations  on  Some  Other  Interesting  Subjects, 
Particularly  Relating  to  Same  Principals,  Between  A.  P.  and  N.  P. ; and 
a Dissertation  on  the  Prophecies  in  Reference  to  the  Rise  and  Fall  of 
the  Beast;  The  Cleansing  of  the  Sanctuary;  The  Beginning  and  Dura- 
tion of  the  Millennium,  and  the  Little  Season ; together  with  a Calcula- 
tion Shewing  the  Exact  Time  of  the  Death  of  Christ;  and,  also,  Calcu- 
lations Shewing  the  Precise  Time  of  the  Rise  and  Fall  of  the  Beast  and 
the  Beginning  of  the  Millennium,  etc. ; by  Abel  Pearson,  Minister  of  the 
Gospel,  Athens,  Tenn.,  1833.”  The  whole  title  of  the  book  is  given  as  a 
specimen  of  prolixity. 

Rev.  David  Nelson,  a man  of  fine  attainments,  published  “ The  Cause 
and  Cure  of  Infidelity.”  He  married  in  Tennessee  and  resided  in  the 

39 


622 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


State  many  years.  Rev.  Robert  A.  Young,  D.  D.,  a native  of  Knox 
County,  is  the  author  of  a book  called  “ Reply  to  Ariel,”  written  in 
answer  to  “Ariel,”  by  J.  B.  Payne,  and  of  “Personages.”  Dr.  Young  re- 
sides in  Nashville,  and  is  a prominent  divine  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  South.  “ Brief  Biographical  Sketches  of  Some  of  the  Early 
Ministers  of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church,”  is  the  production  of 
Rev.  Richard  Baird,  published  in  Nashville  in  1867.  Rev.  W.  T.  Helms, 
an  Episcopal  clergyman,  a native  of  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  wrote  a poem  of 
twelve  books,  entitled  “Moses  Resisted.”  Two  poems,  “Smith  and 
Pocahontas,”  “ Centennial  Poem,”  are  the  work  of  Rev.  Joseph  H. 

Martin,  D.  D. ; Dr.  Martin  is  a native  of  Dandridge,  is  a man  of  fine  cult- 

ivation, and  has  written  many  popular  hymns.  Rev.  Robert  Mack,  in 
1834,  published  “ Kyle  Stuart,  with  other  Poems,”  a remarkable  book; 
and  “ The  Moriad,”  another  poem.  Bishop  H.  N.  McTyeire  is  the  author 
of  a little  work  called  “Duties  of  Christian  Masters,”  published  in  Nash- 
ville in  1859,  and  “ History  of  Methodism”  and  “ A Catechism  of  Church 
Government.”  He  has  been  a constant  writer  for  the  press  and  was  at 
one  time  editor  of  the  St.  Louis  Christian  Advocate.  R.  H.  Rivers,  D. 
D.,  wrote  two  valuable  text  books,  “ Mental  Philosophy”  and  “ Moral 

Philosophy.”  Father  Ryan,  author  of  the  inimitable  wail  “ The  Con- 

quered Banner,”  was  for  a long  time  a resident  of  Knoxville,  and  Ten- 
nesseeans feel  proud  of  his  genius,  although  he  is  not  a native  of  the 
State. 

Rev.  William  G.  Brownlow,  governor  of  Tennessee,  wrote  quite  a 
number  of  books.  His  first  publication  was  “ Helps  to  the  Study  of 
Presbyterianism;”  1834.  It  is  theological  and  controversial,  and  con- 
tains an  autobiographical  sketch.  In  1844  he  published  “ Life  of 
Henry  Clay  and  Political  Register.”  This  was  followed  by  “The  Great 
Iron  Wheel  Examined.”  In  1858  appeared  “ Debate  between  W.  G. 
Brownlow  and  Rev.  A.  Pryne,”  and  in  1862  “Parson  Brownlow’s  Own 
Book,”  an  account  of  his  maltreatment  by  the  hated  secessionists.  Mr, 
Brownlow  led  a life  of  incessant  activity  as  editor,  politician  and 
preacher.  “He  was,”  says  a critic,  “extreme  in  all  things.”  In  pri- 
vate life  he  was  kind,  charitable  and  helpful;  was  successively  governor 
of  Tennessee  and  Senator  of  the  United  States. 


Rev.  Frederick  A.  Ross,  D.  D.,  a resident  of  this  State  for  many 
years,  was  the  author  of  “ Slavery  Ordained  by  God,”  published  in  1857. 
Dr.  Ross  was  a most  accomplished  scholar  and  a man  of  genius.  Hel 
lived  to  a very  great  age  and  was  an  eminent  divine. 

Medical  writers  were  Dr.  Isaac  Wright,  author  of  “ Wright’s  Family 
Medicine,  or  System  of  Domestic  Practice,”  and  Dr.  John  C.  Gunn, 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


G23 


author  of  “ Gunn’s  Domestic  Medicine,”  published  in  Knoxville  in  1830. 
The  essays  on  the  passions  in  this  book  were  written  by  a remarkable 
man  named  Charles  Cassedy.  Cassedy  was  said  to  be  the  “ Milford 
Bard”  in  “Field’s  Scrap  Book.”  Dr.  Thomas  A.  Anderson  Avrote  the 
“ Practical  Monitor,  for  the  Preseiwation  of  Health  and  the  Prevention 
of  Disease.”  He  considered  blood-letting  a cure  for  all  diseases.  He 
was  a native  of  East  Tennessee,  and  was  a man  of  learning. 

Authors  of  works  on  geology  are  James  M.  Safford,  A.  M.,  author  of 
“ Geology  of  Tennessee,”  published  by  the  State  at  NasliA'ille  in  1869. 
This  work  was  received  by  scientists  and  the  general  public  with  great 
favor.  Dr.  Safford  and  J.  B.  Killebrew,  brought  out  a “ School  Geology 
of  Tennessee,”  chiefly  compiled  from  the  foregoing.  J.  B.  Killebrew 
published  in  Nashville  a valuable  volume  entitled  “ Besources  of  Ten- 
nessee.” William  G.  McAdoo  is  author  of  an  “Elementary  Geology  of 
Tennessee,”  a briefer  and  simpler  work  than  the  preceding,  adapted  to 
less  advanced  pupils. 

Hon.  T.  A.  B.  Nelson  is  author  of  “ East  Tennessee,”  and  “ Seces-^ 
sion,”  and  another  very  vigorous  poem,  a satire  in  the  Hudibrastic  style, 
an  account  of  the  cam-ass  of  the  Legislature  for  the  office  of  United 
States  Senator,  entitled  “ King  Caucus.”  Mr.  Nelson  was  a man  of  large 
talent,  enriched  by  varied  cultivation.  He  held  many  important  offices, 
and  was  on  the  defense  in  the  impeachment  trial  of  President  J ohnson 
in  1868.  He  was  a native  of  Boane  County,  born  in  1812,  and  died  of 
cholera  in  1872  being  then  a judge  of  the  supreme  court. 

“Life  of  Capt.  William  B.  Allen,”  was  from  the  pen  of  Hon.  A.  O. 
P.  Nicholson,  a very  able  jurist.  A contemporary  says,  “His  writings 
are  characterized  by  a style  so  lucid,  and  argumentation  so  logical  as  to 
entitle  him  to  rank  among-  the  masters  of  model  English.”  “ A Ten- 
nesseean  Abroad”  is  the  work  of  Maj.  Bandall  W.  McGavock.  in  1856. 
He  was  a gallant  soldier  and  fell  on  the  Confederate  side.  “ The 
World’s  Wonder,”  a Masonic  exposition,  was  the  work  of  Johnson  and 
Henderson.  Capt.  James  Williams  was  author  of  “ Old  Line  Whig  Let- 
ters,” which  appeared  in  the  Nashville  Union , in  1846.  Tennessee 
claims  as  one  of  her  sons  the  distinguished  author,  Matthew  Fontaine 
Maury.  Commodore  Maury’s  works  and  labors  in  the  cause  of  science 
are  so  well  known  they  need  not  be  mentioned  here. 

The  famous  hunter  and  humorist,  Col.  David  Crockett,  is  credited 
Avith  the  authorship  of  several  A\-orks:  “Exploits  in  Texas,”  “ Tour 

Doaatl  East,”  “Autobiography,”  “Sketches  and  Eccentricities”  and 
“Song  Book.”  It  is  strange  that  this  self-made  and  eccentric  celeb- 
rity, who  never  had  but  two  months’  instruction  in  reading  and  Avriting, 


624 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


.should  liave  produced  by  the  native  force  of  intellect  so  many  readabl 
books.  Doubtless  the  notoriety  he  acquired  by  his  singular  manner 
and  his  odd  turns  of  expression  aided  in  the  success  of  his  productions 

Hon.  Joseph  C.  Guild  was  the  author  of  “Old  Times  in  Tennessee.’ 
The  works  of  J.  It.  Graves  are  “The  Desire  of  all  Nations,”  “The  AYatclr 
man’s  Reply, ” “The  Trilemma,”  “The  First  Baptist  Church-  in  Ameri 
ca,”  “The  Little  Iron  Wheel,”  “The  Bible  Doctrine  of  the  MiddL 
Life,”  “The  Great  Iron  Wheel,”  “Exposition  of  Modern  Spiritualism,’ 
“The  New  Hymn  and  Tune  Book,”  “The  Little  Seraph,”  “Old  Land 
markism;  What  it  is.”  Mr.  Graves  is  a native  of  Chester,  Vt.,  hori 
April  10,  1820.  His  father  died  when  the  child  was  three  weeks  old 
He  was  converted  at  the  age  of  fifteen,  and  made  principal  of  KeysvilL 
(Ohio)  Academy  when  nineteen ; came  to  Nashville  in  1845,  where  hi 
taught  school,  had  charge  of  a church  and  became  the  editor  of  Th 
Tennessee  Baptist , and  still  continues  in  that  position. 

“Woodville”  is  a novel  of  East  Tennessee  life,  published  in  Knox 
ville.  Many  of  the  characters  are  supposed  to  have  been  taken  from  rea 
life,  and  some  of  the  scenes  are  laid  at  Montvale  Springs.  Mr.  Todd,  i 
theological  student  at  Maryville  many  years  ago,  is  said  to  be  the  author 
Abram  Caruthers  wrote  a text-book  entitled  “History  of  a Lawsuit.’ 
Dr.  P.  O.  Fitzgerald  is  the  author  of  “ Life  of  Dr.  T.  O.  Summers,’ 
“Glimpses  of  Truth”  and  “Centenary  Cameos.”  He  is  a native  of  Nortl 
Carolina. 

Rev.  W.  P.  Harrison,  editor  of  the  Southern  Methodist  Review,  ha; 
published  “Theophilus  Walton,”  a reply  to  “Theodosia  Ernest,”  1858 
“Lights  and  Shadows  of  Fifty  Years,”  published  under  the  nom  dt 
plume  Henry  Hartwell,  in  1883.  (This  is  a book  of  short  sketches  fron 
real  life. ) “ The  Living  Christ,”  1884;  “The  High  Churchman  Dis 

armed,”  in  1886.  Mr.  Harrison  has  been  connected  with  the  Methodis 
Publishing  House  since  1882,  and  in  that  time  has  edited  over  100  books 

“ Biographical  Sketches  ” of  Tennessee  Baptists,  by  Rev.  Joseph  H 
Borum  was  published  in  1880.  It  is  a very  flattering  account  of  Baptis 
ministers,  both  past  and  present,  who  have  labored  in  Tennessee,  and  i, 
written  in  the  form  of  sketches.  Dr.  A.  H,  Bedford  wrote  “History  c 
Methodism  in  Kentucky,”  “ Western  Cavaliers,”  “Fred  Brennam,”  “Rus 
sell  Morton,”  “A  Preacher’s  Wife.”  The  last  three  are  religious  novel; 

Rev.  Philip  Lindsley,  D.  D.,  was  born  in  New  Jersey,  in  1786;  be, 
came  a preacher  in  the  Presbyterian  Church  and  rose  to  such  eminent’ 
that,  in  1834,  he  was  chosen  unanimously  moderator  of  the  General  A; 
sembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  the  United  States,  then  holding  il 
sessions  at  Philadelphia.  He  occupied  distinguished  positions,  many  c 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


625 


them  thrust  upon  him  without  solicitation.  In  1825  he  was  inaugurated 
president  of  Dickenson  College,  Nashville,  Tenn.  The  name  of  this  in- 
stitution was  changed  the  nest  year  to  the  University  of  Nashville.  He 
was  among  the  very  foremost  men  of  his  day  in  the  work  of  higher  ed- 
ucation. He  was  much  esteemed  by  the  public  as  a man  of  great  genius, 
and  his  work  in  the  educational  department  was  nobly  executed  and  pro- 
ductive of  beneficial  results.  His  publications  were  chiefly  in  the  form 
of  addresses  on  education.  They  were  published  in  three  large  volumes, 
with  a memoir,  by  Le  Boy  J.  Halsey,  D.  D. 

Samuel  D.  Baldwin  is  the  author  of  “Armageddon,  or  the  Overthrow 
of  Bomanism  and  Monarchy,”  and  “Life  of  Mrs.  Sarah  Norton.” 
Thomas  O.  Summers,  D.  D.,  editor  of  Nashville  Christian  Advocate, 
is  author  of  a number  of  works:  “Baptism,”  “Golden  Censer,”  “Holi- 
ness,” “Refutation  of  Payne,”  “Seasons,  Months  and  Days,”  “Sunday  - 
i school  Teacher,”  “Sunday-school  Speaker,”  “Talks  Pleasant  and  Profit- 
able,” “Scripture  Catechism.” 

W.  M.  Baskerville,  professor  of  English  language  and  literature  in 
Vanderbilt  University,  published  first  a piece  of  Anglo-Saxon  prose  for 
his  doctor’s  degree  at  the  University  of  Leipsic.  This  was  followed  by 
an  “Anglo-Saxon  Poem”  in  1885.  Mr.  Baskerville  then  brought  out  a 
joint  work  with  Prof.  James  A.  Harrison,  an  “Anglo-Saxon  Dictionary,” 
also  published  in  1885.  Mr.  Baskerville  was  born  in  Fayette  County, 
Tenn.,  April  1,  1850.  After  attending  several  prominent  institutions 
of  learning  in  the  United  States  he  went  to  the  University  of  Leipsic, 
where  he  received  the  degree  of  Ph.  D. 

“Early  Times  in  Middle  Tennessee,”  by  John  Carr,  was  published  in 
1857.  The  preface  is  written  by  Dr.  J.  B.  McFerrin.  The  book  con- 
tains a series  of  sketches  on  the  history  of  Middle  Tennessee,  which  were 
first  published  in  the  Nashville  Christian  Advocate.  Much  of  the  book 
is  given  to  early  religious  history,  and  it  contains  biographies  of  pioneer 
preachers  and  one  of  the  author. 

“Life  and  Times  of  Elder  Beuben  Boss,”  an  interesting  and  well 
written  book,  by  James  Boss,  with  an  introduction  and  notes  by  J.  M. 
Pendleton,  was  published  1882.  Elder  Ross  was  born  in  North  Carolina, 
in  1776.  He  came  to  Tennessee  in  1807,  after  having  been  ordained  to 
the  ministry,  and  for  fifty  years  was  a noted  preacher.  The  history  of 
his  life  covers  one  of  the  most  important  periods  in  the  religious  history 
of  the  State. 

J.  H.  Brunner,  D.  D.,  president  of  Hiwassee  College,  has  published 
“Sunday  Evening  Talks”  and  “The  Union  of  the  Churches.”  The  Rev. 
0.  P.  Fitzgerald,  editor  of  the  Nashville  Christian  Advocate,  is  the 


026 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


author  of  “California  Sketches,”  two  volumes;  “Christian  Growth”  and 
“The  Class  Meeting.”  “The  Sunday-school  and  its  Methods”  is  a vol- 
ume published  at  Nashville,  1883,  by  Rev.  James  A.  Lyons,  a native  of 
Knoxville,  Tenn.,  a minister  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  South. 
George  W.  Harris,  author  of  “Sut  Lovingood’s  Yarns,”  a humorous  book, 
was  born  in  Knoxville,  Tenn.  His  book  had  a wide  popularity,  especially 
among  young  readers. 

Legal  writers  are  Hon.  William  F.  Cooper,  author  of  “Cooper’s  Chan- 
cery Reports, ” reported  and  edited  by  himself;  Wesley  J.  Hicks,  author 
of  “Hicks’  Manual;”  William  C.  Kain,  author  of  “Tennessee  Justice  and 
Legal  Adviser,”  and  Henry  S.  Foote,  author  of  “Foote’s  Bench  and  Bar 
of  the  Southwest.” 

“A  Review  of  Uncle  Tom’s  Cabin,  or  an  Essay  on  Slavery,”  is  the 
work  of  A.  Woodward,  M.  !).,  published  in  Cincinnati  in  1853.  Dr. 
Woodward  lived  in  Knoxville  for  many  years  where  he  practiced  his 
profession,  and  has  left  a large  family.  His  little  book  is  very  credit- 
able, and  the  views  on  Southern  customs  and  the  estimate  of  character 
are  just  and  impartial.  “Old  Times  in  West  Tennessee,”  published  in 
Memphis,  1873,  and  copyrighted  by  Joseph  S.  Williams  in  the  same 
year,  is  a book  by  “A  Descendant  of  One  of  the  First  Settlers.” 

The  most  prominent  of  the  female  authors  of  Tennessee  is  Miss  Mary 
N.  Murfree,  whose  pseudonym  is  Charles  Egbert  Craddock.  Miss  Mur- 
free  is  a native  of  Murfreesboro,  Tenn.  Loss  of  property  induced  her 
father,  Avho  is  a prominent  lawyer,  to  live  on  the  old  Dickenson  planta- 
tion. It  was  the  isolated  life  there  that  led  the  young  girl  to  reflection 
and  introspection,  and  developed  her  keen  observation  of  nature’s  mys- 
teries, which  plumed  her  pen  for  its  exquisite  descriptions  of  scenery. 
Miss  Murfree  touches  the  very  core  of  nature  and  reveals  all  her  hidden 
lore,  presenting  it  to  the  reader  in  gorgeous  coloring.  Many  visits  to 
the  mountains  of  East  Tennessee  made  her  familiar  with  the  customs 
and  dialect  of  the  mountaineers.  This  practical  knowledge,  added  to  the 
wealth  of  imagination  she  possesses,  formed  the  conjunction  necessary 
to  perfect  the  genius.  All  the  prominent  journals  of  the  country  accord 
the  very  highest  praise  to  Miss  Murfree.  She  is  said  to  be  the  “most 
powerful  and  original  of  the  ‘southern  school’  of  romanticists.”  Says 
the  Boston  Traveller:  “Here  is  the  positive,  brilliant,  glowing  genius 
that  has  cut  its  own  channel  and  made  its  own  place.”  Her  productions 
are  “In  the  Tennessee  Mountains,”  “Down  the  Ravine,”  “The  Prophet 
of  the  Great  Smoky  Mountains”  and  many  other  contributions  to  period- 
icals; also  “Where  the  Battle  was  Fought!”  The  publication  of  her  first 
work  entitled  her,  justly,  to  the  front  rank  among  novelists,  and  her  merit 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


627 


is  acknowledged  by  all  lovers  of  the  beautiful,  who  look  on  her  produc- 
tions as  a new  voice  of  delight  in  the  world  of  fiction. 

Mrs.  L.  Virginia  French  was  by  birth  a Virginian.  At  an  early  age 
she  was  sent  by  her  father  to  her  maternal  grandmother  in  Washington, 
Penn.,  where  she  was  educated.  In  1848,  having  finished  her  education, 
she  became  a teacher  in  Memphis.  Her  maiden  nom  de  plume  was  L ’ 
Inconnue.  She  published,  in  1856,  “Wind  Whispers,”  a book  of  fugi- 
tive poems;  “Legends  of  the  South,”  in  verse;  “Iztalilxo,  the  Lady  of 
Tala,”  a tragedy  in  five  acts,  the  scene  laid  in  Mexico;  “My  Roses,”  a 
novel  of  Southern  life  in  1872.  In  1879,  “Darlingtonia,”  a novel,  ran 
as  a serial  in  the  Detroit  Free  Press.  She  occupied  the  position  of  ed- 
itor to  many  prominent  literary  journals  of  the  South.  She  is  best 
known  as  a poet.  Her  verse  is  full  of  tone  and  imagination,  and  her 
drama  has  been  compared  to  “Ion”  and  “The  Lady  of  Lyons.”  She 
led  a life  of  excessive  literary  activity  and  usefulness.  She  died  at  Mc- 
Minnville, March  31,  1881.  Since  her  death  her  sister,  Mrs.  Lide  Meri- 
weather,  also  an  authoress,  has  published  a volume  of  poems  entitled  “One 
or  Two,”  the  joint  work  of  these  gifted  sisters.  Mrs.  Meriweather  re- 
sided in  Memphis  for  many  years,  and  at  that  time  published  two  books, 
“Soundings”  and  “Souls  for  Sale.”  “Soundings,”  a prose  work,  was 
written  with  the  noble  endeavor  to  elevate  and  restore  to  honest  effort 
those  who,  by  one  false  step,  are  tossed  by  custom  into  the  bitter  gulf  of 
degradation,  without  one  hope  of  repentance  or  of  restoration  to  a more 
upright  career,  to  which  some  might  attain  if  the  hand-grasp  of  pitying 
women  was  held  out  to  them.  Mrs.  Meriweather  is  also  a poet  of  ability. 
“October”  is  a handsome  specimen  of  suggestive  style. 

Mrs.  Annie  Chambers  Ketchum  was  born  in  Kentucky,  and  removed 
to  Memphis  after  her  marriage.  While  there,  she  became  the  editor  of 
the  Lotos,  a literary  magazine.  In  1856  she  brought  out  a novel.  “Nelly 
Bracken”  which  was  favorably  received ; “ Rilla  Motto,”  a romance  writ- 
ten for  the  Lotos  in  1860;  “Lotos  Flowers,”  a volume  of  miscellaneous 
poems.  “Benny,”  a Christmas  ballad  which  appeared  in  the  Home 
Journal , attracted  much  attention.  Besides  literary  ability  and  rare  no- 
bility of  nature,  Mrs.  Ketchum  is  gifted  with  beauty,  fine  conversational 
powers  and  a voice  of  great  compass  and  sweetness.  Her  teacher,  Prof. 
Wright  Merrick,  says:  “In  the  classics,  in  the  sciences,  she  is  equally  at 
home;  in  modern  languages,  music  and  drawing  she  excels  as  well.  I 

(have  never  known  her  peer.”  She  has  traveled  in  Europe  recently,  and 
is  still  actively  engaged  in  literary  work. 

Mrs.  Adelia  C.  Graves,  nee  Spencer,  wife  of  Z.  C.  Graves,  president 
at  that  time  of  Kingsville  Academy,  and  founder  of  Mary  Sharpe  Col- 


G28 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


lege,  Winchester,  Tenn.,  is  an  authoress.  She  was  for  some  time  pro- 
fessor of  Latin  and  belles-lettres  and  afterward  matron  and  professor 
of  rhetoric  in  the  Winchester  College.  She  has  written  many  fugitive 
poems  and  two  prose  tales,  “Ruined  Lives,”  published  in  the  South- 
ern Repository , Memphis,  and  a drama,  “ Jephtha’s  Daughter.”  She  had 
also  a work  on  “Woman;  her  Education,  Aims,  Sphere,  Influence  and 
Destiny.” 

Mrs.  Mary  E.  Pope,  Memphis,  for  some  time  principal  of  a flourish- 
ing school  for  young  ladies,  is  the  authoress  of  fugitive  poems ; one  entitled 
“ The  Gift  of  Song.”  Martha  W.  Brown,  who  wrote  under  the  pseudonym 
of  Estelle,  resided  in  Memphis.  She  contributed  numerous  poems  to 
The  Southern  Literary  Messenger ; “Thou  Art  Growing  Old,  Mother,” 
is  said  to  be  the  very  essence  of  the  poetry  of  the  heart. 

Mrs.  Amanda  Bright  was  born  in  Alabama  and  removed  early  in  life 
to  Fayetteville,  Tenn.  Her  eldest  son  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  Seven 
Pines.  Soon  thereafter  her  second  and  only  remaining  child  died.  In 
her  great  sorrow  she  wrote  a book,  hoping  to  realize  a sufficient  sum 
to  erect  a monument  to  her  sons’  memory.  “The  Three  Bernices,  or 
Ansermo  of  the  Crag”  was  the  outcome  of  this  design,  published  in  1869. 
Mrs.  Bright  has  vivid  imagination,  richness  and  exuberance  of  style, 
and  she  paints  nature  with  the  rare  and  delicate  touches  of  a true 
artist.  She  Avrote  other  stories,  “The  Prince  of  Seir”  among  them. 

Miss  Annie  E.  Law,  long  a resident  of  Tennessee,  is  of  English  birth 
and  now  lives  in  California.  She  is  a woman  of  great  force  of  will,  strong 
intellect  and  unflinching  courage.  She  gave  valuable  aid  in  the  war  to 
the  Confederates,  to  Avhose  cause  she  was  a devoted  adherent.  She  was 
tried  as  a spy  at  Knoxville  in  the  war.  She  is  authoress  of  many  poems, 
one  of  the  best  being  “Memories.”  Miss  LaAv  is  also  a learned  concholo- 
gist,  and  has  made  many  valuable  contributions  to  that  science. 

In  1867  Miss  Zoda  G.  Smith  published  from  the  Southern  Method- 
ist Publishing  House  at  Nashville,  under  the  nom  de  plume  of  “Elloie,” 
a small  volume  of  poems.  Her  verse  is  said  to  contain  nothing  morbid 
or  insipid,  but  to  elevate  the  heart,  broken  by  earthly  trials,  into  the 
purer  atmosphere  and  brighter  skies  of  heaven.  Mrs.  Bettie  Meriwether, 
a great  apostle  of  temperance,  Avrote  a fine  novel  of  much  power,  entitled 
“The  Master  of  Reclleaf,”  which  was  favorably  received.  She  is  a resi- 
dent of  Memphis.  “A  Memoir  of  Hugh  Lawson  White,”  judge  of  the 
Supreme  Court  of  Tennessee,  and  United  States  Senator,  with  selections 
from  his  speeches  and  correspondence,  Avas  published  in  1856,  by  his 
granddaughter,  Miss  Nancy  N.  Scott.  Mrs.  Emma  M.  Blake,  nee  Rut- 
ledge, native  of  Nashville,  and  Avas  educated  there.  She  married  Mr. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


629 


Daniel  Blake,  an  Englishman,  a resident  of  Charleston,  S.  C.  A vol- 
ume of  her  poems  was  printed  by  her  friends  after  her  death,  as  a 
memorial  of  her,  entitled  “Reliquiae.”  Mrs.  W.  G.  McAdoo  is  the 
author  of  two  novels,  “The  Nereid”  and  “Eagle-Bend,”  the  scenes  laid 
in  East  Tennessee,  and  a number  of  serial  stories.  Mrs.  Annie  S.  Gil- 
christ, of  Nashville,  is  authoress  of  two  novels  of  considerable  merit, 
“Rosehurst”  and  “Harcourt,”  both  published  in  Nashville. 

Mrs.  Jane  Tandy  Chinn  Cross  was  a native  of  Kentucky,  but  pub- 
lished her  books  in  Nashville.  She  was  twice  married,  and  died  in  1870. 
While  on  a European  tour,  she  corresponded  with  The  Nashville  Christian 
Advocate.  She  began  wilting  for  publication  in  1851.  Wrote  a book 
of  four  volumes  for  children,  and  “Duncan  Adair,  or  Captured  in  Escap- 
ing” and  “Azile,  A Story,”  Nashville,  1868.  “Azile”  is  a very  interesting 
story,  the  scene  of  the  first  part  laid  in  Dresden,  and  changing  to  the 
Southern  States  at  the  outbreak  of  the  war.  Her  style  is  polished, 
sprightly  and  lucid.  Her  portraiture  of  life  in  the  South  is  graphic,  and 
there  are  some  fine  art  touches  on  German  customs  and  amusements. 
Mrs.  Whitson,  resident  of  Murfreesboro,  has  published  general  biograph- 
ical works.  The  most  important  is  a book  of  sketches  of  the  last  Gen- 
eral Assembly,  which  contains  very  flattering  accounts  of  its  members. 

JOURNALISM.* 

The  first  paper  brought  out  in  Tennessee  was  The  Knoxville  Gazette , 
which  was  published  at  Rogersville,  November  5,  1791,  by  Mr.  George 
Roulstone.  The  Gazette  was  a three-column  paper  of  no  great  merit, 
and  of  little  interest  to  the  general  reader;  yet  as  the  pioneer  paper  of 
the  new  region,  it  created  quite  an  excitement  among  the  rough  settlers. 
It  is  supposed  that  Indian  troubles  prevented  Mr.  Roulstone  from  estab- 
lishing his  paper  at  once  in  Knoxville.  Although  this  town  was  laid  out 
in  1792,  many  people  regarded  it  as  a myth,  and  the  editor  of  The 
Gazette  may  have  shared  this  belief.  He,  however,  removed  his  paper  after 
the  issuance  of  a few  numbers  at  Rogersville,  and  continued  to  publish  it 
in  Knoxville  until  his  death,  in  1804.  Roulstone  was  printer  to  the  Ter- 
ritorial and  State  Legislatures,  and  published  Willie  Blount’s  “Catachet- 
ical  Exposition  of  the  Constitution  of  the  State  of  Tennessee.”  He  was 
public  printer  at  the  time  of  his  death,  and  his  wife  was  elected  two  suc- 
cessive terms  to  fill  his  place.  She  was  Miss  Gilliam,  of  Nashville,  and 
has  left  many  descendants  in  Middle  Tennessee. 

Knoxville’s  second  paper  was  The  Knoxville  Register , a weekly  issue 
founded  by  G.  Roulstone  in  1798.  The  Register  was  in  existence  about 

-Much  of  the  fact  contained  in  the  above  sketch  on  the  subject  of  journalism  was  kindly  furnished  by- 
Co!.  Moses  White. 


€30 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


two  years  when  its  editors  G.  Roulstone  and  John  Rivington  Parrington, 
published  another  paper  called  The  Genius  of  Liberty , a small  paper  not 
so  large  as  either  of  the  former,  and  by  no  means  so  sprightly  in  tone. 
This  made  Knoxville  the  mistress  of  three  weeklies,  a fine  exhibition  for 
a little  frontier  town  in  its  babyhood.  In  1804  George  Wilson  edited  a 
paper  known  as  Wilson's  Gazette , a much  larger  paper  than  its  prede- 
cessors. It  had  five  columns  and  ruled  lines  while  the  earlier  issues  had 
three  columns  and  no  lines.  This  paper  continued  until  1818  when  Wil- 
son removed  to  Nashville  and  published  The  Nashville  Gazette , a paper 
devoted  to  “Old  Hickory’s”  service. 

The  Knoxville  Register , “the  one  that  became  an  institution  of  Knox- 
ville,” was  established  by  F.  S.  Heiskill  and  Hu.  Brown  in  August, 
1810.  Maj.  Heiskill  came  to  Knoxville,  in  1814,  where  he  served  “as 
journeyman  printer  on  Wilson's  Gazette , then  the  only  paper  published 
in  East  Tennessee.”  He  was  a man  of  limited  opportunities  but  strong 
native  capacities  and  managed  the  political  department  of  The  Register 
with  much  ability.  Hu.  Brown  was  an  accomplished  scholar  and  fluent 
writer,  and  he  conducted  the  miscellaneous  and  literary  parts  of  the  paper 
with  skill  and  success.  In  the  bitter  party  strife  which  rent  the  country 
in  the  presidential  campaign  of  Gen.  Jackson  and  John  Q.  Adams  The 
Register  entered  with  vigor  and  enthusiasm,  and  bore  a prominent  part 
in  that  political  storm.  It  also  supported  Judge  Hugh  L.  White  for 
President  in  1836.  Between  1836  and  1839  The  Register  changed 
owners  and  editors  several  times,  as  well  as  names.  Its  existence  con- 
tinued, with  many  vicissitudes,  until  after  1863,  when  it  succumbed  to 
the  exigencies  of  the  Avar.  Up  to  1859  The  Register  had  been  a Whig 
paper.  In  that  year  it  became  a strong  Democratic  sheet. 

Another  paper,  The  Enquirer , began  in  Knoxville  in  1823.  Like  other 
journals  of  this  region  it  went  through  many  changes  of  owners  and 
editors.  At  one  time  Mr.  Hiram  Barry  was  its  OAvner  and  publisher  with 
J.  J.  Meredith  as  editor.  Mr.  Barry  is  a resident  of  Knoxville  and  the 
oldest  printer  in  the  State,  he  having  come  to  that  place  in  1816.  He  is 
still  an  active  citizen  who  can  tell  many  interesting  incidents  of  early 
affairs  in  Tennessee.  As  Knoxville  greAv  other  papers  had  their  rise. 
The  Hon.  John  R.  Nelson,  a distinguished  lawyer,  issued  two  papers, 
The  Republican  in  1831  and  Uncle  Sam  in  1834.  The  Post  was  first 
brought  out  in  Knoxville,  in  1841,  by  Capt.  James  Williams.  It  was 
afterward  removed  to  Athens  and  still  continues  there  as  The  Athens 
Post , edited  by  Mr.  Samuel  P.  Ivins.  The  Argus  appeared  in  1838.  It 
was  changed  to  Standard  in  1844,  and  continued,  with  some  changes,  to 
1855. 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


C31 


The  Plebeian  began  as  a Democratic  weekly  in  1850,  and  in  1851  was 
known  as  The  Daily  Morning  Plebeian.  This  was  the  first  daily  ever 
pnblished  in  Knoxville.  Other  minor  papers  flourished  from  1853  to 
1857;  and  in  1858  Mr.  John  ^litchel,  the  Irish  patriot,  and  Mr.  W.  G. 
Swan,  of  Knoxville,  established  an  ultra  pro-slavery  paper  called  The 
Southern  Citizen.  Mr.  Mitchel  was  a man  of  liberal  education,  polite 
address  and  keen  wit,  added  to  much  boldness  and  independence  of  char- 
acter. Says  a critic,  “ The  Southern  Citizen  was  conducted  with  ability, 
arrogance  and  intolerance  seldom  equaled.” 

The  war  journals  of  Knoxville  were  The  East  Tennesseean,  published 
by  the  Hon.  John  Baxter,  as  principal,  in  February,  1862,  and  The 
Southern  Chronicle.  The  East  Tennesseean  was  devoted  to  the  support 
of  the  Confederate  States  in  their  war  for  independence.  It  had  but  one 
issue.  The  Southern  Chronicle  fell  in  1863,  on  Federal  occupation. 
Eogersville,  in  1816, had  a newspaper  called  The  Roger sville  Gazette,  and  in 
1850,  The  Rogersville  Times  was  a lively  and  enterprising  journal.  Other 
towns  in  East  Tennessee  were  not  behind  in  publishing  papers.  Green- 
ville had,  in  1822,  an  eight-paged  paper  entitled  The  American  Economist 
and  Weekly  Political  Recorder,  followed  by  The  Miscellany  and  The 
Greeneville  Spy,  which  continued  until  the  war. 

The  first  paper  ever  published  southwest  of  Knoxville,  was  The  Val- 
ley Farmer,  in  Washington,  Bhea  County.  This  was  removed  subse- 
quently to  Athens,  under  the  name  of  Athens  Gazette.  In  1833  J.  W. 
M.  Brazeale,  the  author  of  “Life  as  it  is,”  edited  The  Tennessee  Journal 
at  this  place.  As  early  as  1838,  New  Market  had  a paper;  and  in  1832, 
Jonesboro  issued  a Whig  paper,  called  The  Washington  Republican  and 
Farmers'1  Journal, edited  by  Judge  Emerson,  of  the  supreme  court,  and  The 
Sentinel  by  Dr.  Thomas  Anderson,  author  of  a medical  work  on  diseases 
peculiar  to  East  Tennessee.  W.  G.  Brownlow  edited  his  well  known 
Whig  at  that  time  in  Jonesboro,  and  between  the  two  papers  a political 
and  personal  feud  raged  with  unabated  fury  for  a long  period. 

Chattanooga,  then  known  as  Ross’s  Landing,  had  a paper  called  The 
Hamilton  Gazette  as  early  as  1838.  The  name  was  changed  afterward 
to  The  Chattanooga  Gazette.  This  paper  passed  through  some  vicissitudes 
until  1861,  when  it  became  a daily  issue.  Elizabethton  Republican  and 
Manufacturers’1  Advocate  was  the  first  paper  published  in  Elizabethton. 
This  was  succeeded  by  Brownlow' s Tennessee  Whig,  begun  at  this  place 
in  1839.  The  Whig  was  bold,  intense,  incisive,  and  continued  one  year, 
when  it  was  removed  to  Jonesboro,  and  subsequently  to  Knoxville.  In 
1849  Broivnlow' s Knoxville  Whig  sent  out  its  first  issue  and  continued 
until  suspended  October  16,  1861,  and  revived  Nevember  11,  1863.  In 


632 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


1869  Brownlow  dissolved  connection  with  this  paper  and  resumed  editor- 
ship in  1875,  at  which  time  the  paper  bore  the  new  name  of  Daily  Chron- 
icle and  Weekly  Whig  and  Chronicle.  The  motto  of  the  Whig,  “ Cry 
aloud  and  spare  not,”  gave  full  insight  into.the  spirit  of  the  paper.  The 
Whig  bore,  at  one  time,  the  title  Independent  Journal,  and  Brownlow'1  s 
Knoxville  Whig  and  Rebel  Ventilator.  No  paper  ever  had  a wider  circu- 
lation. It  is  said  to  have  had  a circulation  of  10,000  in  1855.  The  Knox- 
ville Chronicle  was  established  in  1870,  by  Mr.  AVilliam  Rule,  the  pres- 
ent able  editor  of  The  Journal.  Cleveland,  Maryville,  Madisonville, 
Kingston  and  Jasper  had  weekly  papers  from  an  early  date.  Besides 
these  there  were  two  literary  journals  published  in  the  University  of 
Tennessee,  and  a temperance  organ  existed  for  a short  while  in  1854,  in 
Knoxville,  published  by  Mr.  Joe  Lewis  and  J.  A.  Rayl. 

Two  papers  deserve  mention — The  Railroad  Advocate  of  Rogersville, 
in  1831,  devoted  to  collecting  all  available  information  about  the  re- 
sources of  this  favored  region,  so  as  to  arouse  the  people  to  the  need  of 
an  outlet  for  the  immense  agricultural  and  mineral  wealth  of  the  State. 
Since  then  the  riches  have  been  developed  beyond  all  expectation.  The 
other  was  a veritable  abolition  paper,  called  The  Genius  of  Universal 
E mancipation.  This  was  published  at  Greeneville  in  1821  by  Benjamin 
Lundy,  a native  of  New  Jersey,  of  Quaker  parentage,  and  showed  that  at 
the  South  existed  the  spark  of  what  afterward  proved  to  be  one  of  the 
fiercest  fires  of  fanaticism  that  ever  swept  over  a nation.  The  paper 
advocated  emancipation,  and  proposed  several  curious  plans  for  effecting 
the  liberation  of  slaves.  A few  religious  papers  finish  the  list  of  papers 
in  East  Tennessee. 

Journalism  began  in  Nashville  in  1797,  when  a paper  was  published 
called  The  Tennessee  Gazette  and  Mero  District  Advertiser,  by  a Ken- 
tucky printer  named  Henkle.  In  a year  this  paper  was  sold  and  the 
name  changed  to  The  Clarion.  An  issue  of  the  date  of  1801  is  preserved 
by  the  State  Historical  Society.  Its  ragged  condition  shows  its  age. 
“ It  is  a folio  sheet,  with  pages  10x14  inches,  and  four  columns  to  the 
page,  printed  in  pica  type.”  The  Clarion  was  enlarged  under  the  name 
of  Clarion  and  Tennessee  Gazette,  and  other  changes  of  heading  until 
December,  1821,  when  it  resumed  the  name  of  The  Clarion.  “ The 
price  of  subscription  varied  from  $2  to  $3  in  advance,  or  $3  to  $4,  paya- 
able  after  six  months.”  In  1824  The  Clarion  was  discontinued,  and  its 
owners,  Abram  P.  Maury  and  Carey  A.  Harris,  brought  out  The  Nash- 
ville Republican.  Bradford,  the  long-time  printer  of  The  Clarion,  issued 
from  that  office,  in  1808,  Bradford’s  Tennessee  Almanac.  The  Impar- 
tial Review  and  Cumberland  Repository  appeared  in  the  latter  part  of 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


633 


1805.  A number  is  in  preservation  bearing  date  February  1,  1806,  in 
which  is  announced  the  death  of  Charles  Dickenson,  who  fell  in  a duel 
fought  with  Gen.  Jackson.  The  Museum , begun  by  Mr.  G.  Bradford, 
Avas  a literary  monthly,  published  in  1809,  and  existed  for  six  months. 
It  contained  much  valuable  political  and  historical  information,  and  was 
circulated  at  the  Ioav  price  of  $2  per  year. 

Bev.  David  Lowry  published  the  first  Cumberland  Presbyterian  organ 
in  the  United  States.  It  bore  the  name  of  The  Religious  and  Literary 
Intelligencer.  It  was  a weekly  brought  out  in  1830  and  existed  nearly 
tAvo  years.  FolloAving  this  was  The  Nashville  Herald , in  1831,  owned  by 
Mr.  W.  Tannehill.  This  paper  was  of  brief  continuance.  Next  came  a 
weekly  literary  paper  in  1833  of  quarto  form,  named  The  Kaleidoscope. 
Its  tone  was  lofty  and  its  influence  elevating,  but  unfortunately  its  dura- 
tion was  short.  The  Commercial  Transcript , a small  commercial  sheet, 
came  out  in  1835;  and  after  two  years  it  became  The  Banner  and  Whig. 
An  “Association  of  Gentlemen  ” published  in  the  years  1835-36  a 
Presbyterian  paper  named  The  American  Presbyterian,  which  was  not 
sustained.  The  Cumberland  Magazine,  a quarterly,  Avas  edited  by  the 
Bev.  James  Smith.  This  man  was  a Scotch  Presbyterian,  and  wrote  a 
history  in  defense  of  that  church;  a very  able  work.  The  Revivalist,  a 
weekly,  began  in  1837,  and  changed  to  The  Cumberland  Presbyterian, 
but  only  a few  numbers  were  issued.  Tennessee  Baptist  of  the  First 
Baptist  Church  in  Nashville,  a monthly,  existed  from  1835  to  1837,  when 
it  changed  owners  and  became  a semi-monthly.  The  Old  Baptist  Ban- 
ner, 1838,  was  published  by  the  Bev.  Washington  Lowe.  It  was  a 
monthly  paper.  The  Christian  Review,  a monthly  magazine,  was  the 
Campbellite  organ,  published  betAveen  the  years  1814—16.  In  1S10 
The  Tennessee  State  Agriculturist  began  and  continued  to  1816.  A 
valuable  law  journal,  called  The  Southwestern  Law  Journal  and  Reporter, 
A?as  published  in  1811  and  edited  by  William  Cameron  and  John  T.  S. 
Fall.  E.  Z.  C.  Judson  and  A.  H.  Kidd  edited,  in  1811,  The  Southwest- 
ern Literary  Journal  and  Monthly  Review.  The  Baptist,  second  paper 
of  that  name,  a weekly,  was  published  by  C.  K.  Winston,  J.  H.  Shep- 
herd and  J.  H.  Marshall  January,  1811-17.  The  Daily  Orthopolitan 
was  edited  by  Mr.  Wilkins  Tannehill.  This  was  a daily  which  began  in 
1815  and  continued  one  year.  The  Christian  Record,  under  the  dominion 
of  the  Presbyterian  Synod,  began  in  1816  and  continued  under  changes 
until  1850,  when  it  was  removed  to  Kentucky. 

A monthly,  called  The  Naturalist,  was  issued  in  1816  for  one  year, 
and  was  devoted  to  education  and  literature.  The  Quarterly  Review  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  South  began  in  1816,  in  Louisville, 


634 


HISTOKY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Ky.  Iu  1851  it  was  removed  to  Richmond,  Va.,  and  to  Nashville  in 
1858.  Dr.  T.  O.  Summers  was  the  able  editor  of  this  periodical.  The 
Tennessee  Farmer  and  Horticulturist,  a monthly,  was  edited  by  Charles 
Roster,  in  1846.  A temperance  paper,  The  Tennessee  Organ,  was  estab- 
lished in  1847,  by  Rev.  John  P.  Campbell.  After  passing  through  sev- 
eral hands  it  was  disposed  of  to  Dr.  R.  Thompson,  and  Gen.  William  G. 
Brien,  an  eloquent  speaker  and  scholar  of  much  ability,  who  conducted 
it  until  it  was  discontinued  in  1854.  The  Southern  Ladies'1  Companion , 
a Methodist  monthly,  was  successfully  managed,  and  had  a large  circula- 
tion. It  was  edited  by  Mr.  Henkle  and  Dr.  J.  B.  McRerrin.  The  Ten- 
nessee Baptist , edited  by  Rev.  Dr.  Howell,  and  The  Portfolio , a Free- 
mason monthly,  edited  by  Mr.  W.  Tannehill  in  1847,  were  ably  conducted. 
The  Christian  Magazine,  edited  in  1848  by  Rev.  Jesse  B.  Ferguson  and 
J.  Iv.  Howard,  and  The  Western  Boatman,  by  Anson  Nelson,  The  Even- 
ing Reporter  in  1849-50,  and  The  Nashville  Times  in  1849,  were  other 
publications  of  that  period.  The  Naturalist,  The  Southern  Agricultur- 
ist, The  Nashville  Journal  of  Medicine  and  Surgery  and  The  Soutlnoest- 
ern  Monthly , went  through  brief  life  in  Nashville  in  1849-52.  The 
Ladies ’ Pearl,  a monthly,  was  edited  between  1852-56  by  Rev.  W.  S.  Lang- 
don  and  J.  C.  Provine,  and  afterward  by  Mrs.  Langdon.  The  Nashville 
Evening  Neivs  existed  in  1851-53.  The  Southern  Medical  Journal  of 
Medical  and  Physical  Sciences,  a bi-monthly  was  published  1853-57. 
The  Banner  of  Peace,  a Cumberland  Presbyterian  paper,  continued  from 
1840  to  the  recent  war.  The  Parlor  Visitor,  in  1854,  a Baptist  organ, 
edited  by  Dr.  W.  P.  Jones;  The  Gospel  Advocate,  a weekly  in  the  same 
year,  edited  by  Elder  Tolbert  Fanning  and  Prof.  William  Lipscomb, 
and  The  Southern  Baptist  Review  in  1855,  were  well  conducted  papers. 
The  Home  Circle,  Rev.  L.  D.  Houston,  editor,  and  The  Sunday-School 
Visitor,  with  Dr.  T.  O.  Summers,  editor,  were  other  religious  issues  of 
1855.  Two  agricultural  papers,  The  Farmer's  Banner  and  The  Agri- 
culturist and  Commercial  Journal  appeared  in  1855  and  lasted  a short 
time.  The  Fountain  was  a sprightly  temperance  paper  in  1855,  and  The 
Tennessee  Farmer  and  Mechanic  lasted  about  one  year. 

The  Nashville  Daily  News  began  in  1857,  and  discontinued  in  1860. 
The  Baptist  Family  Visitor,  and  Harper's  Theatrical  Bulletin  issued  a 
few  numbers  in  1857.  The  Legislative  Union  and  American  was  said  to 
be  an  important  State  organ  between  1857  and  1859.  The  Daily  Chris- 
tian Advocate,  a Methodist  paper,  and  The  Christian  Unionist,  another 
religious  paper,  existed  a short  while.  Other  papers,  many  of  them  re- 
ligious, were  The  Southern  Magazine  of  Temperance,  Young's  Spirit  of 
the  South  and  Central  American,  The  Nashville  Monthly  Record  of 


HISTOEY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


635 


Medical  and  Physical  Sciences , Southern  Homestead , wliose  literary  de- 
partment was  edited  by  Mrs.  L.  Virginia  French,  and  The  Baptist  Stand- 
ard came  out  between  1858  and  1860.  The  Temperance  Monthly , edited 
by  Mrs.  Emelie  C.  8.  Chilton,  a poet  of  high  order,  and  The  Daily  Even- 
ing Bulletin  were  papers  of  1859.  The  Opposition  was  a campaign 
paper  in  the  struggle  for  governor  between  Col.  John  Netlierland  and 
Gov.  Isliani  G.  Harris.  The  National  Pathfinder  was  edited  by  T.  F. 
Hughes,  Esq.,  in  1860.  The  Nashville  Christian  Advocate  began  ini- 
1834.  It  was  edited  successively  by  many  prominent  divines.  The 
Louisville  (Ky. ) Christian  Advocate  was  merged  in  this  paper  in  1851. 
In  1858  Rev.  Dr.  McFerrin,  who  had  been  editor,  resigned,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Rev.  H.  N.  McTyeire.  Dr.  McFerrin  was  appointed  agent  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Publishing  House  at  that  time.  The  Nashville 
True  Whig  began  in  1845,  and  was  succeeded  in  1856  by  The  Nashville 
Patriot. 

The  Nashville  Gazette,  the  second  paper  of  that  name,  was  published 
in  1819  by  Mr.  George  Wilson,  the  same  who  had  conducted  Wilson’s 
Knoxville  Gazette  in  1804.  The  Nashville  Whig,  established  by  Moses 
and  Joseph  Norvell,  began  in  1812  and  continued  to  1816.  The  Nash- 
ville Banner,  a weekly,  existed  between  1822  and  1826.  It  was  then 
united  with  The  Whig,  under  the  name  of  Nashville  Banner  and  Whig,  a 
semi-weekly.  It  was  not  until  1831  that  Nashville  had  a daily  paper. 
This  was  The  National  Banner  and  Nashville  Advertiser.  This  contin- 
ued until  1834,  when  it  was  found  that  daily  papers  did  not  pay  in  Nash- 
ville, and  it  became  a tri-weekly.  The  Nashville  Republican  grew  out 
of  the  materials  of  the  old  Clarion  and  Tennessee  Gazette  in  1824. 
After  some  changes  it  became  a daily  issue  in  1837. 

The  Republican  Banner  was  begun  in  1837,  enlarged  in  1839,  and  in 
1842  Gen.  F.  K.  Zollicoffer,  who  had  learned  the  printer’s  trade  in  Mr. 
F.  S.  Heiskell’s  office  at  Knoxville,  assumed  the  editorship.  Gen.  Zolli- 
coffer earned  a reputation  as  an  able  political  writer,  and  kept  up  The 
Banner  to  the  highest  standard  ot  newspaper  excellence.  The  Banner 
had  many  editors  who  were  men  of  distinguished  merit  and  position. 
The  Nashville  Gazette,  third  paper  of  that  name,  was  in  existence  from 
1844  to  1862.  About  this  time  The  Republican  Banner  was  established, 
and  continued  to  1853,  when  it  was  united  with  The  A merican  under  the 
title  of  Nashville  Union  and  American.  In  1848  was  established  The 
Daily  Centre-State  American  and  Nashville  Weekly  American.  The 
Nashville  Union  and  American  began  in  1853,  and  grew  out  of  the  con- 
solidation of  The  Union  and  The  American.  The  Union  had  been  ed- 
ited by  Col.  J.  G.  Harris,  who  was  an  editorial  pupil  of  George  D.  Pren- 


636 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


tice.  Col.  Harris  liacl  earned  distinction  as  a political  writer,  and  was  an 
adherent  of  Gen.  Andrew  Jackson.  Mr.  John  Miller  McKee  was  com- 
mercial and  city  editor  of  The  Union  and  American  in  1858,  and  in  1860 
Mr.  John  C.  Burch  became  associate  editor.  Mr.  Leon  Trousdale  was 
also  one  of  the  editors  of  this  paper.  The  Nashville  Union  and  American 
was  suspended  on  the  evacuation  of  Nashville  by  the  Confederates  in 
1862. 

Nashville,  at  the  outbreak  of  the  Rebellion,  was  considered  the  pub- 
lishing center  of  the  South,  having  more  periodicals  than  any  other  city 
of  her  size.  She  had  no  less  than  nineteen  journals  and  nine  large  pub- 
lishing houses.  At  the  fall  of  Fort  Donelson,  in  1862,  the  general 
panic  induced  every  man  to  seek  his  own  safety.  Printing  offices  were 
abandoned  by  members  of  the  press,  their  public  position  rendering 
them  peculiarly  obnoxious  to  the  enemy.  Many  printers  were  without 
employment,  and  in  the  absence  of  better  occupation  engaged  in  what 
proved  a lucrative  business,  that  of  selling  newspapers.  There  were 
several  war  publications.  The  first  made  its  appearance  in  February, 
1862,  under  the  name  of  The  Nashville  Times.  This  suspended  after 
the  issue  of  the  thirteenth  number.  Six  numbers  of  the  Evening  Bulle- 
tin followed.  The  Nashville  Daily  Union  began  in  1862  and  had  a 
short  existence.  Other  papers  were  The  Nashville  Dispatch , April, 
1862.  The  Constitution , with  George  Baber  as  editor,  appeared  in  July, 
1862,  and  The  Nashville  Daily  Press  began  in  May,  1863.  It  con- 
tinued, with  frequent  change  of  editors,  to  May,  1865,  when  it  was  united 
with  the  Times  and  Union.  Mr.  S.  C.  Mercer  edited  in  1864  The  Nash- 
ville Times  and  True  Union.  It  was  afterward  merged  with  the  Press, 
and  bore  the  title  of  Nashville  Daily  Press  and  Times.  A paper  named 
The  Nashville  Daily  Journal  existed  for  a short  time  in  1863.  Mr.  L. 
0.  Houk  was  editor. 

After  the  war  the  publication  of  The  Union  and  American,  as  a daily, 
tri-weekly  and  weekly,  continued  to  the  latter  part  of  1866,  when  it  be- 
came, by  consolidation  with  The  Dispatch,  The  Union  and  Dispatch.  In 
1868  the  paper  was  combined  with  The  Daily  Gazette,  and  resumed  the 
name  of  Union  and  American.  In  1875  The  Union  and  American  was 
consolidated  with  The  Republican  Banner,  and  became  The  American,  a 
daily,  semi-weekly  and  weekly  issue.  The  Tennessee  Stciats-Zeitung 
is  a German  paper,  and  is  said  to  be  the  only  daily  paper  of  that  kind 
outside  of  New  Orleans.  Mr.  John  Ruhrn  edited  the  paper  in  1866, 
when  it  was  first  issued.  He  has  since  become  a prominent  lawyer  in 
Nashville.  The  Methodist  Episcopal  Publishing  House  has  quite  a 
number  of  journalistic  publications,  and  does  a large  book  business. 


FROH  PHOTd  BY  TRUSS,  HUUSm  J GICRS.PASHVIUI 


Andrew  Johnson 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


6 87 


The  colored  people  of  Nashville  are  represented  by  some  creditable  news- 
papers, showing  much  enlightenment  and  progress  on  their  part.  Be- 
sides journalistic  and  periodical  influence,  Nashville  is  prominent  for 
almanacs.  This  useful  form  of  literature  was  begun  in  1807,  when 
Bradford? s Tennessee  Almanac  appeared.  The  Cumberland  Almanac 
for  1827  followed,  and  has  had  a regular  publication  since. 

The  first  published  Memphis  paper  was  The  Memphis  Advocate  and 
Western  District  Intelligencer , the  first  issue  appearing  January  18, 
1827.  It  was  a weekly  publication,  by  Parron  & Phoebus.  The  Times 
was  established  soon  after,  and  later  the  two  were  consolidated  and  en- 
titled The  Times  and  Advocate.  P.  G.  Gaines  and  Mr.  Murray  found- 
ed The  Memphis  Gazette  in  1831,  and  it  continued  until  1837  or  1838.  F. 
S.  Lathan,  publisher  of  The  Randolph  Recorder , established  in  1836  a 
weekly  paper  known  as  The  Memphis  Enquirer,  with  Mr.  J.  H.  McMahon, 
editor.  The  paper  continued  with  many  changes  of  owners  and  editors 
until  1850,  when  it  united  with  The  Eagle,  and  was  published  as  The  Eagle 
and  Enquirer  for  ten  years.  The  Eagle  was  established  by  T.  S.  La- 
tham in  January,  1842.  Dr.  Solon  Borland  began  the  publication  of  The 
Western  World  and  Memphis  Banner  of  the  Constitution,  a weekly,  in 
1839.  The  first  number  of  The  Memphis  Appeal,  edited  by  Henry  Van 
Pelt,  appeared  April  21,  1841.  It  has  changed  proprietors  several  times 
since  his  death,  and  is  still  published  as  a daily  and  weekly.  Memphis 
Monitor,  which  was  founded  by  John  C.  Morrill  in  1846,  was  merged 
into  The  Appeal  soon  after.  Several  other  newspapers  of  a transitory  na- 
■ ture  were  in  existence  between  1846  and  1860.  Among  these  were  The 

O 

Whig  Commercial  and  Evening  Herald.  The  Memphis  Bulletin,  estab- 
lished in  1855,  was  published  until  1867,  when  it  was  merged  into  The  Av- 
alanche. The  latter  was  founded  by  M.  C.  Gallaway  in  1858,  and  with  the 
exception  of  three  years  during  the  war,  has  since  been  published  both 
as  a daily  and  as  a weekly.  There  were  several  papers  published  in  the 
war,  among  which  were  The  Public  Ledger , Argus  and  Commercial.  The 
last  two  were  united  in  1866  or  1867.  In  addition  to  newspapers  a num- 
ber of  periodicals  have  been  published.  The  following  is  a list  of  the 
publications  in  1884:  Dailies — Appeal,  Avalanche,  Public  Ledger  and 
Scimeter.  Each  also  publishes  weekly  editions.  W eeklies  and  monthlies — 
Living  Way,  Mississippi  Valley  Medical  Monthly,  Review,  Southern 
Post  Journal  (German),  Tennessee  Baptist  and  Watchman , a colored 
Baptist  paper. 

1 


40 


G38 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Religious  History*— The  Relation  Between  Religion  and  the  Constitution 
and  the  Laws— The  Gradual  Development  of  Ecclesiastical  Tolera- 
tion—The  Separation  of  Church  and  State— The  Earliest  Ministra- 
tions in  Tennessee — The  Methods  of  the  Circuit  Riders,  and  the 
Phenomenal  Results— An  Analysis  of  the  Causes  of  the  “Jerks”  and  the 
“Power” — A Summary  of  the  Creeds  of  the  Principal  Sectarian  Organ- 
izations—An  Account  of  the  Origin,  Growth  and  Success  of  the  Vari- 
ous Churches— Famous  Revivals  and  Illustrative  Anecdotes— The 
Importance  of  the  Establishment  of  Camp  Meetings— The  Controver- 
sies of  the  Churches  upon  the  Question  of  Slavery — The  Interest 
Taken  in  Sunday-school  Work— The  Religious  Status  of  the  Colored 
Race— Buildings,  Finances,  Publications,  Conventions,  etc. 

THE  progress  a people  lias  made,  so  far  as  intelligence  and  tolerance 
of  opinion  are  concerned,  is  with  tolerable  accuracy  ascertainable 
by  a careful  study  of  their  constitution  ancl  laws.  When  the  people  of 
a State  adopt  an  original  or  an  amended  constitution,  that  constitution 
may  be  taken  as  an  expression  of  their  sentiments,  opinions  or  convic- 
tions as  to  what  is  essential  to  the  welfare  of  the  community.  The  same 
remark  is  applicable  to  the  laws  passed  by  that  body  endowed  with  the 
power  of  enactment.  It  is  true  that  a constitution  may  be  adopted  by  a 
mere  majority  of  the  voters;  the  minority  may  be  more  or  less  earnestly 
opposed  to  it;  the  minority  may  be  in  fact  more  intelligent  than  the  ma- 
jority, may  gradually  come  to  be  the  majority  and  may  then  amend  the 
constitution  under  which  they  have  lived  in  such  manner  that  it  shall  con- 
form  to  their  sentiments,  opinions  and  convictions.  This  new  constitu-  j 
tion  in  the  particulars  in  which  it  has  been  amended  indicates  the  change  I 
in  the  opinions  of  the  people;  it  may  be  progression,  it  may  be  retrogres- 
sion, but  the  old  and  amended  constitutions  when  compared  serve  to  mark 
the  degrees  on  the  scale  of  progress.  Individuals  may  be,  and  sometimes 
are.  centuries  in  advance  of  their  contemporaries.  Lord  Bacon  who  died  j 
in  1626,  said:  “Divisions  in  religion  are  less  dangerous  than  violent!: 
measures  of  prevention.  The  wound  is  not  dangerous  unless  poisoned  j 
with  remedies.  Inquiry  is  not  to  be  feared.  Controversy  is  the  wind 
by  which  the  truth  is  winnowed.” 

Where  the  mind  is  free  religion  never  has  dangerous  enemies. 
Atheism  is  the  mistake  of  the  metaphysician,  not  of  human  nature.  In- 
fidelity gains  the  victory  when  it  wrestles  with  hypocrisy  or  superstition, 
not  when  its  antagonist  is  reason.  When  an  eclesiastical  establishment 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


039 


requires  universal  conformity  some  consciences  must  necessarily  be 
wronged  and  oppressed.  In  such,  cases,  if  the  wrong  be  successful,  the 
servitude  is  followed  by  consequences  analogous  to  those  which  ensue  on 
the  civil  enslavement  of  the  people.  The  mind  is  burdened  by  a sense 
of  injury;  the  judgment  is  confused,  and  in  its  zeal  to  throw  of  an  intol- 
lerable  tyranny,  passion  attempts  to  sweep  away  every  form  of  religion. 
Bigotry  commits  the  correlative  error  when  it  attempts  to  control  opion- 
ion  by  positive  statutes;  to  substitute  the  terrors  of  law  for  convincing 
argument.  It  is  a gigantic  crime  from  the  commission  of  which  in  the 
past  the  world  is  still  suffering,  to  enslave  the  human  mind  under  the 
earnest  desire  or  under  the  specious  pretext  of  protecting  religion.  Re- 
ligion of  itself,  pure  and  undefiled,  never  had  an  enemy.  It  has  enemies 
only  when  coupled  with  bigotry,  superstition  and  intolerance,  and  then 
only  because  it  is  so  enveloped  in  these  as  to  be  indistinguishable  from 
them.  While  their  power  and  their  trvanny  have  for  centuries  been  em- 
ployed to  strengthen  and  defend  religion,  they  have  ever  been,  and  are 
to-day,  though  in  a far  less  degree  than  formerly,  the  worst  enemy  that 
religion  has.  The  history  of  the  world  conclusively  proves  that  positive 
enactments  against  irreligion,  or  prohibiting  the  denial  of  the  truths  of 
religion  as  they  are  conceived  to  be,  provoke  and  cause  the  very  evil 
they  were  designed  to  prevent  For  to  deny  the  truths  of  the  proposi- 
tions or  dogmas  of  any  form  of  religion  is  a right  inherent  in  every  man, 
for  the  exercise  of  which  he  is  responsible  to  none  but  to  himself  and  his 
Creator.  Besides  there  are  always  those  who  have  a desire  for  martyr- 
dom. being  unable  in  any  other  way  to  achieve  distinction,  and  because 
to  be  a martyr  evinces  courage  and  excites  sympathy,  and  there  are 
always  more  people  capable  of  extending  sympathy  to  the  persecuted  and 
oppressed  than  there  are  of  those  capable  of  rendering  an  accurate  judg- 
ment upon  the  question  for  which  the  martyr  chooses  to  be  impaled. 

While  such  principles  as  these  seem  now  to  be  generally  admitted, 
yet  at  the  time  of  the  formation  of  the  constitutions  of  most  of  the  origi- 
nal thirteen  States,  the  most  intelligent  of  the  people,  law-makers,  min- 
isters and  others,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  the  Pilgrims  abandoned 
England  and  sought  the  unknown  and  inhospitable  shores  of  America 
or  the  sole  purpose  of  finding  an  asylum  in  which  they  could  themselves 
xercise  and  enjoy  the  sweets  of  religious  freedom,  and  notwithstanding 
he  fact  that  the  Catholic  colony  of  Maryland  under  Lord  Baltimore,  had 
pund  it  expedient  to  extend  to  Protestants  the  religious  liberty  which 
pey  claimed  for  themselves,  entertained  and  succeeded  in  having  en- 
rafted  into  most  of  those  constitutions  provisions  embodying  and  enforc- 
ig  sentiments  similar  to  those  expressed  by  the  rugged  and  uncorn- 


640 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


promising  Dudley,  who  was  not  softened  even  by  old  age,  and  many 
others  of  the  leading  religious  thinkers  of  colonial  times.  Said  Dudley: 
“God  forbid  our  love  of  truth  should  thus  grow  cold — that  we  should  tol- 
erate error.  I die  no  libertine.” 

“Let  men  of  God,  in  courts  and  churches  watch, 

All  such  as  toleration  hatch, 

Lest  that  ill  egg  bring  forth  a cockatrice, 

To  poison  all  with  heresy  and  vice; 

If  men  be  left  and  otherwise  combine, 

My  epitaph’s  “I  died  no  libertine.” 

Cotton  affirmed  that  it  is  “better  to  tolerate  hypocrites  and  tares, -than 
thorns  and  briers;”  thus  recognizing  the  great  principle  that  hypocrisy 
is  one  of  the  grave  evils  of  intolerance.  Ward’s  opinion  was  that  “poly- 
piety  is  the  greatest  impiety  in  the  world.  To  say  that  man  ought  to 
have  liberty  of  conscience  is  impious  ignorance.”  Norton  said:  “Relig- 
ion admits  of  no  eccentric  motions.” 

In  consonance  with  these  sentiments  and  the  spirit  which  they  indi- 
cate, Massachusetts  adopted  a constitution  under  which  a particular  form 
of  worship  was  made  a part  of  the  civil  establishment,  and  irreligion  was 
punished  as  a civil  offense.  Treason  against  the  civil  government  was 
treason  against  Christ,  and  reciprocally  blasphemy  was  the  highest 
offense  in  the  catalogue  of  crimes.  To  deny  that  any  book  of  the  Old  or 
New  Testament  was  the  infallible  word  of  God  was  punishable  by  fine  or 
by  whipping,  and  in  case  of  obstinacy  by  exile  or  by  death.  Absence 
from  the  “ministry  of  the  Word”  was  punished  by  a fine.  “ The  State 
was  the  model  of  Christ’s  kingdom  on  earth.”  Gradually  the  spirit  of 
the  established  religion  smothered  nearly  every  form  of  independence 
and  liberty.  The  creation  of  a national,  uncompromising  church  led  the 
Congregationalists  of  Massachusetts  to  the  indulgence  of  passions  which,  j. 
exercised  upon  them  by  their  English  persecutors,  had  driven  them 
across  the  sea,  and  thus  was  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  justified  by 
the  men  he  had  wronged.  Massachusetts,  after  a vain  attempt  to  silence 
the  Quakers,  made  a vain  attempt  to  banish  them.  She  was  as  strongly!' 
set  against  what  appeared  to  her  as  ruinous  heresy  as  a healthy  city  is 
against  the  plague.  The  second  general  court  of  Massachusetts,  whicli 
met  May  18,  1631,  is  chiefly  remarkable  for  the  adoption  of  the  theo- 
cratic basis  on  which  for  fifty  years  the  government  of  the  State  con- 
tinued to  rest.  No  man  was  thereafter  recognized  as  a citizen  and  8 
voter  who  was  not  a member  of  some  one  of  the  colonial  churches,  and 
in  order  to  obtain  admission  to  one  of  them  it  was  necessary  to  make  arj 
orthodox  confession  of  faith,  live  conformably  to  Puritan  decorum,  anc| 
add  to  this  a satisfactory  religious  experience,  of  which  the  substantia 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


641 


part  was  an  internal  assurance  of  a change  of  heart  and  a lively  sense  of 
justification  as  one  of  God’s  elect.*  In  1649  it  was  deemed  necessary  to 
-support  the  fundamental  doctrines  of'  the  theocracy  by  civil  penalties. 
“Albeit  faith  is  not  wrought  by  the  sword,  but  by  the  Word,  nevertheless 
seeing  that  blasphemy  of  the  true  God  can  not  be  excused  by  any  ignor- 
ance or  infirmity  of  human  nature,  no  person  in  this  jurisdiction,  whether 
Christian  or  pagan,  shall  wittingly  or  willingly  presume  to  blaspheme 
His  holy  name,  either  by  willfully  and  obstinately  denying  the  true  God, 
or  His  creation  and  government  of  the  world,  or  shall  curse  God,  or  re- 
proach the  holy  religion  of  God,  as  if  it  were  but  an  ingenious  device  to 
keep  ignorant  men  in  awe,  nor  shall  utter  any  other  eminent  kind  of 
blasphemy  of  like  nature  or  degree  under  penalty  of  death.” 

Such  was  the  nature  of  the  relation  in  Massachusetts  between  Church 
and  State.  Every  person  was  taxed  for  the  support  of  the  church  in  the 
same  manner  as  he  was  to  support  the  government,  but  was  permitted  to 
say  to  which  individual  church  his  mone^  should  be  paid.  And  such 
laws  disgraced  the  pages  of  the  statutes  of  that  State  to  a later  date  than 
were  those  of  any  other  State  similarly  disfigured.  On  April  1,  1834, 
a bill  was  enacted  into  a law  containing  the  following  provisions : 


No  person  shall  hereafter  become  or  be  made  a member  of  any  parish  or  religious 
society  so  as  to  be  liable  to  be  taxed  therein  for  the  support  of  public  worship,  or  for  other 
parish  charges  without  ihis  express  consent  for  that  purpose  first  had  and  obtained. 

No  citizen  shall  be  assessed  or  liable  to  pay  any  tax  for  the  support  of  public  worship 
or  parish  charges  to  any  parish  or  religious  society  whatever  other  than  that  of  which  he 
is  a member. 


In  1649  sixteen  acts  were  forwarded  to  Maryland  to  which  the  gov- 
ernor was  to  obtain  the  assent  of  the  Assembly.  One  of  these  was  en- 
titled “An  Act  of  Toleration.”  The  first  four  sections  of  this  celebrated 
act  comprised  but  little  of  the  tolerant  spirit,  as  may  be  seen  by  a peru- 
sal of  their  provisions:  “All  who  shall  blaspheme  God,  that  is,  curse 
Him,  or  who  shall  deny  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  to  be  the  Son  of  God, 
or  shall  deny  the  Holy  Trinity,  the  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghost,  or  the 
Godhead  of  any  of  the  said  three  persons  of  the  Trinity,  or  the  unity  of 
the  Godhead,  or  shall  use  or  utter  any  reproachful  speeches  against  the 
Holy  Trinity,  shall  suffer  death  with  forfeiture  of  lands  and  goods.” 
Strange  as  it  may  seem,  this  death  penalty  for  this  offense  darkened  the 
statutes  of  Maryland  for  200  years.  No  one  was  permitted  under  the 
law  to  utter  any  reproachful  words  or  speeches  concerning  the  Virgin 
Mary  or  the  holy  apostles  or  evangelists  without  suffering  the  penalty  of 
a fine,  and  banishment  for  the  third  offense.  No  one  was  permitted  to 
reproachfully  call  any  one  “heretic,  schismatic,  idolater,  Puritan,  Pres- 


*Hildreth. 


642 


HISTORY  OR  TENNESSEE. 


byterian,”  etc.,  without  being  compelled  to  submit  to  suitable  punish- 
ment. “Liberty  of  conscience”  was,  however,  provided  for  in  the  follow- 
ing words:  “That  the  enforcing  the  conscience  in  matters  of  religion 
hath  frequently  fallen  out  to  be  of  dangerous  consequences  in  those 
commonwealths  where  it  hath  been  practiced,  and  therefore  for  the  more 
quiet  and  peaceful  government  of  the  province,  and  the  better  to  preserve 
mutual  love  and  unity,  no  person  professing  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ 
shall  be  molested  or  discountenanced  on  account  of  his  religion,  nor  in- 
terrupted in  the  free  exercise  thereof.”  It  is  clear,  however,  from  a study  of 
the  history  of  the  colony  of  Maryland  that  whatever  liberty  of  conscience 
was  here  provided  for  to  those  who  “believed  the  religion  of  Jesus 
Christ”  was  adopted  for  the  sake  of  policy,  for  the  reason  that  an  exclus- 
ively Roman  Catholic  colony  would  not  have  been  for  a moment  tolerated 
by  the  mother  country,  then  under  the  domination  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land. 

The  same  idea  is  embodied  in  the  Declaration  of  Rights  prefixed  to 
the  constitution  of  1776  in  the  following  language:  “All  persons  pro- 
fessing the  Christian  religion,  are  equally  entitled  to  protection  in  their 
religious  liberty,”  and  while  this  declaration  expressed  the  opinion  that 
“ no  person  ought  to  be  compelled  to  frequent  or  maintain  or  contribute, 
unless  on  contract  to  maintain  any  particular  place  of  worship,  or  partic- 
ular ministry,  yet,”  it  said,  “ the  Legislature  may  in  their  discretion  lay 
a general  and  equal  tax  for  the  support  of  the  Christian  religion.”  Later 
this  was  all  changed  and  liberty  of  conscience  granted  in  the  follow- 
ing words:  “ That,  as  it  is  the  duty  of  every  man  to  worship  God  in  such 
manner  as  he  thinks  most  acceptable  to  Him,  all  persons  are  equally  en- 
titled to  protection  in  their  religious  liberty.” 

Chapter  III  of  the  laws  of  Virginia  passed  in  1661,  provided  that 
“ no  minister  be  admitted  to  officiate  in  this  country  but  such  as  shall 
produce  to  the  Governour  a testimonial,  that  he  hath  received  his  ordi- 
nation from  some  bishop  in  England,  and  shall  then  subscribe  to  be 
conformable  to  the  orders  and  constitutions  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land,” etc.  Chapter  V provided  that  the  liturgy  of  the  Church  of 
England  should  be  read  every  Sunday,  and  no  minister  nor  reader 
was  permitted  to  teach  any  other  catechism  that  that  by  the  canons 
appointed  and  inserted  in  the  book  of  common  prayer,  that  no  min- 
ister should  expound  any  other  than  that,  to  the  end  “ that  our  fun- 
damentals at  least  be  well  laid,”  and  that  no  reader  upon  presumption 
of  his  own  abilities  should  attempt  to  expound  that  or  any  other  cate- 
chism or  the  Scriptures.  Chapter  VI,  of  the  laws  of  1705,  provided  for 
the  punishment  of  “atheism,  deism  or  infidelity”  as  follows:  “If  any 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


643 


person  or  persons  brought  up  in  the  Christian  religion  shall  by  writing, 
printing,  teaching  or  advisedly  speaking,  deny  the  being  of  a God,  or 
the  Holy  Trinity,  or  shall  deny  the  Christian  religion  to  be  true,  or  the 
Holy  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments  to  be  of  divine  author- 
ity, and  shall  be  thereof  legally  convicted  upon  indictment  or  information 
in  a general  court  of  this,  Her  Ma  jesty's  colony  and  dominion,  such  per- 
son or  persons  for  this  offense  shall  be  incapable  or  disabled  in  law  to 
all  intents  and  purposes  whatever  to  hold  and  enjoy  any  office  or  employ- 
ment, ecclesiastical,  civil  or  military,  or  any  part  of  them  or  any  profit  or 
advantage  to  them  appertaining  or  any  of  them.”  For  the  second  of- 
fense “ he,  she  or  they  shall  from  thenceforth  be  disabled  to  sire,  prose- 
cute, plead  or  use  any  action  or  information  in  any  court  of  law  or  equity, 
or  to  be  guardian  to  any  child,  or  to  be  executor  or  administrator  of  any 
person,  or  capable  of  any  deed  or  gift  or  legacy,  or  to  bear  any  office, 
civil  or  military,  within  this,  Her  Majesty’s  colony  or  dominion,  and  shall 
also  suffer  from  the  time  of  such  conviction  three  years’  imprisonment 
without  bail  or  mainprise.” 

A remarkable  change  in  the  attitude  of  Christianity  toward  infidelity 
occurred  between  this  time  and  the  adoption  of  the  constitution  of  1776. 
Section  16  of  the  Bill  of  Bights  prefixed  to  this  constitution  reads  as 
folloivs:  “ That  religion,  or  the  duty  which  we  owe  to  our  Creator,  and 
the  manner  of  discharging  it,  can  be  directed  only  by  reason  and  convic- 
tion, not  by  force  or  violence ; and,  therefore,  all  men  are  entitled  to  the 
free  exercise  of  religion,  according  to  the  dictates  of  conscience;  and  that 
it  is  the  mutual  duty  of  all  to  practice  Christian  forbearance,  love  and 
charity  toward  each  other.”  This  section  has  been  incorporated  into  all 
the  succeeding  constitutions  of  Virginia,  and  still  remains  the  embodi- 
ment of  the  sentiment  of  the  people  of  that  State  as  to  religious  tolera- 
tion. 

The  celebrated  “fundamental  constitutions  of  Carolina,”  drawn  up 
by  John  Locke,  author  of  the  “ Essay  on  the  Human  Understanding,” 
provides  in  Article  XCV  that  “ No  man  shall  be  permitted  to  be  a free- 
man of  Carolina,  or  to  have  any  estate  or  habitation  within  it,  that  doth 
not  acknowledge  a God,  and  that  God  is  publicly  and  solemnly  to  be  wor- 
shiped.” But  when  the  constitution  of  North  Carolina  came  to  be 
adopted  the  sentiment  of  the  people  with  reference  to  religious  liberty 
found  expression  in  the  following  language:  “That  all  men  have  a natu- 
ral and  unalienable  right  to  worship  Almighty  God  according  to  the  dic- 
tates of  their  own  consciences.”  But  “ That  no  person  who  shall  deny 
the  being  of  God,  or  the  truth  of  the  Protestant  religion,  or  the  Divine 
authority  either  of  the  Old  or  New  Testaments,  or  who  shall  hold  retig- 


HISTOBY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


644 

ious  principles  incompatible  with  the  freedom  and  safety  of  the  State,  shall 
he  capable  of  holding  any  office  or  place  of  trust  or  profit  in  the  civil 
department  of  this  State.” 

By  a careful  comparison  of  these  various  excerpta  from  the  colonial 
and  State  constitutions  and  laws,  the  general  reader  will  have  but  little 
difficulty  in  forming  a tolerably  correct  conception  of  the  progress  made 
in  public  opinion  as  to  the  proper  attitude  to  be  assumed  toward  religion 
by  the  State,  during  the  century  or  two  previous  to  the  adoption  of  the 
first  constitution  of  Tennessee.  Neither  will  he  be  less  gratified  than 
surprised  to  find  that  very  little  of  the  spirit  of  intolerance  can  be  found 
crystalized  into  the  provisions  of  that  venerable  instrument.  And  his 
impartial  judgment  may  be  unable  to  conclude  that  it  would  have  been 
better  for  the  interests  of  the  State  if  what  little  of  intolerance  that  is 
included  had  been  omitted.  With  reference  to  the  religious  liberty  of 
the  individual,  Section  3 of  the  Declaration  of  Bights  is  sufficiently  ex- 
plicit: “ All  men  have  a natural  and  indefeasable  right  to  worship 

Almighty  God  according  to  the  dictates  of  their  own  consciences;  that 
no  man  can  of  right  be  made  to  attend,  erect  or  support  any  place  of 
worship,  or  to  maintain  any  minister  against  his  consent ; that  no  human 
authority  can,  in  any  case  whatever,  control  or  interfere  with  the  rights 
of  conscience,  and  that  no  preference  shall  ever  be  given  by  law  to  any 
religious  establishment  or  mode  of  worship.”  This  provision,  as  well  as 
those  relating  to  religious  tests  to  office-holders,  is  in  all  the  constitu- 
tions that  have  been  adopted  in  Tennessee,  in  1796,  1834  and  in  1870, 
and  stands  as  an  admirable  safeguard  to  the  most  cherished,  if  not  the 
most  valuable,  of  all  kinds  of  freedom. 

The  little  intolerance  that  the  constitution  contains  applies  only  to 
office-holders,  and  is  in  the  following  words  in  the  Declaration  of  Bights: 
“ Section  4.  That  no  religious  test  shall  ever  be  required  as  a qualifica- 
tion to  any  office  or  public  trust  under  this  State;”  and  is  as  follows  in 
the  constitution:  “Article  IX,  Section  2.  No  person  who  denies  the  be- 
ing of  a God,  or  a future  state  of  rewards  and  punishments,  shall  hold 
any  office  in  the  civil  department  of  this  State.”  The  hypercritic  might 
discover  a slight  contradiction  in  these  two  provisions,  but  perhaps  the 
most  able  political  philosopher  would  fail  should  he  attempt  to  prove  that 
evil  has  resulted  to  the  body  politic  from  its  existence  in  the  fundamen- 
tal Iuav  of  the  State. 

The  special  laws  of  North  Carolina  that  were  in  operation  in  this 
Territory  previous  to  the  operation  of  the  State  constitution  were  simply 
those  which  granted  some  special  privilege  to  certain  sects  afflicted  with 
conscientious  scruples  regarding  the  taking  of  an  oath,  as  the  Xhiited 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


645 


Brethren,  Mennonites,  Quakers,  Dunkers,  etc.  In  1784  the  Legislature 
of  North  Carolina  passed  an  act  by  which  the  Quakers  were  permitted 
to  “solemnly  declare  or  affirm,”  instead  of  “to  swear,”  and  the  same  act 
provided  that  “ it  shall  be  lawful  for  the  people  called  Quakers  to  wear 
their  hats  as  well  within  the  several  courts  of  judicature  in  this  State  as 
elsewhere,  unless  otherwise  ordered  by  the  court.”  Thus  it  will  be  seen 
that  under  the  constitution  and  laws  in  operation  both  before  and  after 
the  adoption  of  the  constitution,  all  the  various  opinions  concerning  re- 
ligion, those  unfavorable  as  well  as  favorable  toward  it  were  tolerated, 
and  it  will  be  seen  also  as  this  narrative  proceeds  that  all  kinds  of  opin- 
ions upon  religious  subjects  not  only  were  tolerated  but  found  a home 
in  this  State,  and  still  here  abide. 

It  is  generally  admitted,  pei’liaps  nowhere  seriously  denied,  that  war 
is  among  the  greatest  demoralizers  of  the  world,  and  the  early  settle- 
ment of  this  State  was  so  nearly  contemporaneous  with  the  war  of  the 
[Revolution,  and  war  with  various  Indian  tribes  was  so  constantly  present 
with  the  early  settlers,  that  it  is  but  reasonable  to  expect  that  an  impar- 
tial inquiry  into  their  condition  must  find  that  many  of  them  were  frequent- 
ly in  anything  but  a religious  state  of  mind,  and  even  where  they  were  thus 
disposed,  religious  instruction  and  worship  were  neglected  from  the  neces- 
sity of  the  case,  and  even  forms  of  religion  imperfectly  maintained.  Vice 
and  immorality  have  always  followed  in  the  wake  of  armies,  as  also, 
though  to  a less  degree,  in  that  of  the  excitement  attendant  upon  political 
faction.  But  when  the  excitement  of  war  subsides  and  that  of  politics 
is  not  intense,  the  superabundant  energies  of  the  people  naturally  turn 
to  the  excitement  of  religious  discussion  and  debate.  When  the  morals 
and  the  minds  of  a community  are  in  this  impressionable  condition  it 
may  be  truthfully  said  that  the  harvest  is  indeed  ready  for  the  sickle, 
but  in  this  early  time  the  reapers  were  few”,  and  the  field  is  equally  in- 
viting to  the  circuit  rider,  missionary  or  preacher  wrho  labors  for  fame  as 
to  him  who  sincerely  and  earnestly  labors  for  the  salvation  of  souls. 
Happily,  however,  for  the  gratification  of  the  lover  of  his  State,  the 
preachers  of  the  latter  class  were  far  more  numerous  than  those  of  the 
former  in  those  early  times. 

One  of  the  first  to  arrive  within  the  limits  of  the  State  was  the  Bev. 
Charles  Cummings,  a Presbyterian  minister,  wdio  preached  regularly  to  a 
congregation  in  the  Holston  Talley  not  far  from  Abingdon,  Ya.,  as  early 
as  1772.  It  was  the  custom  of  Mr.  Cummings  on  Sundav  morning;  to 
dress  himself  neatly,  put  on  his  shot  pouch,  shoulder  his  rifle,  mount  his 
horse  and  ride  to  church,  where  he  would  meet  his  congregation,  each 
man  with  his  rifle  in  his  hand.  Entering  the  church  he  would  walk 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


646 


gravely  through  the  crowd,  ascend  his  pulpit,  and  after  depositing  his 
rifle  in  one  corner  of  it,  so  as  to  be  ready  for  any  emergency,  commence 
the  solemn  services  of  the  day.  Indians  were  not  scarce  in  those  days, 
and  frontier  congregations  consisted  of  armed  men  surrounded  by  their 
families.  Also  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  State  in  1779  a Baptist  preacher 
named  Tidence  Lane  organized  a congregation,  a house  of  worship  was 
built  on  Buffalo  Ridge,  and  the  Rev.  Samuel  Doak  was  preaching  about 
this  time  in  Washington  and  Sullivan  Counties.  When  the  little  army 
under  Campbell,  Shelby  and  Sevier,  was  preparing  to  march  to  King’s 
Mountain,  a solemn  and  appropriate  prayer  for  Divine  protection  and 
guidance  was  offered  up  by  a clergyman  whose  name  does  not  seem  to 
have  been  preserved.  In  1783  the  Rev.  Jeremiah  Lambert  was  appointed 
to  the  Holston  Circuit,  and  at  the  end  of  his  year  reported  seventy-six 
in  embers.  In  1784  Rev.  Henry  Willis  succeeded  Mr.  Lambert,  but, 
although  his  services  were  valuable  he  did  not  increase  the  membership. 
In  1785  he  was  elder  in  the  district  embracing  Holston,  while  Richard 
Swift  and  Michael  Gilbert  were  on  the  circuit.  The  Presbyterians  also 
made  an  early  start  in  East  Tennessee.  Many  of  them  were  Scotch-Irish, 
and  though  doubtless  of  equal  piety  with  the  Methodist  brethren,  yet 
there  was  naturally  an  antagonism  between  the  two  sects  on  account  of 
the  incompatibility  of  the  doctrines  taught.  In  1788,  while  tumult  and 
discord  were  impending  between  North  Carolina  and  the  State  of  Frank- 
lin, the  opportune  arrival  of  the  venerable  Bishop  Asbury,  of  the  Method- 
ist Episcopal  Church,  a man  of  quiet  dignity,  unpretending  simplicity 
and  exemplary  piety,  served  to  calm  and  soothe  the  excited  masses. 

A little  before  this  visit  of  Bishop  Asbury  in  East  Tennessee,  minis- 
ters began  to  arrive  in  what  was  then  called  Western  Tennessee,  now 
Middle  Tennessee.  In  1786  Rev.  Benjamin  Ogden  was  the  first  Method- 
ist Episcopal  minister  to  arrive  on  the  Cumberland.  After  laboring 
one  year  he  reported  sixty  members,  four  of  them  colored  persons.  In 
1788  the  Revs.  Mr.  Combs  and  Barnabas  McHenry,  both  faithful  and  la- 
borious men,  came  to  the  settlement.  In  1789  the  Rev.  Francis  Pay- 
thress  was  presiding  elder,  and  Revs.  Thomas  Williamson  and  Joshua 
Hartley  had  charge  of  the  local  societies.  Besides  these  there  were  the 
Revs.  James  Haw,  Peter  Mussie,  AVilson  Lee  and  O’Cull.  In  1791  a 
church  was  organized  by  Elias  Fort  and  other  pioneer  Baptists,  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Port  Royal,  known  in  history  as  the  “Red  River  Bap- 
tist Church.”  At  first,  for  want  of  a “meeting-house,”  meetings  were 
held  alternately  at  the  houses  of  different  members;  but  at  length  a rude 
meeting-house  was  erected  on  the  left  bank  of  Red  River,  from  which 


stream  the  church  received  its  name. 


During  the 


next  three 


four 


HISTORY  OE  TENNESSEE. 


641 


years  there  arrived  in  the  Cumberland  settlements  the  Revs.  Stephen 
Brooks,  Henry  Burchett,  Jacob  Lurtin,  Aquilla  Suggs,  John  Ball,  Will- 
iam Burke,  Gwynn  and  Crane.  These  were  all  itinerant  preachers,  and  all 
labored  faithfully  to  warn  the  people  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come. 
They  were  all  Methodists,  some  of  them  coming  before  and  some  after 
the  Baptists  in  Robertson  and  Montgomery  Counties.  Samuel  Mason 
and  Samuel  Hollis,  the  first  local  preachers  that  were  brought  up  in  this 
country,  commenced  preaching  in  1789  or  1790.  The  Rev.  Thomas  B. 
Craighead,  a Presbyterian  divine,  preached  to  a congregation  at  Spring 
Hill,  about  six  miles  east  of  Nashville,  and  the  Rev.  William  McGee, 
another  Presbyterian,  preached  at  Shiloh,  near  Gallatin,  in  Sumner 
County.  Between  1795  and  1800  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was 
represented  by  Rev.  John  Page,  Rev.  Thomas  Wilkinson,  Rev.  John  Mc- 
Gee and  Rev.  John  Cobler.  Besides  these  there  were  the  Revs.  James 
McGready,  Hodge  and  Rankin,  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  the 
Revs.  William  McKendree,  John  Sail  and  Benjamin  Larkin,  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  The  Rev.  Barton  W.  Stone,  a Presbyte- 
rian, and,  like  Rev.  Mr.  McGready,  from  Kentucky,  was  also,  like  him, 
quite  conspicuous  in  the  work  of  the  great  revival  which  commenced  in 
Southern  Kentucky  and  Northern  Tennessee,  in  1799.  Most  of  the 
preachers  above  mentioned  were  men  of  burning  zeal  and  of  a natural 
and  boisterous  eloquence;  and  hence  to  their  sensitive  and  sympathetic 
hearers  their  preaching  was  of  a novel  and  attractive  kind.  Their  fame 
extended  to  far  distant  neighborhoods,  and  drew  together,  whenever  a 
meeting  was  announced,  thousands  of  curious,  interested  and  earnest 
listeners.  In  1789  or  1790  the  Methodists  erected  a stone  meeting- 
house in  Nashville,  between  the  public  square  and  the  river.  In  1796 
an  act  of  Legislature  authorized  the  town  of  Nashville  to  deed  to  five 
persons  a lot  of  ground  extending  twenty  feet  in  all  directions  from  the 
building,  except  toward  the  river,  in  which  direction  it  extended  presum- 
ably to  the  river.  In  October,  1797,  an  act  was  passed  establishing  the 
“Stone  Meeting-House,”  and  reducing  the  size  of  the  lot  to  fifteen  feet, 
instead  of  twenty. 

It  was  not  long  after  ministers  began  to  preach  in  this  western 
country  before  discussions  and  controversies  regarding  Christian  doc- 
trines began  to  claim  a large  share  of  their,  and  the  people’s  attention. 
The  Presbyterians  and  Baptists,  in  those  days,  were  generally  very  rigid 
Calvinists,  while  the  Methodists  ivere  mostly  Arminians.  Calvinism  is- 
succinctly  as  follows:  It  is  based  upon  the  idea  that  the  will  of  God  is 

supreme.  The  human  race,  corrupted  radically  in  the  fall  of  Adam,  has 
upon  it  the  guilt  and  impotence  of  original  sin;  its  redemption  can  only 

j 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


tU8 

be  achieved  through  an  incarnation  and  propitiation ; of  this  redemption 
only  electing  grace  can  make  the  soul  a participant,  and  the  grace  once 
given  is  never  lost;  this  election  can  only  come  from  God,  and  it  only 
includes  a part  of  the  race,  the  rest  being  left  to  perdition ; election  and 
perdition  are  both  predestinate  in  the  Divine  plan;  that  plan  is  a decree 
eternal  and  unchangeable;  justification  is  by  faith  alone,  and  faith  is  the 
gift  of  God. 

Arminianism  may  be  briefly  set  forth  as  follows:  1.  God,  by  an 

eternal  and  immutable  decree,  before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  de- 
termined to  save  in  Christ,  through  Christ  and  for  Christ,  those  who 
should  believe  in  Christ.  2.  Christ  died  for  all,  but  no  one  will  enjoy 
remission  of  sin  except  the  believer.  3.  Man  must  be  born  again  and 
renewed  in  Christ  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  4.  God’s  grace  is  the  beginning, 
increase  and  perfection  of  everything  good.  5.  Man  may  fall  from 
grace.  (?) 

For  several  years  previous  to  the  ushering  in  of  the  present  century, 
these  irreconcilable  opinions — which  after  all  in  both  systems  are  only 
opinions — clashed  upon  and  with  each  other.  Issues  were  joined ; animated 
debates  and  acrimonious  controversies  were  frequent,  upon  doctrinal 
points,  none  of  which  were  or  are  demonstrably  true.  For  this  reason  the 
animation  manifested  in  the  discussions,  the  earnestness  in  the  appeals, 
often  from  the  same  platform  or  pulpit,  to  the  unbeliever  to  accept  the 
truth,  by  preachers  who  contradicted  each  other  as  to  what  was  the  truth, 
and  the  fact  that  acrimony  was  so  often  present  in  the  controversy,  all 
tended  to  prove  that  demonstration  was  not  attainable ; for  where  the  truth 
of  a proposition  in  philosophy,  ethics,  political  economy  or  theology,  no 
less  than  in  physics  and  mathematics,  is  demonstrable,  even  though  it  be 
only  to  the  most  enlightened  reason,  controversy  with  reference  thereto 
must  necessarily  cease  ere  long,  and  the  bitterness  with  the  controversy. 

But  there  is  another  way  of  eliminating  bitterness  from  controversy 
besides  that  of  arriving  at  a demonstration,  and  that  is  to  eliminate  the 
controversy.  This  was  practically  exemplified  in  the  great  revival, 
which  took  place  in  the  opening  years  of  the  nineteenth  century,  the  cause, 
phenomena  and  results  of  which  it  is  now  the  purpose  of  this  sketch  to 
trace.  This  great  revival  was  of  itself  a wonderful  phenomenon,  worthy 
the  most  careful  study  of  the  religious  philosopher.  It  was  the  natural 
result  of  a reaction  from  a very  low  ebb  of  religion  and  morality,  the 
lowest  ebb  they  have  reached  in  this  country.  The  war  of  the  Devolu- 
tion left  the  nation  impoverished  and  prostrate.  The  influence  of  the 
French  Revolution  and  of  French  infidelity  were  powerfully  felt  even 
-among  the  more  intelligent  portions  of  the  American  people.  But  the 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


649 


masses  soon  awakened  to  a sense  of  their  condition,  and  flocked  in  great 
numbers  to  hear  the  gospel  preached  by  such  earnest,  powerful  and  el- 
oquent men  as  have  been  named  above.  No  building  then  erected  could 
accommodate  the  crowds  that  concentrated  from  all  parts  of  the  adjacent 
country,  to  distances  of  from  ten  to  twenty,  thirty  and  even  fifty  miles, 
hence  the  camp-meeting  became  a necessity  of  the  times. 

In  1799  a sacramental  meeting  was  held  in  the  old  Red  River  Bap- 
tist Church,  near  Port  Royal,  which,  considering  the  sparsely  settled  con- 
dition of  the  country,  was  quite  largely  attended.  Elders  McGready, 
Hodge  and  Rankin,  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  Elder  John  McGee, 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  were  present.  After  a remarkably" 
powerful  address  by  Elder  Hodge,  concerning  the  effect  of  which  upon 
the  congregation  writers  differ — some  saying  that  the  members  of  the 
congregation  remained  through  its  delivery  silent  and  quiet;  others,  that 
their  emotions  were  uncontrollable  and  that  they  gave  vent  to  them  in 
loud  cries — Elder  McGee  arose,  expressed  his  conviction  that  a greater 
than  he  was  preaching,  exhorted  the  people  to  let  the  Lord  God  Omnip- 
otent reign  in  their  hearts,  and  broke  into  the  following  song: 

“Come  Holy  Spirit,  Heavenly  Dove, 

With  all  thy  quickening  powers. 

Kindle  a flame  of  sacred  love 
In  these  cold  hearts  of  ours.” 

Having  sang  thus  far  two  aged  ladies,  Mrs.  Pacely  and  Mrs.  Clark„ 
commenced  tremendously  vociferating  sentiments  of  praise  and  thanks- 
giving to  the  Most  High  for  His  grace  in  providing  redemption  for  a fal- 
len world.  For  some  time  the  preacher  attempted  to  continue  his  sing- 
ing, but  the  venerable  ladies  vociferated  louder  than  before ; others  of  the 
congregation  united  their  voices  with  theirs  in  praise;  the  minister  de- 
scending from  the  pulpit  passed  along  the  aisles  vehemently  shouting 
and  exhorting ; the  clamor  and  confusion  increased  tenfold ; screams  for 
mercy  were  mingled  with  shouts  of  joy;  a universal  and  powerful  agita- 
tion pervaded  the  multitude ; suddenly  individuals  began  to  fall  pros- 
trate to  the  floor  as  if  dead,  where  they  lay  for  some  time  unconscious  and 
unable  to  rise.  The  Presbyterian  elders  were  so  surprised  and  even 
astonished  at  this  confusion  in  the  house  of  the  Lord  that  they  made 
their  way  outside  and  quietly  queried  among  themselves  “what  is  to  be 
done?”  Elder  Hodge  concluded  that  nothing  could  be  done.  If  it  were 
the  work  of  Satan  it  could  not  last ; if  it  were  the  work  of  God  efforts  to 
control  or  check  the  confusion  would  be  vain.  He  thought  it  was  of 
God,  and  decided  to  join  in  ascribing  glory  to  God’s  name.  All  three 
therefore  re-entered  the  house  and  found  nearly  the  entire  congregation 
upon  the  floor.  Soon  two  or  more  at  a time  began  to  rise,  shouting 


650 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


praise  for  the  evidence  felt  for  sins  forgiven,  for  redeeming  grace  and  un- 
dying love.  The  excitement  was  so  intense  that  the  ministers  found 
their  strength  taxed  to  the  utmost  to  supply  the  demands  of  the  congre- 
gation. From  thirty  to  forty  professed  to  have  been  converted  that  day. 
Such  was  the  beginning  of  the  religious  movement  which  on  account  of 
the  strange  bodily  agitations  attending  upon,  it  was  looked  upon  as  the 
most  wonderful  event  of  the  times. 

The  next  meeting  was  held  on  the  following  Saturday  and  Sunday  at 
the  Beach  Meeting-house,  ten  miles  west  of  Gallatin,  Sumner  County, 
where  was  present  a vast  assembly  and  where  were  witnessed  scenes  sim- 
ilar to  those  above  described.*  On  the  Sunday  following  this  meeting 
a most  wonderful  meeting  was  held  at  Muddy  River  Church,  a few  miles 
north  of  Russellville,  Ky.  To  this  meeting  the  people  came  in  in  all 
kinds  of  vehicles,  on  horseback  and  on  foot,  from  all  distances  up  to  100 
miles.  Long  before  the  hour  for  preaching  came  there  were  present 
three  times  as  many  as  the  house  could  seat,  and  still  they  came  singly, 
and  in  companies  of  tens,  fifties  and  hundreds.  A temporary  pulpit  was 
erected  in  the  woods,  and  seats  for  the  multitude  made  by  felling  large 
trees  and  laying  them  on  the  ground.  “Preaching  commenced,  and  soon 
the  presence  of  the  all-pervading  power  was  felt  throughout  the  vast  as- 
sembly. As  night  came  on  it  was  apparent  the  crowd  did  not  intend  to 
disperse.  * * * Some  took  wagons  and  hurried  to  bring 

in  straw  from  barns  and  treading-yards.  Some  fell  to  sewing  the  wagon 
sheets  together,  and  others  to  cutting  forks  and  poles  on  which  to  spread 
them.  Counterpanes,  coverlets  and  sheets  were  also  fastened  together 
to  make  tents  or  camps.  Others  were  dispatched  to  town  and  to  the 
nearest  houses  to  collect  bacon,  meal,  flour,  with  cooking  utensils  to  pre- 
pare food  for  the  multitude.  In  a few  hours  it  was  a sight  to  see  how 
much  was  gathered  together  for  the  encampment.  Fires  were  made, 
cooking  begun,  and  by  dark  candles  were  lighted  and  fixed  to  a hundred 
trees ; and  here  was  the  first  and  perhaps  the  most  beautiful  camp-ground 
the  world  has  ever  seen.”'f- 

The  Rev.  Barton  W.  Stone,  a Presbyterian  clergyman,  pastor  of  Cane 
Ridge  and  Concord  congregations  in  Bourbon  County,  Ky.,  hearing  of  the 
religious  excitement  in  the  southern  part  of  his  own  State  and  in  Northern 
Tennessee,  started  early  in  the  spring  of  1801  to  attend  one  of  the  camp- 
meetings  in  Logan  County,  Ky.  Afterward  he  wrote  a book  describing 
what  he  had  seen,  and  as  no  one  has  given  a more  minute  description  of 


♦The  meeting  held  at  Red  River  Baptist  Church  is  said  to  have  been  held  in  1799,  and  this  at  the  Beach 
Meeting-house  in  1800.  If  this  be  correct  the  times  of  holding  these  two  meetings  are  pretty  accurately  deter- 
mined. 

fSmith’s  Legends  of  the  War  of  the  Revolution. 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


651 


the  bodily  agitations,  otherwise  known  as  “the  jerks”  or  “epidemic 
epilepsy,”  the  following  extracts  from  his  work  are  here  introduced: 

“On  arriving  I found  the  multitude  assembled  on  the  edge  of  a prai- 
rie, where  they  continued  encamped  many  successive  days  and  nights, 
during  all  which  time  worship  was  being  conducted  in  some  parts  of  the 
encampment.  The  scene  to  me  was  passing  strange.  It  bailies  description. 
Many,  very  many,  fell  down  as  men  slain  in  battle,  and  continued  for  hours 
together  in  a comparatively  breathless  and  motionless  state,  sometimes,  for 
a few  moments,  reviving  and  exhibiting  symptoms  of  life  by  a deep  groan 
or  piercing  shriek,  or  by  a prayer  for  mercy  most  fervently  uttered.  After 
lying  thus  for  hours  they  obtained  deliverance.  The  gloomy  cloud  that 
had  covered  their  faces  seemed  gradually  and  visibly  to  disappear, 
and  hope  in  smiles  to  brighten  into  joy.  They  would  then  arise  shout- 
ing deliverance,  and  address  the  surrounding  multitude  in  language 
truly  eloquent  and  impressive.  With  astonishment  did  I hear  women 
and  children  declaring  the  wonderful  works  of  God  and  the  glorious 
mysteries  of  the  gospel.  Their  appeals  were  solemn,  heart-rending,  bold 
and  free.  Under  such  addresses  many  others  would  fall  down  in  the 
same  state  from  which  the  speakers  had  just  been  delivered. 

“Two  or  three  of  my  particular  acquaintances  from  a distance  were 
struck  down.  I sat  patiently  by  one  of  them  (whom  I knew  to  be  a care- 
less sinner ) for  hours,  and  observed  with  critical  attention  evertliing  that 
passed  from  beginning  to  end.  I noticed  the  momentary  revivings  as 
from  death,  the  humble  confession,  the  fervent  prayer  and  ultimate  deliv- 
erance; then  the  solemn  thanks  and  praise  to  God,  the  affectionate 
exhortation  to  companions  and  to  the  people  around  to  repent  and  come  to 
Jesus.  I was  astonished  at  the  knowledge  of  the  gospel  truth  displayed 
in  these  exhortations.  The  effect  was  that  several  sank  down  into  the 
appearance  of  death.  After  attending  to  many  such  cases  my  conviction 
was  complete  that  it  was  a good  work,  nor  has  my  mind  wavered  since  on 
the  subject. 

“The  bodily  agitations  or  exercises  attending  the  excitement  * * 

* were  various  and  called  by  various  names,  as  the  falling  exer- 
cise, the  jerks,  the  dancing  exercise,  the  barking  exercise,  the  laughing 
and  singing  exercises,  and  so  on.  The  falling  exercise  was  very  common 
among  all  classes,  saints  and  sinners  of  every  age  and  grade  from  the 
philosopher  to  the  clown.  The  subject  of  this  exercise  would  generally 
with  a piercing  scream,  fall  like  a log  on  the  floor  or  earth  and  appear  as 
dead.  The  jerks  cannot  be  so  easily  described.  Sometimes  the  subject 
of  the  jerks  would  be  affected  in  one  member  of  the  body  and  sometimes 
in  the  whole  system.  When  the  head  alone  was  affected  it  would  jerk 


652 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


backward  and  forward,  or  from  side  to  side  so  quickly  that  tire  feature® 
could  not  be  distinguished,  when  the  whole  person  was  affected.  I have 
seen  a person  stand  in  one  place  and  jerk  backward  and  forward  in  quick 
succession,  the  head  nearly  touching  the  floor  behind  and  before.  All 
classes,  saints  as  well  as  sinners,  the  strong  as  well  as  the  weak,  were 
thus  affected.  They  could  not  account  for  it,  but  some  have  told  me 
these  were  among  the  happiest  moments  of  their  lives. 

“The  dancing  exercise  generally  began  with  the  jerks  and  was  pecu- 
liar to  professors  of  religion.  The  subject  after  jerking  awhile  began  to 
dance  and  then  the  jerks  would  cease.  Such  dancing  was  indeed  heav- 
enly to  the  spectators.  There  was  nothing  in  it  like  levity,  nor  calcu- 
lated to  excite  levity  in  the  beholder.  The  smile  of  heaven  shone  on V the 
countenance  of  the  subject  and  assimilated  to  angels  appeared  the  whole 
person.  The  barking  exercise,  as  opposers  contemptuously  called  it,  was 
nothing  but  the  jerks.  A person  afflicted  with  the  jerks,  especially  in  the 
head,  would  often  make  a grunt  or  bark  from  the  suddenness  of  the  jerk. 
This  name  of  barking  seems  to  have  had  its  origin  from  an  old  Presby- 
terian preacher  of  East  Tennessee.  He  had  gone  into  the  woods  for  pri- 
vate devotion  and  was  seized  with  the  jerks.  Standing  near  a sapling  he 
caught  hold  of  it  to  prevent  his  falling,  and  as  his  head  jerked  back  he 
gave  a grunt,  or  a kind  of  noise  similar  to  a bark,  his  face  turned 
upward.  Some  wag  discovered  him  in  this  position  and  reported  that  he 
had  found  the  old  preacher  barking  up  a tree. 

“The  laughing  exercise  was  frequent,  confined  solely  to  the  religious. 
It  was  a loud,  hearty  laughter  but  it  excited  laughter  in  none  that  saw  it. 
The  subject  appeared  rapturously  solemn,  and  his  laughter  excited  so- 
lemnity in  saints  and  sinners.  It  was  truly  indescribable.  The  running 
exercise  was  nothing  more  than  that  persons  feeling  something  of  these 
bodily  agitations,  through  fear,  attempted  to  run  away  and  thus  escape 
from  them ; but  it  commonly  happened  that  they  ran  not  far  before  they 
fell,  where  they  became  so  agitated  that  they  could  not  proceed  any  fur- 
ther. The  singing  exercise  is  more  unaccountable  than  anything  else  I 
ever  saw.  The  subject,  in  a very  happy  state  of  mind,  would  sing  most 
melodiously,  not  from  the  mouth  or  nose,  but  entirely  in  the  breast,  the 
sound  issuing  thence.  Such  noise  silenced  everything  and  attracted  the 
attention  of  all.  It  was  most  heavenly;  none  could  ever  be  tired  of 
hearing  it.” 

Elder  Stone  has  been  described  as  a man  of  respectable  bearing,  of 
spotless  character  and  childlike  simplicity,  and  easily  attracted  to  the 
strange  and  marvelous.  The  above  extract  would  seem  amply  to  justify 
the  description,  and  also  that  his  judgment  was  somewhat  under  the  do- 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


653 


minion  of  his  imagination.  Like  Eider  Hodge  he  evidently  believed  that 
the  “jerks”  were  the  work  of  God.  He  said  that  Dr.  J.  P.  Campbell  and 
himself  “concluded  it  to  be  something  beyond  anything  we  had  ever  known 
in  nature.”  Other  writers  besides  Elder  Stone  have  given  descriptions 
of  the  jerks.  The  celebrated  Peter  Cartwright  says : 

“Just  in  the  midst  of  our  controversies  on  the  subject  of  the  powerful 
exercises  among  the  people  under  preaching,  a new  exercise  broke  out 
among  us,  called  the  jerks,  which  was  overwhelming  in  its  effects  upon 
the  people.  No  matter  whether  they  were  saints  or  sinners  they  would 
be  taken  under  a warm  song  or  sermon  and  seized  with  a convulsive  jerk- 
ing all  over,  which  they  could  not  by  any  possibility  avoid;  the  more  they 
resisted  the  more  they  jerked.  If  they  would  not  strive  against  it  and 
would  pray  in  good  earnest  the  jerking  would  usually  abate.  I have 
seen  more  than  500  persons  jerking  at  one  time  in  my  large  congrega- 
tions. Most  usually  persons  taken  with  the  jerks,  to  obtain  relief,  as 
they  said,  would  rise  up  and  dance.  Some  would  run  but  could  not  get 
away.  Some  would  resist;  on  such  the  jerks  Avere  very  severe.  To  see 
these  proud  young  gentlemen  and  young  ladies  dressed  in  silks,  jewelry 
and  prunella,  from  top  to  toe,  take  the  jerks,  would  often  excite  my  risi- 
bilities. The  first  jerk  or  so  you  Avould  see  their  fine  bonnets,  caps  and 
combs  fly,  and  so  sudden  would  be  the  jerking  of  the  head  that  their  long, 
loose  hair  would  crack  almost  as  loud  as  a wagoner’s  whip.” 

Besides  other  amusing  experiences  Avitli  the  jerks,  Peter  Cartwright 
relates  an  account  of  a very  different  nature  of  a man  Avho  was  jerked  to 
death,  which  is  probably  the  only  case  on  record.  A company  of  drunk- 
en rowdies  attended  a camp-meeting  on  what  was  called  the  Ridge.  The 
jerks  were  very  prevalent.  The  leader  of  the  rowdies  Avas  a very  large, 
drinking  man,  who  cursed  the  jerks  and  all  religion.  Shortly  afterward 
he  himself  took  the  jerks  and  started  to  run,  but  jerked  so  powerfully 
that  he  could  not  get  away.  Halting  among  some  saplings  he  took  a 

bottle  of  whisky  out  of  his  pocket  and  swore  he  Avould  drink  the 

jerks  to  death,  but  he  jerked  so  violently  he  could  not  get  the  bottle  to 
his  mouth.  At  length,  on  account  of  a sudden  jerk,  his  bottle  struck  a 
sapling,  was  broken  and  his  whisky  spilled  upon  the  ground.  A great 
crowd  gathered  around  him,  and  when  he  lost  his  whisky  he  became  very 
much  enraged  and  cursed  and  swore  very  profanely.  At  length  he  fetched 
a very  violent  jerk,  snapped  his  neck,  fell  and  soon  expired. 

Peter  CartAvright  looked  upon  the  jerks  as  a judgment  sent  from  God 
to  bring  sinners  to  repentance,  and  to  show  to  professors  of  religion  that 
God  could  work  “with  or  Avithout  means,  and  over  and  above  means,  to 
the  glory  of  His  grace  and  the  salvation  of  the  world.”  Lorenzo  Dow 

4 I 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


054 

lias  also  left  liis  account  of  the  jerks.  He  preached  in  Knoxville,  Tenn., 
in  1805,  when  about  150  of  his  congregation  were  affected  with  the  jerks. 
He  says:  “I  have  seen  all  denominations  of  religion  exercised  with 
the  jerks,  gentleman  and  lady,  black  and  white,  young  and  old  without 
exception.  I have  passed  a meeting-house  where  I observed  the  under- 
growth had  been  cut  for  camp-meeting,  and  from  fifty  to  a hundred  sap- 
lings were  left,  breast  high,  on  purpose  for  the  people  to  hold  on  by.  I 
observed  where  they  held  on  they  had  kicked  up  the  earth  as  a horse 
stamping  flies.  I believe  it  does  not  effect  those  naturalists  who  try  to 
get  it  to  philosophize  upon,  and  rarely  those  who  are  the  most  pious,  but 
the  lukewarm,  lazy  professor  and  the  wicked  are  subject  to  it.”  His 
opinion  was  that  the  jerking  was  “entirely  involuntary  and  not  to  be  ac- 
counted for  on  any  known  principle.” 

e 

It  has  been  stated  above  that  the  first  manifestations  of  this  strange 

O 

phenomenon  were  witnessed  at  the  old  Red  River  Baptist  Church.  Some 
authorities,  however,  say  that  they  first  appeared  at  a sacramental  meeting 
in  East  Tennessee,  where  several  hundreds  of  both  sexes  were  seized  with 
this  strange  affection.  The  numbers  that  were  affected  at  different  sac- 
ramental and  camp-meetings  were  various.  At  Cabin  Creek,  May,  1801, 
so  many  fell  that  on  the  third  night,  to  prevent  their  being  trampled 
upon,  they  were  collected  together  and  laid  out  in  order,  in  two  squares  of 
the  meeting-house,  covering  the  floor  like  so  many  corpses.  At  Paint 
Creek,  200  fell,  at  Pleasant  Point,  300.  and  at  Cane  Ridge,  in  August, 
1801,  as  many  as  3,000  are  computed  to  have  fallen. 

This  great  revival  lasted  through  the  years  1800,  1801,  1802  and 
1803,  and  resulted  in  the  conversion  of  many  thousands  of  people,  though 
probably  no  very  accurate  estimate  of  the  number  was  ever  made.  Per- 
haps its  most  prominent  peculiarity  was  that  it  was  a spontaneous  out- 
burst of  religious  emotion  among  the  masses.  There  was  no  great  revival 
preacher  like  Wesley  or  Whitefield;  there  were  no  protracted  meetings, 
at  which  by  a long-continued  and  united  effort,  a revival  was  grad- 
ually brought  about;  but  the  camp-meetings  were  the  result  of  the  re- 
vival, which  in  an  unusual  manner  came  upon  both  preacher  and  people.  1 
Another  characteristic  of  the  revival  was  this:  doctrinal  and  dogmatical 
discussions  were  dispensed  with.  Their  value  seems  to  have  been  for  the 
time  being  entirely  overlooked.  The  efforts  for  the  ministers  were  chiefly,  1 
if  not  wholly  devoted  to  the  excitation  of  the  emotions,  to  impressing 
upon  the  minds  of  the  multitudes  the  great  religious  truth  of  the  impos- 
sibility of  escape  from  punishment  for  sin,  except  through  repentance 
and  the  acceptance  of  Christ  as  the  Savior  of  the  world;  hence,  the  peo- 
ple labored  under  a powerful  conviction  of  the  necessity  of  reformation 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


655 


in  their  daily  lives,  wliicli  is  always  of  infinitely  greater  importance  than 
the  doctrine  of  the  decrees.  The  doctrines  that  were  uttered  were  mainly 
those  of  Arminians  and  Pelagins  rather  than  those  of  Calvin ; doctrines 
which  appeal  more  directly  to  the  heart  and  the  common  intellect  than 
those  that  were  temporarily  neglected.  When  the  great  excitement  had 
died  away,  however,  the  discussion  of  doctrines  was  again  renewed,  to 
some  of  the  features  of  which  especially,  such  as  were  results  of  the  re- 
vival itself,  we  shall  refer  after  giving  an  explanation  of  the  probable 
cause  or  causes  of  the  jerks.  These  bodily  agitations,  which  within  the 
State  of  Tennessee  were,  strange  as  it  may  at  first  appear,  confined  almost 
exclusively  to  the  Methodists  and  Presbyterians,  although  they  were  ex- 
perienced to  some  extent  by  the  Baptists.  But  to  the  Presbyterians  be- 
long the  credit  of  first  putting  a check  to  and  largely  diminishing  this 
wild  extravagance.  A minister  of  this  denomination  at  a great  camp- 
meeting  at  Paris,  Ky.,  in  1803,  arose,  and  in  the  strongest  language 
denounced  what  he  saw  as  extravagant  and  even  monstrous,  and  imme- 
diately afterward,  a part  of  the  people  under  his  leadership,  took  decided 
ground  against  the  jerks.  From  that  moment  the  wonderful  movement 
began  sensibly  to  decline. 

Many  good  people  of  those  times  together  with  the  leading  divines, 
as  has  been  seen  above,  unaccustomed  as  they  were  then  to  referring 
effects  to  natural  causes,  and  supposing  the  church,  as  compared  with  the 
rest  of  the  world,  to  be  under  the  special  care  of  Divine  Providence, 
considered  these  bodily  agitations  to  be  manifestations  of  Divine  power, 
looked  upon  them  as  miracles  attesting  the  truth  of  religion  as  those  on 
the  day  of  Pentecost.  Others  believed  them  to  be  the  result  of  the 
machinations  of  Satan,  and  designed  by  him  to  discredit  religion  gener- 
ally, and  camp-meetings  and  revivals  in  particular,  which  he  feared  would 
convert  the  world  and  destroy  his  power.  But  it  does  not  necessarily 
follow  that  because  good  Christian  people  believed  them  to  be  the 
effect  of  Divine  power  that  they  really  were  so,  Although  generally 
supposed  then  to  be  so,  they  were  not  by  any  means  new  or  peculiar  to 
i those  times.  Such  agitations  were  common  and  remarkably  violent  in 
the  days  of  Whitefield  and  the  Wesleys.  They  bear  a close  resemblance 
to  what  was  known  as  the  jumping  exercise  in  Wales,  described  by  Dr. 
Haygarth  in  his  treatise  on  “ The  Effect  of  the  Imagination  in  the  Cure 
of  Bodily  Diseases.”  Besides  these  instances  of  these  exercises  there 
were  in  France  200  years  ago,  more  wonderful  manifestations  than  any 
recorded  as  having  been  witnessed  in  Tennessee.  A quaint  old  book 
written  in  1741  by  Rev.  Charles  Chauncey,  a noted  divine,  entitled  “A 
Wonderful  Narrative  and  Faithful  Account  of  the  French  Prophets,  their 


656 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Agitations,  Ecstacies  and  Inspirations,”  states  that  “ an  account  of  them 
would  be  almost  incredible  if  they  had  not  happened  in  view  of  all  France, 
and  been  known  all  over  Eui’ope.  From  the  month  of  June,  1688,  to 
the  February  following,  there  arose  in  Dauphiny  and  then  in  Yivarias 
(an  ancient  district  in  France,  now  the  departments  of  Ardeche  and 
Haute-Loire)  500  or  600  Protestants  of  both  sexes  who  gave  themselves 
out  as  prophets,  and  inspired  with  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  sect  soon 
became  numerous;  there  were  many  thousands  of  them.  They  had 
strange  fits,  and  these  fits  came  on  them  with  tremblings  and  faintings, 
as  in  a swoon,  which  made  them  stretch  out  their  arms  and  legs  and 
stagger  several  times  before  they  dropped  down.  They  remained  awhile  > 
in  trances,  and  uttered  all  that  came  into  their  mouths.  They  said  they 
saw  the  heavens  opened,  the  angels,  paradise  and  hell.  When  the  proph- 
ets had  for  awhile  been  under  agitation  of  body  they  began  to  prophesy, 
the  burden  of  their  prophecies  being  ‘ Amend  your  lives,  repent  ye,  for 
the  end  of  all  things  draweth  nigh.’  Persons  of  good  understanding 
knew  not  what  to  think  of  it — to  hear  little  boys  and  young  girls  (of  the 
dregs  of  mankind  who  could  not  so  much  as  read)  quote  many  texts  of 
Holy  Scripture.  * * * The  child  was  thirteen  or  fourteen 

months  old,  and  kept  then  in  a cradle,  and  had  not  of  itself  spoken  a 
word,  nor  could  it  go  alone.  When  they  came  in  where  it  was  the  child 
spoke  distinctly  in  French,  with  a voice  small  like  a child  but  loud 
enough  to  be  well  heard  over  the  room.  There  were  numerous  children 
of  from  three,  four  and  five  years  old,  and  so  on  up  tofiteen  and  sixteen,  > 
who  being  seized  with  agitations  and  ecstasies  delivered  long  exhorta- 
tions under  inspiration,”  etc. 

Further  on  this  book  pays  some  attention  to  the  Quakers:  “ They  had 
indeed,  the  names  of  Quakers  given  them  from  that  extraordinary  shak- 
ing or  quaking  as  though  they  were  in  fits  or  convulsions.  Then  the 
devil  roared  in  these  deceived  souls  in  a most  strange  and  dreadful  man- 
ner. I wondered  how  it  was  possible  some  of  them  could  live.”  The 
Rev.  Mr.  Cliauncey  * in  order  to  set  at  naught  all  pretense  that  there 
was  any  genuine  inspiration  in  all  the  foregoing,  cites  many  instances  of 
the  sayings  and  doings  of  Christ,  and  then  says:  “ These  be  some  of  the 
proofs  of  the  divine  mission  of  Jesus  Christ  and  His  apostles.  Compare 
the  strangest  and  most  unaccountable  instances  in  the  foregoing  letter 
with  the  miracles  recorded  in  the  gospel  and  they  sink  into  nothing. 
They  carry  with  them,  closely  examined,  the  plain  marks  of  enthusiasm, 
or  collusion,  or  Satanic  possession.” 

Reference  to  the  above  paragraphs  will  show  that  Dr.  Haygartli’e. 
opinion  was  that  these  exercises  were  due  to  the  imagination,  and  that 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


657 


the  Rev.  Mr.  Cliauncey  thought  they  were  due  to  enthusiasm,  collusion 
or  Satanic  possession.  The  enlightened  reason  of  the  present  day 
would  instantly  discard  the  idea  of  Satanic  possession,  and,  as  nothing 
but  deceptive  appearances  can  be  attributed  to  collusion,  it  follows  that 
only  enthusiasm  remains  as  a rational  explanation  for  the  genuine  agi- 
tations or  ecstasies,  that  is  supposing  Mr.  Cliauncey  to  have  enumerated 
all  the  causes.  It  will  be  remembered,  too,  that  the  manifestations  in 
this  State  and  Kentucky  were  checked  and  diminished  by  the  opposition, 
first,  of  a Presbyterian  minister,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Lyle,  at  Walnut  Hill,  in 
September,  1803,  and  then  by  the  united  opposition  of  others  who,  like 
him,  looked  upon  them  as  monstrously  extravagant.  The  Rev.  Dr. 
Blythe  cured  a lady  of  his  congregation  by  threatening  to  have  her  car- 
ried out  of  the  church  at  the  next  repetition  of  the  paroxysm,  and  the 
Doctor  himself  at  one  time  felt,  through  sympathy,  an  approaching 
paroxysm,  and  was  able  to  ward  it  off  only  by  continued  and  determined 
opposition.  This  was  the  means  used  by  the  Baptists  to  prevent  them, 
and  they  were  very  generally  successful.  The  inference  would  therefore 
seem  to  be  that  under  powerful  emotional  preaching  calculated  to  arouse 
the  ecstacies  or  the  fears  of  the  congregation,  the  imaginations  of  some 
would  be  so  powerfully  wrought  up  that  the  nervous  system  was  very 
greatly  affected,  and  that  through  sympathy  others  less  imaginative 
would  experience  the  same  affliction,  which  the  will-power  could  success- 
fully resist,  except  where  the  individual  resisting  was  overcome  by  the 
combined  influence  of  the  mentality  of  numerous  other  people.  The 
phenomenon  was  nothing  more  than  religious  enthusiasm  carried  to  a 
very  great  excess.  It  was  in  all  probability  a nervous  disease,  having 
but  little  or  no  effect  upon  the  general  health.  Though  neither  proving 
nor  disproving  the  truth  of  religion  all  such  extravagances  tend  to  the 
discredit  of  religion,  and  all  proper  means  should  be  employed  if  neces- 
sary to  prevent  or  discourage  such  folly  and  excess. 

It  should  be  mentioned  in  this  connection  that  those  who,  during  the 
progress  of  the  revival  opposed  the  “bodily  agitations”  as  extravagant 
and  tending  to  the  discredit  of  religion,  were  looked  upon  by  enthusiasts 
as  being  opposed  to  the  revival,  hence  the  division  of  the  people  into 
“revivalists”  and  “anti-revivalists.”  These  distinctions,  however,  were 
but  of  temporary  duration,  terminating  when  the  revival  had  spent  its 
force.  Other  results  also  followed,  some  of  which  were  transient,  others 
permanent;  some  deplorable,  others  gratifying.  “At  this  unhappy  mo- 
ment, and  in  this  unsettled  state  of  things,  when  religious  feeling  ran 
high,  that  extravagant  and  (as  we  believe)  deluded  race — the  Shakers — 
made  their  appearance,  and  by  a sanctimonious  show  of  pietv  and  zeal 


658 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


drew  off  several  valuable  Presbyterian  preachers  and  a number  of  un- 
wary members,  doubtless  to  the  great  injury  of  the  cause  of  rational 
Christianity.”* 

About  the  same  time  other  sects  sprang  up,  known  by  the  respect- 
ive names  of  “New  Lights”  or  “Stoneites,”  “Marsliallites,”  “Schismat- 
ics,” etc.  By  these  “heresies”  the  Synod  of  Kentucky  lost  eight  mem- 
bers: B.  W.  Stone,  John  Dunlavy,  Richard  McNamar,  Robert  Marshall, 
John  Thomson,  Huston,  Rankin  and  David  Purviance.  Marshall  and 
Thomson  after  a time  returned  to  the  Presbyterian  faith.  The  “Stone- 
ites” or  “New  Lights”  Avere  a body  formed  mainly  through  the  efforts  of 
Elder  Stone,  after  he  had  decided  to  abandon  Presbyterianism  altogether. 
This  new  body  was  called  by  its  adherents  the  “Christian  Church,” 
Avhile  by  outsiders  it  was  called  by  the  name  of  New  Lights.  They  held 
many  of  the  views  which  afterward  characterized  the  Campbell  reforma- 
tion, especially  the  famous  dogma  of  “baptism  for  the  remission  of  sins,” 
and  Elder  Stone  intimates  in  his  book  pretty  plainly  that  in  adopting  it 
the  “Disciples  of  Christ”  or  “Campbellites,”  as  the  folloAvers  of  Alexan- 
der Campbell  were  originally  called,  had  stolen  his  thunder.  When  the 
Campbell  reformation  reached  Kentucky  Elders  Stone  and  Purviance 
united  with  the  reformers,  and  thus  the  Southern  branch  of  the  old 
“Christian  Church”  finally  disappeared.  Since  then  the  name  of  Dis- 
ciples, or  Campbellites,  has  been  exchaged  for  the  old  name  of  the 
“Christian  Church.”  Elders  Dunlavy,  McNamar,  Huston  and  Rankin 
joined  the  Shakers. 

Another  but  more  remote  result  of  the  great  revival  was  the  expulsion 
from  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  a portion  of  the  membership  by  whom 
was  formed  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church.  The  necessities  of 
the  Presbyterians  at  that  time  in  Kentucky  and  Tennessee  were  peculiar. 
In  1801  a feAV  Pi’esbyteriau  clergymen  formed  an  association  which  was 
named  the  Transylvania  Presbytery.  On  account  of  the  great  numbers 
added  to  the  ranks  of  Christians  by  the  revival  there  was  not  a suffici- 
ency of  educated  ministers  to  supply  the  demand.  This  presbytery  felt 
justified  in  ordaining  to  the  ministry  some  young  men  avIio  had  not  re- 
ceived a classical  education.  In  1802  the  Transylvania  Presbytery  was 
divided  into  two  sections,  one  of  which  Avas  named  the  Cumberland 
Presbytery,  and  which  included  the  Green  River  and  Cumberland  Coun- 
ties. In  1801  a remonstrance  signed  by  Revs.  Thomas  B.  Craighead, 
John  BoAvman  and  Samuel  Donnel  was  sent  to  the  Synod  of  Kentucky 
against  the  proceedings  of  the  Cumberland  Presbytery  in  several  par- 
ticulars, amongst  other  things  in  licensing  uneducated  ministers.  Being 


*“Recolleetions  of  the  West,”  hy  Rev.  Lewis  Garrett. 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


659 


taken  completely  by  surprise,  and  thinking  the  citation  of  at  least  doubt- 
ful legality,  the  Cumberland  Presbytery  refused  to  appear  before  the 
synod  when  cited.  At  the  meeting  of  the  synod  in  October,  1805,  a 
commission  consisting  of  ten  ministers  and  six  elders  was  appointed  to 
investigate  the  entire  subject,  vesting  this  commission  with  full  synod- 
ical powers  to  confer  with  the  members  of  the  presbytery  and  to  adjudi- 
cate upon  their  Presbyterial  proceedings.  Notwithstanding  that  the 
Cumberland  Presbytery  considered  this  commission  vested  with  uncon- 
stitutional powers,  they  all,  except  two  ministers  and  one  elder,  appeared 
before  it  at  the  appointed  time  and  place.  There  were  present  ten  or- 
dained ministers,  four  licentiates  and  four  candidates.  The  commission 
after  censuring  the  Presbytery  for  having  received  Rev.  Mr.  Haw  into 
connection,  and  considering  irregular  licensures  and  ordinations,  deter- 
mined to  institute  an  examination  into  the  qualifications  of  the  young 
men  to  preach.  This  examination  the  young  men  resisted  on  the  ground 
that  the  Cumberland  Presbytery  was  competent  to  judge  of  th,e  faith  and 
abilities  of  its  candidates.  The  result  of  this  refusal  was  that  the  com- 
mission adopted  a resolution  prohibiting  all  the  young  men  in  connection 
with  that  Presbytery,  ordained,  licensed  and  candidates,  from  preaching, 
exhorting  or  administering  the  ordinances  until  they  should  submit  to 
the  requisite  examination.  The  revival  preachers,  however,  resolved  to 
continue  preaching  and  administering  the  ordinances,  and  encouraged 
the  young  men  to  continue  the  exercise  of  their  respective  functions. 
They  also  formed  a council,  consisting  of  the  majority  of  the  ministers 
and  elders  of  the  Cumberland  Presbytery,  of  which  most  of  the  congre- 
gations in  the  Presbytery  approved.  In  October,  1806,  an  attempt  was 
made  at  reconciliation  with  the  synod,  but  the  synod  confirmed  the  action 
of  the  commission  with  reference  to  the  re-examination  of  the  young 
men,  and  at  the  same  time  dissolved  the  Cumberland  Presbytery,  attach- 
ing its  members  not  suspended  to  the  Transylvania  Presbytery.  The 
revival  ministers  determined  to  continue  their  work  in  the  form  of  a 
council,  until  their  case  could  go  before  the  General  Assembly,  which 
met  in  May,  1807.  At  this  meeting  of  the  Assembly  their  case  was  ably 
presented,  but  that  body  declined  to  judicially  decide  the  case.  The 
synod,  however,  upon  the  advice  of  the  Assembly,  revised  its  proceed- 
ings, but  was  unable  to  modify  them.  Finally  in  1809  the  General  As- 
sembly decided  to  sustain  the  proceedings  of  the  synod.  Thus  the  Cum- 
berland Presbytery  was  effectually  excluded  from  the  Presbyterian 
Church.  However,  another  attempt  at  reconciliation  with  the  synod  of 
Kentucky  was  made,  their  proposition  being  to  adopt  the  Confession  of 
Faith  except  fatality  only.  To  this  proposition  the  synod  could  not  axcede. 


060 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


It  liad  been  the  custom  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  North  Carolina 
to  ordain  men  to  the  ministry  who  adopted  the  Westminster  Confession 
of  Faith,  with  the  exception  of  the  idea  of  fatality  taught  therein,  and 
the  Transylvania  Presbytery  had  also  permitted  ministers  in  their  ordi- 
nation vows  to  make  the  same  exception  if  they  chose.  Most  of  the 
Presbyterian  ministers  who  had  lent  their  aid  in  the  promotion  of  the  re- 
vival were  men  of  this  class.  When,  therefore,  the  acceptance  in  full  of 
the  Westminster  Confession  of  Faith  was  required  of  them,  they  found  it 
impossible  to  yield  without  violating  their  convictions  as  honest  and  con- 
scientious men.  Thus  the  doctrine  of  fatality  became  an  impassable  bar- 
rier between  them  and  the  Presbyterian  Church.  Neither  could  they,  on 
account  of  differences  of  doctrine,  conscientiously  unite  with  any  other 
Christian  body.  Besides,  as  they  regarded  the  Presbyterian  as  the  most 
Scriptural  form  of  church  government  in  the  world,  they  determined  to 
form  a Presbytery  independent  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  Accord- 
ingly, on  February  3,  1810,  the  Rev.  Finis  Ewing  and  Rev.  Samuel 
King,  and  licentiate  Ephraim  McLean  proceeded  to  the  humble  log  resi- 
dence of  the  Rev.  Samuel  McAdoo,  in  Dickson  County,  Tenn.,  and  submit- 
ted to  him  the  proposed  plan  of  forming  a new  and  independent  Presby- 
tery. After  earnest  prayer  that  evening  until  midnight,  the  next  morn- 
ing he  decided  in  favor  of  the  proposal,  and  on  that  day,  February  4, 
1810,  at  his  residence,  was  formed  the  first  Presbytery  of  the  Cumber- 
land Presbyterian  Church.  Before  their  adjournment  Ephraim  McLean 
was  ordained. 

“The  next  meeting  of  the  new  Cumberland  Presbytery  was  held  in 
March,  1810.  At  this  session  it  included  four  ordained  ministers  ” ( the 
four  above  named),  “five  licensed  preachers:  James  B.  Porter,  Hugh 
Kirkpatrick,  Robert  Bell.  James  Farr  and  David  Foster,  and  eight  candi- 
dates: Thomas  Calhoun,  Robert  Donnel,  Alexander  Chapman,  William 
Harris,  R.  McCorkle,  William  Bum  pass,  David  Mc.Linn  and  William  Bar- 
net.  After  a few  months  they  were  joined  by  the  Rev.  William  McGee. 
These  men  were  the  fathers  of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church. 
They  adopted  as  their  standard  of  theology  the  Westminster  Confession 
of  Faith,  excepting  the  idea  of  fatality.”*  This  “idea  of  fatality”  was 
supplanted  by  the  following  particulars : First,  that  there  are  no  eternal 
reprobates.  Second,  that  Christ  died  not  for  a part  only,  but  for  all 
mankind.  Third,  that  all  infants  dying  in  infancy  are  saved  through 
Christ  and  the  sanctification  of  the  Spirit.  Fourth,  that  the  Spirit  of 
God  operates  on  the  world,  or  as  co-extensively  as  Christ  has  made  the 
atonement,  in  such  manner  as  to  leave  all  men  inexcusable.  With  these 


*,4Origin  :ind  Doctrines  of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church  ” — Chrismcn. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


661 


exceptions  the  'Cumberland  Presbyterians  adopted  the  Westminster  Con- 
fession of  Faith,  and  thus  was  established  in  Tennessee  a new  Christian 
denomination,  professing  a system  of  doctrine  midway  between  Calvin- 
ism and  Arinin ianisni,  for  further  particulars  respecting  which  the  reader 
is  referred  to  sectarian  writings. 

After  encountering  and  overcoming  numerous  obstacles,  this  church 
was  in  a few  years  established  on  a firm  foundation.  At  the  fourth  meet- 
ing of  its  Presbytery,  in  October,  1811,  a vain  attempt  was  made  to  effect 
a reunion  with  the  Presbyterian  Church,  but  this  church,  though  then 
and  for  many  years  afterward  willing  to  unite  with  the  mother  church 
on  “proper  conditions,”  would,  rather  than  recede  from  its  position  and 
preach  the  doctrines  of  her  confession  of  faith,  prefer  to  maintain  a dis- 
tinct organization,  and  labor  on  according  to  the  best  light  given  them. 
Their  success  in  this  new  theological  field  was  from  the  first  very  great 
and  very  gratifying.  In  1813  the  original  Presbytery  was  divided  into 
three  Presbyteries,  and  in  October  of  that  year  the  members  of  these 
three  Presbyteries  met  at  Beech  Church,  Sumner  County,  Tenn.,  and 
formed  the  Cumberland  Synod.  At  the  first  meeting  of  this  synod  a 
•committee  was  appointed  to  prepare  a confession  of  faith,  discipline  and 
•catechism  in  conformity  with  the  expressed  principles  of  the  church. 
This  committee,  which  consisted  of  the  Revs.  Finis  Ewing,  William 
McGee,  Robert  Donnell,  and  Thomas  Calhoun,  reported  the  result  of  their 
labors  to  the  synod  in  1814,  by  whom  their  confession  of  faith  was  adopted. 

The  numbers  of  Cumberland  Presbyterians  continued  steadily  and 
•quite  rapidly  to  increase.  In  1820  they  had  numerous  churches  not  only 
in  Tennessee,  but  also  in  Kentucky,  Indiana,  Illinois,  Missouri,  Arkansas 
and  Alabama.  In  1822  they  had  forty-six  ordained  ministers,  and  in 
1826,  eighty.  A general  assembly  was  then  deemed  necessary  by  a por- 
tion of  the  clergy,  and  the  plan  of  a college  to  be  located  at  Princeton, 
Ky.,  was  adopted.  In  1827  the  number  of  ordained  ministers  was  114. 
In  1828  the  synod  discussed  the  subject  of  forming  a general  assembly, 
and  to  carry  the  idea  into  effect,  divided  the  synod  into  four — those  of 
Missouri,  Green  River,  Franklin  and  Columbia.  The  first  general  as- 
sembly met  at  Princeton,  Ky.,  in  1829.  To  illustrate  the  rapidity  of  the 
growth  of  this  church  in  membership  it  may  be  stated  that  in  1822 
there  were  2,718  conversions,  and  575  adult  baptisms  ; in  1826,  3,305 
conversions  and  768  adult  baptisms;  in  1827,  4,006  conversions  and 
996  adult  baptisms.  In  1856  there  were  1,200  ministers  of  this  denomi- 
nation, and  130,000  members,  and  since  that  time  their  growth  has  been 
proportionally  rapid.  The  college  established  in  1828  at  Princeton,  Ky., 
was  named  Columbia  College. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


662 


The  statistics  for  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church  for  1869  were 
as  follows : General  Assembly,  1 ; Synods,  21 ; Presbyteries,  99 ; minis- 
ters, 1,500;  communicants,  130,000;  universities,  Cumberland  at  Leba- 
non, Tenn.,  and  Lincoln,  at  Lincoln,  111. ; colleges  in  Tennessee,  male, 
Bethel,  at  McLemoresville ; female,  Cumberland  Female  College,  at 
McMinnville,  and  Donnell  Female  College  at  Winchester.  Since  this 
time  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church  has  continued  to  grow  and 
prosper  in  this,  as  in  many  other  States,  as  the  following  statistics  will 
show:  In  1875  there  were,  as  now,  fifteen  Presbyteries,  with  an  aggre- 
gate church  membership  of  22,566,  and  10,961  Sunday-school  scholars. 
In  1880  the  church  membership  was  29,186,  and  the  number  of  Sunday- 
school  scholars  11,031,  and  in  1885,  the  last  year  for  which  statistics  are 
obtainable,  there  were,  omitting  the  Presbytery  of  Nashville,  for  which 
there  was  no  report,  32,726  communicants,  13,447  Sunday-school  schol- 
ars, and  $543,545  worth  of  church  property.  The  total  value  of  the 
church  property  belonging  to  this  denomination  in  the  United  States  was, 
in  the  same  year,  $2,319,006. 

As  may  be  readily  conjectured  the  Methodists  reaped  a bountiful  har- 
vest from  the  great  revival.  It  will  be  remembered  that  the  Bev.  Fran- 
cis Paythress  was  presiding  elder  on  the  Cumberland  District.  In  1804 
Rev.  Lewis  Garrett  was  presiding  elder  in  this  district,  which  included 
Nashville  and  Red  River  in  Tennessee,  besides  portions  of  Kentucky, 
Mississippi  and  Illinois.  He  traveled  the  entire  Cumberland  Valley, 
from  the  mouth  of  the  river  to  the  mountains,  through  the  cane  brakes  of 
Caney  Fork,  through  every  part  of  the  Green  River  country,  visiting 
settlements  and  finding  all  classes  much  alive  to  the  importance  of  re- 
e ligion.  The  Cumberland  District  was  then  composed  of  six  circuits  and 
two  missions,  with  about  eight  or  nine  traveling  preachers.  Mr.  Garrett 
was  the  successor  of  John  Page,  who  was  the  presiding  elder  on  this  cir- 
cuit when  it  was  formed  in  1802.  He  had  much  to  do  with  the  great  re- 
vival, and  had  to  assist  him  such  men  as  Thomas  Wilkerson,  Jesse 
Walker,  James  Gwynn,  James  Young  and  Tobias  Gibson. 

When  the  Western  Conference  was  organized  in  1800  it  included 
Tennessee,  Kentucky,  Ohio,  southwest  Virginia  and  the  Missisippi  Ter- 
ritory, all  of  the  western  country  then  occupied  by  the  Methodists.  To 
give  an  idea  of  the  growth  of  Methodism  in  that  early  day  the  number 
of  members  for  1796  and  1803  are  presented.  In  the  former  year  the 
whole  number  in  America  was  as  follows:  whites  48,128,  colored  12,170. 
This  was  twenty-two  years  after  the  introduction  of  Methodism  into  the 
country.  In  Tennessee  there  were  799  white  Methodists  and  77  colored. 
'■•*In  1802  the  numbers  were  whites  2,767,  colored,  180.  In  1803  the 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


668- 

numbers  liad  increased  to  3,560  whites  and  248  colored.  These  numbers 
are,  however,  not  strictly  limited  to  State  lines.  The  conference  for  1807 
was  held  September  15,  1806,  at  Ebenezer,  in  East  Tennessee,  Bishop- 
Asbury  present  and  presiding. 

It  ivas  during  the  progress  of  the  revival  that  Miles  Harper  was 
brought  to  trial  for  violating  the  terms  of  the  union  which  had  been  en- 
tered into  by  the  Methodists  and  Presbyterians  regarding  the  rules  to 
govern  them  in  preaching.  One  article  of  the  union  was  that  contro- 
verted points  were  to  be  avoided,  and  another  was  that  they  wrere  not  to 
proselyte.  Harper,  who  was  on  Boaring  Biver  Circuit,  preached  right  on 
without  reference  to  the  complaints  of  his  Presbyterian  brethren.  Tho- 
complaints  continuing  McKendree  appointed  a committee  and  put  Har- 
per on  his  trial.  His  complainants,  however,  failed  to  prove  the  charges, 
and  he  in  his  own  defense  satisfactorily  showed  that  they  were  them- 
selves guilty  of  the  very  charges  they  had  brought  against  him,  as  they 
had  been  preaching  the  doctrine  of  the  unconditional  and  final  persever- 
ance of  the  saints,  known  to  all  to  be  a controverted  point.  The  result- 
was  that  Harper  was  acquitted,  with  which  all  were  satisfied.  However, 
when  McKendree  proposed  to  put  some  of  the  Presbyterians  on  trial  foi- 
preaching  as  above  they  objected,  and  he  pronounced  the  union  a mere- 
farcical  thing.  After  this  the  union  was  of  short  duration. 

Conference  for  1808  met  at  Liberty  Hill,  Tennessee,  October  1,  1808, 
about  twelve  miles  from  Nashville  in  Williamson  County,  the  site  of  an 
early  camp-ground.  At  this  Conference  a regulation  was  made  concern- 
ing slavery,  which  was  that  no  member  of  society  or  preacher  should  buy 
or  sell  a slave  unjustly,  inhumanly,  or  covetously;  the  case  on  complaint- 
to  be  examined,  for  a member,  by  the  quarterly  meeting,  and  for  a 
preacher,  by  appeal  to  an  annual  conference,  where  the  guilt  was  proved 
the  offender  to  be  expelled.  At  this  time  the  Western  Conference  con- 
tained 17,931  white  and  1,117  colored  members,  an  increase  of  3,051. 
In  1811  the  increase  in  the  Holston  District  was  1,279,  and  in  the  Cum- 
berland District  1,819.  In  May,  1812,  the  General  Conference  met  in 
New  York  and  separated  the  Western  Conference  into  two  conferences,  the 
Tennessee  and  Ohio.  At  that  time  there  were  in  this  country,  in  the- 
United  States,  Territories  and  Canada,  184,567  members  and  688  travel- 
ing ministers.  Peter  Cartwright  in  his  autobiography  in  making  a com- 
parison showing  the  growth  of  the  church,  says:  “Lord  save  the  church 
from  desiring  to  have  pews,  choirs,  organs  or  instrumental  music,  and  a 
congregational  minister  like  other  heathen  chinches  around  them.” 

The  Tennessee  Conference  embraced  the  Holston,  Nashville,  Cumber- 
land, Wabash,  Illinois  and  Mississippi  Districts,  the  southern  part  of 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


tm 

Kentucky  being  attached  to  tlie  Tennessee  Conference.  The  first  session 
of  this  conference  was  held  at  Fountain  Head,  Sumner  Co.,  Tenn.,  No- 
vember 12,  1812.  Bishops  Asbury  and  McKendree  were  both  present. 
The  rules  by  which  the  Western  Conference  had  been  governed  were 
adopted  by  this  conference.  The  membership  as  reported  at  that  time 
was  as  follows:  Holston  District,  whites,  5,794;  colored,  541;  Cumber- 
land District,  whites,  4,365;  colored,  327;  Nashville,  whites,  5,131;  col- 
ored, 601.  A new  arrangement  of  circuits  was  made  this  year,  Cumber- 
land District  being  made  to  contain  Bed  Biver,  Fountain  Head,  Goose 
Creek  and  Boaring  Biver  Circuits,  while  Nashville  District  embraced 
Stone  Biver,  Lebanon  and  Caney  Fork.  Answer  to  prayer  was  doubtless 
more  fully  and  generally  believed  in  than  at  this  day.  Two  instances  il- 
lustrating this  fact  are  here  introduced.  The  first  is  of  the  Bev.  James 
Axley,  one  of  the  most  remarkable  of  the  pioneer  preachers  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church  in  the  West.  It  is  related  in  the  language  of 
the  Bev.  Dr.  McAnally: 

“But  that  for  which  he  was,  in  my  judgment,  more  distinguished 
than  for  anything  else,  was  the  reverence,  fervency  and  prevalence  of  his 
prayer,  proceeding,  as  it  always  seemed  to  do,  from  a deep,  strong,  un- 
wavering confidence  in  God,  through  the  merits  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
* -*  * With  awe,  with  reverence  and  humility,  and  yet  with  great 

confidence,  did  he  approach  the  mercy  seat,  feeling  that  ‘Jesus  answers 
prayer.’  Infidelity  may  scoff,  skepticism  and  ‘philosophy,  so-called,’  may 
mark  it  as  a ‘strange  coincidence,’  but  the  fact  remains  to  be  attested  by 
hundreds  of  witnesses  still  living,  that  time  after  time  Axley  has  been 
known,  at  popular  meetings  in  times  of  severe  drought,  to  pray  publicly 
for  rain,  with  all  the  apparent  humility,  child-like  simplicity  and  Chris- 
tian confidence  with  which  he  would  have  prayed  for  the  conversion  of  a 
penitent;  and  rain  came!  So  often  did  this  occur  in  the  course  of  years 
that  it  became  common,  when  he  publicly  prayed  for  rain,  for  some  wicked 
man  to  say  ‘Come,  boys ; let’s  go  on ; we’ll  get  wet ; Axley’s  prayed  for  rain."' 

In  this  I record  but  sober  facts ; and  even  at  the  risk  of  wearying 
the  reader  I must  mention  one  case,  known  to  several  persons  now  liv- 
ing, who  were  present  and  witnessed  it.  It  occurred  at  Muddy  Creek 
Camp  Ground,  in  Boane  County,  Tenn.,  twenty -four  or  five  miles  west) 
or  southwest  of  Knoxville.  A drought  had  prevailed  over  that  region  of 
country  for  an  unusually  long  time,  and  the  prospects  were  becomiugj 
truly  alarming.  On  Sabbath  of  the  camp-meeting  Mr  Axley  entered  the 
pulpit.  Over  him  was  a cloudless  sky ; around  and  beneath  him  was  the1, 
parched  earth.  It  had  been  remarked  that  during  his  stay  on  the  ground! 
previous  to  that  hour  he  had  been  rather  more  than  ordinarily  serious, 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


665: 

thoughtful  and  taciturn,  as  though  something  weighed  heavily  upon  his- 
mind.  On  his  entering  the  stand  his  friends  observed  that  his  counte- 
nance was  deeply  overshadowed  with  gloom.  He  sang  and  prayed.  In 
his  prayer  on  the  part  of  himself  and  the  people  he  made  general  confes- 
sion of  sin  and  consequent  unworthiness,  pleading  the  merits  of  a cruci- 
fied Bedeemer,  and  implored  pardon  for  the  past  and  grace  for  the  future. 
Then,  among  other  petitions,  devoutly  and  fervently  he  asked  for  rain 
upon  the  parched  earth.  The  prayer  ended,  he  arose  from  his  knees, 
with  a gloom  still  upon  his  countenance  so  deeply  and  clearly  marked  as 
to  excite  the  sympathy  of  his  friends.  Instead  of  announcing  his  text 
and  proceeding  with  his  sermon,  as  was  expected,  he  sang  a few  lines  and  ' 
again  called  the  congregation  to  prayer.  This  time  his  entreaties  for 
rain  were  strikingly  and  touchingly  earnest  and  fervent,  and  the  pleas 
put  in  differed  from  those  of  his  first  prayer.  A second  time  he  arose 
from  his  knees.  Now  his  countenance  was  indicative  of  intense  mental 
suffering.  A third  time  he  sang,  and  a third  time  he  bowed  in  prayer. 
In  this  prayer  he  entreated  God,  for  the  sake  of  Christ,  and  in  mercy  to 
infants  and  unsinning  animals,  which  had  not  abused  His  goodness,  des- 
pised His  mercies,  blasphemed  His  holy  name,  desecrated  His  Sabbath, 
nor  violated  His  commandments,  to  send  rain  and  preserve  them  from 
the  horrors  of  famine  and  want.  This  prayer  ended,  he  arose,  with  a 
countenance  lighted  and  calm  as  a summer’s  eve.  He  then  announced 
his  text  and  preached  in  his  usual  manner,  without  the  most  distant  al- 
lusion to  the  unusual  manner  in  which  he  had  opened  the  services,  or  to 
the  feelings  that  had  prompted  him.  He  simply  went  forward  and  did 
as  I relate ; giving  no  reason  to  any.  But  ere  that  sermon  was  ended, 

the  darkened  horizon  and  distant  thunders  announced  the  coming  rain.” 

* . ° 

Another  case  of  answer  to  prayer  is  given  in  the  language  of  the  Bev. 
Leroy  H.  Cage:  “I  will  here  relate  a circumstance  that  took  place  at 
Edwards’  schoolliouse,  two  and  one-lialf  miles  northwest  from  where 
Gallatin  now  stands.  A circuit  preacher  named  Henry  Birchett  had  an 
appointment  at  that  place,  the  congregation  was  too  large  for  the  house, 
and  he  had  to  preach  in  the  grove.  The  preacher,  having  sung  and 
\ prayed,  took  his  text  and  began  to  preach ; a cloud  arose,  very  angry, 
with  thunder  and  lightning,  the  congregation  became  restless,  the 
• preacher  stopped  and  said  to  the  congregation : ‘Be  still,  and  see  the  sal- 
vation of  God.’  He  dropped  upon  his  knees  and  prayed  that  he  might 
be  permitted  to  preach  that  sermon  to  that  congregation.  The  cloud  be- 
gan at  once  to  part,  and  a heavy  rain  fell  all  around  but  none  reached  the 
congregation.  My  father,  Thomas  Blackmore,  John  Carr  and  several 
others,  who  were  there,  report  that  the  preacher’s  countenance  shone  and 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


666 

-seemed  to  be  more  than  human.  It  was  further  told  me  that  on  his 
death  bed  there  were  shining  lights  around  him,  and  they  supposed  that 
lie  heard  unearthly  music.” 

It  was  about  this  time,  in  the  years  1811  and  1812,  that  the  religous 
emotions  and  fears  of  the  people  were  affected  and  awakened  in  a most 
remarkable  manner  by  the  earthquakes  and  other  phenomena  of  those 
years.  It  is  very  seldom  that  earthquakes  occur  over  a great  extent  of 
country  remote  from  volcanoes,  but  these  quakings  were  felt  over  an  ex- 
tent of  country  300  miles  long  and  of  considerable  width.  The  surface  of 
the  earth  not  only  trembled  and  shook  violently,  but  broke  open  in  fis- 
sures, from  which  mud  and  water  were  thrown  to  the  height  of  trees. 
The  comet  of  1811  was  of  tremendous  magnitude,  and  as  such  bodies 
were  then  considered  harbingers  of  impending  calamity,  great  consterna- 
tion was  produced  by  its  appearance.  The  aurora  borealis  was  also  that 
year  exceedingly  brilliant  and  beautiful,  and  many  thought  that  in  its 
rapid  movements,  the  march  of  armies  and  bloodshed  were  portended. 
Besides  all  these  things  there  was  a prospect  of  war  with  the  Indians  and 
with  Great  Britain.  All  these  impending  calamities  produced  in  many 
quarters  a deep-seated  and  terrible  feeling  of  fear  among  the  people,  who 
shook  and  trembled  more  than  did  the  earth  beneath  their  feet.  The 
uninformed  but  pious  mind  has  for  centuries  been  able  to  discover  at 
frequent  but  irregularly  occurring  intervals  signs  of  the  near  approach 
of  the  consummation  of  all  earthly  things.  W ars  and  rumors  of  wars,  false 
prophets,  and  the  “judgments  of  the  Almighty”  are  seldom  absent  from 
the  world,  which  is  for  this  reason  continually  coming  to  an  end.  And 
at  such  times  as  those  we  are  now  discussing,  uninformed  but  wicked 
people,  conscious  of  the  iniquity  of  their  lives  and  of  the  impurity  of 
their  motives,  flee  to  the  church,  the  only  refuge  for  them  in  the  world. 
In  the  presence  of  the  terrible  comet,  and  of  the  earthquakes  and  im- 
pending war,  men’s  hearts  failed  them,  their  knees  smote  together  with 
fear,  and  they  implored  the  ministers  to  preach  and  pray.  The  experi- 
ence they  were  then  undergoing  was  altogether  new.  They  collected  to- 
gether in  groups,  terrorized  and  pitiful  crowds.  Similar  scenes  were 
witnessed  in  1833,  at  the  time  of  the  occurrence  of  the  great  meteoric 
showers,  or  “falling  stars,”  which  produced  a most  profound  and  widely 
■spread  sensation  upon  the  multitude.  Men  who  for  years  had  been  per- 
sonal enemies,  thinking  the  judgment  day  had  come,  made  haste  to  be 
reconciled  with  each  other,  not  waiting  even  for  the  dawn  of  day.  Many 
instances  are  related  by  writers,  who  were  eye-witnesses,  which,  when  the 
danger  was  over,  were  exceedingly  amusing,  ridiculous  or  absurd.  Only 
one  instance  of  this  kind  can  be  here  introduced. 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


667 


Peter  Cartwright  whs  in  Nashville  when  the  first  severe  shock  of 
earthquake  was  felt.  He  saw  a negro  woman  start  to  the  spring  for 
water.  When  the  earth  began  to  tremble  ancl  the  chimneys  and  scaf- 
folding around  buildings  being  erected  began  to  fall,  she  raised  a shout 
saying:  “The  Lord  is  coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven!  The  day  of  judg- 
ment! The  day  of  judgment!”  Hearing  this  her  two  young  mistresses 
were  dreadfully  frightened  and  came  running  out  of  the  house  begging 
her  to  stop  and  pray  for  them.  But  she  replied:  “I  can  not  stop  to  pray 
for  you  now.  I told  you  how  it  would  be.  He  is  coming!  He  is  com- 
ing! I must  go  to  meet  him.  Farewell!  Hallelujah!  Glory  Hallelujah!” 
and  went  on  shouting  and  clapping  her  hands. 

Such  is  the  weakness  of  poor,  ignorant  human  nature.  When  judg- 
ment is  impending  and  apparently  immediate  and  unavoidable,  men  are 
fearfully  and  tremblingly  anxious  to  confess  their  own  sins  and  to  obtain 
pardon;  when  judgment  seems  indefinitely  remote  they  are  chiefly  con- 
cerned about  the  sins  of  others  and  in  denouncing  against  them  the  judg- 
ments of  the  Lord.  Erasmus  well  said:  “ Quam  religiosus  nos  afflictio 
facit /”*  When  history,  philosophy  and  the  natural  sciences,  the  natural 
antidotes  for  superstition,  shall  become  sufficiently  familiar  to  the  masses 
such  pitiable  exhibitions  of  human  weakness  will  disappear. 

The  action  of  this  conference  at  Liberty  Hill,  Tenn.,  in  1808,  has  al- 
ready been  referred  to.  Some  of  the  presiding  elders  and  circuit  preach- 
ers were  strongly  anti-slavery  in  their  sentiments,  and  consequently  were 
rigidly  anti-slavery  in  the  administration  of  discipline.  This  was  the 
case  with  the  Rev.  James  Axley  and  Enoch  Moore.  They  not  only  re- 
fused to  license  slave-holders  to  preach,  but  also  denied  them  the  privilege 
of  exhorting  or  leading  in  prayer-meeting.  They  even  went  so  far  as  to 
denounce  slave-holders  as  no  better  than  thieves  and  robbers.  The  course 
of  the  conference  in  that  early  day  is  illustrated  by  the  following  en- 
try: 

“Leven  Edney,  recommended  from  Nashville  Circuit;  his  character  ex- 
amined and  approved,  Lewmer  Blackman  being  security  that  he  will 
set  his  slave  free  as  soon  as  practicable.”  It  was,  however,  seldom  found 
“practicable”  to  set  free  the  slave.  Notwithstanding  the  action  taken  by 
the  Methodist  Church  in  its  adoption  of  rules  for  the  government  of 
slaves  and  slave-holders,  the  number  of  slaves  held  continued  to  increase. 
Generally  speaking  it  was  found  impracticable  to  free  the  slaves,  hence 
regulations  adopted  by  the  church,  aimed  at  the  institution,  had  but  little 
effect  otherwise  than  to  create  and  foster  a prejudice  against  the  church 
itself.  The  Tennessee  Conference  which  met  in  1812,  dealt  with  this  ques- 


♦How  religious  affliction  makes  us  ! 


668 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


tion  with  such  wisdom  as  they  possessed.  It  was  provided  that  every 
preacher  having  charge  of  a circuit  should,  upon  information  received, 
cite  any  member  buying  or  selling  a slave  to  appear  at  the  next  ensuing 
quarterly  conference,  which  should  proceed  to  determine  whether  such 
slave  had  been  bought  in  a case  of  justice  and  mercy,  and  if  this  were 
found  not  to  have  been  the  case,  the  person  buying  or  selling  such  slave 
should  be  expelled  from  the  church. 

At  the  conference  of  1815  this  rule  was  voted  to  be  unconstitutional 
and  a report  was  adopted  the  substance  of  which  was  that  the  conference 
sincerely  believed  that  slavery  was  a great  moral  evil,  but  as  the  laws  of 
the  country  did  not  admit  of  emancipation  without  the  special  act  of  the 
Legislature  in  some  places,  nor  permit  a slave  so  liberated  to  enjoy  his 
freedom,  they  could  not  adopt  any  rule  compelling  church  members  to 
liberate  their  slaves,  nor  could  they  devise  any  rule  sufficiently  specific 
to  meet  the  various  and  complex  cases  that  were  continually  arising.  But 
to  go  as  far  as  they  could  consistently  with  the  laws  and  the  nature  of 
things,  to  do  away  with  the  evil  and  “remove  the  curse  from  the  Church 
of  God,”  they  adopted  two  rules  on  the  subject,  the  first  being  that  if  any 
member  should  buy  or  sell  any  slave  or  slaves  to  make  gain,  or  should 
sell  any  slave  to  any  slave-dealer,  such  member  should  be  expelled  from 
the  church,  except  he  could  satisfactorily  show  that  it  was  done  to  keep 
or  place  different  members  of  the  same  family  together;  and  the  second 
was  that  no  person  should  be  eligible  to  the  office  of  deacon  in  the  church 
who  did  not  disapprove  of  slavery  and  express  a willingness  to  effect  a 
legal  emancipation  of  his  slaves  as  soon  as  it  was  practicable  for  him  to  do 
so.  At  the  conference  held  at  Franklin,  November  8,  1817,  this  question 
was  again  taken  up  for  discussion  with  the  result  of  the  adoption  of  a 
very  elaborate  report.  After  a “Whereas”  that  the  General  Conference  had 
authorized  each  annual  conference  to  formulate  its  own  rules  respecting 
slavery,  the  following  resolutions  (in  substance)  were  adopted: 

First — That  if  any  local  elder,  deacon  or  preacher  in  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  should  purchase  a slave,  the  Quarterly  Conference 
should  say  how  long  the  slave  should  serve  as  a remuneration  for  the 
purchase  money,  and  that  the  purchaser  should  enter  into  a written  obli- 
gation to  emancipate  such  slave  at  the  expiration  of  the  term  of  servitude, 
provided  that  emancipation  were  permissible  under  the  laws  of  the  State ; 
but  that  if  the  laws  of  the  State  should  continue  to  oppose  emancipation, 
then  the  next  Quarterly  Conference  held  atfer  the  expiration  of  the  term 
of  servitude,  should  determine  the  future  status  of  the  slave. 

Second — The  same  rule  applied  to  private  members  of  the  church, 
but  instead  of  the  Quarterly  Conference  their  cases  were  managed  by  a 


' 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


069 


committee  appointed  by  the  preacher  having  charge  of  their  respective 
circuits;  and  in  all  cases  relating  to  preachers,  deacons,  elders  or  private 
members,  the  children  of  slaves  purchased,  born  during  the  time  of 
bondage  or  term  of  servitude,  were  to  be  manumitted  upon  arriving  at  the 
age  of  twenty-five,  provided  the  law  should  then  admit  of  emancipation  ; 
but  if  the  law  should  not  then  admit  of  emancipation,  the  cases  of  all 
children  born  of  purchased  slaves  were  to  be  submitted  to  the  Quarterly 
Conference  or  the  committee,  acqording  to  whether  the  owner  was  a 
preacher  or  private  member.  The  portion  of  this  rule  which  applied  to 
the  selling  of  slaves  by  a preacher  or  member  is  exceedingly  interesting 
and  curious.  This  provision  required  the  preacher  to  submit  his  case  to 
the  Quarterly  Conference  and  the  private  member  to  the  committee, 
which  Quarterly  Conference  or  committee,  as  the  case  might  be,  should 
■ determine  for  what  term  of  years  the  slave  should  be  sold,  and  required 
the  seller  of  the  slave  to  record  in  the  county  court  the  emancipation  of 
the  slave  at  the  expiration  of  the  said  term.  This  rule  was  to  be  en- 
forced from  and  after  January  1,  1818. 

Such  was  the  legislation  of  a body  of  ministers  with  reference  to  a 
subject  over  which  they  had  no  control,  provided  the  laws  themselves  did 
not  admit  of  emancipation,  which  they  themselves  assumed  to  be  the  fact. 
Hence  the  adoption  of  a proviso  which  in  every  ease,  taking  things  as 
they  were,  either  nullified  the  rule  or  made  it  easy  for  a member  or  a 
minister  to  retain  his  slave;  for  whenever  he  determined  to  own  slaves  it 
was  easy  to  make  it  appear  that  it  was  in  accordance  with  justice  and 
mercy  to  retain  those  already  in  possession,  or  that  under  the  law  it  was 
impracticable  to  set  them  free.  Such  legislation  would  seem  to  be  suffi- 
ciently absurd,  but  it  is  amazing  that  an  intelligent  body  of  men  should 
gravely  attempt  to  compel  a preacher  or  member  to  emancipate  a slave  at 
the  expiration  of  a term  of  years  after  having  surrendered  ownership  and 
control  of  the  same.  The  only  theory  conceivable  which  can  relieve  the 
conference  of  the  accomplishment  of  a solemn  mockery  is  the  supposition 
that  they,  having  confidence  in  the  justice  of  the  future,  must  have  be- 
lieved themselves  to  be  anticipating  civil  legislation — that  the  legal 
emancipation  of  the  slave  was  an  event  the  immediate  future  must  pro- 
duce. However,  the  attitude  of  the  conference  on  this  subject  is  of  great 
historic  value,  bringing  out  into  clear  relief,  as  it  does,  the  strong  con- 
viction of  the  Methodist  body  of  Christians  that  slavery  was  a great 
moral  evil,  the  existence  of  which  was  deplorable,  and  to  be  opposed  by 
every  means  attached  to  which  there  was  any  hope  of  its  gradual  abolish- 
ment. At  the  conference  held  at  Nashville  October  1,  1819,  two  persons, 
Peter  Burum  and  Gilbert  1).  Taylor,  were  recommended  as  proper  to  be 


670 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


admitted  on  trial,  but  both  were  rejected  because  they  were  slave-holders, 
and  a number  of  applicants  for  deacon’s  orders  were  similarly  rejected. 
These  rejections  elicited  the  following  protest: 

“Be  it  remembered  that  whereas  Tennessee  Annual  Conference,  held 
in  Nashville  October  1,  1819,  have  taken  a course  in  their  decisions  rel- 
ative to  the  admission  of  preachers  on  trial  in  the  traveling  connection, 
and  in  the  election  of  local  preachers  to  ordination  which  goes  to  fix  the 
principle  that  no  man,  eveu  in  those  States  where  the  law  does  not  admit 
of  emancipation,  shall  be  admitted  on  trial  or  ordained  to  the  office  of 
deacon  or  elder  if  it  is  understood  that  he  is  the  owner  of  a slave  or 
slaves.  That  this  course  is  taken  is  not  to  be  denied,  and  it  is  avowedly 
designed  to  fix  the  principle  already  mentioned.  Several  cases  might  be 
mentioned,  but  it  is  deemed  unnecessary  to  instance  any  except  the  case 
of  Dr.  Gilbert  D.  Taylor,  proposed  for  admission,  and  Dudley  Hargrove, 
recommended  for  ordination.  We  deprecate  the  course  taken  as  oppres- 
sively severe  in  itself  and  ruinous  in  its  consequences,  and  we  disapprove 
of  the  principle  as  contrary  to  and  in  violation  of  the  order  and  discipline 
of  our  church.  We,  therefore,  do  most  solemnly,  and  in  the  fear  of  God, 
as  members  of  this  conference,  enter  our  protest  against  the  proceedings 
of  the  conference  as  it  relates  to  the  above-mentioned  course  and  prin- 
ciple. Thomas  L.  Douglass,  Thomas  D.  Porter,  William  McMahon, 
Benjamin  Malone,  Lewis  Garrett,  Barnabas  McHenry,  William  Allgood, 
William  Stribling,  Ebenezer  Hearn,  Timothy  Carpenter,  Thomas  String- 
field,  Benjamin  Edge,  Joshua  Boucher,  AVilliam  Hartt,  John  Johnson, 
Henry  B.  Bascorn.” 

This  protest  had  considerable  influence  upon  the  church  in  the  South. 
It  was  taken  to  the  General  Conference  and  by  that  body  referred  to  the 
committee  on  slavery,  but  nothing  definite  was  accomplished. 

At  the  conference  which  met  at  Columbia  in  1824  this  question  of 
slavery  came  up  again  in  the  form  of  an  address  from  the  “Moral  Relig- 
ious Manumission  Society  of  West  Tennessee,”  whereupon  the  follow- 
ing resolution  was  adopted: 

Resolved,  That  the  address  from  the  Moral  Religious  Manumission  Society  be  returned 
to  committee  accompanied  with  a note  stating  that  so  far  as  the  address  involves  the  sub- 
ject of  slavery  we  concur  in  the  sentiments  that  slavery  is  an  evil  to  be  deplored,  and 
that  it  should  be  counteracted  by  every  judicious  and  religious  exertion. 

Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  the  Methodist  preachers  admitted  that  slav- 
ery was  a deplorable  evil,  and  should  be  counteracted  by  every  judicious 
and  religious  exertion.  “What  a misfortune,”  says  Rev.  J.  B.  McFerrin,* 
■■that  this  sentiment  had  not  always  obtained!  treating  the  matter  in  a 
religious  manner,  and  not  intermeddling  with  it  as  a civil  question.” 

*“History  of  Methodism  in  Tennessee,”  to  which  this  chapter  is  indebted. 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


671 

In  1832  mission  work  among  the  slaves  was  for  the  first  time  ear- 
nestly undertaken.  South  Carolina  had  set  the  example  in  work  of  this 
nature,  and  it  was  not  long  before  there  were  scores  of  missionaries  in 
the  Southern  States  proclaiming  the  doctrines  of  Methodism  to  the  bond- 
man  as  well  as  to  the  free.  Among  the  blacks  there  were  many  genuine 
Christians  and  some  excellent  preachers.  The  decided  and  memorable 
impulse  given  to  missionary  work  among  the  slaves  was  the  result  of  a 
speech  by  Rev.  (subsequently  Bishop)  James  O.  Andrew,  which  “ car- 
ried by  storm  the  whole  assembly.”  So  successful  was  the  work  of  mis- 
sions among  the  blacks  that  in  1846  the  board  reported  29,430  colored 
members,  besides  the  communicants  in  the  regular  circuits  and  stations 
of  the  church,  while  the  general  minutes  give  the  total  number  of  col- 
ored members  in  the  same  years  as  124,961.  In  1861  the  board  reported 
69,794  probationers,  and  12,418  children  under  religious  instruction,  the 
general  minutes,  in  1860,  showing  171,857  members  and  35,909  proba- 
tioners. 

Without  pursuing  further  in  detail  the  action  of  the  church  on  the 
important  subject  of  slavery,  it  is  now  deemed  proper  to  present  a syn- 
opsis of  the  reasons  for  the  separation  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  in  the  United  States  into  two  portions — the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  and  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  South.  While  there  may 
be  differences  of  opinion  with  regard  to  minor  points  of  controversy,  it 
can  be  positively  stated  that  had  there  been  no  slavery  there  would  have 
been  no  epoch  of  separation.  The  existence  of  this  institution,  the  nec- 
essary connection  with  it  of  church  members  and  its  perpetual  agitation 
in  the  quarterly,  annual  and  general  conferences,  because  of  the  perpet- 
ual and  increasing  agitation  of  the  question  outside  of  the  conferences, 
was  finally  the  occasion  of  the  disruption  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  which  has  been  and  probably  ever  will  be  a potent  cause  of  re- 
gret to  thousands  of  Methodists  in  both  sections  of  the  country,  and 
probably  to  all  except  those  who  can  clearly  discern  the  hand  of  Provi- 
dence in  all  events,  and  who  are  settled  in  their  convictions  that  “ He 
doetli  all  things  well.” 

The  General  Conference  met  in  New  York  May  1,  1844.  It  wus  the 
most  memorable  conference  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  ever  held 
in  the  United  States.  The  first  question  of  importance  which  occupied 
its  attention  was  that  of  Erancis  A.  Harding,  who  had  been  suspended  by 
the  Baltimore  Conference  from  the  ministerial  office  for  refusing  to  man- 
umit  five  slaves  belonging  to  his  wife  at  the  time  of  his  marriage  to  her, 
and  which,  according  to  the  laws  of  Maryland,  still  remained  hers  after 
the  marriage.  The  action  of  the  Baltimore  Conference  in  suspending 


672 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


Mr.  Harding  is  sufficiently  set  forth  in  the  following  preamble  and  reso- 
lution : 

Whereas,  The  Baltimore  Conference  can  not  and  will  not  tolerate  slavery  in  any  of 
its  members.  ******** 

Resolved,  That  Brother  Harding  be  suspended  until  the  next  Annual  Conference  or 
until  he  assures  the  Episcopacy  that  he  has  taken  the  necessary  steps  to  secure  the  free- 
dom of  his  slaves. 

With  this  demand  Brother  Harding  failed  to  comply  because,  accord- 
ing to  his  plea,  of  his  inability  under  the  laws  of  the  State  to  do  so ; but 
he  nevertheless  expressed  a willingness  to  emancipate  them  and  permit 
them  to  go  to  Africa  or  to  any  free  State  provided  they  were  willing  to 
accept  freedom  on  those  terms,  but  no  evidence  tends  to  show  that  any 
attempt  was  made  to  obtain  their  consent,  or  that  their  consent  was 
obtained,  and  thus  their  emancipation  was  impracticable,  for  they  could 
not  live  free  in  Maryland  without  violating  the  laws.  But  notwithstand- 
ing the  impracticability  of  emancipation  the  action  of  the  Baltimore  Con- 
ference in  the  case  of  Mr.  Harding  was,  on  appeal  to  the  General  Confer- 
ence, after  able  arguments  for  the  appellant  by  Dr.  W.  A.  Smith,  of  Vir- 
ginia, and  for  the  Baltimore  Conference  by  John  A.  Collins,  of  Baltimore, 
sustained  by  the  General  Conference  by  a refusal  to  reverse  it,  the  vote 
being  117  against  reversal  to  56  in  favor  of  it,  taken  on  the  11th  of  May. 

Another  and  still  more  important  case  came  before  the  conference  on 
May  22,  in  that  of  Bishop  James  O.  Andrew,  of  Georgia,  who  had,  against 
his  own  will,  become  connected  with  slavery.  Several  years  previous  to  the 
meeting  of  this  General  Conference  an  old  lady  had  bequeathed  to  him  a 
mulatto  girl  in  trust  to  be  taken  care  of  until  she  should  arrive  at  the  age 
of  nineteen,  when,  if  her  consent  could  be  obtained,  she  should  be  set 
free  and  sent  to  Liberia;  but  in  case  she  should  refuse  to  go  to  Liberia, 
he  should  keep  her  and  make  her  as  free  as  the  laws  of  Georgia  would 
permit.  When  the  time  came  she  refused  to  go  to  Liberia,  and  as 
emancipation  and  continued  residence  in  Georgia  afterward  was  imprac- 
ticable, Bishop  Andrew  remained  her  owner.  About  five  years  previous 
to  the  meeting  of  this  conference,  Bishop  Andrew’s  wife’s  mother  left  to 
her  a negro  boy,  and  Mrs.  Andrews  dying,  without  a will,  the  boy 
became  the  property  of  the  Bishop.  Besides  all  this,  Bishop  Andrew,  in 
January,  1844,  was  married  to  his  second  wife,  who  had  inherited  from 
her  former  husband’s  estate  some  slaves.  After  this  marriage  Bishop 
Andrew,  unwilling  to  retain  even  part  ownership  in  these  inherited 
slaves,  secured  them  to  his  wife  by  a deed  of  trust.  But  with  reference 
to  the  first  two  slaves  mentioned  the  Bishop  became  a slave-holder  by  the 
action  of  other  people.  The  General  Conference,  impelled  to  action  by 
the  growing  and  assertive  anti-slavery  sentiment  throughout  the  North- 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


673 


-ern  States  and  the  Northern  Conferences,  took  action  upon  Bishop 
Andrew’s  case  by  passing  the  famous  Finley  Resolution,  which  was  as 
follows : 

Whereas,  The  Discipline  of  our  Church  forbids  the  doing  of  anything  calculated  to 
destroy  our  itinerant  General  Superintendency;  and  whereas  Bishop  Andrew  has  become 
connected  with  slavery,  by  marriage  and  otherwise,  and  this  act  having  drawn  after  it 
circumstances  which,  in  the  estimation  of  this  General  Conference,  will  greatly  embarrass 
the  exercise  of  his  office  as  an  itinerant  General  Superintendent,  if  not,  in  some  places, 
entirely  prevent  it;  therefore 

Resolved,  That  it  is  the  sense  of  this  General  Conference  that  he  desist  from  the  exer- 
cise of  his  office  so  long  as  this  impediment  remains. 

To  clearly  perceive  the  grounds  for  the  passing  of  this  resolution  it  is 
necessary  to  have  reference  to  the  discipline  then  governing  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church.  Of  this  discipline  there  were  but  two  rules  having 
either  direct  or  indirect  bearing  upon  the  case,  the  first  being  as  follows : 
“ The  bishop  is  amenable  to  the  General  Conference,  who  have  power  to 
expel  him  for  improper  conduct  if  they  see  it  necessary;”  and  the  second 
being  what  has  been  called  the  Compromise  Law  of  1816  on  the  subject 
of  slavery:  “We  declare  that  we  are  as  much  as  ever  convinced  of  the 

great  evil  of  slavery,  therefore  no  slave-holder  shall  be  eligible  to  any 
official  station  in  our  church  hereafter  where  the  laws  of  the  State  in 
which  he  lives  will  admit  of  emancipation  and  permit  the  liberated  slave 
to  enjoy  freedom.  When  any  traveling  preacher  becomes  an  owner  of  a 
slave  or  slaves  by  any  means,  he  shall  forfeit  his  ministerial  character  in 
our  church,  unless  he  execute,  if  it  be  practicable,  a legal  emancipation 
of  such  slaves  conformably  to  the  laws  of  the  State  in  which  he  lives.” 

The  above  is  all  that  is  contained  in  the  discipline  concerning  bish- 
ops and  slavery.  It  would  seem  clear  enough  that  the  Bishop  had  vio- 
lated no  rule  of  discipline  if  it  were  true  that  under  the  laws  of  Georgia 
emancipated  slaves  could  not  enjoy  their  freedom.  And  as  no  attempt 
was  made  by  any  one  on  behalf  of  the  conference  to  prove  that  emanci- 
pated slaves  could  enjoy  their  freedom  in  Georgia,  it  must  be  assumed 
even  if  it  were  not  the  fact  that  under  the  laws  of  his  State  it  was  im- 
practicable for  Bishop  Andrew  to  emancipate  his  slaves.  The  probabil- 
ity is  that  the  true  attitude  for  the  present  to  sustain  toward  the  confer- 
ence of  1844  is  one  of  sympathy  rather  than  of  censure,  even  by  those 
who  still  regret  the  division  in  the  church.  It  felt  impelled  and  even 
compelled  to  take  action  upon  this  question  that  should  satisfy  at  least 
a portion  of  the  conferences,  and  chose  to  satisfy  the  majority — the  anti- 
slavery  portion,  those  opposed  to  the  election  of  or  the  continuance  in 
office  or  in  orders  of  a slave-holding  bishop.  The  venerable  Dr.  Olin,  of 
the  New  York  Conference,  probably  expressed  the  sense  of  the  confer- 
ence as  accurately  as  it  can  be  expressed  at  the  present  day  when  he 


674 


HISTOBY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


said:  “I  look  at  this  proposition*  not  as  a punishment  of  any  grade 
or  sort.  * * * I believe  that  what  is  proposed  by  this 

substitute  to  be  a constitutional  measure,  dishonorable  to  none,  unjust  to 
none.  As  such  I should  wish  it  to  go  forth  with  the  solemn  declaration 
of  this  General  Conference  that  we  do  not  design  it  as  a punishment  or  a 
censure;  that  it  is  in  our  apprehension  only  a prudential  and  expedient 
measure,  calculated  to  avert  the  great  evils  that  threaten  us.” 

Looking  at  the  question  now  from  our  present  vantage  ground  it  is 
evident  that  Dr.  Olin  could  clearly  discern  the  signs  of  the  times. 
Division  and  separation,  emanating  from  some  source,  it  was  impossible 
to  avoid.  The  grand  wave  of  anti-slavery  sentiment  had  obtained  im- 
pulse, and  was  irresistibly  increasing  in  both  volume  and  momentum. 
The  General  Conference  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  no  less  than 
the  discipline,  was,  like  every  other  obstacle  this  grand  wave  encountered, 
unable  long  to  resist.  The  conference  therefore,  having  to  choose  be- 
tween the  discipline  and  the  unity  of  the  great  body  of  the  church, 
chose  to  sacrifice  the  discipline.  Dr.  Olin  in  another  part  of  the  same 
speech  from  which  the  above  extract  is  taken,  with  reference  to  the  prob- 
able consequences  of  the  passage  of  the  Finley  Resolution,  said  : “Yet 
allowing  our  worst  fears  all  to  be  realized,  the  South  will  have  this  ad- 
vantage over  us.  The  Southern  Conferences  are  likely  in  any  event  to 
harmonize  among  themselves — they  will  form  a compact  body.  In  our 
Northern  Conferences  this  will  be  impossible  in  the  present  state  of  things. 
They  cannot  bring  their  whole  people  to  act  together  on  one  common 
ground ; stations  and  circuits  will  be  so  weakened  and  broken  as  in  many 
instances  to  be  unable  to  sustain  their  ministry.  I speak  on  this  point 
in  accordance  with  the  convictions  of  my  own  judgment,  after  hav- 
ing traveled  3,000  miles  through  the  New  England  and  New  York  Confer- 
ences, that  if  some  action  is  not  had  on  this  subject  calculated  to  hold 
out  hope — to  impart  a measure  of  satisfaction  to  the  people — there  will 
be  distractions  and  divisions  ruinous  to  souls  and  fatal  to  the  permanent 
interests  of  the  church.  * * * But,  sir,  I will  yet  trust 

that  we  may  put  far  off  this  evil  day.  If  we  can  pass  such  a measure  as 
will  shield  our  principles  from  infringement,  if  we  can  send  forth  such  a 
measure  as  will  neither  injure  nor  justly  offend  the  South,  and  as  shall 
neither  censure  nor  dishonor  Bishop  Andrew,  and  yet  shall  meet  the  press- 
ing wants  of  the  church,  and,  above  all,  if  Almighty  God  shall  be 
pleased  to  help  by  pouring  out  His  Spirit  upon  us,  we  may  yet  avoid  the 
rock  upon  which  we  now  seem  too  likely  to  split.” 

A brief  extract  from  an  unfulfilled  prophecy  by  the  Rev.  George  F. 


*The  Finley  Resolution. 


HISTOKY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


(375 


Pierce,  of  Georgia,  a young  and  exceedingly  enthusiastic  divine,  is  as  fol- 
lows: “ Set  off  the  South  and  what  is  the  consequence?  Do  you  get  rid 
of  embarrassment,  discord,  division,  strife?  No,  sir,  you  multiply  divis- 
ions. There  will  be  secessions  in  the  Northern  Conferences,  even  if 
Bishop  Andrew  is  deposed  or  resigns.  Prominent  men  will  abandon  your 
church.  I venture  to  predict  that  when  the  day  of  division  comes — - 
and  come  I believe  it  will  from  the  present  aspect  of  the  case — that  in 
ten  years  from  this  day  and  perhaps  less,  there  will  not  be  one  shred  of 
the  distinctive  peculiarities  of  Methodism  left  within  the  conferences  that 
depart  from  us.  The  venerable  man  who  now  presides  over  the  Northern 
Conferences  may  live  out  his  time  as  a bishop,  but  he  will  never  have  a 
successor.  Episcopacy  will  be  given  up;  presiding-eldership  will  be 
given  up ; the  itinerancy  will  come  to  an  end,  and  Congregationalism  will 
be  the  order  of  the  day.” 

The  vote  on  the  Finley  resolution  was  taken  on  the  1st  of  June,  and 
resulted  in  its  adoption  by  the  vote  of  111  to  60.  Of  the  yeas  four  were 
from  the  Baltimore  Conference,  and  one  from  Texas — the  only  ones  from 
a conference  within  slave-holding  territory.  All  the  members  from  Ten- 
nessee Conferences  voted  against  the  resolution  as  follows : Holston  Con- 
ference— E.  F.  Sevier,  S.  Patton,  T.  Springfield;  Tennessee  Conference — 
K.  Paine,  J.  B.  McFerrin,  AY.  L.  P.  Green,  T.  Maddin;  Memphis  Con- 
ference— G.  AY.  D.  Harris,  S.  S.  Moody,  William  McMahon,  T.  Joyner. 
An  attempt  to  declare  the  action  advisory  only  was  laid  on  the  table  by 
a vote  of  75  to  68.  On  the  same  day,  June  3,  a series  of  resolutions  pro- 
posing the  formation  of  two  General  Conferences  was  referred  to  a com- 
mittee, which  failed  to  agree,  and  on  the  5th,  the  following  “declaration 
of  the  Southern  members”  was  presented  by  Dr.  Longstreet: 

“ The  delegates  of  the  conference  in  the  slave-holding  States  take  leave 
to  declare  to  the  General  Conference  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
that  the  continued  agitation  on  the  subject  of  slavery  and  abolition  in  a 
portion  of  the  church,  the  frequent  action  on  that  subject  in  the  General 
Conference,  and  especially  the  extra-judicial  proceedings  against  Bishop 
Andrew,  which  resulted  on  Saturday  last  in  the  virtual  suspension  of  him 
from  his  office  as  superintendent,  must  produce  a state  of  things  in  the 
South  which  renders  a continuance  of  the  jurisdiction  of  the  General 
Conference  over  these  conferences  inconsistent  with  the  success  of  the 
ministry  in  the  slave-holding  States.” 

This  declaration  was  signed  by  all  the  members  of  the  Southern 
Conferences,  and  by  J.  Stamper  from  the  Illinois  Conference,  and  was 
then  referred  to  a select  committee  of  nine,  with  instructions  that  if  they 
could  not  devise  a plan  for  an  amicable  adjustment  of  the  difficulties  then 


HISTOKY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


0 < 6 


existing  in  the  church,  on  the  subject  of  slavery,  to  devise,  if  possible,  a 
constitutional  plan  for  a mutual  and  friendly  division  of  the  church.  On 
the  7th  of  June  this  committee  reported  a plan  of  separation,  which  after 
much  discussion  was  adopted — four  of  the  resolutions  by  an  average  vote 
of  141  to  11,  and  the  remaining  seven  and  the  preamble  without  a divis- 
ion. In  the  resolutions  provision  was  made  for  an  equitable  division  of 
the  book  concerns  in  New  York  and  Cincinnati  and  the  chartered  fund, 
and  all  the  property  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  meeting- 
houses, parsonages,  colleges,  schools,  conference  funds,  cemeteries,  etc., 
within  the  limits  of  the  Southern  organization  was  secured  to  the  South- 
ern Church,  so  far  as  the  resolution  could  be  of  force. 

The  Southern  delegation  to  the  General  Conference  issued  a call  for  a 
convention  to  be  composed  of  delegates  from  the  several  annual  confer- 
ences within  the  slave-holding  States,  in  the  ratio  of  one  to  every  eleven 
members,  to  meet  in  Louisville,  Ivy.,  May  1,  1845.  When  this  conven- 
tion met  Bishops  Soule  and  Andrew  presided,  and  after  full  deliberation 
it  declared  the  Southern  Conferences  a distinct  church,  under  the  name  of 
“The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  South.”  The  first  General  Confer- 
ence of  this  church  met  at  Petersburg,  Va.,  May  1,  1846.  It  was  com- 
posed of  eighty-five  delegates  from  sixteen  Southern  Conferences,  those 
from  Tennessee  being  as  follows:  Holston  Conference — Samuel  Patton, 
David  Fleming,  Timothy  Sullins,  Thomas  K.  Catlett,  Elbert  F.  Sevier. 
Tennessee  Conference — -John  B.  McFerrin,  Robert  Paine,  Fountain  E. 
Fitts,  Alexander  L.  P.  Green,  John  W.  Hanner,  Edmund  W.  Sehon, 
Samuel  S.  Moody,  Frederick  G.  Ferguson,  Ambrose  F.  Driskill.  Mem- 
phis Conference — Moses  Brock,  George  W.  D.  Harris,  William  Mc- 
Mahon, William  M.  McFerrin,  Arthur  Davis,  John  T.  Baskerville.  By 
this  conference  Rev.  William  Capers,  D.  D.,  and  Rev.  Robert  Paine, 
D.  D.,  were  elected  bishops.  At  the  time  of  the  separation  in  1845  there 
were  in  the  Southern  Church  about  450,000  communicants,  and  in  1860 
757,205.  During  the  civil  war  this  number  was  considerably  reduced. 
In  1875  there  were  37  annual  conferences  and  737,779  communicants, 
of  whom  4,335  were  Indians  and  2,085  colored,  and  346,750  Sunday- 
school  scholars. 

As  was  naturally  to  be  expected,  the  three  conferences  in  Tennessee 
adhered  to  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  South.  In  1840  the  num- 
bers of  members  in  each  of  these  conferences  was  as  follows:  Holston 
Conference — White  members,  25,902;  colored  members,  2,420;  local 
preachers,  304.  Tennessee  Conference — -White  members,  21,675;  col- 
ored members,  4,405;  local  preachers,  298.  Memphis  Conference — - 
White  members,  12,497;  colored  members,  1,995;  local  preachers,  183. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


677 


The  traveling  preachers  in  each  conference  were  as  follows:  Holston,  70; 
Tennessee,  109 ; Memphis,  69.  In  1845  the  Holston  Conference  reported 
95  traveling  and  327  local  preachers,  and  34,414  white,  4,083  colored, 
and  108  Indian  members.  Tennessee  Conference  reported  (in  1846)  153 
traveling  ministers,  33,219  white  and  8,036  colored  members,  and  Mem- 
phis Conference  reported  (in  1846)  101  traveling  and  310  local  preach- 
ers, and  23,111  white  and  6,003  colored  members. 

The  boundaries  of  the  Holston  Conference  were  fixed  by  the  General 
Conference  of  1874  so  as  to  include  “East  Tennessee  and  that  part  of 
Middle  Tennessee  now  embraced  in  the  Pikeville  District;  that  part  of 
Virginia  and  West  Virginia  which  is  now  embraced  in  the  Rogersville, 
Abingdon,  Jeffersonville  and  Wytheville  District  south  of  the  line  of  the 
Baltimore  Conference,  and  including  J acksonville ; the  line  between  the 
Baltimore  and  the  Holston  Conferences  running  straight  from  Jackson- 
ville,  in  Floyd  County,  to  Central  Depot  in  Montgomery  County,  so  as  to 
embrace  in  the  Holston  Conference  the  territory  known  as  the  New  Hope 
Circuit;  that  part  of  the  State  of  North  Carolina  which  lies  west  of  the 
Blue  Ridge;  a small  part  lying  east  of  said  ridge,  embracing  the 
Catawba  Circuit,  and  that  part  now  in  the  Wytheville  District;  and  so 
much  of  the  State  of  Georgia  as  is  included  in  the  following  boundary: 
Beginning  on  the  State  line  of  Tennessee  at  the  eastern  part  of  Lookout 
Mountain ; thence  to  the  Alabama  State  line ; thence  north  with  said  line 
to  Island  Creek,  and  with  said  creek  and  the  Tennessee  River  to  the 
State  line  of  Tennessee,  and  thence  to  the  beginning,  including  the 
town  of  Graysville,  Ga.” 

In  1875  this  conference  reported  171  traveling  and  294  local  preach- 
ers, 38,087  white,  140  colored,  and  176  Indian  members,  and  23,226  Sun- 
day-school scholars.  In  1880  the  report  was  161  traveling  and  290 
local  preachers;  44,279  white,  48  colored,  and  148  Indian  members,  and 
28,541  Sunday-school  scholars.  In  1885  the  following  was  the  report:  158 
traveling  preachers,  308  local  preachers,  and  46,529  white  members,  neither 
colored  nor  Indian  members  reported;  the  number  of  Sunday-school  schol- 
ars was  35,116.  When  the  Federal  Armies  took  possession  of  East  Ten- 
nessee many  of  the  Methodists  in  that  section  desired  the  services  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  under  authority  given  by  the  General 
Conference  of  1864,  Holston  Conference  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  was  organized,  its  first  session  being  held  at  Athens,  Tenn.,  June 
1,  1865.  The  numbers  reported  to  this  conference  were  as  follows:  48 
traveling  and  55  local  preachers,  6,107  members  and  2,425  Sunday-school 
scholars.  In  1876  the  numbers  were  105  traveling  and  237  local  preach- 
ers, 23,465  members,  10.413  Sunday-school  scholars,  190  churches  val- 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


678 

ued  at  $173,485,  and  11  parsonages  valued  at  $7,077.  The  boundaries 
of  this  conference,  according  to  the  discipline  of  1876  were,  on  the  east 
by  North  Carolina,  north  by  Virginia  and  Kentucky,  on  the  west  by  the 
western  summit  of  the  Cumberland  Mountains,  south  by  Georgia  and  the 
Blue  Ridge,  including  that  portion  of  North  Carolina  not  in  the  North 
Carolina  Conference.  The  statistics  of  the  Tennessee  Conference  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church  South  for  1846,  have  been  given  above.  In  1874 
its  limits  were  so  determined  as  to  include  Middle  Tennessee,  except  the 
Pikesville  District.  In  1876  it  reported  198  traveling  and  331  local  preach- 
ers, and  41,297  members.  In  1880  the  numbers  were  as  follows:  198  trav- 
eling and  343  local  preachers,  46,428  white,  and  15  colored  members;  22,- 
562  Sunday-school  scholars,  and  the  collections  for  missions  amounted  to 
$7,303.80.  In  1885  the  report  from  this  conference  showed  169  travel- 
ing and  314  local  preachers,  52,865  white,  and  11  colored  members;  24,- 
675  Sunday-school  scholars,  and  $12,610.65  collected  for  foreign  mis- 
sions, and  $3,368.20  for  domestic  missions. 

The  Tennessee  Conference  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was 
organized  at  Murfreesboro,  October  11,  1866,  by  Bishop  Clark,  under 
authority  of  the  General  Conference.  At  this  time  it  reported  40  trav- 
eling and  49  local  preachers,  3.173  members,  2,548  Sunday-school  schol- 
ars, and  13  churches,  valued  at  $59,100.  In  1868  its  boundaries  were 
so  determined  as  to  include  that  portion  of  Tennessee  not  included  in  the 
Holston  Conference.  In  1876  the  statistics  were  96  traveling  and  206 
local  preachers,  12,268  members,  8,359  Sunday-school  scholars,  142 
churches,  valued  at  $206,940,  and  7 parsonages,  valued  at  $2,500.  Un- 
der authority  of  the  General  Conference  of  1876  this  conference  was 
divided  by  separating  the  white  and  colored  work.  The  statistics  for 
1877  are  as  follows:  41  traveling  and  193  local  preachers,  11,638  mem- 
bers, 8,329  Sunday-school  scholars,  197  churches  valued  at  $137,028, 
and  15  parsonages  valued  at  $4,000. 

The  Memphis  Conference  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  South, 
a part  of  the  statistics  of  which  have  already  been  given,  was  set  off  from 
the  Tennessee  Conference  by  the  General  Conference,  which  met  in  Bal- 
timore June  1,  1840.  At  the  division  of  the  church  in  1845  it  adhered 
to  the  other  Southern  conferences.  Its  original  boundaries  were  as  fol- 
lows: “Bounded  on  the  east  by  the  Tombigbee  River,  Alabama  State 
Line  and  Tennessee  River;  on  the  north  by  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi 
Rivers;  west  by  the  Mississippi  River,  and  south  by  the  line  running 
due  east  from  the  Mississippi  River  to  the  southwest  corner  of  Talla- 
hatchie County;  thence  due  east  to  the  southeastern  corner  of  Yallabusha 
County ; thence  in  straight  line  to  the  northwestern  corner  of  Oktibaha 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


679 


County;  tlience  due  east  to  the  Tombigbee  River."  In  1874  the  south- 
ern boundary  was  changed  so  as  to  conform  to  the  State  line  between 
Tennessee  and  Mississippi.  In  1871  there  were  in  this  conference  278 
local  preachers  and  27,833  members.  In  1876  the  following  was  the  re- 
port: 125  traveling  and  276  local  preachers,  31,627  members  and  15,726 
Sunday-school  scholars.  In  1880  there  were  140  traveling  preachers, 
238  local  preachers,  33,329  white  members,  18,610  Sunday-school  schol- 
ars, and  amount  of  collections  for  missions,  $6,021.60,  and  in  1885  there 
were  127  traveling  preachers,  233  local  preachers,  28,584  white  mem- 
bers, 21,884  Sunday-school  scholars,  and  collections  for  foreign  missions, 
$6,757.62,  and  for  domestic  missions,  $1,032.41. 

The  convention  which  organized  this  church,  in  1845,  at  Louisville, 
favored  the  establishment  of  a book  concern,  and  appointed  two  book 
agents — Rev.  John  Early  and  Rev.  J.  B.  McFerrin — to  receive  proposals 
for  the  location  of  the  book  concern,  and  also  moneys  and  contributions 
for  building  up  the  same,  requiring  them  to  report  at  the  time  of  the 
General  Conference  to  be  held  at  Petersburg  May,  1846.  This  conference 
provided  for  a book  concern,'  ivith  Rev.  John  Early  as  agent,  and  assist- 
ants and  depositories  at  Louisville,  Charleston  and  Richmond.  The 
“plan  of  separation”  contemplated  an  equitable  division  of  the  common 
property,  but  the  General  Conference  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
subsequently  pronounced  the  plan  of  separation  null  and  void  and  re- 
fused to  abide  by  the  settlement  of  1844,  upon  which  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  South  took  the  case  to  the  civil  courts  and  secured  a 
decision  in  its  favor.  The  decree  relating  to  the  book  concern  was  given 
April  25,  1854.  The  proceeds  of  these  suits  were  as  follows:  Cash, 
$293,334.50;  notes  and  accounts  transferred,  $50,575.02;  book  stock, 
$20,000;  accounts  against  Richmond  and  Nashville  Christian  Advocate , 
$9,500;  presses  at  Richmond,  Charleston  and  Nashville,  $20,000,  and 
from  the  chartered  fund,  $17,712;  aggregate  $414,141.62.  The  total 
amount  realized  from  these  various  sums  was  $386,153.63.  The  General 
Conference  favored  a book  concern  proper  for  the  South,  and  accordingly 
the  committee  brought  in  a plan  for  a book  establishment  at  the  city  of 
Nashville  for  the  purpose  of  manufacturing  books,  to  be  called  the  Pub- 
lishing House  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  South,  to  be  under  the 
control  of  two  agents  and  a committee  of  three  to  be  called  the  book 
committee.  In  August,  1854,  the  agents  purchased  in  Nashville  a lot 
fronting  on  the  public  square  sixty-eight  feet  and  extending  back  to  the 
Cumberland  River  nearly  300  feet,  upon  which  buildings  were  erected 
from  three  to  four  stories  high,  costing  in  the  aggregate  $37,282.52.  In 
1858  the  General  Conference  determined  to  have  but  one  agent,  but 

O 7 


680 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


created  the  office  of  financial  secretary.  May  1,  1883,  the  assets  of  the 
publishing  house  were  $309,574.61,  and  its  liabilities  $192,157.21;  bal- 
ance, $117,417.40. 

The  Methodist  Protestant  Church  which  was  separated  from  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  1830,  mainly  on  account  of  differences 
regarding  church  polity,  found  a few  adherents  in  Tennessee.  The  Meth- 
odist Church  seceded  from  the  Methodist  Protestant  Church  in  1858  on 
the  question  of  slavery,  and  there  were  also  a few  adherents  of  this 
church  in  Tennessee.  But  the  numbers  of  neither  were  never  large ; hence 
a detailed  account,  either  of  their  history  or  doctrines  is  not  deemed  ad- 
visable in  this  work.  The  division  in  the  Methodist  Protestant  Church 
having  been  caused  wholly  by  slavery,  after  the  abolition  of  slavery  by 
the  civil  war,  the  two  bodies  formed  a reunion  in  1877  at  Baltimore.  At 
the  time  of  this  reunion  the  Methodist  Protestant  Church  had  in  its  Ten- 
nessee Conference  18  itinerant  ministers  and  preachers  and  1,209  mem- 
bers, and  in  its  West  Tennessee  Conference  17  itinerant  ministers  and 
preachers  and  1,140  members,  while  the  Methodist  Church  had  6 preach- 
ers and  230  members. 

The  work  of  the  Presbyterians  in  Tennessee  preceding  and  in  connec- 
tion with  the  great  revival  has  been  referred  to  in  preceding  pages.  In 
company  with  Rev.  Charles  Cummings  in  East  Tennessee  was  the  Rev. 
John  Rhea,  a native  of  Ireland,  and  whose  name  is  closely  associated 
with  the  formation  of  New  Bethel  Presbyterian  Church,  in  Sullivan  Coun- 
ty. These  two  were  the  first  Presbyterian  ministers  in  Tennessee.  They 
both  accompanied  Col.  Christian’s  expedition  against  the  Cherokees 
south  of  the  Little  Tennessee  River,  mentioned  in  the  Indian  chapter. 
After  this  expedition  Mr.  Rhea  returned  to  Maryland  with  the  intention 
of  bringing  his  family  to  Tennessee,  but  while  making  preparations  for  , 
the  removal,  died  there  in  1777.  His  widow  and  family,  however,  re- 
moved  to  the  Holston  settlement,  reaching  their  destination  in  1779. 
They,  with  other  Presbyterians,  became  members  of  New  Bethel  Church, 
located  in  the  fork  of  Holston  and  Watauga.  In  1778  Samuel  Doak  was 
ordained  by  the  Presbytery  of  Hanover  on  a call  from  the  congregations  j 
of  Concord  and  Hopewell,  north  of  Holston  River  in  what  is  now  Sulli- 
van County.  Preaching  here  two  years  Rev.  Mr.  Doak  removed  to  Little 
Limestone,  in  what  is  now  Washington  County,  in  which  latter  place  he 
remained  over  thirty  years.  In  connection  with  the  Rev.  Charles  Cum- 
mings in  1780,  he  organized  Concord,  New  Providence  and  Carter’s  Val- 


Providence  Church  was  organized  in  Greene  County  and  the  Rev.  Sam- 


HISTOBY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


681 


uel  Houston  called  to  the  pastorate,  serving  the  church  four  or  five  years 
when  he  returned  to  Virginia.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Doak  opened  a classical 
school,  which  in  1785  was  chartered  as  Martin  Academy,  the  first  insti- 
tution of  the  kind  west  of  the  Alleghanies.  In  the  same  year  Hezekiah 
Balch,  a member  of  the  Orange  Presbytery,  united  with  Rev.  Samuel 
Doak  and  Rev.  Charles  Cummings,  in  a petition  to  the  Synod  of  the  Car- 
olinas,  that  a new  presbytery  be  formed  west  of  the  Alleghanies, 
in  accordance  with  which  petition  the  Presbytery  of  Abingdon  was 
formed.  It  was  separated  from  Hanover  by  New  River  and  from  Orange 
by  the  Appalachian  Mountains,  and  extended  indefinitely  westward.  In 
May  of  the  next  year  Abingdon  Presbytery  was  divided  and  Transylva- 
nia Presbytery  created,  comprising  Kentucky  and  the  settlements  on  the 
Cumberland.  The  pioneer  columns  of  emigration  moved  through  the 
territory  of  Abingdon  Presbytery  to  occupy  the  country  beyond  the 
mountains. 

For  a number  of  years  after  its  formation  the  Presbyterian  body 
within  its  limits  was  in  a state  of  constant  internal  agitation,  resulting 
in  a schism  in  1796.  The  troubles  were  increased  if  not  originated 
by  the  visit  in  1782  of  the  Rev.  Adam  Rankin,  of  Scotch-Irish  parentage, 
but  born  near  Greencastle,  Penn.,  who  was  a zealot,  in  modern  parlance  a 
crank,  upon  the  subject  of  psalmody.  His  opposition  to  singing  any  other 
than  Rouse’s  version  of  the  Psalms  was  a sort  of  monomania;  while  oth- 
ers were  almost  as  strongly  in  favor  of  Watt’s  version.  On  this  subject 
the  controversy  waxed  very  bitter.  In  1786  the  synod  instituted  an  in- 
vestigation and  adopted  measures  which  it  vainly  hoped  would  settle  the 
dispute,  and  for  a time  satisfactory  results  seemed  to  have  been  reached 
and  peace  attained.  But  a difficulty  of  a different  kind  succeeded.  The 
Rev.  Hezekiah  Balch,  who  removed  to  Tennessee  in  1781,  caused  great 
trouble  to  the  early  Presbyterians,  by  persistently  preaching  “Hopkinsian- 
ism,”  a complicated  system  of  religious  thought  which  it  is  not  the  prov- 
ince of  this  book  to  discuss.  By  indiscretion  in  his  preaching  he  pro- 
voked determined  opposition.  The  subject  being  at  length  brought  be- 
fore the  presbytery,  a majority  of  its  members  voted  to  dismiss  the  case. 
Five  prominent  members,  three  of  whom  belonged  in  Tennessee,  viz. : 
Doak,  Lake  and  James  Balch,  withdrew  and  formed  the  Independent 
Presbytery  of  Abingdon.  The  case  came  before  the  Synod  of  the  Caro- 
linas  and  at  last  before  the  General  Assembly  which  severely  disciplined 
the  seceding  members  and  also  Rev.  Hezekiah  Balch,  upon  which  the 
seceding  members  submitted  and  the  Presbytery  of  Abingdon  was  consti- 
tuted as  before.  At  this  time  the  Presbytery  was  bounded  as  follows: 
From  New  River  on  the  northeast  to  the  frontiers  on  the  Tennessee 


682 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


River,  and  from  the  Bine  Ridge  of  the  Appalachian  Mountains  to  the 
Cumberland  Mountains.  It  contained  thirty-nine  congregations,  eleven 
of  them  in  Virginia,  three  in  North  Carolina  and  twenty-five  in  Ten- 
nessee. 

In  1797  the  Presbytery  of  Union  was  set  off  from  Abingdon,  embrac- 
ing Rev.  Hezekiah  Balch,  John  Casson,  Henderson,  Gideon  Blackburn 
and  Samuel  Carrick,  living  in  Abingdon  Presbytery  in  Tennessee, 
Rev.  Samuel  Doak,  Lake  and  James  Balch.  In  1793  the  city  of  Knox- 
ville was  laid  off  and  the  Rev.  Samuel  Carrick  commenced  laboring  there 
and  at  the  Fork  Church  at  the  confluence  of  French  Broad  and  Holston, 
four  miles  distant.  Mr.  Carrick  was  the  first  president  of  Blount  College, 
retaining  that  position  from  the  time  of  its  establishment  in  1784  to  his 
death  in  1809.  New  Providence  Church  was  established  at  the  present 
site  of  Maryville  in  1793  or  1794,  by  the  Rev.  Gideon  Blackburn,  who  was 
licensed  to  preach  by  the  Presbytery  of  Abingdon  in  1792.  After  peace 
was  made  with  the  Cherokee  Indians,  he  undertook  a mission  to  that  na- 
tion and  by  his  self-sacrificing  labors  among  them  laid  the  foundation  for 
the  subsequent  successful  mission  of  the  American  Board  among  the 
Cherokees.  In  1799  Greeneville  Presbytery  was  laid  off  from  the  upper 
end  of  Union.  Greeneville  Presbytery  was  dissolved  in  1804. 

The  Presbytery  of  Transylvania  had  charge  of  the  churches  on  the 
Cumberland  River  until  1810,  when  the  Presbytery  of  West  Tennessee 
was  erected  with  four  members.  In  this  year  the  Rev.  Gideon  Black- 
burn left  Maryville,  where  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Isaac  Anderson,  who 
was  the  principal  agent  in  establishing  the  Southern  and  Western 
Theological  Seminary,  incorporated  as  Maryville  College  in  1821.  In 
1811  lie  took  charge  of  Harpeth  Academy  near  Franklin  and  preached 
in  five  different  places  within  a radius  of  fifty  miles,  one  of  those  five 
places  being  Nashville,  his  efforts  resulting  in  the  establishment  of  a 
church  in  each  place,  these  churches  being  erected  into  a Presbytery. 
Churches  and  ministers  rapidly  increased  in  Middle  Tennessee.  The 
Presbytery  of  Shiloh  was  created  in  1816,  from  the  Presbytery  of  Mulil- 
enburg  in  Kentucky  and  the  Presbytery  of  West  Tennessee,  Shiloh  ex- 
tending nearly  to  the  southern  portion  of  the  State.  In  1823  Dr.  Black- 
burn was  succeeded  in  Nashville  by  the  Rev.  A.  D.  Campbell,  who  was 
himself  succeeded  in  1828  by  the  Rev.  Obadiah  Jennings.  In  1824  Dr. 
Phillip  Lindsley  came  to  Nashville  as  president  of  Cumberland  College, 
which  was  changed  to  the  University  of  Nashville  in  1826.  In  1829  the 
Presbytery  of  the  Western  District  was  organized  with  five  ministers, 
and  in  1830  the  first  Presbyterian  Church  in  Memphis  was  established. 

Following  is  given  briefly  the  synodical  relations  of  the  different 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


683 


presbyteries  which  were  wholly  or  in  part  in  Tennessee:  At  the  forma- 

tion of  the  General  Assembly  the  Presbytery  of  Abingdon  was  attached 
to  the  Synod  of  the  Carolinas,  but  in  1803  it  was  transferred  to  the 
Synod  of  Virginia.  The  Presbytery  of  Greener ille  belonged  to  the 
Synod  of  the  Carolinas.  The  Presbytery  of  Union  belonged  to  this 
synod  until  1810,  when  it  was  transferred  to  the  Synod  of  Kentucky. 
In  1817  the  Synod  of  Tennessee  was  organized,  being  composed  of  the 
Presbyteries  of  West  Tennessee,  Shiloh,  Union  and  Mississippi,  they 
being  detached  from  the  Synod  of  Kentucky.  The  Presbytery  of  Mis- 
souri was  attached  to  the  Synod  of  Tennessee  in  1818,  but  transferred  to 
the  Synod  of  Indiana  in  1826.  The  Presbytery  of  French  Broad  was 
erected  in  1825,  and  of  Holston  in  1826.  The  Synod  of  West  Tennessee 
was  formed  in  1826,  consisting  of  the  Presbyteries  of  West  Tennessee, 
Shiloh  and  North  Alabama,  to  which  was  added,  in  1829,  the  Presbytery 
of  Western  District.  In  1829  the  Presbytery  of  Mississippi  became  a 
part  of  the  Synod  of  Mississippi  and  South  Alabama,  and  the  Synod  of 
Tennessee  was  composed  of  the  Presbyteries  of  Abingdon,  Union,  French 
Broad  and  Holston.  These  four  presbyteries  with  those  of  West  Ten- 
nessee and  Western  District,  representing  the  strength  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church  within  the  limits  of  the  State,  contained  in  1830  an  aggre- 
gate of  nearly  100  churches  and  71  ministers. 

From  this  time  on  until  the  year  1861  the  Presbyterian  Church  in 
Tennessee  continued  to  grow  and  prosper.  In  that  year  the  General 
Assembly  at  Philadelphia  passed  what  has  since  been  known  as  the 
Spring  Resolutions,  which  hopelessly  divided  the  Presbyterian  Church  in 
the  United  States.  All  of  the  churches  in  Tennessee,  as  was  to  be  ex- 
pected, cast  in  their  lot  with  the  Presbyterian  Church  South.  The  his- 
tory of  this  movement  with  its  causes,  as  seen  by  the  Southern  Presby- 
terians, is  given  largely  in  the  language  of  the  minutes  of  the  Southern 
General  Assembly,  and  is  here  introduced.  A convention  of  twenty  dele- 
gates from  the  various  Presbyteries  in  the  Confederate  States  of  Amer- 
ica met  at  Atlanta,  Ga.,  August  15,  1861,  of  whom  Rev.  J.  Bardwell  was 
from  the  Presbytery  of  Nashville.  This  convention  said  with  reference 
to  the  separation  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  into  two  bodies: 

“While  this  convention  is  far  from  ignoring  the  pain  of  separation 
from  many  with  whom  it  has  been  our  delight  as  Presbyterians  to  act  in 
former  years,  it  cannot  conceal  the  gratification  which  it  experiences  in 
the  contemplation  of  the  increased  facilities  for  doing  a great  work  for 
the  church  and  for  God  afforded  by  the  severance  of  our  previous  politi- 
cal and  ecclesiastical  relations. 

“Our  connection  with  the  non-slave-holding  State,  it  cannot  be  denied, 


684 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


was  a great  hindrance  to  the  systematic  perfformance  of  the  work  of 
evangelization  of  the  slave  population.  It  is  time  that  the  Northern  por- 
tion of  the  Presbyterian  Church  professed  to  be  conservative,  but  the 
opposition  to  our  social  economy  was  constantly  increasing.  Conserva- 
tism was  only  a flimsy  covering  for  the  evil  intent  which  lay  in  the 
heart  of  the  Northern  churches.  In  the  last  General  Assembly  Dr. 
Yeomans,  a former  moderator  of  the  assembly,  regarded  as  the  very  em- 
bodiment of  conservatism,  did  not  hesitate  to  assign  as  a reason  for  the 
rejection  of  Dr.  Spring’s  resolution  that  the  adoption  of  it,  by  driving  off 
the  Southern  brethren,  would  forever  bar  the  Northern  church  against 
all  efforts  to  affect  a system  of  involuntary  servitude  in  the  South.” 

At  a meeting  of  ministers  and  ruling  elders  which  met  at  Augusta, 
Ga.,  December  4,  1861,  for  the  purpose  of  organizing  a General  Assem- 
bly of  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  the  Confederate  States  of  America, 
the  following  members  from  Tennessee  were  present:  Synod  of  Mem- 

phis— Chickasaw  Presbytery,  William  Y.  Frierson  and  H.  H.  Kimmon;, 
Memphis  Presbytery,  John  M.  Waddel,  D.  D.,  and  J.  T.  Swayne;  ths- 
Western  District,  James  H.  Gillespie;  Synod  of  Nashville — Holston 
Presbytery,  J.  W.  Elliott  and  S.  B.  McAdams;  Knoxville  Presbytery,  E, 
O.  Currey  and  Joseph  A.  Brooks;  Maury  Presbytery,  Shepard  Wells; 
Nashville  Presbytery,  R.  B.  McMullen,  D.  D.,  and  A.  W.  Pntnam;  Tus- 
cumbia  Presbytery,  James  H.  Lorance  and  L.  B.  Thornton. 

The  title  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  the  Confederate  States  of 
America,  and  also  the  confession  of  faith,  the  catechism,  the  form 
of  government,  the  book  of  discipline  and  the  directory  of  worship 
were  also  adopted,  only  substituting  the  words  Confederate  States  for 
United  States.  At  this  session  of  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church  of  the  Confederate  States  of  America  an  address  was  de- 
livered setting  forth  the  causes  that  impelled  them  to  separate  from  the 
church  of  the  North,  in  which  they  said: 

“We  should  be  sorry  to  be  regarded  by  the  brethren  in  any  part  of 
the  world  as  guilty  of  schism.  We  are  not  conscious  of  any  purpose  to 
rend  the  body  of  Christ.  On  the  contrary  our  aim  was  to  permit  the 
unity  of  the  spirit  in  the  bonds  of  peace.  ***** 
We  have  separated  from  our  brethren  of  the  North  as  Abraham  separated 
from  Lot — because  we  are  persuaded  that  the  interests  of  true  religion 
will  be  more  effectually  subserved  by  two  independent  churches.  Under 
the  circumstances  under  which  the  two  countries  are  placed  they  cannot 
be  one  united  body.  In  the  first  place  the  course  of  the  last  assembly  at 
Philadelphia  conclusively  shows  that  should  we  remain  together  the  polit- 
ical questions  which  divide  us  as  citizens  will  be  obtruded  upon  our 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


685 


church  courts  and  discussed  by  Christian  ministers  and  elders  with  all 
the  acrimony,  bitterness  and  rancor  with  which  such  questions  are 
usually  discussed  by  men  of  the  world.  A mournful  spectacle  of  strife 
and  debate  would  be  the  result.  Commissioners  from  the  Northern 
would  meet  commissioners  from  the  Southern  conferences  to  wrangle 
over  the  question  which  have  split  them  into  two  conferences  and 
involved  them  in  fierce  and  bloody  war.  They  would  denounce  each  other 
on  the  one  hand  as  tyrants  and  oppressors,  and  on  the  other  as  traitors 
and  rebels.  The  Spirit  of  God  would  take  His  departure  from  these 
scenes  of  confusion,  and  leave  the  church  lifeless  and  powerless — an 
easy  prey  to  the  sectional  divisions  and  angry  passions  of  its  members. 
*******  The  characteristics 

of  the  man  and  the  citizen  will  prove  stronger  than  the  charity  of  the 
Christian.  We  cannot  condemn  a man  in  one  breath  as  unfaithful  to 
the  most  solemn  earthly  interests  of  his  country  and  his  race,  and  com- 
mend him  in  the  next  as  a true  and  faithful  servant  of  God.  If  we  dis- 
trust his  patriotism  our  confidence  is  apt  to  be  very  measured  in  his 
piety.  The  only  conceivable  condition,  therefore,  upon  which  the  church 
of  the  North  and  the  South  could  remain  together  as  one  body  with 
any  prospect  of  success,  is  the  vigorous  exclusion  of  the  questions  and 
passions  of  the  former  from  its  halls  of.  debate.  The  provinces  of  the 
church  and  State  are  perfectly  distinct.  The  State  is  a society  of  rights, 
the  church  is  the  society  of  the  redeemed.  The  former  aims  at  social 
order,  the  latter  at  spiritual  holiness.  The  State  looks  to  the  visible  and 
outward,  the  church  to  the  invisible  and  inward.  The  power  of  the 
church  is  exclusively  spiritual,  that  of  the  State  includes  the  exercise  of 
force.  The  constitution  of  the  church  is  a divine  relation,  the  constitu- 
tion of  the  State  must  be  determined  by  human  reason  and  the  course 
of  events. 

uHad  these  principles  been  sturdily  maintained  by  the  Assembly  of 
Philadelphia,  it  is  possible  that  the  ecclesiastical  separation  of  the  North 
and  South  might  have  been  deferred  for  years.  But  alas  for  the  weak- 
ness of  man  those  golden  visions  were  soon  dispelled.  The  first  thing 
that  led  our  presbyteries  to  look  the  question  of  separation  seriously  in 
the  face,  was  the  course  of  the  assembly  in  venturing  in  determining  as 
a court  of  Jesus  Christ,  which  it  did  by  necessary  implication,  the  true 
interpretation  of  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States  as  to  the  kind  of 
government  it  intended  to  form.  A political  theory  was  to  all  intents 
and  purposes  propounded  which  made  secession  a crime,  the  seceding 
States  rebellious  and  the  citizens  who  obeyed  them  traitors.  We  say 
nothing  here  as  to  the  righteousness  or  honesty  of  these  decrees.  What 


68  6 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


we  maintain  is  that  whether  right  or  wrong  the  church  had  no  right  to 
make  them.  She  transcended  her  sphere  ahd  usurped  the  duties  of  the 
State.  The  assembly,  driven  from  its  ancient  moorings,  was  tossed  to 
and  fro  by  the  Avaves  of  populace;  like  Pilate  it  obeyed  the  clamor  of  the 
multitude,  and  though  acting  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  it  kissed  the  scepter 
and  bowed  to  the  mandates  of  Northern  frenzy. 

“Though  the  immediate  occasion  of  separation  Avas  the  course  of  the 
General  Assembly  at  Philadelphia  in  relation  to  the  General  Government 
and  the  war,  there  was  another  ground  on  which  the  independent  organi- 
zation of  the  Southern  church  could  be  scripturally  maintained.  The 
unity  of  the  church  does  • not  require  a formal  bond  of  union  among 
all  the  congregations  of  believers  throughout  the  earth.  It  does  not  de- 
mand a vast  imperial  monarchy  like  that  of  Rome,  nor  a strictly  council 
like  that  to  which  the  complete  development  of  Presbyterianism  would 
naturally  give  rise.  As  the  unity  of  the  human  race  is  not  disturbed  by 
its  division  into  countries  and  nations,  so  the  unity  of  the  spiritual  king- 
dom of  Christ  is  neither  broken  nor  impaired  by  separation  and  division 
into  various  church  constitutions,  and  so  forth.” 

The  same  assembly  ventured  to  lay  before  the  Christian  world  their 
views  of  slavery,  and  their  conclusion  was  that  the  church  had  no  right 
to  preach  to  the  South  the  extirpation  of  slavery  any  more  than  they  had 
to  preach  to  the  monarchies  of  Europe  and  the  despotisms  of  Asia  the 
doctrine  of  equality,  unless  it  could  be  shown  that  slavery  was  a sin. 
Eor  if  slavery  were  not  a sin,  then  it  was  a question  for  the  State  to 
settle.  The  assembly  then  attempted  to  prove  that  slavery  was  not  at 
variance  Avitli  the  Bible,  and  therefore  not  a sin.  The  argument  on  this 
point  can  not  be  here  given,  but  it  Avas  the  same  that  was  ahvays  relied 
upon  to  prove  that  slavery  Avas  not  necessarily  a sin.  Thus  was  the  Pres- 
byterian Church  of  the  South  launched  upon  its  individual  existence. 

The  minutes  of  the  General  Assembly"  do  not  give  any"  statistics  of 
value  previous  to  1863.  The  fund  for  church  extension  Avas  then  but 
$142.75,  of  which  $100  had  been  appropriated  to  a church  in  Tennessee, 
and  $30  to  one  in  Georgia.  In  this  year  according  to  the  best  estimate 
that  can  be  made  there  were  5,830  members  of  the  Presbyderian  Church 
in  Tennessee.  In  1865  the  name  of  the  church  was  changed  to  the 
Presbyterian  Church  of  the  United  States.  Thus  the  Spring  resolutions 
compelled  the  organization  of  the  Southern  Presbyterian  Church.  The 
necessary  result  of  political  legislation  by"  the  General  Assembly  of  1861 
was  to  force  the  entire  Southern  constituency  out  of  that  connection. 
The  Southern  Assembly  earnestly  asserted  that  the  church  Avas  a non- 
secAilar,  non-political  institution,  that  it  was  wholly  spiritual  in  its  nature 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


687 


and  mission,  and  entirely  separate  from  and  independent  of  the  State, 
and  this  position  it  has  ever  since  maintained.  This  conception  of  the 
true  nature  of  the  Church  of  Christ  has  caused  the  Southern  Presbyte- 
rian Church  to  reject  all  overtures  made  by  the  Northern  General  As- 
sembly looking  toward  a reunion,  for  both  Old  and  New  School  Presby- 
terians in  the  North  (a  distinction  scarcely  known  in  Tennessee)  per- 
sisted in  the  utterance  of  political  doctrines,  which,  whether  true  or  false, 
they  were  inhibited  from  uttering  by  the  Bible  and  by  their  own  statute 
law.  These  utterances,  which  the  Southern  church  regards  illegal,  re- 
main unrepealed  and  upon  the  records,  preventing  the  two  churches  from 
uniting  into  one.  No  disavowal  of  them  has  been  made,  as  of  words  in- 
considerately uttered  in  times  of  excitement,  and  until  such  action  shall 
be  taken  by  the  Northern  church  it  is  improbable  that  a reunion  will 
ever  be  effected.  In  1866  in  Presbytery  of  Memphis  there  were  1,184 
communicants;  the  Presbytery  of  the  Western  District,  1,058;  Presby- 
tery of  Holston,  987;  Presbytery  of  Knoxville,  123  ; Presbytery  of  Nash- 
ville, 1,320,  and  in  the  Presbytery  of  Alabama,  1.164.  Total,  5,836. 

In  1870  the  following  were  the  number  of  communicants:  Presby- 
tery of  Memphis,  1,913;  Presbytery  of  the  Western  District,  1,034; 
Presbytery  of  Holston,  1,571;  Presbytery  of  Knoxville,  856;  Presbytery 
of  Nashville,  2,074;  Presbytery  of  North  Alabama,  including  4 churches 
in  Alabama,  12  in  Mississippi  and  23  in  Tennessee,  1,804;  a total  of 
9,252.  In  1880  the  following  were  the  statistics:  Presbytery  of  Mem- 
phis, 2,041;  Presbytery  of  the  Western  District,  939;  Presbytery  of 
Columbia,  1,713;  Presbytery  of  Holston,  2,030;  Presbytery  of  Knoxville, 
1,227;  Presbytery  of  Nashville,  3,388;  a total  of  11,338.  In  1885  the 
statistics  were  as  follows:  Presbytery  of  Memphis,  communicants,  2,055; 
churches,  36;  Sunday-school  scholars,  1,448.  Presbytery  of  the  West- 
ern District,  communicants,  1,375;  churches  25;  Sunday-school  schol- 
ars, 533.  Presbytery  of  Columbia,  communicants,  1,599;  churches,  25; 
Sunday-school  scholars,  1,061.  Presbytery  of  Holston,  communicants, 
2,136;  churches,  38;  Sunday-school  scholars,  1,241.  Presbytery  of 
Knoxville,  communicants,  1,314;  churches,  25;  Sunday-school  scholars, 
1,098.  Presbytery  of  Nashville,  communicants,  3,393;  churches,  34; 
Sunday-school  scholars,  2,673.  Total  communicants,  11,872;  churches, 
183;  Sunday-school  scholars,  8,054. 

The  Baptists  also  profited  by  the  great  revival,  but  perhaps  not  to  the 
same  or  a proportionate  extent,  as  did  the  Methodists.  They  were  in 
Tennessee  as  early  perhaps  as  any  other  denomination.  In  1781  they 
iad  six  organized  churches  holding  relations  with  an  association  in 
^orth  Carolina,  which,  with  a few  others,  were  in  1786  formed  into  the 


688 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Holston  Association,  the  first  association  formed  in  the  State.  Among 
the  first  Baptist  ministers  in  East  Tennessee  were  James  Keel,  Thomas 
Murrell,  Matthew  Talbot,  Isaac  Barton,  William  Murphy,  John  Chastine, 
Tidence  Lane  and  William  Reno.  These  ministers  usually  settled  on 
farms  and  made  their  own  living  by  tilling  the  soil  or  by  teaching  school, 
preaching  Sundays,  or  at  night  in  schoolhouses,  in  private  houses,  in  im- 
provised meeting-houses  or  in  the  open  air,  as  the  case  might  be.  In 
1790  the  Holston  Association  had  889  members,  and  in  1800  it  had  37 
churches  and  2,500  members.  In  1802  the  Tennessee  Association  was 
organized  in  territory  in  the  immediate  neighborhood  of  Knoxville. 
Some  of  the  ministers  connected  with  this  new  organization  were  Duke 
Kimbrough,  Elijah  Rogers,  Joshua  Frost,  Amos  Hardin,  Daniel  Layman 
and  William  Bellew.  In  1817  Powell’s  Valley  Association  was  organ- 
ized with  12  churches.  In  1822  Hiwassee  Association,  consisting  of  10 
churches,  was  organized,  which,  in  1830,  was  divided  into  two  associa- 
tions, the  new  organization  being  named  Sweetwater  Association,  and  be- 
ing composed  of  17  churches  and  1,100  members. 

In  Middle  Tennessee  the  first  Baptist  Church  was  organized  it  is  be- 
lieved in  1786,  by  Joseph  Grammer,  on  Red  River.  In  1791  the  “Red 
River  Baptist  Church”  was  founded  on  the  Sulphur  Fork  of  Red  River. 
This  and  other  churches  in  existence  at  that  time  were  organized  into 
the  Mero  District  Association.  Soon  afterward  other  churches  were  or- 
ganized in  the  vicinity  of  Nashville:  Mill  Creek  Church,  four  miles  south 
of  the  city,  Rev.  J ames  Whitsitt,  pastor ; Richland  Ci’eek  Church,  six 
miles  west,  Rev.  John  De  La  Hunte  (afterward  Dillahunty),  pastor,  and 
another  church  a little  further  west,  of  which  the  Rev.  Garner  McConnico 
was  pastor.  On  account  of  internal  dissensions  this  association  was  dis- 
solved, and  in  1803  the  Cumberland  Association  was  formed.  When 
this  association  became  too  large  it  was  divided  into  two,  the  new  organi- 
zation being  named  the  Red  River  Association.  In  1810  the  Concord 
Association  was  formed,  its  territory  having  Nashville  for  its  center.  In 
1822  this  association  was  divided  and  Salem  formed  with  twenty-seven 
churches.  Among  the  ministers  active  in  this  part  of  the  State  in  addi- 
tion to  those  mentioned  above  were  the  following:  Joseph  Dorris,  Daniel 
Brown,  John  Wiseman,  Joshua  Sester,  John  Bond  and  Jesse  Cox. 

Up  to  this  time  there  had  been  but  little  if  any  trouble  in  the  church 
respecting  doctrines.  There  was  very  general  if  not  universal  assent  to 
the  great  fundamental  doctrines  of  the  church,  which  were  strictly  andj 
with  some  of  the  ministers  hyper-Calvinistic.  These  were  particular  and 
unconditional  election  and  reprobation,  that  Christ  died  only  for  the  elect, 
that  none  of  the  elect  could  by  any  possibility  be  lost,  and  that  none  of 


HISTOEY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


689 


ihe  non-elect  could  by  any  possibility  be  saved.  But  now  the  doctrine 
of  election  and  the  extent  of  the  atonement,  whether  it  was  general  or 
limited  in  its  design,  began  to  agitate  the  church.  A similar  contro- 
versy occurred  in  eastern  Kentucky  about  1780,  resulting  in  a division  of 
the  denomination  into  regular  and  separate  Baptists.  The  result  in 
Tennessee  was  the  same,  only  more  widely  felt.  The  origin  of  this  con- 
troversy in  Tennessee  seems  to  have  been  as  follows : Elder  Reuben 
Ross,  who  had  emigrated  from  North  Carolina  in  1807,  settling  near 
Port  Royal,  Montgomery  County,  and  preaching  mainly  in  that  and 
Stewart  County  for  many  years,  during  his  early  ministry  became  much 
troubled  and  perplexed  over  the  doctrines  of  election  and  predestination. 
He  could  not  reconcile  with  his  own  ideas  of  justice  the  thought  that 
Cod  in  the  plenitude  of  His  wisdom  and  goodness  had  doomed  to  ever- 
lasting misery  and  to  eternal  bliss  separate  portions  of  the  human  race, 
from  before  the  beginning  of  time,  without  reference  to  their  merits  or  de- 
serts, simply  because  it  was  His  own  will  and  pleasure  so  to  decree.  His 
study  of  the  sacred  Scriptures  led  him  to  the  opposite  conclusion.  The 
sacred  writings  declare  that  God’s  tender  mercies  are  over  all  His  works, 
that  He  is  no  respecter  of  persons,  but  in  every  nation  he  that  fears  Him 
and  works  righteousness  is  accepted  of  Him. 

Upon  his  arrival  in  Tennessee  Elder  Ross  found  his  fellow  Baptists 
entertaining  rigid  Calvinistic  views  with  great  tenacity,  and  although 
out  of  respect  for  the  opinions  of  the  many  great  and  good  men  who 
had  lived  and  died  in  that  faith  he  had  not  publicly  opposed  their  doc- 
trinal teachings,  yet  he  could  not  but  doubt  their  correctness,  and  in  order 
to  fully  satisfy  his  judgment  of  the  Biblical  soundness  of  his  own  views  he 
brought  to  bear  on  the  study  of  this  question  all  the  faculties  of  his 
mind,  using  all  the  means  in  his  possession  to  the  investigation  of  a sub- 
ject which  he  felt  to  be  one  of  the  most  important  in  the  entire  range  of 
Christian  theology.  In  the  Old  Testament  no  passage  bearing  upon  this 
subject  is  more  remarkable  perhaps  than  that  found  in  Ezekiel,  chapter 
xviii,  verses  21  to  32  inclusive.  These  various  texts  seemed  to  him  to 
prove  conclusively  that  man’s  salvation  is  conditional  instead  of  uncondi- 
tional, and  the  more  he  studied  the  Bible  the  more  settled  was  he  in  the 
conviction  that  this  is  the  true  position.  The  underlying  principle  of 
ends  accomplished  by  the  adoption  of  means  is  everywhere  visible  in  na- 
ture and  the  world,  and  using  this  as  an  analogy  Elder  Ross  had  his  con- 
viction strengthened  that  salvation,  if  obtained  at  all,  is  obtained  or 
achieved  by  or  through  efforts  put  forth  by  ourselves,  or  that  it  is  condi- 
tioned on  the  employment  of  proper  means.  The  first  sermon  in  which  this 
doctrine  was  clearly  and  distinctly  enunciated  was  preached  in  July,  1817, 


690 


HISTOEY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


at  the  funeral  of  Miss  Eliza  Norfleet,  who  had  died  a short  time  previously 
at  Port  Royal,  Teiin.  This  sermon  was  a remarkable  one,  not  only  for  the 
deep  impression  made  on  the  minds  of  the  auditors,  but  also  for  the  im- 
portant consequences  which  followed.  The  substance  of  the  sermon 
was  that  although  the  human  race  is  in  a state  of  alienation  from  God 
on  account  of  disobedience  and  rebellion  against  His  laws,  yet  Christ,  by 
His  suffering  and  death  had  made  an  atonement  sufficient  for  the  sins  of 
the  whole  world;  that  salvation  is  free  to  all  who  will  accept  the  terms, 
repentance,  faith,  love  and  obedience,  to  become  followers  of  the  meek 
and  lowly  Jesus;  that  while  the  Holy  Spirit  is  given  to  influence  men  to 
believe  in  Christ,  yet  He  never  operates  on  the  human  soul  in  such  a 
way  or  with  such  power  as  to  destroy  its  free  agency,  and  hence  with 
man  is  left  the  fearful  responsibility  of  determining  whether  he  will  be 
saved  or  lost,  that  the  election  spoken  of  in  the  Bible  is  not  uncondi- 
tional, but  always  has  reference  to  character  and  conduct,  etc. 

Having  finished  his  sermon  he  descended  from  the  pulpit  or  platform 
erected  in  a grove  of  shady  trees,  and  without  exchanging  a word  with 
any  one  returned  directly  to  his  home,  twenty  miles  distant.  His  auditors 
generally  approved  of  the  sentiments  expressed  in  his  sermons,  but  a 
small  group  of  elderly,  dignified  and  gray-haired  men,  who  could  clearly 
see  the  tendency  of  such  preaching,  earnestly  attempted  to  decide  on 
what  course  it  was  best  to  follow.  At  length  it  was  decided  to  send 
Elder  Port  to  expostulate  with  Elder  Ross  upon  the  strangeness  of  his 
views,  and  to  persuade  him,  if  possible,  to  reconsider  his  position  and 
save  his  church  from  the  great  reproach  that  must  otherwise  come  upon 
it  of  falling  into  the  grievous  heresy  of  Arminianism.  Elder  Fort  en- 
tered upon  the  execution  of  his  mission,  saw  Elder  Ross,  and  returned  to 
his  friends  converted  to  the  views  of  Elder  Ross.  The  new  views  spread 
quite  rapidly  among  the  Baptist  Churches,  as  all  new  views  upon  re- 
ligious doctrines  are  sure  to  spread  more  or  less  widely,  whether  scrip- 
tural or  un scriptural,  true  or  false. 

The  preaching  of  the  new  doctrines  went  on.  In  some  churches  the 
majority  of  the  members  were -in  their  favor;  in  some  the  majority  were 
in  favor  of  the  old,  while  in  others  the  members  were  about  equally 
divided.  If  any  one,  dissatisfied  with  the  new  or  old  doctrines  preached 
in  his  church,  desired  to  sever  his  connection  therewith,  he  was  given  a 
letter  of  dismission  to  any  other  church  holding  views  similar  to  his  own. 
In  1823  Christopher  Owen,  a worthy  member  of  Spring  Creek  Church, 
of  which  Elder  Ross  was  then  pastor,  preferred  charges  against  him  of 
preaching  un scriptural  doctrine,  but  as  the  church  decided  by  a unanimous 
vote  that  the  charge  could  not  be  sustained,  it  was  withdrawn.  In  the 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


691 

same  year  a convention  of  delegates  from  the  churches  of  the  Red  River 
Association  met  in  the  Union  Meeting-house,  Logan  County,  Ky.,  for  the 
ostensible  purpose  of  restoring  peace  within  its  limits.  Upon  the  meet- 
ing of  the  convention,  however,  it  soon  became  apparent  that  many  mem- 
bers of  the  convention  were  determined  upon  obtaining  peace  by  bring- 
ing Elder  Ross  to  trial  and  by  condemning  and  suppressing  his  opinions. 
A charge  was  preferred  against  him  of  preaching  doctrines  contrary  to 
the  “Abstract  of  Principles,”  which  took  him  somewhat  by  surprise,  but 
upon  recovering  himself  he  demanded  a trial  upon  the  question  as  to 
whether  his  preaching  was  contrary  to  the  Bible.  This  demand  took  the 
convention  by  surprise,  and  as  no  member  of  it  was  willing  to  meet  him 
on  that  ground,  his  trial  did  not  come  olf.  Peace,  however,  had  departed 
from  the  church  by  the  introduction  by  Elder  Ross  of  his  heretical  opin- 
ions ; hence  when  the  association  met  next  year  lie  proposed  a peaceful 
division  of  the  association,  upon  which  proposition  the  association  acted, 
and  as  a final  result  the  convention  which  met  October  28,  1825,  organ- 
ized the  Bethel  Association,  into  which  the  following  churches  entered: 
Red  River,  Spring  Creek,  Drake’s  Pond,  Mount  Gilead,  Bethel,  Little 
West  Fork,  New  Providence  and  Pleasant  Grove.  Afterward  Elkton, 
Lebanon,  Mount  Zion,  Russellville  and  Union  joined  the  association. 
The  original  number  of  churches  in  this  association  was  eight,  and  the 
membership  about  700;  before  the  death  of  Elder  Ross  the  number  of 
churches  had  increased  to  sixty-two,  and  the  membership  to  more  than 
7,000,  and  this,  notwithstanding  the  withdrawal  of  many  of  its  members 
to  join  the  movement  for  reformation  which  finally  culminated  in  the 
formation  of  the  Christian  Church.  The  churches  that  thus  seceded  and 
formed  the  Bethel  Association  were  called  Separate  Baptists.  But  after 
the  formation  of  the  Bethel  Association  and  the  advent  of  the  “Cur- 
rent Reformation,”  as  Alexander  Campbell’s  movement  was  called,  there 
were  a number  of  years  of  comparative  peace.  Progress  had  been  made, 
harmony  as  a general  thing  had  been  preserved,  and  the  members  of  the 
Baptists  had  increased  in  about  the  same  proportion  as  the  population  of 
the  State.  But  the  work  of  evangelization  had  been  performed  by  indi- 
vidual ministers  at  their  own  convenience  and  expense.  About  the  year 
1883,  however,  a general  revival  began,  and  the  importance  of  an  organ- 
ized plan  for  supplying  the  destitute  with  the  gospel,  and  of  extending 
the  influence  of  their  denominational  principles,  was  clearly  seen  and  felt. 
A plan  was  therefore  originated  in  Middle  Tennessee  by  Garner  Mc- 
Connico,  James  Whitsitt  and  Peter  S.  Gayle,  at  Mill  Creek,  near  Nashville, 
in  October  of  this  year,  a Baptist  State  Convention  being  then  organized. 
Three  boards  were  appointed  to  conduct  its  affairs,  one  for  each  grand 


692 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


division  of  tlie  State.  This  plan  being  found  impracticable,  the  East 
Tennessee  Baptists  withdrew  and  formed  the  General  Association  of  East 
Tennessee,  the  principal  ministers  engaged  in  this  work  being  Samuel 
Love,  James  Kennon,  Elijah  Rogers,  Charles  Taliaferro,  Richard  H. 
Taliaferro,  Robert  Sneed  and  William  Bellew.  This  movement  imparted 
new  life  into  the  great  body  of  the  church,  filled  the  ministry  with  re- 
newed zeal,  and  considerably  increased  the  membership  of  the  Baptist 
Church  in  the  State,  though  one  of  the  results  was  the  secession  of  a few 
thousands  of  anti-Mission  Baptists.  One  peculiar  feature  of  Baptist 
evangelization,  especially  in  early  days,  was  this,  that  their  efforts  were 
mainly  expended  in  the  country,  as  was  also  largely  the  case  with  the 
Methodists,  while  the  Presbyterians,  avIio  insisted  on  an  educated  min- 
istry, and  later  the  Episcopalians,  were  for  the  most  part  confined  to  the 
towns  and  cities.  The  result  of  this  division  is  even  yet  visible  in  certain 
portions  of  the  State. 

In  1847  the  Baptists  in  East  Tennessee  numbered  19,963,  of  whom 
0,573  were  anti-Mission.  In  1858  the  Regular  Baptists  had  increased  to 
19,103,  the  anti-Mission  portion  remaining  at  about  the  same  numbers  as 
above  given,  while  in  1880  the  Regular  Baptists  amounted  to  45,000 
white  and  2,000  colored,  and  the  anti-Mission  Baptists  to  5,000,  in  all  a 
trifle  over  52,000. 

In  Middle  Tennessee  some  years  after  the  division  into  Regular  and 
Separate  Baptists,  as  the  result  of  Elder  Ross’  preaching,  the  doctrines 
of  the  reformation  reached  this  part  of  the  country,  and  produced  a 
profound  sensation  among  all  classes  of  the  people.  Campbellism  and 
anti-Campbellism  were  endlessly  and  bitterly  discussed.  Quite  a num- 
ber of  Baptist  preachers  embraced  Campbellism,  and  in  some  instances, 
where  the  preacher  was  of  a superior  order,  almost  the  entire  congrega- 
tion went  over  with  him.  This  was  the  case  with  the  First  Baptist 
Church  at  Nashville,  which  had  grown  up  to  be  a large  and  flourishing 
community,  having  a membership  of  over  300.  Their  pastor  was  the 
Rev.  Phillip  S.  Fall,  who  was  young  and  talented.  All  of  the  members 
except  about  twelve  or  fifteen  went  over  with  their  pastor  to  the  reforma- 
tion. The  feature  of  the  new  doctrine  which  had  most  influence  with  the 
people  was  that  of  “baptism  for  the  remission  of  sins/”  On  all  occasions 
the  reformers  promised  forgiveness  of  sin  and  the  gift  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  to  all  those  who  would  make  the  “good  confession” — that  Jesus 
Christ  is  the  Son  of  God,  promise  to  obey  the  gospel  and  submit  to 
immersion.  The  terms  seemed  so  easy  that  many  accepted  them  and 
were  baptized,  while  others,  fearing  that  there  might  be  some  mistake, 
hesitated  until  they  should  be  able  to  show  forth  “works  meet  for  repent- 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


69^ 


ance.’”  The  controversy  over  the  doctrine  of  the  reformation  was  ex- 
ceedingly bitter  for  a number  of  years : and  when  the  smoke  of  the  battle 
had  cleared  away,  a new  denomination  was  added  to  those  which  some 
erroneously  thought  too  numerous  already,  but  the  Bethel  Baptist  Asso- 
ciation retained  its  numbers,  strength  and  prestige  at  the  end  of  the 
strife,  having  over  some  sixty  churches  within  her  limits. 

The  few  Baptists  who  in  Nashville  adhered  to  the  faith  reorganized 
their  church,  and  for  a time  had  for  their  pastor  Elder  P.  S.  Gayle.  In 
1833  Elder  Gayle  resigned,  and  the  church  hearing  of  a remarkable 
debate  at  Norfolk  between  Rev.  R.  B.  C.  Howell,  of  Virginia,  and  an 
Episcopal  minister,  from  which  the  Baptists  of  Nashville  concluded  that 
Dr.  Howell  was  the  man  needed  to  combat  the  heresies  of  Campbellism, 
and  extended  to  him  a call  to  the  pastorate,  which  he  accepted  in  1834. 
Dr.  Howell  labored  with  such  ability,  enthusiasm  and  success  that  within 
a few  years  the  Baptists  in  Nashville  had  regained  their  lost  ground,  had 
built  the  fine  church  building  on  Summer  Street  between  Cedar  and 
Union,  and  had  a membership  of  over  500. 

After  the  East  Tennessee  Baptists  had  withdrawn  from  the  State 
Convention,  as  above  recorded,  those  of  Middle  Tennessee  likewise  with- 
drew and  formed  an  independent  organization,  which  they  named  the 
General  Association  of  Middle  Tennessee.  Northern  Alabama  was  after- 
ward added  to  the  association,  In  addition  to  its  evangelical  work,  this 
General  Association,  aided  by  each  of  the  other  divisions  of  the  State, 
established  Union  University  at  Murfreesboro,  which,  after  a somewhat 
brief  career,  was  finally  suspended  in  1873  by  a general  convention, 
which  established  the  Southwestern  Baptist  University  at  Jackson.  In 
Middle  Tennessee  the  Baptists  have  the  Mary  Sharpe  Female  College  at 
Winchester. 

West  Tennessee  was  not  favored  with  Baptist  influences  until  about 
the  time  of  the  revival  in  1833.  Since  then  they  have  made  substantial 
progress.  Some  of  their  early  pioneer  ministers  were  the  following : J erry 
Burns,  Thomas  Owen,  P.  S.  Gayle,  C.  C.  Conner,  N.  G.  Smith,— Collins, 
George  N.  Young,  J.  M.  Hurt  and  David  Haliburton.  West  Tennessee 
Convention  was  formed  in  1835.  By  this  convention  Brownsville 
Female  College  was  established.  In  1876  Middle  and  West  Tennes- 
see dissolved  their  separate  organizations,  and  with  a few  churches  in  East 
Tennessee,  again  formed  a State  Convention.  At  the  end  of  100  years’ 
labor  of  the  Baptists  in  Tennessee,  the  numbers  in  the  three  great  divis- 
ions of  the  State  were  as  follows:  East  Tennessee,  19  associations  and 
45,000  members;  Middle  Tennessee,  10  associations  and  22,000  members; 
West  Tennessee,  7 associations  and  20,000  members.  Besides  these, 


694 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


there  were  in  the  State  about  8,000  anti-Mission  Baptists  and  20,000  col- 
ored Baptists,  making  a grand  total  of  115,000  members  of  Baptist 
Churches  in  Tennessee. 

The  General  Association  of  East  Tennessee  which  covered  the  ground 
in  the  Tennessee  Valley,  met  at  Island  Home  Church,  Knox  County, 
October  8,  1885.  After  full  discussion  it  was  resolved  to  discontinue 
the  organization  and  to  connect  themselves  with  the  State  Convention; 
and  thus  the  Baptists  of  Tennessee  became  united  in  their  denominational 
work.  The  following  statistics  are  giving  from  the  Baptist  Year  Book 
for  1886:  The  entire  number  of  white  Baptist  associations  was  40,  and 
of  colored  9;  there  were  725  white  ordained  ministers,  and  170  colored; 
17,068  white  Sunday-school  scholars,  2,473  colored;  86,455  white  church 
members,  and  29,088  colored,  and  the  value  of  the  property  belonging  to 
white  churches  Avas  $686,860,  and  of  that  belonging  to  colored  churches 
$35,000;  though  of  the  latter,  the  value  was  reported  from  only  tAvo  asso- 
ciations: Elk  River  and  Stone  River.  Besides  the  institutions  of  learning' 
incidentally  mentioned  above,  there  are  in  Tennessee,  belonging  to  the 
Baptist  denomination,  the  Western  Female  College  at  Bristol,  Doyle  Col- 
lege at  Doyle  Station,  and  Roger  Williams  University  at  Nashville. 

It  is  a remarkable  fact,  that  the  Episcopal  Church*  Avas  considerably 
later  in  finding  its  Avay  into  Tennessee  than  the  Presbyterian,  Methodist 
or  Baptist.  Its  numbers  Avere  not  swelled  by  converts  from  the  great 
revival,  for  that  occurred  in  the  first  years  of  the  century,  from  1800  to 
1812  or  1813,  while  the  first  congregation  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church  in  Tennessee  Avas  organized  at  Franklin,  Williamson  County, 
August  25,  1827,  by  the  Rev.  James  H.  Otey.  A brief  resume  of  the 
reasons  for  this  late  appearance  of  this  denomination  in  this  State  is  in 
reality  a part  of  its  history,  and  Avill  doubtless  be  expected  by  all  the 
readers  of  this  work.  The  colonists  from  England  were  very  generally 
those  individuals  who  desired  to  escape  from  the  intolerance  of  the  Church 
of  England.  NeAV  England  Avas  settled  by  the  Puritans,  New  York  mainly 
by  the  Dutch,  Pennsylvania  by  the  Quakers,  and  Maryland  principally 
by  the  Roman  Catholics.  The  preponderating  influences  among  the  set- 
tlers of  Virginia  and  the  Carolinas  Avere  against  the  Church  of  England; 
but  the  great  obstacle  Avith  which  the  Episcopal  Church  in  America  had 
to  contend  Avas  that  it  had  no  bishop,  no  head,  no  leader,  no  adminis- 
trator. Children  and  adults  could  be  baptized  at  the  hands  of  the  clergy, 
but  no  one  could  have  confirmation  or  the  “laying  on  of  hands.”  Can- 
didates for  the  ministry  were  obliged  to  undergo  the  hardships  and  dan- 

♦Adapted  largely  from  a manuscript  history  by  Rev.  W.  C.  Gray,  read  before  the  Tennessee  Historical 
Society,  November  11,  1884. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


695’ 


gers  of  a long  ocean  voyage,  in  order  to  be  ordained  in  England,  and  in 
some  instances  these  candidates  did  not  return.  In  addition  to  this  many  of 
the  clergy  of  the  Church  of  England,  residents  in  this  country  after  the 
Revolution,  either  from  too  little  patriotism  or  too  much  Erastianism.  or 
other  cause,  refused  to  remain  in  America  and  returned  to  England.  This 
action  on  their  part  caused  the  transfer  to  the  remnants  of  their  deserted 
churches  the  bitter  hatred  which  was  then  so  bounteously  being  showered 
on  the  mother  country.  All  these  unfortunate  circumstances  led  to  great 
laxity  of  discipline;  many  unworthy  and  some  who  had  been  deposed 
continued  in  this  country  to  exercise  their  ministerial  functions  and  their 
evil  course  of  life  with  impunity;  hence  the  growth  of  the  church  was 
necessarily  slow. 

While  the  Episcopal  Church  was  in  such  an  imperfect  condition  in 
America,  Methodism,  which  as  yet  however  had  not  separated  from  the 
Church  of  England,  was  making  a profound  impression  in  both  countries, 
and  was  drawing  multitudes  of  members  out  of  the  church  into  the  new 
enthusiasm,  and  preparing  the  way  for  the  separation  which  some  think 
.came  all  too  soon.  But  in  1784  the  first  bishop  was  consecrated  for  the 
American  States,  and  in  1787  two  others. 

The  Rev.  James  H.  Otey,  who  organized  the  first  Episcopal  congrega- 
tion in  Tennessee,  was  a Virginian  by  birth,  and  was  educated  at  Chapel 
Hill,  N.  C.  He  received  deacon’s  orders  October  10,  1825,  and  the 
office  of  priest  June  7,  1827,  at  the  hands  of  Bishop  Ravenscroft.  He 
was  at  Franklin,  Tenn,  which  place  is  now  looked  back  to  as  the  birth- 
place and  cradle  of  a diocese  now  rejoicing  in  its  strength.  The  Rev. 
Mr.  Otey  organized  his  congregation  in  the  Masonic  Hall  in  Franklin, 
and  he  preached  in  Columbia,  where  he  also  organized  a church.  Still 
later  he  held  occasional  services  in  Nashville.  Besides  Mr.  Otey  there 
was  then  but  one  clergyman  in  the  State,  the  Rev.  John  Davis,  who  had 
been  sent  by  some  Northern  missionary  society.  In  1829  there  were  two' 
additional  clergymen  in  the  State.  The  first  convention  of  the  church 
was  held  in  Masonic  Hall,  in  Nashville,  July  1 of  that  year.  The  Rt. 
Rev.  John  Stark  Ravenscroft,  D.  D.,  bishop  of  North  Carolina,  was  pres- 
ent, in  spite  of  failing  health  and  rough  roads,  to  preside  and  to  aid  in 
framing  a constitution  and  canons  for  the  church  in  Tennessee.  On  that 
day  was  formed  the  Diocese  of  Tennessee.  Besides  the  presiding  officer 
there  were  present  at  this  convention  the  Rev.  James  H.  Otey,  of  St. 
Paul’s  Church,  Franklin;  the  Rev.  Daniel  Stephens,  of  St.  Peter’s 
Church,  Columbia,  and  the  Rev.  John  Davis,  deacon  and  missionary. 
Christ  Church,  Nashville,  was  represented  in  this  convention  by  the  fol- 
lowing laymen:  Thomas  Claiborne,  George  Wilson  and  Francis  B.  Fogg ^ 


COG 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


St,  Peter’s  Church,  Columbia,  by  James  H.  Piper;  St.  John’s,  Knoxville, 
by  G.  M.  Fogg,  and  St.  Paul’s,  Franklin,  by  Thomas  Maney,  P.  N.  Smith, 
B.  S.  Tappan  and  William  Hardeman.  In  the  report  of  the  committee 
on  the  state  of  the  church  is  found  the  following:  “From  what  has  been 
effected  within  a few  years  past  by  the  exertions  of  a few  who  have  stepped 
forward  and,  under  the  most  discouraging  circumstances,  lent  their 
aid  to  advance  the  interests  of  religion  and  virtue  among  us,  we  may 
form  the  most  pleasing  anticipations  of  future  success,  A few  years 
since  the  Episcopal  Church  was  hardly  known  in  this  State ; her  spirit- 
stirring  liturgy  was  unheard  within  our  borders.  Now  three  altars  have 
arisen,  and  it  is  cheering  to  know  they  are  crowded  by  pious  and  devoted 
worshippers  of  the  Most  High  God.”  At  the  time  of  this  convention,  so 
far  as  was  known,  there  were  not  fifty  communicants  in  the  State. 

• In  1830  the  Church  in  Tennessee  was  visited  by  Bishop  Meade,  of 
Virginia,  and  in  that  year  was  held  its  first  diocesan  convention.  In 
1831  Bishop  Ives  visited  the  State  and  presided  over  the  convention 
held  in  Christ  Church,  Nashville,  June  28.  In  1833  there  were  in  the 
diocese  besides  Mr.  Otey,  five  presbyters  and  one  deacon.  The  necessity  ’ 
of  a bishop  was  sorely  felt,  and  a convention  was  held  in  Franklin, 
on  the  27tli  of  June,  for  the  purpose  of  electing  one.  The  clerical 
votes  fell  with  great  unanimity  upon  the  Rev.  James  H.  Otey  for  bishop, 
there  being  but  two  votes  against  him,  his  own  and  that  of  the  Rev. 
George  Weller,  they  being  cast  for  the  Rev.  William  Green,  of  North 
Carolina.  The  nomination  was  unanimously  confirmed  by  the  laity. 
Mr.  Otey’s  testimonials  were  signed  by  the  following  clergy  and  laity: 
Revs.  Daniel  Stevens,  George  Weller,  Albert  A Muller,  John  Chilton 
and  Samuel  G.  Litton,  and  by  Messrs.  John  C.  Wormley,  George  C. 
Skipwith,  William  G.  Dickinson,  B.  S.  Tappan,  Thomas  Maney,  Mat- 
thew Watson,  G.  M.  Fogg,  F.  B.  Fogg  and  John  Anderson.  Several 
new  parishes  were  received  into  union  at  this  time,  and  the  committee  on 
the  state  of  the  church  made  an  encouraging  report.  The  Rev.  Mr. 
Otey  was  consecrated  bishop,  at  Philadelphia,  January  II,  1834.  Upon 
his  return  to  his  diocese  he  immediately  set  about  devising  plans  for  its 
more  general  good.  “ In  his  frequent  and  fatiguing  rides  through  his 
own  and  adjacent  dioceses  he  witnessed  such  an  amount  of  ignorance  and 
prejudice,  and  such  mistaken  views  of  religion,  as  often  to  make  him 
groan  in  spirit.  Preaching,  preaching,  preaching,  was  all  that  even 
the  better  part  of  the  people  seemed  to  care  for.  Worship,  or  prayer, 
was  hardly  a secondary  consideration ; and  the  ordinances  of  the  church 
were  regarded  as  little  better  than  signs  of  church  membership,  or 
cloaks,  in  too  many  cases,  to  cover  up  an  immoral  life.  Each  sect  gloried 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


697 


in  its  peculiar  “shibboleth;”  the  brief  and  undigested  lessons  of  the 
Sunday-school  constituted  the  chief,  if  not  the  sole,  religious  instruction 
of  the  young ; and  with  few  exceptions  even  the  more  intelligent  seemed 
to  have  lost  sight  of  the  Church  of  Christ  as  a Divine  institution,  de- 
manding an  unquestioning  reception  of  its  creeds  and  ordinances.”*  “To 
such  men  (as  Bishop  Otey)  are  we  indebted  for  the  civil  and  religious- 
liberty  which  we  now  enjoy.  To  him  his  church  is  largely  indebted  for 
the  prosperity  which  has  marked  its  progress  within  the  diocese  over 
which  he  was  called  to  preside,  and  he  has  bequeathed  as  a rich  legacy 
to  the  entire  church  his  spotless  name  and  fame.”f 

The  ignorance  of  the  people  of  Tennessee  with  regard  to  the  rites  of 
the  Episcopal  Church  is  amusingly  illustrated  by  an  incident  of  his  early 
ministry.  One  of  the  rude  sons  of  the  forest  once  said  to  one  of  his  com- 
panions, “ Come,  let  us  go  and  hear  that  man  preach,  and  his  wife  jaw 
back  at  him;”  alluding  to  the  responses  made  by  Mrs.  Otey,  she  being 
oftentimes  the  only  respondent  in  the  congregation.  The  clergy  of  the 
diocese  in  the  year  of  the  Bishop’s  consecration  numbered  6 priests  and 
3 deacons,  the  number  of  the  churches  in  the  entire  State  had  grown  to 
12,  and  the  aggregate  of  actual  communicants  was  117.  From  this  on, 
although  there  were  numerous  obstacles  in  the  church,  its  growth  though 
slow  was  steady.  The  ignorance  of  the  people,  and  their  prejudice 
against  it,  were  very  great.  In  order  to  remove  the  ignorance  Bishop 
Otey’s  earliest  efforts  were  devoted  to  the  establishment  of  institutions 
of  learning,  based  upon  the  principle  of  furnishing  a Christian  educa- 
tion to  their  students.  He  opened  in  his  own  house  in  Columbia  a school 
for  boys,  which  he  named  “ Mercer  Hall,”  and  he,  assisted  by  Bishop 
Polk,  A.  O.  Harris  and  Francis  B.  Fogg,  founded  Columbia  Female  In- 
stitute in  1836.  At  the  same  time  he  had  in  contemplation  the  project 
of  founding  a University  for  the  Southern  States.  This  was  undertaken 
in  1836,  but  was  not  consummated  until  July  4,  1857,  when  the  “ Uni- 
versity of  the  South”  was  formally  organized,  though  the  name  was  not 
fully  adopted  until  the  next  year.  This  organization  was  effected  on  the 
summit  of  Lookout  Mountain,  near  Chattanooga,  there  being  present  at 
the  meeting  the  Bishops  of  Tennessee,  South  Carolina,  Georgia,  Florida, 
Alabama,  Mississippi  and  Louisiana,  together  with  some  of  the  leading- 
clergymen  of  all  the  Southern  dioceses.  A board  of  trustees  was  ap- 
pointed and  Bishop  Otey  elected  president. 

The  following  incident,  which  created  great  excitement,  selected  from 
numerous  others  that  might  be  given  with  profit,  did  space  permit,  to  throw 


*Memoir  of  Bishop  Otey,  by  Ttt.  Rev.  William  Mercer  Green,  D.  D. 
fRandall  M.  Ewing. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


•098 

light  upon  the  history  of  this  church,  is  here  introduced,  copied  from  the 
“Memoirs,”  by  Bishop  Mercer:  “On  the  8tli  of  August,  1857,  the  Bishop 
was  called  to  consecrate  a new  church  at  Riverside,  in  the  Eastern  part  of 
his  diocese,  built  by  Col.  N.  and  the  relatives  of  his  wife.  This  was  at  a 
time  when  what  is  now  generally  known  as  “Ritualism”  had  gained  con- 
siderable footing  in  some  of  the  larger  and  more  advanced  Eastern  cities, 
but  had  yet  to  plant  its  first  footstep  among  the  mountains  and  valleys 
of  Tennessee.  On  arriving  at  the  church,  accompanied  by  Bishop  Polk, 
he  beheld  a cross  on  every  gate,  three  crosses  on  the  roof  and  one  on  the 
belfry.  On  entering  the  church  he  found  the  font  at  the  south  door,  and 
on  the  altar  and  superaltar  a large  movable  cross,  two  Vases  for  flowers, 
and  two  very  large  candlesticks,  and  five  other  crosses,  with  multiform 
devices  upon  them.  This  was  rather  too  much  for  the  uninstructed  taste 
of  the  Bishop.  He  had  not  been  initiated  among  the  more  ‘advanced’ 
of  his  brethren.  He  was  too  old-fashioned  to  admire  or  even  tolerate 
such  novelties;  therefore,  at  his  command,  these  insignia  were  all  re- 
moved before  he  would  proceed  to  the  consecration.  Great  offense  was 
taken  by  the  worthy  family  that  erected  the  church,  and  no  regular  serv- 
ices were  ever  after  held  in  it.  It  was  permitted  to  fall  to  decay,  and  no 
vestige  remains  to  mark  the  occasion  but  the  site  itself,  one  of  the  loveli- 
est that  could  possibly  be  chosen  for  a house  of  God.” 

Ten  years  after  the  consecration  of  Bishop  Otey  there  were,  besides 
himself,  thirteen  resident  clergymen  in  Tennessee,  and  the  number  of 
communicants  had  grown  from  117  to  about  400.  A noticeable  feature 
in  the  proportionate  growth  is  the  increase  in  the  city  parishes  above 
that  in  the  country,  Christ  Church,  Nashville,  and  Calvary  Church, 
Memphis,  far  outstripping  the  others  in  numbers,  importance  and  influ- 
ence. At  the  end  of  another  decade  there  were  seventeen  clergymen,  be- 
sides the  Bishop,  and  seventeen  parishes,  besides  the  mission  stations, 
and  the  entire  number  of  communicants  was  estimated  at  800.  Quite  a 
number  of  substantial  church  edifices  had  been  erected  in  various  parts 
of  the  State,  a few  of  them  being  of  stone,  as  in  Nashville  and  Clarks- 
ville, and  some  of  wood,  but  the  most  of  brick.  In  1860,  the  last  year 
for  which  there  is  a Journal  of  Convention  for  Bishop  Otey’s  time,  the 
number  of  clergy  was  twenty-seven;  the  number  of  organized  parishes, 
twenty-six,  and  the  number  of  communicants,  1,506.  For  the  next  five 
years  the  great  civil  war  not  only  effectually  checked  the  growth  of  the 
church,  but  almost  destroyed  what  had  been  accomplished  with  suck 
great  labor.  The  attitude  of  the  Episcopal  Church  was  generally  the 
same  as  that  of  Bishop  Otey,  with  respect  to  the  war.  He  was  strenu- 
ously opposed  to  both  war  and  disunion,  if  both  could  be  avoided  con- 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


099 


sistently  with  the  honor  and  safety  of  the  South ; but  when  he  saw  that 
war  was  inevitable,  he  nerved  himself  for  the  contest,  and  for  final  advice 
and  counsel  to  his  flock;  but  the  shock  was  too  great  for  his  once  power- 
ful, but  now  enfeebled  system,  and  no  doubt  shortened  his  life.  He  died 
on  April  23,  1863,  having  directed  that  the  marble  which  might  cover 
his  remains  should  bear  no  other  inscription  than  his  name,  the  dates  of 
his  birth  and  death,  and  “The  First  Bishop  of  the  Catholic  Church  in 
Tennessee.” 

The  return  of  peace  found  the  Episcopal  Church  in  Tennessee  with- 
out a bishop.  A call  was  promptly  issued  for  a convention  to  assemble 
in  Christ’s  Church,  Nashville,  to  consider  the  question  of  electing  a suc- 
cessor to  Bishop  Otey.  Quite  a full  representative  convention  assembled 
on  September  8,  1865,  when  it  was  found  that  the  Rev.  Dr.  Quintard  was 
almost  unanimously  the  choice  of  the  convention.  Since  his  election  the 
progress  of  the  church  has  continued  to  be  steady  though  slow.  In 
1884  there  were  thirty-six  white  parishes,  forty  mission  stations,  and 
about  4,000  communicants.  The  charitable  institutions  of  the  diocese 
are  numerous  and  creditable.  There  is  the  Orphan’s  Home  at  Knoxville, 
a similar  institution  at  Memphis,  where  also  is  St.  Mary’s ' School,  for 
girls;  St.  James  Hall  is  at  Bolivar,  Fairmount,  near  Mount  Eagle,  and 
there  is  a fine  school  at  Cleveland;  there  is  a male  school  at  Cleveland, 
one  at  Knoxville,  one  in  Chattanooga,  one  at  Mount  Pleasant,  one  at 
South  Pittsburg,  but  above  all  is  the  University  of  the  South. 

Closely  identified  with  the  history  of  the  church  and  education  in 
Tennessee  is  the  history  of  the  University  of  the  South  at  Sewanee’ 
Tenn.  To  Bishop  Otey  is  due  the  honor  of  the  first  conception  of  the 
university.  In  1836,  in  an  address  to  his  convention,  he  urged  the  ne- 
cessity of  an  institution  maintaining  the  highest  degree  of  scholarship, 
and  sought  the  co-operation  of  adjoining  dioceses  in  founding  a great 
university.  He  was  warmly  seconded  in  his  efforts  by  Rev.  Leonidas 
Polk,  then  a minister  at  Columbia,  who,  subsequently  becoming  Bishop 
of  Louisiana,  took  a prominent  part  in  the  organization  of  the  University 
of  the  South.  In  1860  an  endowment  of  over  $500,000  and  a domain  of 
10,000  acres  having  been  secured,  the  corner-stone  of  University  Hall 
was  laid  with  great  ceremony.  In  the  war,  the  endowment  was  lost,  and 
the  corner-stone,  a massive  block  of  native  marble,  was  broken  in  frag- 
ments and  carried  away  as  relics  by  the  Union  soldiers.  Misfortune 
proves  institutions  as  truly  as  it  does  men.  Under  the  energetic  leader- 
ship of  Bishop  Quintard  the  university  began  life  anew  in  1868,  with  its 
bare  domain  and  its  admirable  organization  as  its  only  inheritance.  Its 
beginning  was  an  humble  one ; but  maintaining  from  the  first  a high  stand- 


700 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


arc!  of  education,  it  has  steadily  advanced,  till  now  with  300  students,  sub- 
stantial buildings,  and  a high  reputation  at  home  and  abroad,  it  can  see- 
that  these  past  trials  have  developed  strength  and  proved  the  wisdom  of 
its  scheme  of  education.  The  university  is  to-day  organized  substantially 
according  to  the  original  plan,  which  was  formulated  after  a careful  study 
of  the  leading  colleges  of  Europe  and  America.  A plan  which  has  thus 
stood  the  test  of  adversity  is  worthy  of  consideration.  Among  the 
causes  of  success  are  first,  the  concentration  of  the  means  and  patronage 
of  a large  section  in  one  institution;  second,  the  maintenance  of  the 
highest  scholarship  (the  requirements  for  degrees  here  are  as  severe 
as  at  Yale  or  Harvard) ; third,  the  elevation  and  location,  free  from 
malaria,  pulmonary  trouble  and  catarrh;  fourth,  it  keeps  a home  in- 
fluence over  the  students  by  boarding  them  in  private  families;  fifth, 
it  controls  a domain  several  miles  in  extent,  prohibiting  the  sale  of  liq- 
uors, gambling  and  other  evils  incident  to  university  towns  (it  is  father 
of  the  four-mile  law  in  Tennessee) ; sixth,  it  is  not  a sectional  but  a 
general  institution,  having  more  students  from  the  North  than  any  other 
school  in  the  South.  It  is  not  narrow  or  bigoted,  but  teaches  a Catholic 
Christianity  as  the  basis  of  morality,  and  religion  and  science  going  hand 
in  hand  in  all  completeness  of  investigation.  The  vice-chancellor,  Rev. 
Telfair  Hodgson,  D.  D.,  is  executive  head  of  the  institution.  Elected  to 
that  responsible  position  in  1879,  he  has  shown  rare  administrative  pow- 
ers, and  much  of  the  material  prosperity  of  the  university  is  due  to  his 
wise  management. 

Reference  has  been  made  in  connection  with  the  account  of  the  great 
revival  to  the  Rev.  Barton  W.  Stone.  He  was  probably  the  first  in  Ken- 
tucky and  Tennessee  to  preach  the  creed  which  subsequently  constitu- 
ted the  doctrines  of  the  reformed  or  Campbellite  Church,  as  it  was 
called  in  earlier  days,  but  to  which,  in  more  recent  times,  the  name  of 
the  Disciples  of  Christ  or  Christian  Church  has  been  applied.  As  a 
result  of  the  labors  of  the  Rev.  Barton  W.  Stone  a numerous  body  had 
originated  in  Kentucky  and  extended  somewhat  into  Tennessee,  separat- 
ing themselves  from  the  Presbyterian  communion,  having  for  their 
object  a union  of  Christians  upon  the  Bible  alone. 

But  the  movement  which  gave  immediate  origin  and  distinctive  char- 
acter to  the  church  of  the  Disciples  was  started  in  Pennsylvania,  in  1809, 
by  Thomas  Campbell  aided  by  his  son  Alexander.  Their  original  pur- 
pose was  to  heal  the  divisions  in  the  religious  world,  and  to  establish  a 
common  basis  of  Christian  union.  This,  it  was  thought,  could  be  accom- 
plished by  taking  the  expressed  teachings  of  the  Bible  as  the  only  guide. 
After  some  time  a considerable  society  was  formed;  and,  curiously 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


701 


enough,  as  in  the  case  of  the  Rev.  Barton  W.  Stone,  from  the  Presbyte- 
rian Church.  This  society,  by  the  evolution  of  thought  upon  Bible 
teaching,  became  one  of  immersed  believers,  and  soon  afterward  united 
with  the  Red  Stone  Baptist  Association,  upon  the  stipulation  that  no 
standard  of  doctrine  or  bond  of  union  should  be  required  other  than  the 
Holy  Scriptures.  After  some  time  another  doctrine  was  discovered  in 
the  Scriptures,  viz.:  “Baptism  for  the  remission  of  sins,”  which  became 
a distinctive  feature  of  the  reformation. 

Controversy  upon  these  doctrines  increased  in  the  Baptist  Church, 
with  which  Alexander  Campbell  was  then  associated  from  1813,  when  he 
united  with  the  Red  Stone  Association  in  1827,  when  he  began  to  form 
separate  church  organizations,  entertaining  his  own  peculiar  views.  In 
order  to  properly  present  his  view  of  the  doctrine  of  baptism  for  the 
remission  of  sins,  the  fpllowing  extract  from  his  “Christianity  Restored,” 
published  in  1823,  is  introduced:  “If  then  the  present  forgiveness  of 
sins  be  a privilege  and  a right  of  those  under  the  new  constitution  in  the 
kingdom  of  Jesus,  and  if  being  ‘born  again,’  and  being  ‘born  of  the 
water  and  the  spirit,’  is  necessary  to  admission,  and  if  being  born  of 
water  means  immersion,  as  is  clearly  proved  by  all  Avitnesses,  then  remis- 
sion of  sins  in  this  life  cannot  be  received  or  enjoyed  pre\dous  to  bap- 
tism. * * The  remission  of  sins  or  coming  into  a state  of 

acceptance  being  one  of  the  present  immunities  of  the  kingdom,  cannot 
be  received  or  enjoyed  by  any  one  previous  to  baptism.” 

Very  soon  after  churches  began  to  be  formed  on  this  and  the  other 
doctrines  of  Mr.  Campbell,  which  embraced  most  \of  those  held  by  the 
Evangelical  Churches;  new  organizations  soon  sprang  into  existence  in 
Tennessee,  embracing  the  new  doctrines,  and  here  and  there  a Baptist 
Church  Avent  over  in  a body  to  the  neAV  faith.  One  of  the  first  of  these 
latter  Avas  -the  Baptist  Church  at  Nashville,  Tenn.  Of  this  church,  in 
May,  1826,  Rev.  Philip  S.  Fall  had  become  pastor,  and.  it  soon  became 
evident  that  he  sympathized  with  the  doctrines  taught  by  Alexander 
Campbell.  The  church  found  themselves  in  hopeless  controversy.  The 
Mill  Creek  Church,  as  the  senior  church  of  this  section,  was  requested  to 
take  action  in  the  matter,  but  the  Nashville  Church  declined  to  appear 
before  its  bar.  The  latter  church  then  adopted  the  ordinance  of  Aveekly 
communions.  The  minority,  powerless  in  the  matter,  Avithdrew,  and  met 
for  Avorship  October  10,  1830,  in  the  courthouse.  In  January,  1828,  the 
Nashville  Church  adopted  the  full  form  of  the  Disciples’  worship,  and  in 
May  repealed  the  entire  Baptist  creed.  The  church  at  this  time  num- 
bered about  150  members.  In  1831  the  “Stonites”  in  Kentucky  and 
Jther  Western  States  united  Avith  the  Disciples  and  a strong  sect  or 

44 


702 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


denomination  was  added  to  the  number  which  the  Campbells  thought 
altogether  too  numerous  when  they  commenced  their  reformation. 

A movement  somewhat  independent  in  its  nature,  made  a few  years 
later  than  this  of  the  Rev.  Philip  S.  Pall,  deserves  careful  mention.  It 
was  that  of  Elders  John  Calvin  Smith  and  Jonathan  H.  Young.  They 
had  both  been  immersed  by  Elder  Isaac  Denton  and  had  united  with  the 
Clear  Pork  Baptist  Church,  Cumberland  County,  Ivy.,  in  1821.  In  Sep- 
tember, 1822,  Young  and  his  wife  transferred  their  membership  to  Wolf 
River  Church,  in  Overton  County,  Tenn.  In  a few  years  they  received 
letters  from  this  church  to  a “church  of  the  same  faith  and  order”  in 
East  Tennessee,  continuing  there  until  1829,  when  they  moved  back  to 
the  Wolf  River  Church,  of  which  John  Calvin  Smith  had  in  the  mean- 
time become  pastor,  as  also  of  Sinking  Spring  Church,  Pentress  County, 
Tenn.  After  the  reading  of  the  letter  for  membership  in  the  Wolf  River 
Church,  Young  asked  permission  to  explain  his  position  relative  to  the 
first  article  of  the  “Abstracts  of  Principles.”  After  he  had  stated  his 
objections  thereto  and  closed  a short  argument  in  their  favor  Smith  also 
expressed  his  doubts  as  to  the  propriety  of  the  first  article,  and  then 
proposed  that  a vote  be  taken  on  the  reception  or  rejection  of  Young  and 
his  wife  into  the  church.  They  were  unanimously  received  into  fellow- 
ship, notwithstanding  their  objections  to  the  creed.  The  preaching  of 
Smith  and  Young  became  a wider  and  wider  departure  from  the  Baptist 
creed,  and  they  were  advised  by  their  brethren  to  be  more  cautious,  or 
they  would  run  into  Campbellism.  A very  prominent  Baptist  preacher 
said  to  Smith,  “You  will  take  a little  and  a little  until  finally  you  will 
‘swallow  a camel.’” 

Young  was  informed  that  he  must  account  to  the  church  for  preaching 
the  doctrines  which  he  did,  to  which  he  replied  that  he  was  received  into 
Wolf  River  Church  with  the  definite  understanding  that  he  was  opposed 
to  the  use  of  human  creeds  and  confessions  of  faith  in  the  church  of 
Christ.  He  preached  an  able  discourse  at  Sulphur  Meeting-house,  in 
Cumberland  County,  Ky.,  setting  forth  fully  his  sentiments  on  the  dis- 
puted premises.  The  Wolf  River  Church  was  investigated  by  a commis- 
sion appointed  for  the  purpose  and  after  able  discussions  of  the  question, 
lasting  from  July  to  September,  1831,  Young,  seeing  that  he  must,  if  he 
remained  in  the  Baptist  Church,  accept  the  first  ai’ticle,  and  consequently 
the  whole  of  the  Philadelphia  Confession  of  Eaith,  proposed  that  all  who 
were  willing  to  accept  the  Bible  alone,  as  the  only  authoritative  rule  of 
faith  and  practice,  should  rise  and  stand  with  him.  Seven  or  eight  arose 
to  their  feet  and  stood  with  Young,  and  the  church  proceeded  immedi- 
ately to  cut  them  off  for  improper  treatment  of  her  order.  Elder  John 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


703 


<C.  Smith  was  also  on  the  same  or  similar  grounds  excluded  from  mem- 
bership in  the  Baptist  Church.  Smith,  Young  and  the  others  who  were 
cut  off,  with  a few  brethren  living  in  the  neighborhood,  formed  thern- 
, selves  into  a church  which  became  largely  influential. 

The  formation  of  other  Christian  Churches  in  Tennessee  followed 
with  great  rapidity  during  the  two  decades  from  1830  to  1850.  Follow- 
ing is  a partial  list  of  these  churches,  with  the  dates  of  their  organiza- 
tion, so  far  as  could  be  ascertained,  and  the  counties  in  which  they  were 
located:  Two  of  these  churches  were  organized  as  early  as  1816,  though 

probably  as  Baptist  Churches.  The  church  at  Bethlehem,  and  at  Wil- 
son’s Hill,  Globe  Creek,  Marshall  County,  in  1823.  Liberty  Church, 
Marshall  County,  separated  from  the  Bichland  Association  of  United 
Baptists  for  communing  with  Christians  and  assisting  to  set  apart  a dea- 
con in  that  church.  At  that  time  it  had  126  members;  in  1846  it  had 
450.  In  1825  Roane  Creek  Church,  in  Carroll  County,  was  organized, 
and  in  1828  Berea  Church,  in  Marshall  County,  was  organized;  in  1831 
Smyrna  Church,  Cedar  Creek,  in  Marshall  County,  and  New  Herman 
Church,  in  Bedford  County;  in  June,  1832,  the  church  at  Rutland’s 
Meeting-house,  in  Wilson  County,  separated  from  the  Baptists  by  laying 
aside  their  abstract  principles  and  agreeing  to  be  governed  by  the  Bible 
alone,  and  the  church  at  Tally’s  old  field  was  organized  this  year;  in 
1833  the  church  at  Paris,  Henry  County,  was  organized,  and  in  1844 
they  built  a very  neat  church  edifice;  March  30,  1834,  Sylvan  Church, 
Sumner  County,  was  organized  with  nine  members;  in  1844,  it  had  115; 
the  church  at  Brawley’s  Fork,  Cannon  County,  and  that  at  South  Har- 
peth,  Davidson  County,  were  organized  this  year;  in  1835  Rock  Springs 
Church,  Rutherford  County,  and  Sycamore  Church,  Davidson  County, 
were  organized,  the  former  having,  in  1844,  130  members;  in  1836,  Leb- 
anon Church  was  organized  with  nineteen  members,  and  reorganized  in 
1842;  the  church  at  Bagdad,  Smith  County,  was  organized  in  1835;  in 
1838,  Lewisburgh  Church,  in  Marshall  County,  and  in  1839  Big  Spring 
Church,  in  Wilson  County,  were  organized;  in  1840  Trace  Creek  Church, 
Tackson  County,  and  that  at  Long’s  Meeting-house,  Marshall  County, 
md  in  1841  a church  at  Blackburn’s  Fork,  and  at  Cane  Creek,  Lincoln 
County,  and  the  Torny  Fork  Church,  Marshall  County,  were  also  organ- 
zed;  in  1842  Hartsville  Church,  in  Sumner  County,  Salt  Lick  Church, 
u Jackson  County,  and  the  church  at  Meigsville,  on  the  Big  Bottom, 
rere  organized;  in  1843  the  church  at  Teal’s  Meeting-house,  Jackson 
Wnty,  Pleasant  Hill  Church,  Buckeye  Church,  Flynn’s  Creek,  Union 
Lurch,  Richland  Creek,  Marshall  County,  and  the  Cave  Creek  Church, 
larsh all  County,  were  organized,  and  that  at  Murfreesboro  reorganized 


704 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


in  1844;  tlie  church  at  Rich  Meeting-house  was  organized,  and  there 
were  in  existence,  date  of  organization  not  known,  the  following:  3 in 

Washington  County,  with  304  members;  4 in  Carter  County,  with  301 
members;  2 in  Johnson  County,  with  124  members,  and  2 in  Sullivan 
County  with  252  members  i/fn  Rutherford  County,  besides  Rock  Springs 
Church,  the  date  of  the  organization  of  which  has  been  given  above,  there 
were  the  Spring  Creek  Church  with  40  members,  Cripple  Creek  Church 
with  130  members,  and  Big  Creek  Church  with  60  members;  in  Warren 
County  Hickory  Creek  and  Rockey  River  Churches;  in  Wilson  County 
Liberty  Church,  on  Stone  River,  besides  small  congregations  at  Cypress 
Creek,  Blue  Water  and  Bluff  Creek;  in  Livingston  County  there  were  8 
churches  with  970  members;  iiy^McMinn  County  4 churches  with  150- 
members. 

From  1845  to  1850  churches  of  this  denomination  continued  to  be 
organized  at  about  the  same  rate,  since  which  time  their  numbers  do  not 
seem  to  have  increased  so  rapidly.  In  1872  there  were  in  the  United 
States  500,000  Disciples  or  Christians,  of  which  number  Tennessee  could 
not  have  had  over  15,000.  Since  then,  this  sect  has  grown  and  pros- 
pered, especially  in  the  Southern  and  Western  States,  but  recent  statis- 
tics, as  applicable  to  Tennessee,  are  not  easily  obtainable.  For  about 
thirty  years  the  Christians  had  a flourishing  college  of  high  grade  five 
miles  east  of  Nashville  in  Davidson  County,  named  Franklin  College, 
which  has  now  ceased  to  exist,  most  of  the  advanced  students  of  the 
denomination  finding  Bethany  College,  in  West  Virginia,  better  prepared 
to  meet  their  wants.  Since  1844  a valuable  periodical  has  been  published 
at  Nashville  under  the  different  names  of  The  Christian  Review , Chris- 
tian Magazine  and  Gospel  Advocate , the  latter  name  having  been  in  use 
since  1855. 

On  May  10, 1821,  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop  David,  accompanied  by  Rev.  Father 
Robert  Abell,  arrived  in  Nashville,  and  was  received  by  M.  De  Munbreun, 
who  entertained  them  at  his  house.  The  following  day  the  first  mass- 
offered  in  Tennessee  was  said.  Previous  to  this  time  but  four  mission- 
ary visits  had  been  made  to  the  State  since  the  early  French  settle- 
ments, and  the  number  of  Catholics  in  the  State  did  not  much  exceed 
100.  Tennessee  then  formed  a part  of  the  diocese  of  Bardstown,  Ky.r 
which  also  included  Kentucky  and  an  extensive  territory  to  the  west,  and 
which  had  constituted  the  bishopric  of  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop  Flaget.  During 
the  visit  of  Bishop  David  a proposition  to  establish  a congregation  in 
Nashville  was  made,  and  met  with  hearty  approval  from  both  Catholics 
and  Protestants.  Rev.  Father  Abell,  who  accompanied  the  bishop, 
preached  every  evening  during  his  stay  in  the  city,  and  a wide-spread 


HISTOBY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


705 


interest  was  aroused.  It  was  not,  however,  until  1830  that  a church  was 
erected  on  the  north  side  of  what  now  constitutes  the  Capitol  grounds. 
Father  Abell  proceeded  to  Franklin,  where  there  was  one  Catholic  family 
and  where  he  held  services.  He  also  went  to  Columbia  and  delivered  a 
sermon  at  that  place. 

In  1834  the  diocese  was  reduced  to  Kentucky  and  Tennessee,  and  in 
1837  the  latter  was  made  a separate  diocese,  known  as  the  diocese  of 
Nashville,.  of  which  the  Kt.  Rev.  Dr.  Richard  Pius  Miles  was  conse- 
crated bishop  September  18,  1838.  He  was  a native  American  and  de- 
scendant of  a Maryland  family.  Congregations  had  already  been  organ- 
ized at  several  points  in  the  State,  and  mission  work  was  pushed  forward 
with  the  energy  and  zeal  characteristic  of  the  Catholic  Church.  In  1859 
the  work,  having  considerably  increased,  became  too  arduous  for  the  fail- 
ing strength  of  Bishop  Miles,  and  in  May  of  that  year  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop 
James  Whelan  was  appointed  his  coadjutor,  with  right  of  succession.  On 
the  death  of  Bishop  Miles,  which  occurred  February  1,  1860,  he  entered 
upon  his  duties,  and  remained  until  his  resignation  in  1863.  He  was 
succeeded  as  administrator  of  the  diocese  by  the  Rev.  Father  Kelly,  a 
Dominican  priest,  who  remained  until  November,  1865.  He  was  then 
relieved  by  the  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop  Patrick  A.  Feehan,  of  St.  Louis,  who 
was  consecrated  in  that  city  on  the  first  day  of  that  month.  He  contin- 
ued in  charge  of  the  diocese  until  June,  1883,  when  he  was  succeeded  by 
the  Rt.  Rev.  Joseph  Rademacher.  While  the  Catholic  Church  in  Ten- 
nessee does  not  embrace  so  large  a membership  in  proportion  to  popula- 
tion as  many  other  States,  it  is  due  rather  to  the  small  foreign  element 
than  a lack  of  prosperity  or  wise  management.  The  Catholic  popula- 
tion of  the  State  at  the  present  time  is  estimated  by  the  bishop  of  the 
diocese  at  from  20,000  to  25,000,  of  which  about  8,000  are  residents  of 
Nashville,  and  10,000  or  12,000  of  Memphis.  The  number  in  the  latter  city 
was  greatly  reduced  by  the  yellow  fever  epidemic  of  1878-79.  Chatta- 
nooga and  Knoxville  also  have  large  congregations.  The  whole  number 
of  churches  in  the  diocese  in  1886  was  thirty. 

The  church  supports  a large  number  of  excellent  schools  and  acade- 
mies, and  one  college.  One  of  the  best  known  institutions  for  young 
ladies  is  the  Academy  of  St.  Cecilia,  at  Nashville.  This  school  -was  es- 
tablished in  1860  by  six  ladies  from  St.  Mary’s  Literary  Institute,  Perry 
County,  Ohio,  and  has  long  enjoyed  a high  reputation  for  the  excellence 
of  its  management.  The  Christian  Brothers  College,  of  Memphis,  was 
chartered  in  1854.  It  has  an  attendance  of  about  200  pupils,  and  is  pre- 
sided over  by  Brother  Maurelian. 

The  Lutherans  are  among  the  oldest  denominations  in  Tennessee, 


706 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


congregations  of  whom  were  organized  as  early  as  1800.  The  first  Lu- 
theran church  in  Middle  Tennessee  was  established  about  1825  by  Rev. 
William  Jenkins.  It  was  located  near  Shelby ville,  on  Duck  River,  and 
was  known  as  the  “ Shaffner  Church.”  The  growth  of  the  denomination 
in  the  State  has  been  somewhat  slow,  owing  to  the  small  foreign  immigra- 
tion. The  number  of  ministers,  too,  has  never  equaled  the  demand,  con- 
sequently many  Lutherans  have  united  with  other  denominations.  In 
1850  there  were  twelve  organizations  in  the  State;  in  1860  eighteen, 
and  1870  twenty-two.  The  membership  at  the  present  time  is  about 
9.000,  of  which  much  the  larger  part  is  in  East  Tennessee.  It  is  di- 
vided among  three  district  synods,  as  follows:  Middle  Tennessee  Synod, 
a district  of'  the  General  Synod,  numbering  910  members;  Holston  Sy- 
nod. with  a membership  of  1.566,  and  forming  a district  under  the  Gen- 
eral Council,  and  the  Tennessee  Synod  (independent),  with  a member- 
ship of  8,185.  Only  a portion  of  the  last  named  is  included  in  the  State 
of  Tennessee.  The  Holston  Synod  supports  a very  excellent  college  at 
Mosheim,  in  Greene  County.  It  was  first  organized  in  1869,  and  after  a 
suspension  of  several  years  was  reopened  in  1884. 

The  oldest  Jewish  congregation  in  Tennessee  is  the  “Children  of 
Israel,”  organized  in  Memphis  in  1852.  In  October,  1851,  a benevolent 
society  was  organized  in  Nashville,  at  the  house  of  Isaac  Oershon,  with 
Henry  Harris  as  president.  A room  was  rented  for  a synagogue  on 
North  Market  Street,  near  the  Louisville  depot,  and  divine  worship  was 
held,  the  president  officiating  as  reader.  Two  years  later  the  first  rabbi, 
Alexander  Iser,  was  engaged,  and  soon  after  the  first  Hebrew  congrega- 
tion in  Nashville  was  formed  under  the  name  of  Magen  David,  “Shield 


of  David.”  The  next  year,  1854,  the  organization  was  chartered  by  the 
Legislature. 

In  1862  the  first  reform  congregation  was  organized  under  the  name 
Benij  Jioshren,  with  Rabbi  Labshiner  in  charge.  After  an  existence  of 
about  six  years  the  two  congregations  united,  in  1868,  under  the  name  of 
K.  K.  Ahavah  Shoelem,  “Lovers  of  Peace.”  Soon  after  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Isedor  Kaleish  was  elected  as  rabbi.  The  congregation  then,  as  they 
had  done  for  several  years,  worshiped  in  Douglass  Hall,  on  Market 
Street,  at  the  corner  of  the  public  square.  After  three  years  Dr.  Kaleish 
was  succeeded  by  Dr.  Alexander  Rosenspitz,  who  remained  in  charge  of 
the  congregation  about  the  same  length  of  time  as  his  predecessor.  In 
1876  a lot  on  Yine  Street,  between  Church  and  Broad,  was  purchased, 
and  the  erection  of  the  present  handsome  temple  was  begun.  It  was 
completed  the  following  year  and  dedicated  by  Dr.  Rosenspitz.  In  1878 
Dr.  Rosenspitz  was  succeeded  by  Dr.  J.  S.  Goldamer,  a native  of  Vienna, 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


707 


and  a graduate  of  the  university  of  that  city;  also  a graduate  in  philos- 
ophy and  Jewish  theology  at  the  Rabbinical  College,  at  Preszburg.  He 
is  eminent  as  a Hebrew  scholar,  and  previous  to  his  coming  to  Nashville 
was  in  charge  of  a congregation  in  Cincinnati  for  twelve  years.  He  suc- 
ceeded in  introducing  the  American  ritual  and  mode  of  worship  in  the 
place  of  the  old  Polish  form,  in  conformity  with  the  free  institutions  of 
this  country  and  the  progressive  spirit  of  the  age.  A choir  was  also  or- 
ganized. It  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  best  in  the  city,  and  renders  in 
an  excellent  manner  the  Jewish  sacred  music. 

The  adoption  of  the  new  ritual  was  displeasing  to  a small  portion  of 
the  congregation,  who  under  the  name  of  K.  K.  Adath  Israel  formed  a 
new  society  by  electing  I.  B.  Cohen,  president,  and  L.  Rosenheim,  vice- 
president,  The  organization  remains  much  the  same  at  the  present  time, 
and  continues  to  worship  according  to  the  orthodox  mode.  In  1885,  at 
a cost  of  $12,000,  a chapel  and  vault  was  erected,  which  is  considered  the 
finest  structure  of  the  kind  in  the  United  States. 

In  1861  a congregation  was  organized  at  Knoxville  under  the  name 
of  Beth  El,  or  “House  of  God.”  The  membership  has  never  been  very 
large,  and  now  embraces  about  twelve  families,  with  E.  Samuel  as  presi- 
dent and  E.  Heart  as  secretary. 

A congregation  was  organized  at  Chattanooga  in  1867,  and  now  num- 
bers about  twenty-seven  familes,  under  the  care  of  Rabbi  Julius  Ochs. 
Dr.  M.  Bloch  is  president  of  the  society,  and  Joseph  Simpson,  secretary. 
The  church  property  is  valued  at  $5,000.  At  Murfreesboro  a few  years 
ago  a congregation  was  organized  with  a membership  of  sixteen  or  sev- 
enteen families,  but  owing  to  the  removal  of  a large  number  from  the 
town,  only  three  or  four  families  remain,  and  the  organization  is  not 
maintained.  Columbia  and  several  other  towns  have  small  organizations, 
but  no  rabbis  are  employed.  Almost  every  town  in  the  State  has  one  or 
more  Jewish  families,  neai-ly  all  of  whom  upon  the  most  important  davs 
especially,  New  Year’s  day  and  the  Day  of  Atonement,  attend  services  in 
the  larger  cities,  as  Memphis,  Nashville  or  Chattanooga. 

The  Jewish  Church  throughout  the  State  is  in  a very  prosperous  con- 
dition, and  is  pervaded  with  a spirit  of  liberalty  and  toleration  in  keeping 
with  the  age.  The  congregation  at  Nashville  under  the  care  of  Rabbi 
Goldamer,  during  the  past  eight  years  has  increased  from  fifty-four  to  135 
families.  The  Sabbath-school  children  number  108.  The  annual  expenses 
of  the  church  are  about  $5,500.  Its  property  is  valued  at  $25,000.  The 
president  of  the  society  is  L.  J.  Loewenthal ; the  secretary,  M.  Wertham. 
The  congregation  at  Memphis  numbers  110  families  under  the  care  of  Dr. 
M.  Samfield.  Its  property  is  valued  at  $40,000.  Its  annual  expenses 


708 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


are  $6,500.  The  Sabbath-school  children  number  120.  The  president 
of  the  congregation  is  E.  Lowenstein;  the  secretary,  Samuel  Hirsch. 

Previous  to  the  civil  war  there  were  but  few  separate  or  independent 
colored  churches  in  Tennessee,  the  institution  of  slavery  being  inimical 
to  such  separate  organizations.  But  there  were  many  colored  members 
of  white  churches,  especially  of  the  Methodists.  Since  the  war  the  col- 
ored people  have  organized  churches  of  their  own  all  over  the  State,  and 
at  the  present  time  a colored  member  of  a white  church,  if  ever,  is  a 
very  rare  occurrence.  Most  of  the  churches  of  this  race  belong  to  the 
Methodist  or  Baptist  denominations,  these  denominations  being  usually 
more  demonstrative  and  emotional  in  their  devotion  than  others;  still 
there  are  Colored  Episcopal,  Congregational  and  other  churches.  It  is 
altogether  probable  that  a larger  proportion  of  the  colored  race  than  of 
the  white  race  belong  to  their  various  churches,  the  intelligence  of  the 
former  not  being  as  yet  sufficiently  developed  to  permit  them  to  rest  easy 
outside  the  pale  of  the  church. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

Biography  of  Eminent  Citizens— A Comprehensive  Sketch  of  the  Social 
and  Professional  Character,  the  Domestic  Relations  and  the  Public 
Services  of  a Number  of  Distinguished  Tennesseeans. 

THE  family  of  John  Sevier  was  of  French  origin,  the  name  originally 
being  Xavier.  On  account  of  their  being  Huguenots  they  were 
exiled  from  France  and  went  to  England.  They  arrived  in  that  country 
about  the  beginning  of  the  last  century.  Valentine  Sevier,  the  father  of 
John  Sevier,  was  born  in  London,  and  some  time  previous  to  1740,  fol- 
lowing the  tide  of  emigration  westward,  he  crossed  the  Atlantic  and  set- 
tied  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley  in  the  colony  of  Virginia.  Here  John 
Sevier  was  born  in  the  year  1744,  and  here  too  his  boyhood  days  were 
spent.  His  opportunities  for  literary  attainments  were  very  limited,  but 
what  were  afforded  Avere  well  improved. 

Under  the  auspices  and  patronage  of  Lord  Dun  more,  who  was  then 
governor  of  Virginia,  young  Se\rier  recei\red  a captain’s  commission  in 
the  King’s  troops.  Once  driven  from  home  it  was  difficult  for  the  family 
to  find  a new  one  that  gave  satisfaction.  The  glowing  pictures  of  the 
West,  with  its  beautiful  valleys  and  picturesque  scenery,  led  Valentine 
Sevier,  the  father,  to  again  change  his  home.  The  Sevier  family  settled 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


709 


on  the  Holston  in  wliat  is  now  Sullivan  County,  but  Valentine  above 
mentioned  settled  on  the  Watauga,  “ the  beautiful  river.”  Here  Valen- 
tine Sevier  made  a permanent  settlement  between  Sycamore  Shoals  and 
Elizabethton,  and  here  he  lived  to  a green  old  age.  The  early  settlers  in 
this  section  thought  they  were  settling  within  the  territorial  limits  of 
Virginia,  but  soon  found  they  were  under  the  jurisdiction  of  North  Car- 
olina. For  a number  of  years  these  settlers  had  to  contend  alone  against 
the  Indians  and  other  enemies  of  the  new  settlement.  Doubtless  this 
independent  schooling  had  something  to  do  in  shaping  the  character  of 
John  Sevier.  In  1772  the  settlers  held  an  election  in  this  new  colony 
and  chose  thirteen  commissioners,  whose  duty  it  was  to  exercise  the  func- 
tions of  government.  Out  of  the  thirteen  chosen  five  were  elected  a 
court,  “by  whom  all  things  were  to  be  settled.”  The  district  of  this 
settlement  was  called  the  District  of  Washington.  John  Sevier  was 
chosen  one  of  the  thirteen  commissioners  and  one  of  the  five  out  of  the 
thirteen  for  a court.  While  a member  of  this  court  and  commissioner 
Sevier  addressed  a memorial  to  North  Carolina  urging  her  to  extend  her 
government  over  the  Washington  District.  The  appeal  was  successful, 
and  in  1770  he  was  chosen  a member  of  the  Legislature  of  that  State 
and  assisted  in  forming  the  constitution  for  North  Carolina.  The  terri- 
torial limits  of  the  States  had  been  better  defined  and  instead  of  extend- 
ing to  the  South  Sea  the  Mississippi  River  was  recognized  as  the  western 
boundary.  In  setting  forth  the  boundaries  of  North  Carolina  it  may  be 
said  the  germ  from  which  sprang  Tennessee  was  planted.  The  lan- 
guage of  the  boundary  of  North  Carolina,  which  says  that  the  “ boundary 
shall  not  be  construed  as  to  prevent  the  establishment  of  one  or  more 
governments  westward  of  this  State  by  consent  of  the  Legislature,”  is  the 
language  of  Sevier.  On  the  outbreak  of  the  Revolution  Sevier  threw  all 
of  his  wonderful  influence  in  favor  of  the  infant  Republic.  His  home 
was  ever  the  rendezvous  of  the  leading  Whigs,  and  frequently  was  the 
place  of  meeting  of  the  clans  preparatory  to  a descent  upon  the  British 
and  Tories  or  the  Indians.  The  history  of  his  work  in  the  Revolution- 
ary and  in  the  Indian  wars  is  given  in  the  military  chapter  of  this  work. 
After  the  battle  of  King’s  Mountain  thirty  of  the  Tory  prisoners  were 
■condemned  to  death.  It  was  decided  to  hang  only  twelve  of  them.  Cols. 
Sevier  and  Campbell  determined,  after  eleven  had  been  hanged,  to  save 
the  twelfth  man.  The  officer  in  charge  of  the  work  was  much  more 
zealous  in  hanging  unarmed  men  than  he  had  been  in  fighting  the  armed 
British,  and  seemed  determined  on  carrying  out  sentence  on  the  last. 
Col.  Sevier  ordered  the  work  stopped,  saying  he  was  sick  of  it,  and  said 
to  the  officer:  “If  you  had  been  as  industrious  in  killing  soldiers  this 


710 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


morning  as  you  are  tliis  evening  in  hanging  prisoners  we  would  not 
have  had  so  many  to  hang.” 

After  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  war  the  several  States  ceded 
their  surplus  territory  to  the  General  Government.  By  the  cession  act 
of  June  1,  1784,  North  Carolina  ceded  the  whole  State  of  Tennessee,  in- 
cluding four  organized  counties.  These  counties  were  left  without  any 
government,  in  fact,  about  in  the  same  condition  as  they  were  previous, 
to  the  Revolution.  They  elected  two  men  from  each  captain’s  company 
to  meet  in  convention  at  Jonesborougli  on  August  23,  1784.  Of  this, 
assembly  John  Sevier  was  chosen  president.  The  cession  act  was  re- 
pealed in  November,  and  Col.  Sevier  was  made  a brigadier -general  for 
North  Carolina.  A second  convention  was  called,  of  which  Sevier  was 
again  made  president.  A legislature  was  elected,  and  Col.  Sevier  was 
chosen  governor  of  the  new  State  called  Franklin,  a position  which  he 
held  from  1784  to  1788,  when  Franklin  again  became  subservient  to 
North  Carolina.  Gov.  Sevier  announced  the  separation  and  independence 
of  Franklin.  Gov.  Martin,  of  North  Carolina,  declared  the  mountain- 
eers rebellious  subjects ; likewise  did  Gov.  Caswell.  Counter  proclama- 
tions were  issued  by  Sevier.  Gov.  Johnson  directed  Judge  Campbell  to 
issue  a bench  warrant  against  Sevier  for  high  treason.  The  warrant  was. 
directed  to  Col.  John  Tipton,  a North  Carolina  rival  of  Sevier,  who  ar- 
rested him.  To  prevent  his  rescue  Sevier  was  taken  across  the  moun- 
tains to  Morganton,  where  court  convened  to  try  him  for  high  treason. 
The  friends  of  Sevier  also  went  to  Morganton,  and  entered  the  court 
room  and  attracted  the  attention  of  the  court  while  the  prisoner  made 
his  escape.  In  1789,  with  the  indictment  still  against  him,  Sevier  was. 
sent  to  the  Senate  of  North  Carolina.  After  he  was  sworn  in  a motion 
was  made  to  inquire  into  Sevier’s  conduct,  but  was  lost  by  an  overwhelm- 
ing majority.  In  March,  1700,  he  was  elected  to  Congress  and  took  his. 
seat  in  that  body  in  June,  being  the  first  representative  from  the  Missis- 
sippi Valley  in  that  body.  North  Carolina  again  ceded  her  territory 
west  of  the  mountains  to  Congress.  President  Washington  appointed 
William  Blount  territorial  governor,  who  in  turn  appointed  John  Sevier 
as  brigadier-general  of  the  territory.  On  the  removal  of  the  seat  of  the 
new  territory  to  Knoxville,  Sevier  left  Nollichucky  and  settledmear  Knox- 
ville, and  after  a time  he  moved  into  the  city.  He  was  one  of  the  com- 
missioners with  Blount  in  a great  treaty  with  the  Indians  on  the  Holston 
River.  On  August  25,  1794,  he  was  appointed  a member  of  the  Legis- 
lative Council  of  the  territory,  and  in  a few  days  he  was  made  one  of  the 
trustees  of  Blount  College,  now  East  Tennessee  University.  He  re- 
mained an  active  member  of  the  trustees  till  his  death.  On  September 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


711 


23,  1794,  lie  introduced  a bill  incorporating  Knoxville,  and  in  a short 
time  assisted  in  the  establishment  of  Washington  College. 

In  1796  the  territory  southwest  of  the  Ohio  became  the  State  of  Ten- 
nessee. Writs  of  election  were  directed  to  the  sheriffs,  directing  them 
to  hold  a general  election  on  March  28,  1796,  for  the  election  of  mem- 
bers of  the  General  Assembly  and  governor.  The  choice  for  governor 
fell  upon  John  Sevier.  He  was  re-elected  in  1797  and  again  in  1799- 
Being  ineligible  for  a fourth  term  he  was  out  two  years,  when  he  was 
again  elected  for  three  terms  in  succession.  This  brought  him  to  the 
year  1811,  when  he  was  chosen  a member  of  Congress  from  the  Knox- 
ville District,  and  again  elected  in  1813.  This  was  during  the  period  of 
war  with  Great  Britain.  He  rendered  efficient  service  on  the  committee 
of  military  affairs  during  that  period.  In  1815  Mr.  Monroe  appointed 
him  commissioner  to  run  the  boundary  line  of  the  lands  ceded  by  the 
Creeks  to  the  United  States.  He  left  his  home  in  Knoxville  in  June, 
and  in  September  was  taken  sick  of  miasmatic  fever  and  died  on  the  24th 
of  the  month  at  the  Indian  town  Tuckabatchie.  He  was  buried  by  a 
detachment  of  United  States  soldiers  under  Capt.  Walker,  on  the  east 
bank  of  the  Tallapoosa,  near  Fort  Decatur,  Ala.  While  he  was  away  on 
official  duty  to  find  his  grave,  his  constituents  at  home  again  elected  him 
to  a seat  in  Congress,  but  it  is  doubtful  if  he  ever  heard  of  his  election. 
He  is  described  as  being  five  feet  ten  or  eleven  inches  in  height,  with 
a most  symmetrical  well-knit  frame,  inclining  in  late  years  to  fullness ; 
his  ordinary  weight  about  140  or  150  pounds;  his  complexion  ruddy,  fair 
skin;  his  eyes  blue,  expressive  of  vivacity,  benignancy  and  fearlessness; 
the  nose  not  aquiline  but  prominent,  with  a mouth  and  chin  of  chiseled 
perfection.  His  form  was  erect  and  his  walk  rapid.  He  was  exceedingly 
colloquial,  urbane,  convivial  and  of  most  commanding  presence.  His 
dress  was  always  neat.  He  claimed  to  be  the  best  equestrian  in  the 
country,  and  spent  much  of  his  time  on  horseback.  It  is  said  that  his 
individuality  was  so  great  that  a stranger  would  never  have  difficulty  in 
pointing  him  out  in  an  assembly  upon  being  told  that  John  Sevier  was 
there.  He  was  a military  leader  for  nearly  twenty  years,  and  fought 
thirty-two  pitched  battles  but  was  never  defeated,  even  in  a skirmish. 
His  plan  of  battle  was  the  impetuous  charge,  of  which  he  was  the  leader. 
He  it  was  that  introduced  the  Indian  war-whoop  into  civilized  warfare, 
and  which  struck  the  British  with  such  terror.  He  was  in  many  des- 
perate hand-to-hand  encounters,  but  was  never  wounded.  During  all 
his  military  service,  except  the  last,  he  never  received  a cent.  His  house 
was  the  place  of  rendezvous  for  his  men,  and  a general  without  commis- 
sion he  enforced  discipline.  Men  die  without  any  public  service  and 


712 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


have  towering  shafts  of  marble  erected  to  their  memory,  yet  John  Sevier, 
who  founded  a great  State  and  gave  it  forty  years  of  public  service,  died 
and  not  only  no  monument  marks  his  grave,  but  even  his  burial  place  is 
unknown. 

Gen.  James  Robertson,*  “the  father  of  Tennessee,”  was  born  in 
Brunswick  County,  Ya.,  on  the  28th  of  June,  1742.  While  he  was  yet 
a youth  his  parents  moved  to  Wake  County,  N.  C.,  where  he  grew  to 
manhood  and  married  Miss  Charlotte  Reeves.  When  that  event  oc- 
curred he  had  already  obtained  the  rudiments  of  an  education,  and  as 
Wake  County  at  that  time  was  the  center  of  the  intelligence  and  culture 
of  the  colony,  he  had  laid  the  foundation  of  the  broad  and  liberal  char- 
acter for  which  he  was  ever  distinguished.  He  had  also  become  imbued 
with  the  spirit  of  liberty  which  was  invading  every  American  colony,  and 
in  1770,  to  escape  the  oppression  of  the  tyrant  Tryon,  he  resolved  to 
seek  a home  beyond  the  mountains.  Accordingly  in  the  spring  of  that 
year,  with  a small  party,  of  whom  Daniel  Boone  is  believed  to  have  been 
the  leader,  he  visited  the  few  settlers  who  had  already  located  on  the 
Watauga,  and  being  favorably  impressed  with  the  country  decided  to 
make  his  home  among  them.  He  returned  to  Wake  County  after  having 
made  a crop,  and  it  is  thought  he  participated  in  the  battle  of  Alamance, 
May  16,  1771.  Soon  after  that  event,  with  his  wife  and  child,  he  again 
set  out  on  a journey  over  the  mountains  to  the  Watauga,  which  was 
reached  in  safety.  Soon  after  his  arrival  it  was  determined  to  form  some 
sort  of  government,  and  he  took  an  active  part  in  securing  the  adoption 
of  a set  of  written  articles  of  government,  which  all  agreed  to  support. 
In  the  early  part  of  1776  he  was  one  of  the  committee  who  drew  the  pe- 
tition for  the  annexation  of  Watauga  to  North  Carolina. 

As  an  Indian  diplomatist,  Gen.  Robertson  had  no  superior  and  very 
few  equals.  In  1772  he  was  chosen  to  visit  and  pacify  the  Cherokees, 
who  had  been  aroused  by  the  murder  of  one  of  their  number  by  a hunter. 
This  he  successfully  accomplished,  and  by  his  courage,  address  and 
friendly  manner  won  the  regard  of  the  chiefs,  with  whom  he  remained 
several  days.  Two  years  later,  in  October,  he  participated  in  a battle 
with  the  Indians  on  the  banks  of  the  Kanawha,  whither  a company  under 
Col.  Isaac  Shelby  had  gone  to  aid  the  settlers  in  West  Virginia,  then  in 
danger  of  destruction  by  the  Shawanees  and  their  allies.  In  July,  1777, 
the  Cherokees  having  become  troublesome,  Gen.  Robertson,  co-operating 
with  a force  from  Virginia,  invaded  their  country  and  compelled  them  to 
sue  for  peace.  During  the  same  year  he  was  appointed  temporary  agent 

*So  much  has  been  written  concerning  Gen.  Robertson  that  only  a brief  outline  of  his  life  is  here  pre- 
sented. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


718 


of  North  Carolina,  and  sent  to  Chota,  “the  beloved  town”  of  the  Chero- 
kees,  where  he  resided  for  some  time,  and  while  there  rendered  himself 
popular  with  the  chiefs. 

In  1779  Robertson  determined  to  remove  still  further  west,  and  in 
February,  accompanied  by  a party  of  eight,  he  set  out  to  examine  and 
locate  land  in  the  Cumberland,  and  to  raise  a crop  of  corn  for  the  sup- 
port of  those  who  were  to  come  out  in  the  fall.  The  hardships  and  pri- 
vations endured  in  the  founding  of  the  Cumberland  settlements  have 
been  described  in  another  chapter,  and  will  not  be  here  repeated.  Dur- 
ing all  of  these  troublesome  times,  and  up  to  his  death,  Gen.  Robertson 
was  looked  upon  as  a counselor  and  leader  by  all  the  colonists.  Under 
the  Government  of  the  Notables  he  was  the  president  of  the  committee  or 
the  judges,  and  upon  the  organization  of  Davidson  County  was  one  of 
the  justices  appointed  to  hold  the  county  court.  He  was  also  the  first 
representative  of  the  county  to  the  General  Assembly  of  North  Carolina, 
and  continued  by  successive  elections  until  the  organization  of  the  Ter- 
ritorial government.  He  was  then  commissioned  by  Washington  major- 
general  of  the  Mero  District. 

As  a legislator  Gen.  Robertson  displayed  the  highest  qualities  of  the 
statesman,  and  he  could  no  doubt  have  attained  eminence  in  a wider 
field.  Although  the  Assembly  of  North  Carolina  had  evinced  a disposi- 
tion to  ignore  the  settlements  west  of  the  Cumberland  Mountains,  he 
succeeded  in  securing  the  passage  of  many  acts  for  the  benefit  of  his 
county,  notably  among  which  was  one  providing  for  the  establishment  of 
Davidson  Academy;  another  provided  for  a superior  court  of  law  and 
equity,  and  a third  prohibiting  the  establishment  of  distilleries  in  David- 
son County.  In  1795  he  resigned  his  commission  as  commander  of  the 
Mero  District,  and  the  following  year  was  appointed  Indian  agent.  In 
March,  1805,  he  was  sent  on  a mission  to  the  Chickasaws  and  Choctaws, 
and  in  July  following,  in  company  with  the  Indian  agent,  Dinsmore,  met 
the  chiefs  of  the  former  nation  and  obtained  a total  relinquishment  of 
the  title  to  a large  tract  of  their  land  east  of  the  Mississippi.  In  No- 
vember a treaty  was  concluded  with  the  Choctaws. 

During  the  war  of  1812  Gen.  Robertson  rendered  his  last  and 
greatest  service  to  his  country.  Through  his  influence  with  the  Indians, 
the  Choctaws,  Chickasaws  and  Cherokees,  were  induced  to  aid  the  United 
States  against  the  Creeks  and  the  British,  and  the  people  of  Tennes- 
see were  saved  from  the  horrors  of  an  Indian  war.  Gen.  Robertson  had 
long  been  subject  to  neuralgia,  and  while  at  the  Chickasaw  Agency  he 
was  seized  with  an  attack  of  great  violence,  which  ended  his  life  Sep- 
tember 1,  1814.  His  remains  were  interred  at  the  agency,  where  they^ 


714 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


rested  till  the  year  1825,  when  they  were  removed  to  the  cemetery  at 
Nashville.  By  his  side  now  rest  the  remains  of  his  wife  who  survived 
him  until  June  11,  1843.  They  had  eleven  children,  seven  sons  and 
four  daughters.  Two  sons  were  killed  by  the  Indians ; one  daughter  died 
in  infancy.  Felix  Bobertson,  one  of  the  sons,  was  born  at  the  Bluff 
January  11,  1781,  and  was  the  first  white  child  born  in  the  settlement. 

The  ancestors  of  Judge  John  Haywood  emigrated  from  England  at 
an  early  period  and  settled  in  the  city  of  New  York,  from  which  place 
they  moved  to  Norfolk,  Ya.  The  destruction  of  the  town  with  the  home 
of  the  Hay  woods  led  the  grandfather,  William  Haywood,  to  seek  a home 
elsewhere.  He  moved  to  near  the  town  of  Halifax,  on  the  Boanoke,  N. 
C.  Egbert  Haywood,  the  father  of  Judge  John  Haywood,  became  a farm- 
er in  the  neighborhood.  He  was  a man  of  ordinary  means,  and  had 
little  desire  for  books  or  social  culture,  caring  more  for  field  sports  or  the 
chase  than  literary  attainments. 

John  Haywood,  son  of  the  above,  was  born  March  16,  1762,  at  the 
family  estate  in  Halifax  County,  N.  C.  The  country  afforded  little 
opportunity  for  an  education:  not  only  were  there  few  schools,  but  there 
were  few  educated  teachers.  The  father  being  comparatively  poor,  he 
was  unable  to  send  his  son  to  a foreign  country  or  even  a neighboring 
province  to  school,  as  was  the  case  with  those  more  favored  by  fortune. 
The  want  of  public  schools  was  in  some  instances  supplied  by  private 
teachers.  In  his  early  life  he  attended  a private  academy  taught  by  a 
Bev.  Mr.  Castle,  from  whom  he  obtained  a knowledge  of  the  elements  of 
an  education.  He  acquired  some  knowledge  of  Latin,  Greek,  geography 
and  other  branches.  His  knowledge  of  any  one  branch  of  learning  at 
this  time  was  general  rather  than  special.  At  an  early  period  in  his 
career  he  formed  a resolution  to  study  law,  a profession  for  which  he 
was  well  fitted  by  nature.  He  was  without  books,  without  money,  and 
without  an  instructor.  He  began  his  studies  by  reading  some  of  Bay- 
mond’s  reports,  which  were  couched  in  the  stilted  and  circumlocutory 
style  of  the  period,  and  interspersed  with  innumerable  Latin  and  French 
phrases.  He  soon  rose  to  prominence  at  the  bar.  He  made  his  first 
argument  before  the  supreme  court  at  the  age  of  twenty-four.  He  dis- 
played such  ability  in  this  case  as  to  attract  marked  attention,  and  he  was 
no  longer  without  clients.  In  1794,  as  attorney -general,  he  procured  not 
only  the  reconsideration  but  the  reversal  of  judgment  by  the  supreme 
court  of  a case  decided  unconstitutional  the  year  preceding.  In  1794  he 
became  one  of  the  judges  of  the  superior  court  of  law  and  equity,  a posi- 
tion which  he  held  five  or  six  years.  While  on  the  bench  he  collected 
the  decisions  of  the  supreme  court  of  North  Carolina  from  1789  to  1798. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


715 


After  leaving  the  bench  he  again  began  the  practice,  which  he  fol- 
lowed in  North  Carolina  till  1807,  when  he  moved  to  Davidson  County, 
Tenn.,  and  settled  about  seven  miles  from  Nashville.  The  reputation 
Judge  Haywood  had  made  both  as  a lawyer  and  a judge  in  North  Caro- 
lina soon  brought  him  into  prominence  before  the  Tennessee  bar.  This 
was  at  a period  when  many  persons  were  involved  in  suits  over  land 
claims  and  titles.  Judge  Guild,  who  was  examined  by  Judge  Haywood 
in  October,  1822,  for  license  to  practice  law,  describes  his  visit  to  the 
judge  as  being  somewhat  peculiar.  He  found  the  judge  lying  out  in  his 
yard  on  a bull-hide  in  the  shade.  He  looked  as  large  as  a sleeping  bul- 
lock, as  his  weight  was  about  350  pounds.  He  found  him  grim,  and 
when  he  told  his  business  the  judge  began  growling  and  grumbling,  and 
said  he  did  not  see  why  he  should  be  disturbed.  He  called  two  negro 
men,  and  had  them  take  the  bull-hide  by  the  tail  and  drag  him  farther 
into  the  shade.  He  then  began  a very  long  and  searching  catechism  on 
the  law.  He  grew  very  communicative,  and  was  well  pleased  with  his 
work.  Then  followed  a long  lecture  of  advice,  covering  almost  the  whole 
of  moral  and  legal  ethics.  He  is  said  to  have  been  agreeable  in  his 
manner,  fond  of  society,  and  entertaining  to  the  highest  degree  in  his 
conversation.  He  kept  his  law  office  and  library  at  his  home  in  the 
country,  and  compelled  his  clients  to  attend  on  him  there.  Aside  from  his 
law  studies  Judge  Haywood  found  time  to  pursue  a wide  field  of  literary 
pursuits.  He  published  a work  called  “ Natural  and  Aboriginal  History 
•of  Tennessee,”  containing  about  400  pages.  In  this  he  treats  of  the  In- 
dians, their  usages,  etc.,  earthquakes,  dreams,  ghosts,  goblins,  bones  of 
giants,  pygmies,  mastodons,  caves  and  strange  voices  in  air,  portents, 
signs  and  wonders,  all  very  curious  and  interesting.  He  also  published 
in  1823  his  “History  of  Tennessee,”  a book  of  about  500  pages,  covering 
the  period  of  settlement  from  1708  to  1795.  The  “Evidences  of  Cliis- 
tianity”  followed.  Many  of  Judge  Haywood’s  conclusions  in  his  literary 
works  are  based  on  very  little  evidence.  That  close  reasoning  that  char- 
acterizes his  legal  conclusions  is  followed  in  his  other  works ; but  is  based 
upon  insufficient  evidence,  and  is  therefore  very  often  erroneous.  Much 
of  his  writing  is  speculative  and  highly  imaginative.  One  very  curious 
argument  Judge  Haywood  uses  to  prove  that  the  Hebrews  and  Indians 
were  the  same  people  is  to  quote  I Samuel,  xviii:  27,  to  prove  that 
the  Hebrews  scalped  their  enemies,  as  well  as  did  the  Indians.  Many 
of  his  other  arguments  are  in  a similar  vein. 

Judge  Haywood  died  at  his  home  near  Nashville  December  22,  1826, 
in  the  sixty-fourth  year  of  his  age.  He  died  after  a few  days’  illness, 
his  death  being  hastened  from  his  great  corpulency.  Judge  Haywood 


716 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


left  sis  children  -three  sons  and  three  daughters:  Thomas  Haywood, 
a lawyer  and  teacher  of  classic  education,  died  in  1868  near  the  Nolens- 
ville  pike,  about  sis  miles  from  Nashville;  Dr.  George  was  a well-known 
physician  of  Marshall  County ; Dr.  Egbert  Haywood  was  a resident  of 
Brownsville,  Haywood  County ; one  of  the  daughters  married  Dr.  Moore, 
of  Huntsville,  Ala. ; a second  married  Col.  Jones,  of  Tuscumbia,  and  the 
third  married  Col.  S.  Jones,  of  Limestone  County,  Ala. 

The  ancestry  of  William  Blount  has  been  traced  with  certainty  to 
the  invasion  of  England  by  William  the  Norman  in  1066.  The  name 
wTas  originally  Le  Blount,  and  from  the  successful  issue  of  invasion  to  the 
Normans  the  two  brothers  accompanying  the  espedition  became  owners 
of  large  landed  estates.  In  1669  Thomas  Blount,  great-grandfather  of 
William  Blount,  with  two  brothers  emigrated  to  Virginia,  where  one  of 
the  brothers  settled  and  became  the  head  of  a long  line  of  descendants. 
The  other  two  brothers  moved  to  North  Carolina  and  settled  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  Albemarle.  Jacob  Blount,  father  of  William  Blount,  was  born 
in  Bertie  County,  N.  C.,  in  1726,  and  was  married  to  Barbary  Gray,  a 
lady  of  Scotch  ancestry,  in  1744,  by  whom  he  had  eight  children.  On 
the  death  of  his  wife  he  married  a daughter  of  Edward  Salten,  by  which 
union  there  were  five  children.  Jacob  Blount  was  a member  of  North 
Carolina  Assembly  in  1775-76.  His  death  occurred  at  his  country  seat 
in  Pitt  County  in  1789.  William  Blount,  eldest  son  of  Jacob  Blount, 
was  born  in  Bertie  County,  N.  C.,  March  26,  1749.  Jacob  Blount  is 
said  to  have  been  a man  of  considerable  estate,  and  to  have  educated  his 
large  family  in  accordance  with  his  ample  means  and  social  standing.  It 
is  probable  that  the  training  of  his  sons  was  more  in  the  line  of  the  prac- 
tical than  of  the  theoretical,  that  their  training  was  more  of  action  than 
of  letters.  William  in  early  life  rose  to  prominence  by  personal  worth, 
and  was  married  February  12,  1778,  to  Mary,  a daughter  of  Col.  Caleb 
Grainger.  He  and  his  father  participated  in  the  battle  of  Alamance, 
May  16,  1771,  and  all  the  brothers  were  leading  spirits  in  the  Bevolu- 
tionary  war.  Her  half-brother,  Willie,  was  for  a time  his  private  secre- 
tary; was  judge  of  the  supreme  court  of  Tennessee,  and  was  governor  of 
the  State  from  1809  to  1815. 

William  Blount  was  a member  of  the  General  Assembly  of  North 
Carolina  the  most  of  the  time  from  1780  to  1790.  He  was  a member  of  the 
Continental  Congress  from  that  State  in  1783-84,  and  again  in  1786-87. 
His  native  State  was  active  in  the  preliminary  conventions  which  led 
to  the  final  convention  at  Philadelphia,  in  1787,  of  which  he  was  a 
member.  When  the  action  of  the  convention  was  referred  to  the  States, 
Blount  used  his  whole  power  in  the  State  convention  for  its  ratification. 


FROM  PHOTO  BY  THUSS,  K HU  FIR  & GIFRS.  MSHVULF 


William  Blount 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


717 


He  is  said  to  have  been  “a  vigilant  agent  of  his  State  and  the  faithful 
guardian  of  the  interests  of  North  Carolina”  at  the  treaty  of  Hopewell 
with  the  Cherokees,  November  28,  1785.  He  always  took  an  active  in- 
terest in  the  Western  settlements  and  was  ever  a zealous  friend  to  the 
Indians.  His  good  influence  was  used  with  them  in  securing  some  of 
the  most  important  and  liberal  treaties  with  the  Cherokees,  Choctaws 
and  Chickasaws.  The  ordinance  and  the  act  amendatory  to  it  for  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  territory  southwest  of  the  Ohio  River,  passed  August  7, 
1789.  This  was  after  the  second  session  act  of  North  Carolina,  which 
was  intended  to  simplify  matters  and  strengthen  the  hands  of  the  Gen- 
eral Government.  From  personal  acquaintance  with  Gov.  Blount,  made 
at  the  constitutional  convention,  and  knowing  his  worth  and  acquaintance 
with  the  affairs  of  the  new  Territory,  Gen.  Washington  appointed  him 
Territorial  governor.  His  commission  was  received  August  7,  1790,  and 
on  October  10  he  entered  upon  his  duties.  He  first  took  up  his  resi- 
dence at  the  home  of  William  Cobb,  at  the  forks  of  the  Holston  and 
Watauga  Rivers,  and  called  around  him  the  ablest  men  of  the  Territory 
to  assist  in  his  government.  By  the  unanimous  recommendation  of  the 
Legislature,  he  was  appointed  by  President  Washington  as  superintend- 
ent of  Indian  affairs.  He  made  a tour  of  inspection  of  the  Territory  to 
inquire  into  the  wants  and  needs  of  the  people.  The  Indians  with  whom 
he  was  to  treat  were  included  in  the  tribes  of  the  Creeks,  Cherokees, 
Chickasaws  and  Choctaws.  This  was  one  of  his  most  difficult  tasks. 
The  boundaries  of  these  were  not  well-defined  and  some  of  the  stipula- 
tions of  former  treaties  not  carried  out.  Many  white  men  had  settled 
upon  the  territory  ox  the  Indians,  and  this  gave  cause  for  complaint  by 
the  Indians.  British  and  Spanish  intrigue  was  at  work  upon  the 
Indians,  and  to  prevent  complications  with  these  countries  his  instruc- 
tions were  to  adopt  defensive  measures  only  in  dealing  with  the  Southern 
Indians,  although  surrounded  by  from  30,000  to  50,000  warriors.  Con- 
sidering- the  difficulties  of  the  surroundings,  he  managed  with  commenda  - 
ble  prudence.  Being  restrained  as  he  was,  many  private  injuries  were 
inflicted  by  the  Indians,  which  he  was  unable  to  punish;  hence  arose 
complaints,  the  grounds  for  which  he  was  not  responsible. 

Gov.  Blount  called  the  Legislative  council  and  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives in  extra  session  at  Knoxville  on  June  29,  1795,  to  take  steps 
toward  the  formation  of  a State  constitution.  An  act  was  passed  July 
11,  1795,  ordering  a census  and  a vote  on  the  question  of  forming  a 
State  constitution.  The  result  of  this  poll  was  announced  by  the  gov- 
ernor November  28,  1795,  there  being  6,504  votes  for  and  2,562  votes 
against  a State  constitution.  On  the  same  day  he  ordered  a general 

45 


718 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


election  to  be  lielcl  December  18  and  19,  for  the  election  of  five  persons 
from  each  county  to  assemble  in  Knoxville  January  11,  1796,  to  draft  a 
State  constitution.  The  final  announcement  of  the  passage  of  the  act 
took  place  February  6,  1796.  On  March  30  the  names  of  William  Blount 
and  William  Cocke  were  proposed  for  United  States  Senators,  and 
on  the  following  day  were  unanimously  elected.  The  Legislature  met 
again  on  July  30,  and  Congress  in  the  meantime  having  declared  the 
March  election  of  senators  illegal,  from  the  fact  that  the  State  had  not 
been  admitted,  these  men  were  again  elected  on  August  2.  Gov.  Blount 
took  his  seat  in  the  Senate  December  5,  1796.  July  3,  1797,  Pi’esident 
Adams  sent  a message  to  both  Houses  of  Congress,  stating  that  the  con-, 
dition  of  the  country  was  critical.  The  grounds  for  this  suspicion  was 
some  correspondence  Mr.  Blount  had  had  with  various  parties,  which  led 
to  the  belief  that  he  had  entered  into  a conspiracy  to  transfer  the  territory 
of  New  Orleans  and  Florida  to  Great  Britain  through  the  influence  of 
an  English  army  and  the  assistance  of  the  Indians,  who  were  to  be 
drawn  into  the  scheme.  Five  days  after  the  giving  of  the  notice  Mr. 
Blount  was  expelled  from  the  Senate  on  a charge  of  having  been  guilty 
of  “high  misdemeanor,  entirely  inconsistent  with  his  public  trust  and 
duty  as  a senator.”  The  vote  stood  twenty-five  for  expulsion  to  one 
against  it.  Mr.  Tazewell,  of  Virginia,  alone  voted  in  the  negative.  On 
the  vote  of  the  impeachment  of  William  Blount  as  a civil  officer  within 
the  meaning  of  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  etc.,  it  was  deter- 
mined in  the  negative.  The  vote  stood  eleven  for  conviction  and  four- 
teen for  acquittal. 

It  is  claimed  for  Mr.  Blount  that  if  time  had  been  given  him  he 
could  have  vindicated  himself.  So  great  was  the  confidence  of  the  peo- 
ple in  his  innocence  that  Gen.  James  White,  senator  from  Knox  County, 
resigned  his  seat  in  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State  in  his  interest  it  is  1 
said,  and  the  people  of  Knox  County  elected  him  to  the  vacant  seat.  At  a 
called  session,  December  3,  1797,  he  was  unanimously  elected  speaker  of 
that  body.  He  is  described  by  Dr.  Poimsey  as  a man  “remarkable  for 
great  address,  courtly  manners,  benignant  feelings  and  a most  commanding 
presence.  His  urbanity,  his  personal  influence  over  men  of  all  condi- 
tions and  ages,  his  hospitality,  unostentatiously  yet  elegantly  and  grace- 
fully extended  to  all,  won  upon  the  affections  and  regard  of  the  populace, 
and  made  him  a universal  favorite.  He  was  at  once  the  social  compan- 
ion, the  well-read  gentleman  and  the  capable  officer.”  This  inscription 
on  a slab  in  the  grave-yard  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  in  Knox- 
ville tells  his  end:  “William  Blount,  died  March  21,  1800,  aged  fifty 

three  years.” 


HISTORY  OT  TENNESSEE. 


719 


Gov.  William  Carroll  was  born  in  Pennsylvania  March  3,  1788.  He 
had  little  advantages  for  an  education,  but  was  a man  of  extraordinary 
good  sense.  In  1810  he  left  Pittsburgh,  Penn.,  and  came  to  Nashville. 
He  engaged  in  mercantile  business  in  which  he  was  very  successful. 
On  the  outbreak  of  the  Creek  war  he  was  appointed  captain.  His  fine 
personal  appearance,  brave  and  courageous  manner,  knowledge  of  mili- 
tary matters,  frank  and  noble  bearing  attracted  the  attention  of  Gen. 
Jackson,  who  made  him  one  of  his  most  trusted  lieutenants.  He  took  an 
active  part  in  the  battle  of  Talladega  December  9,  1813,  and  contributed 
no  little  to  its  success.  On  the  expiration  of  the  term  of  service  of  the 
men  Gen.  Carroll  was  one  of  the  most  active  in  raising  recruits  for  the 
very  needy  army  of  Jackson  at  Fort  Strother.  These  forces,  amounting 
to  900  men,  were  forwarded  early  in  January,  and  on  the  17th  started 
for  Emuckfau,  where  they  met  and  defeated  the  Indians  on  the  21st.  In 
a retrogade  movement  on  Fort  Strother  the  Indians  attacked  the  Ameri- 
can lines  on  the  24th  at  Enotochopco,  and  were  again  defeated.  On  March 
24  the  army  again  started,  and  on  the  27th  was  fought  the  great  battle 
of  Tohopeka  or  Horseshoe.  In  these  engagements  Gen.  Carroll  sustained 
his  reputation  for  skill  and  bravery.  He  soon  after  returned  home  to 
take  charge  of  the  new  levies  for  New  Orleans.  On  November  19,  1814, 
he  embarked  at  Nashville  with  2,500  men,  and  hastened  down  the  river 
to  assist  in  the  defense  of  New  Orleans,  that  place  was  reached  December 
21,  and  in  a few  hours  the  men  were  in  the  position  assigned  them. 

On  the  final  battle  of  January  8 Gen.  Carroll  occupied  the  position 
next  to  the  extreme  left.  The  center  of  Carroll  was  selected  for  the 
main  attack.  This  was  done  on  information  that  these  .men  were  militia. 
The  British  advance  in  column  was  made  with  great  desperation,  but  was 
met  with  great  coolness.  There  was  an  appalling  loss  of  life  in  front  of 
Carroll’s  men.  The  military  fame  of  Carroll  and  Coffee  is  indelibly 
linked  with  the  fame  of  Jackson  in  the  great  achievements  of  that  period. 
After  the  close  of  the  war  Gen.  Carroll  again  returned  to  civil  life.  He 
was  a very  active  business  man,  and  brought  the  first  steam-boat  the  “Gen. 
Jackson,”  to  Nashville,  in  1818.  He  continued  in  business  till  the  finan- 
cial depression  of  1818-20,  when  he  met  with  severe  reverses,  which  led 
him  into  politics.  In  1821  he  was  a candidate  and  was  elected  governor 
of  the  State.  He  was  re-elected  twice  in  succession,  but  being  constitu- 
tionally ineligible  for  a fourth  term  he  gave  way  to  Gen.  Houston.  He 
was  again  recalled  and  served  six  years  longer.  His  official  career  as 
governor  was  characterized  by  clearness,  good  judgment  and  firmness. 
His  official  documents  though  not  classical  are  noted  for  good  literary 
taste.  In  1813  he  was  led  into  a duel  with  Jesse  Benton,  brother  of 


720 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Col.  Thomas  H.  Benton.  It  seems  some  of  the  younger  element  was 
jealous  of  Carroll’s  popularity.  Several  ineffectual  efforts  were  made  to 
bring  about  a collision  between  Carroll  and  some  one  of  the  young  men. 
At  last  Jesse  Benton  was  led  into  the  quarrel  and  promptly  challenged 
Carroll  to  a duel.  Carroll  appealed  to  Jackson  to  act  as  his  second,  but 
the  latter  insisted  that  Carroll  should  select  some  one  else.  Gen.  Carroll 
told  Jackson  that  he  believed  there  was  a conspiracy  to  run  him  (Car- 
roll ) out  of  the  county.  This  angered  Gen.  Jackson,  who  promptly  said 
that  while  he  was  alive  Carroll  should  not  be  run  out  of  the  State. 
Jackson  endeavored  to  bring  about  a reconciliation  between  the  two 
belligerents  and  partially  succeeded.  However,  the  duel  was  fought  and 
both  contestants  received  slight  wounds.  The  part  that  Jackson  took  in 
this  affair  led  to  the  altercation  between  him  and  Benton  a few  weeks 
afterward.  The  life  of  Carroll  is  summed  up  in  the  inscription  on  Lis 
monument:  “As  a gentleman  he  was  modest,  intelligent,  accomplished; 
as  an  officer  he  has  energetic,  gallant,  daring;  as  a statesman  he  was  wise 
and  just.  Delivered  an  address  in  Nashville  on  March  15,  1844,  con- 
gratulating Gen.  J ackson  and  the  country  on  the  final  passage  of  the  act 
of  Congress  appropriating  a sum  of  money  to  repay  Gen.  Jackson  the 
amount  of  the  fine  Avith  interest  imposed  upon  him  by  Judge  Hall,  of 
New  Orleans.  This  was  the  last  public  act  of  Gen.  Carroll.  He  died 
on  March  22,  1844,  in  the  fifty-sixth  year  of  his  age.” 

The  ancestors  of  Andrew  Jackson  were  long  known  near  Carrickfer- 
gus,*  in  the  north  of  Ireland.  Hugh  Jackson,  the  great-grandfather  of 
Gen.  Jackson,  was  a linen  draper  there  as  early  as  1660,  and  as  was  the 
case  generally  in.  that  county  the  same  avocation  was  followed  by  mem- 
bers of  the  family  for  many  years.  Hugh  Jackson  was  the  father  of 
four  sons,  the  youngest  of  whom  was  named  Andrew.  Andrew  was  the 
father  of  Andrew  Jackson,  so  well  known  throughout  this  country.  The 
father  of  Andrew  Jackson,  the  general,  married  Elizabeth  Hutchinson, 
the  daughter  of  a poor  but  respectable  linen  weaver  near  their  old  home 
at  Carrickfergus.  With  his  Avife,  tAvo  sons,  Hugh  and  Robert,  and 
several  of  his  kinsmen,  Andrew  Jackson  immigrated  to  America  and 
arrived  in  Charleston,  S:  C.,  in  1767,  but  soon  moved  to  a settlement  j 
known  as  the  “ Waxhaws,”  near  the  line  between  North  and  South 
Carolina.  The  father  settled  at  Twelve  Mile  Creek,  near  a branch  of 
the  CataAvba  River,  in  what  was  formerly  called  Mecklenburg,  but  now  j 
Union  County,  N.  C.  The  family  began  work  in  clearing  and  cultivat- 
ing a piece  of  land,  but  it  seems  no  title  to  it  was  ever  acquired.  In  j 
the  spring  of  1767  occurred  the  death  of  Mr.  Jackson,  a short  time 


♦The  Crag  of  Fergus,  or  where  King  Fergus  was  drowned. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


721 


before  the  birth  of  Gen.  Jackson.  The  body,  with  the  family,  was 
placed  in  a wagon  and  carried  to  the  old  church  at  Waxhaw,  where  the 
body  was  buried.  Mrs.  Jackson  went  to  live  with  her  married  sister, 
Mrs.  George  McKemey  or  McCamie,  where  on  March  15,  1767,  the 
future  President  was  born.  Owing  to  the  poverty  of  this  brother-in-law 
Mrs.  Jackson  went  to  live  with  Mr.  Crawford,  another  brother-in-law, 
who  lived  near  the  State  line,  in  South  Carolina. 

Here  young  Jackson  spent  the  first  ten  or  twelve  years  of  his  life. 
He  might  have  been  seen  a tall,  slender,  long,  sandy  haired,  freckle- 
faced, bright  blue-eyed  boy  while  attending  an  “old  field  school.”  He 
was  dressed  in  coarse  coppered-clothes ; and  barefooted  attended  a 
school  at  Waxhaw  taught  by  Dr.  Humphries,  but  it  seems  he  never 
attained  great  proficiency  in  any  branch  nor  any  great  love  for  books. 
The  massacre  at  Waxhaw  on  May  29,  1780,  was  the  first  introduction 
he  had  to  the  horrors  of  war.  Here  were  butchered  263  of  the  Whigs  of 
the  Carolinas,  the  wounded  having  received  from  three  to  thirteen 
wounds ; among  the  number  killed  was  his  brother  Hugh.  Andrew  was 
present  at  the  engagement  at  Hanging  Rock,  but  was  too  young  to  take 
an  active  part.  He  took  Col.  Davie  at  that  time  as  his  ideal  commander, 
the  dash  and  spirit  of  that  enterprising  officer  well  suiting  the  aggressive 
character  of  Jackson. 

Soon  after  this  Jackson  and  his  brother  Robert,  with  many  others, 
were  captured  by  the  British  and  Tories.  It  was  while  a prisoner  that  a 
British  officer  ordered  Jackson  to  clean  his  boots,  an  order  which  he 
refused  to  obey  on  the  ground  that  he  was  a prisoner  and  should  be 
treated  as  such.  A sabre  stroke  on  the  head  and  arm  was  received  for 
his  disobedience.  An  order  was  then  given  to  Robert  to  do  the  work; 
another  refusal  and  another  wound  was  the  result.  The  young  Jacksons 
were  crowded  into  a prison  pen  at  Camden  after  the  defeat  of  Gen. 
Gates  on  August  16,  1780.  Here  without  food  and  clothing  and  badly 
crowded  the  suffering  of  the  prisoners  was  intense.  Mrs.  Jackson,  by 
great  exertion,  succeeded  in  securing  an  exchange  of  her  sons  and  a few 
others.  With  these  she  started  to  a place  of  safety,  forty  miles  distant- 
The  elder  son  was  wounded  and  suffering  from  small-pox.  Andrew  was 
compelled  to  walk  through  rain  and  mud,  and  burning  with  the  fever  of 
coming  small-pox.  Robert  soon  died  and  Andrew  was  reduced  to  death’s 
door.  The  suffering  of  the  prisoners  in  1781  induced  Mrs.  Jackson  to 
go  to  Charleston,  160  miles  distant,  to  nurse  the  sick.  Here  she  soon 
after  died  of  ship  fever. 

The  disbarring  of  many  Tory  attorneys  by  the  war  opened  a new  and 
lucrative  field  for  Whig  lawyers.  This  led  many  young  men  to  embark 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


722 

in  tlie  profession,  among  them  J ackson.  He  began  the  study  of  law  with 
Spencer  McCay,  in  Salisbury,  S.  C.,  Avhere  he  remained  during  the 
years  1785-86.  Here  it  is  said  he  played  cards,  fought  cocks,  ran 
horse  races  and  occasionally  got  drunk,  but  was  never  dissipated.  After 
a short  practice  in  North  Carolina,  of  which  little  is  known,  Jackson  de- 
termined to  seek  his  fortune  in  the  West.  The  difficulties  between  North 
Carolina  and  the  State  of  Franklin  had  been  settled.  Judge  McNairy,  a 
friend  and  former  associate  of  Jackson,  had  been  appointed  judge  of  the 
Supreme  Court  for  the  Western  District,  and  Jackson  obtained  the  ap- 
pointment of  prosecutor  for  the  same  district.  Others  determined  to  follow. 
A party  started  from  Morganton  to  cross  the  mountains  to  Jonesboro,  the 
usual  stopping-place  this  side  of  the  mountains.  The  party  left  for  Nash- 
ville by  escort  in  November,  1788.  Jackson  seems  not  to  have  been 
without  cases.  In  the  Davidson  County  Court  in  1790  out  of  192  cases 
Jackson  had  42;  in  1793  out  of  155  he  had  72,  and  in  the  July  term  he 
had  60  out  of  135,  and  in  1794  he  had  228  out  of  the  397.  On  the  ad- 
mission of  Tennessee  as  a State  he  resigned  his  attorneyship  and  was 
chosen  first  representative  for  the  session  by  the  Legislature,  beginning 
December  5,  1796,  and  ending  March  3,  1797.  He  appears  not  to  have 
been  present  at  the  next  session,  beginning  May  13,  1797,  and  ending 
July  10,  1797.  Blount  was  expelled  from  the  Senate  July  8,  1797,  and 
on  November  22  Jackson  succeeded  him.  August  28,  1798,  he  was  ap- 
pointed to  the  office  of  judge  of  the  superior  court  of  law  and  equity,  and 
soon  after  resigned  his  seat  in  the  Senate.  He  was  noted  Avhile  in  Con- 
gress for  the  vigor  Avith  which  he  urged  the  militia  claims  of  Tennessee 
on  Congress.  He  resigned  his  seat  on  the  bench  in  1804,  and  again  be- 
gan practice.  The  salary  of  a supreme  judge  was  only  $600,  and  this 
doubtless  led  him  to  resign.  It  is  said  no  reports  of  his  decisions  are 
extant,  and  that  they  Avere  clothed  in  bad  language,  poorly  spelled  and 
ungrammatical — not  technical  but  generally  right. 

After  leaving  the  bench  he  devoted  his  time  to  his  profession  and  to 
business,  occasionally  going  down  the  river  trading.  He  was  very  ag- 
gressive as  an  attorney.  He  was  insulted  by  Col.  Waightstill,  to  whom  be 
first  applied  to  read  laAV,  in  a case  wherein  Jackson  was  defeated.  Waight- 
still was  challenged  for  a duel,  which  was  accepted,  and  the  duel  fought 
without  bloodshed.  A quarrel  arose  between  J ackson  and  his  old  friend 
Sevier.  There  was  just  a little  favor  asked,  Avhich  Sevier  did  not  readily 
grant,  then  an  accusation  concerning  some  land  speculation  in  Avhich 
Jackson  accused  Sevier  of  having  a hand.  In  1803  Jackson,  who  was 
still  judge,  opposed  Sevier’s  re-election.  At  a public  speaking  in  Knox- 
ville, Gov.  Sevier  denounced  Jackson  most  bitterly  and  vehemently,  and 


HISTOKY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


723 


went  so  far  as  to  question  Mrs.  Jackson’s  chastity.  This  threw  Jackson 
into  an  ungovernable  rage,  and  interference  of  friends  only  prevented 
bloodshed.  A challenge  soon  followed.  Sevier  accepted  on  condition 
that  the  fight  should  be  outside  the  State.  Jackson  insisted  that  it 
should  be  within  the  State.  Each  accused  the  other  of  cowardice.  The 
matter  finally  ended  without  harm  to  either.  In  the  fall  occurred  the 
duel  between  Gen.  Jackson  and  Charles  Dickinson.  The  melancholy 
ending  of  this  encounter  is  well  known.  Dickinson  fired  first,  severely 
wounding  Jackson  who  did  not  fall,  but  coolly  aimed  at  his  antagonist 
and  pulled  the  trigger,  the  hammer  stopping  at  half-cock.  He  re-cocked 
the  weapon,  took  deliberate  aim,  fired  and  killed  Dickinson.  In  1813 
occurred  the  encounter  between  Jackson  and  the  Bentons,  in  which  the 
General  was  severely  wounded. 

The  splendid  military  achievements  of  Jackson  in  the  Creek  war  end- 
ing in  his  magnificent  triumph  at  Hew  Orleans  on  January  8,  1815,  are 
facts  of  American  history.  The  Seminole  war  again  brought  out  his 
military  genius,  and  his  government  of  Florida  at  a very  critical  period 
showed  his  administrative  qualities.  There  is  a certain  halo  around  mili- 
tary glory  that  captures  the  public  mind.  The  name  of  Jackson  was 
mentioned  as  early  as  1815  by  some  of  his  admiring  military  friends. 
On  July  20,  1822,  the  Legislature  of  this  State  formally  nominated  Jack- 
son  for  president  in  1821.  This  brought  him  prominently  before  the 
people.  Col.  John  Williams  who  was  United  States  Senator  from  Ten- 
nessee, was  a candidate  for  re-election.  To  succeed  he  must  carry  the 
Legislature  of  the  State.  The  election  of  Col.  Williams  meant  the  suc- 
cess of  the  Whig  ticket  and  the  defeat  of  Jackson’s  prospects.  It  became 
necessary  for  Jackson’s  success  to  defeat  Col.  Williams.  The  friends  of 
Jackson  staked  all  by  nominating  him  for  senator.  His  name  and  fame 
carried  the  day  and  he  was  elected  by  a large  majority.  In  the  presi- 
dential campaign  of  1824,  there  were  four  candidates  for  the  presidencv, 
Gen.  Jackson,  William  H.  Crawford,  Henry  Clay  and  John  Quincy 
Adams.  Jackson  had  the  largest  electoral  vote,  also  the  largest  popu- 
lar vote,  bxit  the  matter  being  thrown  into  the  House,  Mr.  Adams  was 
elected.  In  1825  Jackson  resigned  his  seat  in  the  Senate  and  returned 
home,  but  in  October  of  the  same  year  was  again  nominated  for  the  presi- 
dency. The  enthusiasm  for  him  rose  to  a white  heat,  nor  was  the  tongue 
of  slander  idle.  In  the  election  of  1828  Mr.  Jackson  received  178  votes 
to  eighty-three  for  Mr.  Adams.  So  popular  was  Mr.  Jackson’s  first  admin- 
istration that  in  1832  he  received  219  electoral  votes  to  forty-nine  votes 
for  Mr.  Clay. 

The  military  career  of  Jackson  is  also  brilliant.  He  husbanded  his 


724 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


resources  until  the  time  for  a blow,  then  it  was  struck  with  the  fierce- 
ness of  a gladiator.  He  pushed  his  advantages  to  the  utmost  and  never 
allowed  his  enemies  time  to  recover.  He  often  deceived  them  by  a show 
of  strength  when  he  was  really  weak.  His  boldness  and  aggressive 
spirit  made  up  for  his  deficiency  in  men  and  material.  His  administra- 
tive abilities  may  be  more  a question,  yet  whatever  of  error  there  might 
have  been  in  them  there  will  always  be  persons  who  will  try  to  imitate 
his  course.  Many  of  his  ideas  were  put  into  successful  practice  that 
would  have  been  entirely  impracticable  if  advocated  by  a man  of  less  force. 
His  aggressive  administration  did  more  to  establish  respect  for  American 
process  than  any  other.  His  conclusions  when  reached  were  carried 
out.  “ His  wonderful  will  and  courage  were  the  motor  which  carried 
him  over  all  obstacles.”  He  stood  by  his  friends  and  was  a good  hater 
of  his  enemies.  His  aggressive  nature  coupled  with  the  love  of  his 
friends  often  led  him  into  difficulties.  All  his  biographers  say  he  was 
not  quarrelsome ; this  may  be,  but  it  seems  hardly  true.  He  loved  horse 
racing  and  could  indulge  in  the  most  bitter  oaths;  was  also  frequently 
officious  in  duels.  To  all  these  things  it  may  be  said  that  public  senti- 
ment was  so  little  against  these  vices  that  they  were  looked  upon  as  mere 
trifles.  Jackson  was  not  a profound  scholar  nor  a great  reader.  He 
read  men  well  and  kept  posted  on  the  events  of  the  day.  His  spelling 
has  often  been  ridiculed.  Parton  says:  “Jackson  lived  at  a time  when 
few  men  and  no  women  could  spell;”  furthermore  he  spelled  better  than 
Frederick  II,  Marlborough,  Napoleon  or  Washington.  Even  “O.  K.”  is 
said  to  have  been  written  by  him  for  “all  correct.”  A case  from  the 
docket  in  1790  in  Jackson’s  handwriting,  will  illustrate  how  this  error 
started.  “ A.  Jackson  presented  a bill  of  sale  which  was  approved  and 
marked  O.  R.”  The  initials  being  O.  R.  instead  of  O.  K.,  are  the  ab- 
breviations for  “ordered  recorded,”  a very  common  form  of  simplifying 
the  expression.  Jackson,  though  never  a very  polished  writer  or  speaker, 
had  the  faculty  of  getting  at  the  truth  in  the  most  direct  Avay.  His  do- 
mestic relations  were  always  the  most  happy.  The  death  of  Mrs.  Jackson, 
which  occurred  on  December  22,  1828,  was  a severe  blow  to  the  General. 
He  himself  died,  without  heir,  at  the  Hermitage  on  June  8,  1845. 

Sam  Houston,  a very  noted  and  somewhat  eccentric  individual  was 
born  in  Lexington,  Rockbridge  Co.,  Ya.,  March  2,  1793.  His  ancestors 
were  Scottish  Covenanters,  who  fled  to  the  north  of  Ireland  to  escape  per- 
secution. A number  of  them  came  to  Pennsylvania  about  the  beginning 
of  the  eighteenth  century.  The  father  of  Sam  was  a soldier  in  the  Rev- 
olutionary war,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death,  in  1807,  Avas  inspector  of  a 
brie-ade.  The  mother  with  her  nine  children — six  sons  and  three  da  lie’ll- 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


725 


ters — soon  after  moved  to  East  Tennessee  and  settled  in  Blount  County, 
near  the  Cherokee  country.  Young  Houston  learned  to  read  and  write 
before  leaving  Virginia,  and  on  his  arrival  at  their  new  home  was  sent  to 
school  to  an  academy  in  the  settlement.  While  attending  school  he  com- 
mitted to  memory  almost  the  whole  of  Pope’s  translation  of  the  Illiad. 
On  his  teacher’s  refusal  to  teach  him  Greek  and  Latin,  he  left  school  in 
disgust,  with  the  remark  that  he  would  never  recite  another  lesson.  By 
the  influence  of  his  elder  brother  he  entered  a store  as  a clerk  soon  after 
leaving  school.  Becoming  disgusted  with  his  clerkship,  he  suddenly 
left  and  went  to  live  with  the  Indians.  His  tall  commanding  figure  and 
daring  exploits  as  a hunter  soon  made  him  a great  favorite  among  the 
Indians.  The  chief  Ootooteka  adopted  him  as  his  son.  He  remained 
with  the  Indians  three  years  and  grew  to  manhood,  in  size  being  fully 
six  feet  in  height,  of  handsome,  fine  figure.  He  left  his  friends,  the 
Indians,  as  suddenly  as  he  had  left  home  before.  He  was  now  eighteen 
years  of  age,  and  on  his  return  home  he. opened  a school.  He  charged 
the  moderate  rate  of  $8  per  year  for  tuition;  one-third  payable  in  cash, 
one-third  in  corn  and  one-third  in  domestic  cotton  cloth. 

He  began  his  teaching  in  1811,  and  soon  had  a flourishing  school. 
The  outbreak  of  the  war  with  Great  Britain  afforded  an  opportunity  for 
the  display  of  his  talents  in  a direction  more  congenial  to  his  nature. 
In  1813  he  enlisted  as  a common  soldier,  but  soon  rose  to  the  rank  of 
ensign.  At  the  battle  of  the  Horseshoe  Bend,  on  March  27,  1813,  he  re- 
ceived a severe  wound  in  the  thigh  from  an  arrow,  and  two  balls  in  the 
shoulder.  After  the  battle  he  was  carried  to  Fort  Strother  on  a litter. 
His  wounds  were  thought  to  be  mortal,  but  his  robust  constitution  saved 
him.  His  bravery  in  battle  made  him  a particular  favorite  of  Jackson. 
After  peace  he  was  stationed  at  Knoxville  as  lieutenant,  in  charge  of  a 
post,  but  was  soon  afterward  sent  to  New  Orleans.  While  there  his  old 
wounds  broke  out  afresh  and  he  was  compelled  to  undergo  a very  dan- 
gerous and  painful  surgical  operation.  After  a winter  of  suffering  he 
went  to  New  York,  where  his  health  improved.  In  1810  he  returned  to 
Tennessee,  by  way  of  Washington  City,  and  was  stationed  at  Nashville. 
On  January  1,  1817,  he  was  appointed  to  carry  out  a treaty  with  the 
Cherokee  Indians.  The  next  year  he  headed  a delegation  of  Indians  to 
Washington.  While  in  that  city  he  was  accused  of  exercising  too  great 
zeal  in  putting  a stop  to  the  African  slave  trade  through  Florida,  but  was 
fully  acquitted  on  trial.  On  March  1,  1818,  he  resigned  his  commission 
in  the  army  and  settled  in  Nashville,  where  he  began  the  study  of  law. 
After  a course  of  six  months  he  was  admitted  to  practice,  and  began  his 
labors  at  Lebanon,  Wilson  County.  His  rise  was  rapid.  In  October, 


726 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


1819,  he  was  attorney-general  for  the  Nashville  District,  and  in  1821  he 
was  made  major-general  of  the  militia  of  the  Western  District.  In  1823 
he  was  elected  to  Congress,  and  again  in  1825.  He  was  elected  govern- 
or of  the  State  by  the  very  flattering  majority  of  12,000.  In  January, 
1829,  Gov.  Houston  was  married  to  Miss  Eliza  Allen , but  from  domestic 
infelicity  he  left  her  in  April,  resigned  his  office,  gave  up  his  candidacy 
for  re-election,  and  again  went  to  his  old  friends,  the  Clierokees,  now  be- 
yond the  Mississippi.  His  old  adopted  father,  Ootooteka,  again  kindly 
received  him,  and  by  a council  of  the  chiefs,  on  October  21,  1829,  he  was 
made  a citizen  of  the  Cherokee  nation,  with  full  power."  Detecting  frauds 
in  contracts  with  the  Indians  he  went  to  Washington  in  1832,  where  he 
plead  the  cause  of  the  Indians  so  strongly  that  it  led  to  an  investigation, 
which  caused  the  suspension  of  several  clerks,  and  led  to  a personal  en- 
counter between  himself  and  W.  R.  Stansbury,  of  Ohio,  in  which  the  lat- 
ter received  a severe  castigation.  For  this  offense  Houston  was  arrested 
and  fined  $500,  and  ivas  reprimanded  by  the  speaker.  President  Jack- 
son,  however,  caused  his  fine  to  be  remitted,  and  he  left  Washington  in 
disgust  and  returned  to  the  Indians  in  December,  1832. 

He  soon  after  moved  to  Nacogdoches,  Tex.,  and  took  a very  active 
part  in  the  affairs  of  that  State.  He  was  elected  delegate  to  the  conven- 
tion on  April  1,  1833;  while  a member  of  that  body  he  exercised  great 
influence  over  its  deliberations.  On  the  outbreak  of  war  between  Texas 
and  Mexico,  Houston  ivas  made  commander  of  the  militia  of  the  eastern 
district,  and  in  October,  1835,  joined  his  forces  with  Gen.  Austin,  who 
was  besieging  Bexar.  Gen.  Austin  offered  to  resign  the  entire  command 
to  Houston,  who  refused  to  accept.  By  vote  of  forty-nine  out  of  fifty 
Houston  was  made  commander -in-cliief  of  the  Texan  forces,  but  resigned 
March  2,  1836,  because  he  was  accused  of  wanting  to  make  himself 
dictator.  He  was  soon  after  re-elected  commander-in-chief  by  the  same 
vote.  He  took  command  of  the  Texan  forces  at  Gonzales,  March  10, 
which  numbered  374  men.  A force  under  Col.  Travis  held  the  Alamo 
against  the  orders  of  Houston,  and  were  besieged  and  captured  by  Santa 
Anna  and  the  garrison  of  185  men  massacred.  A panic  seized  Houston’s 
men  when  the  news  reached  camp  that  Santa  Anna  was  advancing  with 
5,000  men.  AVitli  difficulty  Houston,  who  was  absent  at  the  time,  col- 
lected his  fugitives  and  fell  back  to  Peach  Creek.  Here  he  was  joined 
by  100  men,  and  soon  after  by  650  more.  Being  without  artillery  he 
was  unwilling  to  give  battle;  in  the  meantime  Col.  Fannin  was  ordered 
to  join  him  with  the  garrison  of  Goliad,  but  the  order  was  not  promptly 
obeyed.  The  entire  garrison  was  surrounded  and  captured  by  Gem 
Urrea  and  357  men  were  shot.  Intense  feelinir  was  aroused  asrainst  the 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


727 


Mexicans.  Santa  Anna's  army,  iiuslied  with  victory,  captured  Harris- 
burg, the  capital,  and  burned  it,  also  New  Washington.  On  April  10' 
Houston  received  two  six-pound  guns  from  Cincinnati.  His  forces  now 
numbered  783  men;  Santa  Anna  1,600  veterans.  Houston  attacked  him 
at  San  Jacinto  March  21.  He  opened  with  grape  and  cannister  then 
charged  with  the  cry,  “Remember  the  Alamo.”  Houston  had  his  ankle 
shattered  by  a ball  and  his  horse  mortally  wounded,  but  urged  him  up  to 
the  works  which  were  instantly  scaled.  The  Texans  having  no  bayonets 
used  clubbed  muskets,  bowie  knives  and  pistol's.  Few  Mexicans  escaped; 
630  were  killed,  208  were  wounded,  and  730  were  captured.  The  next 
day  Santa  Anna  was  captured  in  disguise.  Houston  exerted  all  his 
influence  to  stay  the  butchery  of  the  Mexicans  and  saved  Santa  Anna. 
While  prisoner  Santa  Anna  acknowledged  the  independence  of  Texas  and 
agreed  to  withdraw  liis  forces  therefrom.  Houston  resigned  his  posi- 
tion in  favor  of  Gen.  Rusk  and  went  to  New  Orleans  for  treatment  for 
his  wounds.  On  his  improvement  he  returned  to  his  old  home  in  Texas. 

A call  was  made  in  July  for  the  election  of  a president  of  the  repub- 
lic in  September.  Houston  was  selected  to  be  a candidate,  but  with 
great  reluctance  consented.  He  was  inaugurated  October  22,  1836,  and 
took  his  old  competitors,  Gen.  Austin  and  Hon.  Henry  White,  into  the 
cabinet.  He  released  Santa  Anna  and  sent  him  to  Washington  to  con- 
fer with  President  Jackson.  He  soon  opened  communication  with  the 
Washington  government  with  a view  to  the  annexation  of  Texas.  His 
administration  was  as  brilliant  as  his  military  career.  The  constitution 
prevented  his  re-election  in  1838,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  M.  B. 
Lamar.  In  1841  he  was  again  called  to  the  presidency.  In  his  inaugural 
address  he  said:  “There  is  not  a dollar  in  the  treasury;  we  are  in  debt.  $10,- 
000,000  or  $15,000,000.  We  are  without  money,  without  credit,  and  for 
want  of  punctuality  are  without  character.”  On  the  annexation  of  Texas 
he  was  chosen  one  of  the  United  States  Senators  from  that  State,  and 
was  elected  again  in  1853  to  serve  till  March  4,  1859.  He  was  defeated 
for  re-election  in  1858,  but  was  chosen  governor  again  in  August,  1859. 
He  opposed  the  Kansas-Nebraska  bill  in  a great  speech  March  3,  18547 
and  lamented  the  repeal  of  the  Missouri  compromise.  He  was  a friend 
to  the  American  or  Know-nothing  party.  He  favored  the  Lecompton 
constitution  in  the  Kansas  difficulties,  and  opposed  secession  at  the  out- 
break of  the  war.  He  resigned  his  office  rather  than  subscribe  to  the 
oath  presented  by  the  convention.  His  death  occurred  at  Huntersville, 
Tex.,  July  25,  1863.  Personally  Houston  was  a man  of  great  courage,, 
and  was  the  soul  of  honor.  While  in  Congress  he  made  charges  against- 
Col.  Irwin,  postmaster  at  Nashville.  These  charges  were  resented  by  a 


728 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


challenge  sent  to  Gen.  Houston  from  Col.  Irwin  by  the  hand  of  Col.  John 
Smith,  of  Missouri.  This  Houston  refused  to  receive  from  Smith.  The 
act  of  Houston  was  criticised  by  Gen.  William  White  as  being  discour- 
teous to  Col.  Smith.  A dispute  arose  which  resulted  in  a challenge  and 
duel.  Gen.  White  was  severely  but  not  fatally  wounded. 

Col.  David  Crockett,*  son  of  John  Crockett,  of  Irish  birth,  was  born 
at  Limestone,  on  the  Nollichucky  River,  in  Washington  County,  Tenn., 
on  August  17,  1786.  His  mother’s  maiden  name  was  Rebecca  Hawkins. 
After  some  youthful  adventures,  a little  schooling  and  a third  courtship, 
young  Crockett  married  a beautiful  Irish  girl.  About  1808  he  with  his 
wife  and  two  children  moved  to  Lincoln  County,  Tenn.,  where  in  the  two 
following  years  he  began  to  distinguish  himself  as  a hunter.  In  1810  or 
1811  he  moved  to  Franklin  County,  and  soon  after  the  massacre  at  Fort 
Mimms  went  as  a volunteer  to  the  Creek  war,  participating  in  most  of  the 
important  battles  until  its  close  in  1815.  Soon  after  the  close  of  the 
war  his  wife  died,  leaving  three  children,  and  in  a short  time  he  married 
as  his  second  wife  the  widow  of  a soldier,  who  had  two  children,  and  by 
whom  he  had  three  more.  He  subsequently  removed  to  the  country 
purchased  of  the  Chickasaw  Indians,  in  what  is  now  Lawrence  County, 
and  became  successively  magistrate,  colonel  of  militia,  and  member  of 
the  Legislature.  Having  lost  his  property,  failed  in  business,  and  given 
up  all  to  his  creditors,  he  determined  to  go  farther  West,  especially  as 
game  was  becoming  scare  in  the  locality  where  he  lived. 

In  1822  he  removed  to  West  Tennessee  and  settled  in  what  is  now 
Gibson  County,  but  at  that  time  Weakley  County.  Here  he  engaged  in 
his  favorite  sport,  bear  hunting,  and  thus  supplied  his  family  with  an 
abundance  of  meat.  He  also  secured  a large  quantity  of  peltry,  which 
he  exchanged  for  coffee,  sugar,  powder,  lead  and  salt.  He  was  now 
elected  for  a second  term  of  the  Legislature,  serving  during  the  years 
1823-24,  votin'’-  against  Gen.  Jackson  for  United  States  Senator.  In 
1825  he  became  a candidate  for  a seat  in  Congress  against  Col.  Adam  R. 
Alexander  then  serving  as  the  first  representative  to  that  body  from 
West  Tennessee,  but  was  defeated  by  two  votes.  For  the  next  two  years 
he  was  engaged  in  the  lumber  trade  and  in  bear  hunting,  killing  in 
one  season  no  less  than  105  bears.  But  his  speculation  in  the  lumber 
trade  was  a total  failure.  He  then  became  a candidate  a second  time  for 
Congress  and  defeated  Col.  Alexander  and  Gen.  William  Arnold  by  a 
majority  of  2,748  votes.  He  acted  with  the  ‘-Jackson  party”  during  the 
administration  of  President  Adams,  but  during  his  second  term  he  voted 
against  the  Indian  bill,  a favorite  measure  of  President  Jackson’s.  In 


*From  a manuscript  in  possession  of  the  Tennessee  Historical  Society. 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


729 


1830  iie  was  a candidate  for  a third  term  in  Congress,  but  owing  to  his 
opposition  to  the  administration  party  he  was  defeated  by  his  opponent 
William  Fitzgerald.  Two  years  later,  however,  despite  the  efforts  of  the 
partisans  of  the  administration,  he  defeated  Mr.  Fitzgerald  by  a majority 
of  202.  He  co-operated  with  the  Whig  party  forming  the  rechartering 
of  the  United  States  Bank,  and  opposing  the  removal  of  the  deposits. 

In  the  spring  of  1834  Col.  Crockett  made  a trip  through  the  Northern 
States,  visiting  Baltimore,  Philadelphia,  New  York,  Boston  and  other 
cities,  and  was  everywhere  received  with  marked  attention,  especially  by 
the  Whigs.  He  was  presented  in  Philadelphia  by  the  younger  Whigs 
with  a very  fine  rifled  gun,  a present  he  prized  very  highly,  and  which  he 
subsequently  bore  with  him  in  many  a bear  hunt,  as  well  as  during  his 
campaigns  in  Texas.  Retiring  to  Washington,  where  he  remained 
until  the  close  of  Congress,  he  returned  home,  and  was  a candidate  for 
re-election,  Adam  Huntsman  being  his  opponent.  Crockett  was  defeated, 
having  not  only  Huntsman  but  the  influence  of  Andrew  Jackson  and 
Gov.  Carroll  backed  by  the  Union  Bank  at  Jackson  to  contend  against. 
Feeling  that  “Crockett’s  occupation  was  gone”  and  being  disgusted 
with  the  ways  of  scheming  politicians,  he  determined  to  go  to  Texas. 
He  made  a parting  address  to  his  constituents,  in  which  he  reviewed  his 
course  in  Congress  and  warned  them  against  the  policy  of  “the  Govern- 
ment ” and  the  President’s  disposition  to  nominate  Mr.  Van  Buren  as 
his  successor.  He  also  alluded  to  the  unfair  means  used  to  defeat  him 
in  his  late  canvass,  and  closed  by  telling  them  that  he  was  done  with 
politics  for  the  present,  and  that  they  might  all  go  to  h — 1 and  he  would 
go  to  Texas. 

Taking  leave  of  his  wife  and  children,  and  shouldering  his  rifle 
“Betsy,”  he  started  at  once  on  the  highway  to  Texas,  to  a heroic  death 
and  to  a fame  as  lasting  as  the  memory  of  the  bloody  Alamo  itself.  He 
made  his  journey  as  rapidly  as  he  could,  and  reached  San  Antonio  in 
time  to  join  the  patriots  before  Santa  Anna’s  army,  previous  to  the 
siege  of  the  city.  He  was  one  of  the  six  Americans  who  survived  the 
assault  upon  the  Alamo  on  March  6,  1836.  The  prisoners  were  taken 
before  the  Mexican  chief,  who  gave  orders  for  the  massacre  of  the  whole 
number.  Col.  Crockett,  seeing  their  treachery,  sprang  like  a tiger  at  his 
foes,  when  a number  of  swords  were  sheathed  in  his  indomitable  heart. 
His  body,  with  others  of  the  slain,  was  buried  in  a heap  in  the  center  of 
the  Alamo.  Thus  ended  the  life  of  Col.  David  Crockett,  the  celebrated 
bear  hunter  of  Tennessee,  the  eccentric  congressman  from  the  West  and 
one  of  the  heroes  of  the  Alamo,  whose  fame  is  as  immortal  as  history. 

On  the  11th  of  September,  1777,  was  born  Felix  Grundy,  the  young- 


730 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


est  of  seven  sons  of  George  Grundy,  of  Berkley  County,  Va.  He 
was  of  English  parentage.  The  family  moved  from  Virginia  to  Browns- 
ville, Penn.,  in  1779,  and  1780  to  Kentucky,  which  State  was  then  indeed 
a “dark  and  bloody  ground.”  At  least  three  of  the  family  fell  victims 
to  the  tomahawk  and  scalping  knife  of  the  savage;  not  only  were  several 
of  the  family  victims  of  the  savages,  but  their  home  and  household  ef- 
fects were  swept  away  also.  This  was  a time  according  to  the  language 
of  himself  when  “death  was  in  every  bush,  and  when  every  thicket  con- 
cealed an  ambuscade.”  He  was  placed  in  the  academy  at  Bardstown,  Ky., 
under  that  eminent  educator,  Dr.  Priestley,  who  afterward  became  presi- 
dent of  the  University  of  Nashville.  Being  the  seventh  son  the  mother 
destined  him  for  a physician,  but  that  profession  being  distasteful  to  him 
he  chose  the  law.  He  entered  the  law  office  of  Col.  George  Nicholas,  a 
gentleman  who  stood  at  the  head  of  the  Kentucky  bar  at  that  time.  In 
1798  he  began  practice  and  soon  attained  eminence  as  a criminal  lawyer. 
It  was  in  this  department  of  the  law  that  he  ra-med  highest  and  in  which 
he  had  few  if  any  equals  and  no  superiors. 

He  was  chosen  a member  of  the  convention  to  revise  the  constitution 
of  Kentucky  in  1799,  and  the  same  year  became  a member  of  the  Legis- 
lature of  that  commonwealth,  where  he  remained  for  several  successive 
terms.  In  1806  he  was  appointed  judge  of  the  supreme  court  of  errors 
and  appeals  and  on  the  resignation  of  Justice  Todd  Mr.  Grundy  became 
chief  justice  of  the  State,  at  the  age  of  twenty-nine.  The  salary  of  the 
office  being  small,  he  resigned  and  moved  to  Nashville  in  1807,  to  enter 
a broader  field  of  usefulness.  He  was  admitted  to  the  practice  of  law  in 
the  several  courts  of  the  State  on  Saturday,  November  14,  1807.  Of  his 
professional  ability  Hon.  John  M.  Bright,  who  delivered  an  oration  on  the 
“Life,  Character  and  Public  Services  of  the  Hon.  Felix  Grundy,”  says: 
“At  the  first  step  in  his  profession,  he  took  rank  with  one  Haywood  and 
Whiteside,  and  as  an  advocate  he  rose  in  time  far  above  competition, 
and  challenged  every  age  and  every  country  to  produce  his  peer.  After 
his  settlement  in  Nashville,  it  is  said,  out  of  165  individuals  whom  he  de- 
fended on  charges  of  capital  offenses,  one  only  was  finally  condemned 
and  executed.  * * * His  name  was  a tower  of  strength 

to  the  accused,  and  his  retainer  a city  of  refuge.  At  his  bidding  prison 
doors  flew  open,  and  the  captive  leaped  from  his  falling  chains  into  the 
arms  of  his  swooning  wife.  At  the  bar  he  was  always  dignified  in  his 
bearing,  conciliatory  in  his  address,  Saxon  in  his  diction,  and  never 
stooping  to  coarseness  in  his  allusions.  His  speeches  not  only  breathed 
a high  tone  of  morality,  but  the  purer  essence  of  religion.  He  was  fa- 
miliar with  the  Bible  and  perhaps  drew  from  it  the  sparks  that  kindled 


HISTOEY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


731 


into  the  boldest  imagery  that  ever  shed  a luster  on  the  bar.  Although 
he  sometimes  indulged  a pungent  humor  and  a caustic  wit,  he  ever  held 
a resort  to  vituperation  and  abuse  as  dishonorable  as  the  chewed  bullets 
and  poisoned  arrows  of  savage  warfare.  I have  sought  in  vain  to  find 
some  clue  to  the  secret  of  his  success.”  Doubtless  his  earnestness,  com- 
mand of  words,  his  pictures  from  nature,  his  consciousness  of  his  own 
strength,  his  ability  to  read  human  nature  and  power  to  portray  charac- 
ter had  much  to  do  with  it.  On  December  4,  1811,  Mr.  Grundy  became 
a member  of  Congress  where  he  remained  for  two  terms,  positively  refus- 
ing to  accept  the  nomination  in  1815.  This  was  during  the  period  of 
the  second  war  with  Great  Britain,  when  great  questions  were  de- 
bated and  there  were  great  men  to  discuss  them,  i.  e,,  Clay,  Webster,  Cal- 
houn, Randolph  and  others. 

The  interval  from  1815  to  1819  Mr.  Grundy  spent  in  building  up  his 
profession  and  his  fortune.  In  1819  he  became  a member  of  the  State 
Legislature,  where  he  remained  for  six  years.  While  a member  of  the 
Legislature  he,  with  Mr.  William  L.  Brown,  was  made  a member  of  a 
committee  with  unlimited  power  to  settle  the  very  delicate  question  of 
the  boundary  line  between  Tennessee  and  Kentucky.  This  question  had 
caused  some  bitterness  between  the  sister  States  but  was  amicably  settled 
February  2,  1820.  At  a called  session  of  the  Legislature  of  1820  to  de- 
vise some  means  to  release  the  public  from  financial  distress,  Mr.  Grun- 
dy was  the  author  and  successful  advocate  of  a bank,  founded  exclusively 
upon  the  funds  of  the  State.  On  the  death  of  those  two  eminent  states- 
men, Thomas  Jefferson  and  John  Adams,  on  July  4,  1826,  Mr.  Grundy 
was  chosen  to  deliver  the  funeral  oration  for  the  State.  The  effoi't  was 
one  worthy  of  the  occasion.  Following  the  election  of  Gen.  Jackson  to 
the  presidency  came  the  election  of  Felix  Grundy  to  the  United  States 
Senate.  He  was  re-elected  in  1833  and  served  in  that  body  till  1838.  He 
was  a member  of  the  committee,  with  the  great  “Pacificator,”  which 
shaped  the  compromise  tariff  bill  of  1833.  He  was  made  Attorney-Gen- 
eral of  the  United  States  in  September,  1838.  by  appointment  of  Mr.  Van 
Buren.  He  resigned  this  office  in  1840  and  was  again  elected  to  the 
United  States  Senate,  but  his  death  occurred  before  taking  his  seat.  In 
1840  Mr.  Grundy  took  a very  active  part  in  the  presidential  campaign  of 
that  year  in  favor  of  Martin  Van  Buren  against  Gen.  Harrison.  Al- 
though suffering  from  physical  infirmity,  he  entered  into  the  canvass 
with  all  the  ardor  of  his  youth  and  in  the  full  vigor  of  his  great  intellect. 
He  survived  this  work  but  a short  time.  At  4 o’clock  of  Saturday  after- 
noon, December  19,  1840,  was  witnessed  the  closing  of  the  earthly 
career  of  this  great  man. 


732 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Hugli  Lawson  White  was  the  son  of  Gen.  James  White,  one  of  the 
earliest  pioneers  of  East  Tennessee,  and  in  many  respects  a remarkable 
man.  Gen.  White  was  born  of  Irish  parentage,  and  spent  the  early  part 
of  his  life  in  North  Carolina,  where  in  1770  he  married  Marry  Lawson. 
During  the  Revolutionary  war  he  served  as  a soldier  from  that  State,  but 
at  its  close  removed  with  his  family  to  Fort  Chissel,  Ya.  In  1787  he 
immigrated  to  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  and  in  1792  laid  the  foundation  of 
the  present  city  of  Knoxville.  He  was  a member  of  the  Franklin  con- 
vention in  1785;  of  the  Territorial  Assembly  in  1794,  and  the  Constitu- 
tional Convention  of  1796.  During  the  Creek  war,  although  advanced  in 
years,  he  served  with  distincton  as  brigadier -general  of  militia.  Taken 
all  in  all  he  is  one  of  the  most  conspicuous  figures  in  the  early  history  of 
East  Tennessee. 

Hugh  Lawson  White  was  born  October  30,  1773,  and  was  conse- 
quently a lad  of  fourteen  when  with  his  father  he  came  into  Tennessee. 
His  early  life  was  spent  in  hardy  toil,  with  very  limited  facilities  for  ob- 
taining even  the  rudiments  of  an  education.  At  the  age  of  fifteen,  however, 
by  earnest  effort,  he  had  sufficiently  advanced  to  take  up  the  study  of  the 
ancient  languages,  which  he  did  under  the  direction  of  Rev.  Samuel 
Garrick,  with  some  assistance  from  Judge  Roane.  His  studies  were  soon  in- 
terrupted by  Indian  hostilities,  and  he  volunteered  as  a soldier  under  the 
leadership  of  John  Seviei\  In  this  campaign  he  distinguished  himself, 
not  only  for  bravery,  but  for  strength  and  endurance.  At  the  ag©  of 
twenty  he  was  appointed  private  secretary  to  Gov.  Blount,  with  whom  he 
remained  until  the  close  of  his  term  of  office.  He  then  went  to  Phila- 
delphia where  he  took  a course  of  study,  after  which  he  engaged  in  the 
study  of  law  with  James  Hopkins  of  Lancaster,  Penn.  In  1796  he  re- 
turned to  Knoxville,  and  at  once  assumed  a leading  position  at  the  bar. 
Five  years  later,  at  the  age  of  twenty-eight,  he  was  elected  judge  of  the  su- 
perior court,  then  the  highest  judicial  tribunal  in  the  State.  He  resigned 
in  1807,  and  was  elected  to  the  State  Senate.  He  was  re-elected  two 
years  later,  but  did  not  serve  the  second  term,  as  he  was  elected  by  the 
Legislature  one  of  the  judges  of  the  supreme  court.  He  continued  in 
that  capacity  until  December  31,  1814,  when  he  again  resigned.  He 
had  been  elected  president  of  the  Bank  of  Tennessee  in  November,  1812, 
and  from  that  time  until  July,  1827,  he  continued  to  direct  the  operations 
of  that  institution.  In  1820,  his  health  being  impaired,  he  returned  to 
his  farm,  but  the  country  had  need  of  his  seiwices,  and  he  was  not  al- 
lowed to  remain  in  seclusion.  The  next  year  he  was  appointed  by  Presi- 
dent Monroe  one  of  the  three  commissioners  to  settle  the  claims  under  the 
treaty  providing  for  the  transfer  of  Florida  from  8-pain  to  the  United 


John  Bell 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


733 


States.  This  occupied  his  time  and  attention  for  three  years.  In  1825 
he  was  elected  to  succeed  Andrew  Jackson  in  the  United  States  Senate, 
and  continued  as  a member  of  that  body  until  1810. 

During  his  senatorial  career  he  delivered  but  few  speeches  of  any 
considerable  length.  He  usually  spoke  briefly  and  to  the  point,  and  his 
opinions  were  always  received  with  marked  respect.  On  most  questions 
he  was  in  harmony  with  the  Democratic  party.  He  opposed  the  Federal 
system  of  internal  improvements,  the  rechartering  of  the  United  States 
Bank  and  the  sub-treasury  bill.  He  voted  against  the  famous  “ expung- 
ing resolution”  on  constitutional  grounds,  but  offered  a set  of  resolutions 
in  lieu  of  it.  In  1836,  through  the  influence  of  certain  members  of  his 
party,  he  was  prevailed  upon  to  take  a step  which  embittered  the  few  re- 
maining years  of  his  life.  It  had  become  evident  that  President  Jackson 
wished  to  make  Mr.  Van  Buren  his  successor  in  the  presidential  chair. 
This  was  distasteful  to  a large  element  of  the  party,  especially  in  the 
South.  In  October,  1835,  resolutions  were  passed  by  the  General  Assem- 
bly of  Tennessee  nominating  Judge  White  for  the  presidency,  and  he 
finally  consented  to  make  the  canvass.  For  this  step  he  was  bitterly  de- 
nounced by  President  Jackson,  Judge  Grundy,  Cave  Johnson,  James  K. 
Polk  and  many  others,  heretofore  strong  friends.  Yet  with  all  the  lead- 
ers' of  his  own  party  in  Tennessee  against  him.  and  with  no  chance  of 
success,  he  carried  the  State  by  a majority  of  10,000  votes — a magnificent 
testimonial  to  the  high  estimation  in  which  he  was  held.  The  General 
Assembly  of  1839—10,  having  passed  certain  resolutions  of  instruction  to 
its  senators  in  Congress,  which  the  latter  could  not  support,  Judge  White 
resigned  his  office  and  retired  to  private  life.  He  died  very  soon  after 
— April  10,  1810. 

In  his  domestic  life  he  met  with  much  affliction.  In  1798  he  married 
Miss  Elizabeth  M.  Carrick,  the  daughter  of  Pev.  Samuel  Garrick,  his 
former  instructor.  To  their  union  were  born  four  sons  and  eight  daugh- 
ters, two  of  whom  died  in  infancy.  Of  the  remainder  eight  died  just  at 
the  threshold  of  adult  life,  and  all  within  the  short  space  of  six  years. 
His  wife  also  died  of  the  same  desease,  consumption,  March  25,  1831. 
In  November,  1832,  Judge  White  was  again  married  to  Mrs.  Ann  E. 
Peyton,  of  Washington  City,  at  whose  house  he  had  boarded  for  several 
years. 

John  Bell  was  born  about  six  miles  from  Nashville,  Tenn.,  on  Febru- 
ary 18,  1797.  He  was  the  son  of  a farmer,  Samuel  Bell,  a man  of  mod- 
erate means,  who  gave  him  a good  education  at  Cumberland  College, 
then  under  the  presidency  of  Dr.  Priestly.  His  mother’s  maiden  name 
was  Margaret  Edmiston,  a native  of  Virginia.  At  the  age  of  nineteen 

46 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


784 

lie  was  admitted  to  tlie  bar,  and  located  at  Franklin.  The  next  year  he 
was  elected  to  the  State  Senate,  in  which  body  he  served  during  that 
session,  but  declined  a re-election.  The  next  nine  years  he  devoted  ex- 
clusively to  his  profession.  In  1826  he  became  the  candidate  for  Con- 
gress against  Felix  Grundy,  then  in  the  zenith  of  his  brilliant  career,  and 
was  elected  over  his  distinguished  competitor  by  a majority  of  1,000 
votes.  He  continued  in  Congress  by  re-election  for  fourteen  years.  At 
first  he  was  an  ardent  advocate  of  free  trade,  but  afterward  changed  his 
views  and  favored  protection.  He  was  made  chairman  of  the  Committee 
on  the  Judiciary  when  the  “Force  Bill”  and  the  question  of  nullifica- 
tion were  before  the  courts.  Upon  the  question  of  the  removal  of  the 
deposits  of  the  United  States  Bank  he  took  issue  with  President  Jack- 
son,  and  in  this  breach  great  results  were  involved.  Henceforth,  Mr. 
Bell  ceased  to  act  with  the  Democratic  party,  and  in  1884  he  defeated 
James  K.  Polk  for  the  speakership  of  the  House.  In  1836  he  strongly 
advocated  the  election  of  Hugh  L.  White  in  opposition  to  Van  Buren, 
and  succeeded  in  carrying  Tennessee  for  his  candidate.  In  1838  he  voted 
against  the  resolution  excluding  anti-slavery  petitions  from  Congress. 
For  ten  years  he  was  chairman  of  the  Committee  on  Indian  Affairs,  dur- 
ing which  time  the  Cherokees  were  removed  from  Georgia, 

In  1841  he  became  Secretary  of  War  under  Harrison,  but  resigned 
in  the  fall  of  the  same  year  upon  the  separation  of  Tyler  from  the 
Whig  party.  He  was  soon  after  offered  a seat  in  the  Senate  by  the  Whig 
majority  of  the  Tennessee  General  Assembly,  but  he  declined  an  election 
in  favor  of  Ephraim  H.  Foster.  He  remained  in  retirement  until  1847, 
when  he  was  elected  to  the  State  Senate,  and  during  the  same  year  was 
chosen  to  the  United  States  Senate,  He  was  re-elected  in  1853.  Dur- 
ing; his  service  in  the  Senate  he  delivei’ed  some  of  the  most  able  and  ex- 
haustive  speeches  ever  listened  to  by  that  body.  His  speech  on  the  war 
with  Mexico  was  pronounced  by  Calhoun  the  ablest  delivered  upon  the 
subject.  In  1860  lie  was  nominated  by.  the  Constitutional  Union  party 
for  the  Presidency,  with  Edward  Everett  occupying  the  second  place  upon 
the  ticket.  They  received  the  electoral  vote  of  Virginia,  Kentucky  and 
Tennessee.  When  secession  was  proposed  as  the  result  of  the  election 
of  Lincoln  to  the  Presidency,  Mr.  Bell  threw  his  whole  influence  for  the 
preservation  of  the  Union,  but  after  the  call  for  troops  by  President  Lin- 
coln he  took  strong  grounds  for  secession.  He  assumed  the  position 
that  no  ordinance  of  any  kind  was  necessary  to  sever  the  connection  of 
the  State  with  the  Federal  Government,  and  that . the  Legislature  was 
alone  competent  to  declare  the  Union  dissolved  and  Tennessee  an  inde- 
pendent sovereignty:  During  the  war  he  took  no  active  part  in  either 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


735 


political  or  military  aff ail’s.  After  its  close  he  was  engaged  in  business 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  at  Cumberland  Iron  Works  September 
18,  1869. 

In  December,  1818,  Mr.  Bell  was  married  to  Miss  Sally  Dickinson,  a 
daughter  of  David  Dickinson,  of  Rutherford,  and  a granddaughter  of 
Col.  Hardy  Murfree,  of  Revolutionary  distinction.  She  was  a woman  of 
refinement  and  superior  education.  During  her  youth  she  attended  one 
of  the  famous  educational  institutions  of  the  Carolinas,  making  the  jour- 
ney from  her  home,  a distance  of  about  406  miles,  on  horseback.  Among 
her  schoolmates  was  Mrs.  James  K.  Polk,  who  probably  accomplished 
the  journey  in  the  same  manner.  Mrs.  Bell  died  leaving  four  children, 
who  yet  survive.  Mr.  Bell  was  married  a second  time,  about  1835,  to 
Mrs.  Jane  Yeatman,  a daughter  of  Mr.  Ervin,  of  Bedford  County,  who 
survived  her  husband  until  1876.  She  was  an  accomplished  lady  of  re- 
markable intellectual  vigor,  of  fascinating  powers  of  conversation  and 
possessing  an  energy  of  character  quite  phenomenal.  For  more  than  a 
quarter  of  a century  she  was  a conspicuous  and  charming  member  of 
Washington  society.  She  left  two  daughters,  both  of  whom  reside  in 
Philadelphia.  The  home  life  of  Mr.  Bell  was  of  the  most  pleasing  char- 
acter. Whatever  were  the  cares  of  the  day,  all  were  banished  when  he 
entered  the  sacred  precincts  of  home.  There  his  hours  were  passed  in 
the  kindly  and  sympathetic  interchange  of  conversation  upon  domestic 
topics  and  the  news  of  the  day,  varied  at  times  with  instructive  discus- 
sions upon  more  important  themes.  There  was  no  affectation  of  supe- 
rior wisdom;  no  claim  made  or  even  suggested  for  deference  to  him  or 
his  opinions.  He  was  natural  and  simple  as  a child,  and  affectionate  as 
a woman.  A pure,  chaste  man,  no  scandal  ever  smirched  his  reputation. 
Late  in  life  he  became  a member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  while 
residing  in  Georgia,  during  the  civil  war,  he  spent  much  time  in  reading 
the  Bible. 

As  a statesman  it  is  doubtful  if  Tennessee  has  produced  another  man 
his  equal.  “ He  resembled  Halifax,  as  described  by  Macauley,  as  one  who 
always  saw  passing  events,  not  in  the  point  of  view  in  which  they  commonly 
appear  to  one  who  bears  a part  in  them,  but  in  the  point  of  view  in  which 
after  the  lapse  of  many  years  they  appear  to  the  philosophic  historian.” 
His  love  and  devotion  to  his  native  State  was  one  of  his  leading  traits, 
and  he  loved  to  be  called  “John  Bell  of  Tennessee,”  sometimes  using  the 
phrase  himself  in  his  popular  addresses. 

Cave  Johnson  was  one  of  the  most  distinguished  men  of  Ten- 
nessee. He  was  the  second  son  of  Thomas  and  Mary  (Noel)  Johnson, 
and  was  born  January  11,  1793.  Thomas  Johnson’s  father  was  Henry 


736 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


Johnson,  Avho  removed  from  Pennsylvania  to  North  Carolina  during  the 
Avar  of  the  Revolution,  in  which  he  served  as  a private  soldier.  Arriv- 
ing in  North  Carolina  he  settled  near  Salisbury  where  he  resided  until 
1796,  Avhen  he  removed  to  Robertson  County,  Tenn.,  and  located  two  and 
a half  miles  east  of  Springfield.  Some  time  afterward  he  moved  three 
miles  south  of  Springfield  to  Karr’s  Creek,  Avhere  he  died  in  1815.  He 
married  Miss  Rachel  Holman,  Avho  died  about  the  same  time  as  her  hus- 
band. They  were  the  parents  of  nine  children:  William,  Thomas, 
Henry,  Isaac,  Joseph,  Jacob  V.,  Rebecca,  Mary  and  Rachel.  Thomas 
Johnson  Avas  born  July  4,  1766,  and  settled  in  Robertson  County  in 
1789  as  a surveyor.  The  next  year  he  was  married  to  Mary  Noel,  at 
Craig’s  Station,  Ky.,  and  took  her  to  Robertson  County  in  1790.  Cave 
Johnson,  their  second  son,  was  named  after  Rev.  Richard  Cave,  a Baptist 
minister  in  Kentucky,  avIio  is  believed  to  have  been  a brother  of  Mrs. 
Thomas  Johnson’s  mother.  Their  other  children  were  Cave,  who  died 
in  infancy  in  1791;  Henry  Minor,  born  in  1795;  Taylor  Noel,  born  in 
1797  ; Nancy,  born  in  1799;  Willie  Blount,  born  in  1801,  and  Joseph  Noel, 
born  in  1803.  Cave  Johnson  was  born  three  miles  east  of  Springfield, 
January  11,  1793.  He  Avas  sent  to  the  academy  about  two  miles  east 
of  Nashville,  then  under  the  control  of  George  Martin.  In  1807  he  was 
sent  to  Mount  Pleasant  Academy  on  Station  Camp  Creek,  in  Sumner 
County,  then  under  the  control  of  John  Hall,  Avhere  he  remained  a year, 
when  he  was  sent  to  Cumberland  College,  hoav  the  University  of  Nash- 
ville. Here  he  remained  until  the  troops  of  the  State  were  called  to 
Mississippi  in  1811.  With  his  college  mates  he  formed  a volunteer  com- 
pany of  Avhich  he  was  elected  captain,  and  Avhose  services  he  tendered  to 
Gen.  Jackson,  to  accompany  him  to  Mississippi.  The  General  declined 
their  services  on  account  of  their  youth  and  advised  them  to  continue 
their  studies,  Avhich  from  necessity  they  did,  though  not  without  deep 
mortification  on  their  part  and  severe  denunciation  of  Gen.  Jackson  on  the 
part  of  some  of  them.  In  the  summer  of  1812  he  commenced  the  study 
of  law  Avith  William  M.  Cooke,  a profound  lawyer,  a most  estimable  gen- 
tleman and  then  one  of  the  judges  of  the  supreme  court.  He  continued 
with  Mr.  Cooke  until  the  fall  of  1813,  when  his  father’s  brigade  was 
called  upon  to  join  Gen.  Jackson  in  the  Creek  Nation.  He  accompanied 
his  father  in  the  capacity  of  deputy  brigade  quartermaster  during  the 
campaigns  of  1813  and  1814,  and  in  May,  1814,  returned  home,  the  In- 
dians having  been  subdued  and  peace  restored.  He  continued  his  study 
of  the  law  with  P.  W.  Humphreys,  on  Yellow  Creek,  and  toward  the  lat- 
ter part  of  the  year  obtained  his  license  to  practice  law,  and  commenced 
the  practice  full  of  hope  and  confident  of  success. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


737 


He  was  at  that  time  strongly  impressed  with  the  belief  that  his  first 
duty  was  to  get  him  a wife,  fully  satisfied  that  his  success  in  his  chosen 
profession  would  enable  him  to  support  a family.  He  therefore  paid  his 
addresses  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Dortch,  who  was  then  in  her  fifteenth  year, 
and  was  by  her,  as  he  says,  “very  properly  rejected.”  By  this  rejection 
he  was  deeply  mortified  and  caused  to  resolve  that  he  would  never  ad- 
dress another  lady.  He  then  devoted  himself  to  his  profession.  In  the 
fall  of  1817,  he  was  elected  attorney-general  by  the  Legislature  sitting  at 
Knoxville  upon  the  nomination  of  W.  C.  Conrad,  but  without  any  effort 
of  his  own.  From  this  time  he  devoted  himself  with  great  assiduity  to 
his  profession  until  1828  when  he  was  elected  to  Congress,  succeeding 
Dr.  J.  Marable,  who  had  been  the  member  for  some  years.  He  was  re- 
elected to  Congress  without  opposition  in  1831.  In  1833  he  was  again 
the  candidate  and  was  elected  over  both  his  competitors,  Gen.  Richard 
Cheatham  and  Dr.  John  H.  Marable,  notwithstanding  strenuous  efforts 
were  made  for  his  defeat.  In  1835  he  was  again  elected  over  William 
K.  Turner  by  a very  large  majority.  In  1837  he  was  defeated  by  Gen. 
Cheatham  by  a majority  of  ninety  votes.  After  this  defeat  he  resumed 
the  practice  of  the  law,  and  beginning  to  think  seriously  of  the  folly  of 
his  youthful  resolution  against  matrimony.  Miss  Elizabeth  Dortch  had 

married  a Mr.  Brunson  in  1817,  and  in  1826  became  a widow  with  three 

© 

children.  Mr.  Johnson’s  early  attachment  for  this  lady  revived  and  they 
were  married  February  20,  1838.  The  election  of  August,  1839,  resulted 
in  returning  Mr.  Johnson  to  Congress  by  a majority  of  1,496.  In  1841 
he  was  again  elected  to  Congress  without  opposition.  In  1843  he  was 
opposed  by  but  elected  over  G.  A.  Henry  by  nearly  300  votes.  In  1844 
James  K.  Polk  was  elected  President  of  the  United  States,  and  at  the 
close  of  Mr.  Johnson’s  term  in  Congress  invited  him  to  take  charge  of 
the  Postoffice  Department,  which  he  did  and  served  as  Postmaster-General 
four  years.  Soon  after  this  Mrs.  Johnson  died  of  cancer  in  the  breast. 
During  the  canvass  prior  to  the  elections  of  1853,  Judge  Mortimer  A. 
Martin,  of  the  circuit  court  died,  and  Mr.  Johnson  was  appointed  judge 
pro  tem.,  and  served  until  Judge  Pepper  was  selected  to  fill  the  vacancy. 
Mr.  Johnson  was  then  appointed  president  of  the  Bank  of  Tennessee,  en- 
tered upon  the  duties  of  that  office  in  January,  1854,  and  served  six 
years.  In  January,  1860,  he  removed  from  Nashville  to  his  home  and 
remained  there  most  of  the  summer.  On  the  8tli  of  June,  1860,  he  was 
appointed  by  President  Buchanan  commissioner  on  the  part  of  the  United 
States  under  the  convention  with  Paraguay  for  the  adjustment  of  the 
claims  of  the  United  States  and  Paraguay  Navigation  Company.  On  this 
commission  he  was  engaged  nearly  three  months. 


738 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


In  1801,  when  the  question  of  secession  first  came  up  to  be  acted 
upon,  Mr.  Johnson  urged  the  people  to  stand  by  the  Union.  During  the 
war  he  remained  quietly  at  his  home  taking  no  part  in  the  troubles  be- 
tween the  two  sections  of  the  country,  except  to  express  his  opinions  on 
public  men  and  public  measures,  his  opinions,  however,  after  the  break- 
ing out  of  the  war,  being  uniformly  in  favor  of  the  Southern  Confederacy. 
In  1865  lie  was  required  to  give  reasons  why  he  should  not  be  sent  within 
the  Confederate  lines,  which  reasons  being  satisfactory  to  Gen.  Thomas 
he  was  allowed  to  remain  quietly  at  his  home.  On  the  19th  of  August, 
1865,  he  was  pardoned  by  Andrew  Johnson,  President  of  the  United 
States.  In  the  spring  of  1866  he  Avas  elected  by  the  counties  of  Robert- 
son,  Montgomery  and  Stewart  their  senator  in  the  General  Assembly  of 
the  State,  but  by  that  body  refused  admission  as  such  senator.  His 
death  occurred  November  23.  1866.  By  his  marriage  Avith  Mrs.  Eliza- 
beth Brunson  he  had  three  children:  Hickman  Johnson,  T.  D.  Johnson, 
and  Polk  G.  Johnson,  all  of  whom  served  the  Confederacy  in  the  great 
civil  war. 

James  Knox  Polk  Avas  born  in  Mecklenburg  County,  N.  C.,  Novem- 
ber 2,  1795.  He  Avas  the  eldest  of  a family  of  ten  children — six  sons  and 
four  daughters — born  to  the  marriage  of  Samuel  Polk  and  Jane  Knox. 
His  paternal  ancestors  Avere  emigrants  from  Ireland  in  the  early  part  of 
the  eighteenth  century.  They  settled  upon  the  eastern  shores  of  Mary- 
land. The  branch  from  which  James  K.  descended  removed  first  to 
Pennsylvania,  and  about  1735  to  North  Carolina.  There  his  great-uncle, 
Col.  Thomas  Polk,  and  his  grandfather,  Ezekiel  Polk,  took  a prominent 
part  in  the  convention  which  adopted  the  Mecklenburg  Declaration  in 
1775.  In  1806  Samuel  Polk  with  his  family  immigrated  to  Maury 
County,  and  was  soon  after  followed  by  nearly  all  of  the  Polk  family. 
He  located  up  on  Duck  River,  where  he  obtained  possession  of  a large 
body  of  land,  which  gradually  increasing  in  value,  made  him  one  of  the 
wealthiest  men  of  the  county. 

His  wife  was  a superior  woman  of  fine  practical  sense,  Avho  trained 
her  children  to  habits  of  punctuality  and  industry,  and  inspired  in  them 
a love  of  morality.  Young  James  early  evinced  a great  desire  and 
capacity  for  learning,  and  having  secured  the  elements  of  an  'education 
at  home  and  in  the  neighborhood  school,  in  1813  entered  the  Murfrees- 
boro Academy,  from  which,  in  1815,  he  entered  the  sophomore  class  of 
the  University  of  North  Carolina,  at  Chapel  Hill.  From  this  institution, 
after  three  more  years  of  diligent  application,  he  graduated  with  the 
highest  honors.  He  then  entered  upon  the  study  of  law  in  the  office  of 
Felix  Grundy,  of  Nashville,  with  Avhom  he  remained  until  he  had  com- 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


789 


pleted  his  legal  education.  After  liis  admittance  to  the  bar  he  returned 
to  Columbia  and  opened  an  office;  as  he  was  thoroughly  equipped  for 
the  profession  and  well  prepared  to  meet  all  of  its  responsibilities,  it  was 
but  a short  time  until  he  was  recognized  as  a leader  both  at  the  bar  and 
on  the  stump. 

In  1828  he  was  chosen  to  represent  his  county  in  the  lower  house  of 
the  General  Assembly,  and  in  the  fall  of  1825,  after  a vigorous  cam- 
paign, was  elected  a member  of  Congress.  During  the  next  four  years 
he  was  an  active  opponent  of  the  measures  proposed  by  President 
Adams.  He  had  long  been  a close  friend  of  Gen.  Jackson,  and  when 
the  latter  was  elected  President  he  became  the  leader  of  the  administra- 
tive party.  He  opposed  the  Federal  system  of  internal  improvements, 
the  rechartering  of  the  United  States  Bank  and  the  protective  tariff  law. 
Indeed,  he  was  in  such  perfect  accord  with  Jackson  and  carried  out  his 
plans  so  faithfully  that  he  was  accused  of  being  servilely  dependent  upon 
the  President.  While  such  a charge  was  entirely  without  foundation,  it 
is  not  improbable  that  his  relations  with  Gen.  Jackson  had  much  influ- 
ence upon  his  career.  He  continued  in  Congress  for  fourteen  consecu- 
tive years,  during  the  last  four  years  of  which  he  filled  the  speaker's 
chair.  He  withdrew  March  4,  1839,  and  soon  after  began  a vigorous 
campaign  for  the  office  of  governor.  He  was  elected,  but  before  he  had 
completed  his  first  term  the  great  Whig  victory  was  gained,  and  at  the 
next  two  gubernatorial  elections  he  was  defeated.  In  1844  the  annexa- 
tion of  Texas  was  the  most  important  question  before  the  public,  and  Mr. 
Polk’s  position,  as  an  advocate  of  the  measure,  had  much  to  do  with  his 
nomination  for  the  presidency  in  that  year.  After  a campaign,  based 
mainly  upon  that  question,  he  was  chosen  over  Henry  Clay  by  a majority 
of  sixty-five  electoral  votes.  Before  his  inauguration  the  great  ques- 
tion of  annexation  had  been  settled,  but  the  difficulty  with  Mexico  was 
thereby  begun,  and  the  greater  part  of  his  administration  was  occupied 
in  considering  questions  connected  with  the  war  with  that  country. 
Other  important  measures  of  his  term  of  office  were  the  admission  of 
Iowa  and  Wisconsin  into  the  Union,  the  passage  of  the  low  tariff  law 
of  1846.  the  establishment  of  the  department  of  the  interior,  and  the 
settlement  of  the  northwestern  boundary  question.  Having  retired  from 
the  presidency  in  March,  1849,  he  returned  to  Nashville,  where  he  had 
previously  purchased  the  property  since  known  as  Polk  Place.  There 
his  death  occurred  June  15,  1849. 

Mr.  Polk  was  not  a man  of  great  brilliancy  of  intellect,  and  possessed 
little  imagination,  yet  he  was  lively  and  sociable  in  his  disposition,  and 
had  the  rare  power  of  communicating  his  own  enthusiasm  to  those  with 


740 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


whom  lie  came  in  contact.  He  was  well  versed  in  human  nature,  and 
possessed  a memoiy  of  remarkable  retentiveness;  while  he  did  not  pos- 
sess the  force  of  character  of  Jackson,  the  rugged  native  ability  of 
Andrew  Johnson,  nor  the  far-seeing  statesmanship  of  John  Bell,  he  was 
distinguished  for  shrewdness,  quickness  of  perception,  firmness  of  pur- 
pose and  untiring  energy. 

In  his  selection  of  a companion  for  life  he  was  peculiarly  fortunate. 
In  January,  1824,  he  married  Miss  Sarah  Childress,  a daughter  of  Capt. 
Joel  Childress,  of  Rutherford  County,  Tenn.  She  wras  only  fifteen  years 
of  age  at  that  time,  a lady  of  rare  beauty  and  culture.  She  accompanied 
her  husband  to  Washington  when  he  entered  Congress  in  1825,  and  was 
with  him,  with  the  exception  of  one  winter,  during  his  entire  eighteen 
years’  residence  in  that  city.  Since  the  death  of  Mr.  Polk  she  has 
resided  at  Polk  Place,  but  has  seldom  appeared  in  society. 

William  Gannaway  Brownlow  was  the  eldest  son  of  Joseph  A.  Brown- 
low,  who  was  born  and  raised  in  Rockbridge  County,  Va.,  and  died  in 
Sullivan  County,  Tenn.,  in  1816.  The  father  was  a man  of  good  sense  and 
sterling  integrity,  and  served  in  a Tennessee  company  during  the  war  of 
1812.  Two  of  his  brothers  were  at  the  battle  of  the  Horseshoe,  and  two 
others  died  in  the  naval  service.  His  wife  was  Catharine  Gunnaway, 
also  a native  of  Virginia,  who  was  left  at  her  husband’s  death  with  five 
helpless  children.  She  survived  him,  however,  less  than  three  months. 

William  was  born  in  Wythe  County,  Va.,  August  29,  1805,  and  con- 
sequently was  only  about  eleven  years  of  age  when  his  parents  died.  He 
was  taken  by  his  mother’s  relatives,  by  whom  he  ivas  reared  to  hard  labor 
until  he  was  eighteen  years  old,  when  he  removed  to  Abingdon,  Va.,  and 
apprenticed,  himself  to  a house  carpenter.  He  early  education  had  been 
imperfect  and  irregular,  and  after  completing  his  apprenticeship  he 
labored  until  he  acquired  the  means  of  again  going  to  school.  He  after- 
ward entered  the  traveling  ministry  of  the  Methodist  Church,  and  trav- 
eled for  ten  years  without  intermission,  all  the  time  studying  and  improv- 
ing his  limited  education. 

In  1828  he  began  to  take  an  active  part  in  the  politics  of  Tennessee, 
advocating  the  re-election  of  John  Quincy  Adams  to  the  Presidency.  He 
seemed  to  have  a natural  love  for  controversy,  and  while  the  vigorous 
sectarian  discussions  of  that  day  were  congenial  to  him,  he  found  a bet- 
ter field  for  his  peculiar  talents  in  politics  than  in  the  ministry.  In 
either  position  he  was  fearless  in  the  expression  of  his  opinion,  and  in 
1832,  while  traveling  a circuit  in  South  Carolina  in  which  John  C.  Cal- 
houn lived,  he  publicly  denounced  nullification.  In  1837  he  began  the 
publication  of  the  Whig  at  Jonesboro,  but  in  a short  time  removed  to 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


741 


Km  xville,  where  he  soon  secured  for  it  a very  large  circulation.  In 
1843  he  became  a candidate  for  Congress  against  Andrew  Johnson,  but 
was  defeated.  In  1850  he  was  appointed  by  Fillmore  one  of  the  several 
commissioners  to  carry  out  the  congressional  provisions  for  the  improve- 

■s 

ment  of  the  navigation  of  the  Tennessee  River. 

For  thirty  years  preceding  the  civil  war  he  participated  in  nearly 
every  political  and  religious  controversy  which  occurred,  and  became 
widely  known  as  the  “Fighting  Parson.”  In  1856  he  wrote  a book  en- 
titled “The  Great  Iron  Wheel  Examined  and  its  False  Spokes  Ex- 
tracted,” it  being  a vindication  of  the  Methodist  Church  against  the 
attacks  of  Rev.  J.  R.  Graves,  in  a work  called  “The  Great  Iron  Wheel.” 
Two  years  later  he  was  engaged  in  a debate  upon  the  slavery  question  in 
Philadelphia  with  Rev.  Abram  Pryue,  of  New  York,  in  which  he  de- 
fended the  institution  of  slavery  as  it  existed  in  the  South.  Although  a 
strong  pro-slavery  man,  his  love  for  the  Union  was  intense,  and  when 
the  secession  movement  of  1860  began  he  severely  denounced  it.  Even 
after  troops  began  to  pass  through  Knoxville  he  did  not  in  the  least 
abate  his  denunciations,  and  kept  a Federal  flag  floating  over  his  house. 
In  October,  1861,  his  influence  had  become  so  dangerous  to  the  cause  of 
the  Confederacy  in  East  Tennessee  that  the  publication  of  his  paper  was 
suspended  and  the  office  outfit  destroyed.  He  was  forced  to  leave  the 
town  and  seek  safety  in  the  mountains.  After  remaining  in  seclusion 
for  three  or  four  weeks  he  was  induced  to  return  upon  the  promise  of 
the  Confederate  authorities,  that  he  should  be  sent  within  the  Union 
line.  This  promise  was  violated,  however,  and  on  December  6,  upon  a 
warrant  issued  by  J.  C Ramsay,  Confederate  States  District  Attorney, 
he  was  arrested  and  placed  in  jail  where  he  remained  until  January  1, 
when  he  became  seriously  ill.  On  the  order  of  his  physician  he  was 
then  moved  to  his  home,  where  he  remained  under  a strong  guard  until 
March  2.  He  was  then  sent  with  an  escort  to  Nashville,  then  in  posses- 
sion of  the  Federal  forces.  After  remaining  a short  time  he  went  on  a 
tour  through  the  Northern  States,  visiting  several  of  the  large  cities  and 
delivering  addresses  to  large  audiences.  In  April,  1862,  his  wife  and 
family  were  also  sent  out  of  the  Confederacy,  and  remained  in  the  North 
until  after  the  occupation  of  East  Tennessee  by  Gen.  Burnside  in  the  fall 
of  1863.  Mr.  Brownlow  then  returned  to  Knoxville,  and  in  November 
of  that  year  resumed  the  publication  of  his  paper.  On  March  4,  1865, 
he  was  elected  governor,  and  in  August,  1867,  re-elected,  defeating  Em- 
erson Etheridge.  Before  the  expiration  of  his  second  term  he  was  elected 
to  a seat  in  the  United  States  Senate,  in  which  body  he  served  from 
March  4,  1869,  to  March  3,  1875.  During  the  greater  part  of  that  time 


742 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


he  was  a confirmed  invalid,  and  had  to  be  carried  to  and  from  his  seat  in 
the  Senate  chamber.  At  the  close  of  his  term,  he  returned  to  Knoxville 
where  after  an  illness  of  only  a few  hours  he  died  April  29,  1877. 

Gov.  Brownlow  was  a unique  character.  He  can  be  compared  with 
no  other  man.  He  Avas  made  up  of  antagonistic  qualities,  yet  no  one  Avas 
ever  more  consistent  in  his  course  of  action.  In  his  political  animosities 
and  religious  controversies  he  Avas  bitter  and  unrelenting.  He  Avas  a 
master  of  epithets  and  a reservoir  of  sarcasm.  In  his  choice  of  a Avord 
he  cared  nothing  except  that  it  should  reach  its  mark,  and  it  rarely  failed. 
In  private  life  to  his  friends  and  neighbors  he  Avas  ever  polite,  kind  and 
charitable.  A friend  said  of  him:  “The  heart  of  the  fearless  politician, 
who  in  excitement  hurled  the  thunderbolts  of  burning  invective  at  his 
antagonists,  and  Avas  Avilling  even  in  his  zeal  temporarily  to  lay  aside  his 
religious  creed  and  enforce  arguments  Avith  something  stronger  than 
words,  could  bleed  in  the  presence  of  a child’s  grief.  Nothing  in  his 
career  seemed  to  alienate  him  from  the  affections  of  liis  neighbors  and 
friends.  They  overlooked  and  forgave  the  faults  springing  from  his 
impetuous  nature,  for  they  knew  something  of  the  heart  Avliich  boat 
within.” 

Shadrack  Forrest,  the  great-grandfather  of  Gen.  Forrest,  was  of 
English  extraction,  and  moved  from  West  Virginia,  about  1730,  to 
Orange  County,  N.  C.  Nathan  Forrest,  grandfather  of  N.  B.  Forrest, 
left  North  Carolina  about  1806,  and  settled  with  his  large  family  for  a 
time  in  Sumner  County,  but  soon  after  moved  to  Bedford  County.  Nathan 
Forrest  married  a Miss  Baugh,  a lady  of  Irish  descent.  The  eldest  son 
of  this  marriage  was  William  Forrest,  the  father  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch.  William  Forrest  married  Mariam  Beck  in  1800.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Forrest  were  the  parents  of  seven  sons  and  three  daughters.  The  young- 
est son,  J.  Forrest,  was  born  after  the  death  of  the  father.  In  1835 
William  Forrest  moved  with  his  family  to  near  Salem,  Tippah  County,  in 
the  northern  part  of  Mississippi.  This  country  had  been  recently  opened 
to  immigrants  by  a treaty  with  the  Chickasaw  Indians.  Here  William 
Forrest  died  in  1837,  and  left  N.  B.  the  care  of  his  widowed  mother  and 
her  large  family  of  little  children.  By  that  diligence  and  energy  that 
characterized  his  Avhole  life  he  soon  succeeded  in  placing  the  family  above 
want.  His  opportunities  for  an  education  were  very  limited,  barely  cov- 
ering the  rudiments  of  the  elementary  branches.  In  1840  he  lost  two  of 
his  brothers  and  his  sisters  of  disease,  and  came  near  dying  himself.  In 
1841  he  joined  Capt.  Wallace  Wilson’s  company  to  go  to  Texas  to  assist 
in  the  cause  of  freedom  there.  The  expedition  was  badly  managed,  and 
the  majority  of  the  men  returned  from  NeAv  Orleans.  A feAv  of  the  num- 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


743 


ber,  however,  went  on  to  Austin  to  find  no  employment  and  that  their 
services  were  not  needed.  He  returned  home  to  pass  through  a very- 
severe  spell  of  sickness. 

In  1842  he  engaged  in  business  with  his  uncle  at  Hernando,  Miss. 
He  became  engaged  in  an  affray  with  three  brothers,  Maleck,  for  espous- 
ing the  cause  of  his  uncle.  He  alone  fought  and  defeated  them,  but  his 
uncle  was  killed.  J.  K.  Moore,  a lawyer,  was  killed  while  riding  in 
company  with  Gen.  Forrest  by  a desperado  named  Dyson.  Forrest’s  life 
was  threatened,  but  his  courage  and  revolver  saved  him.  September  25, 
1825,  Gen.  Forrest  married  Mary  Ann  Montgomery,  a distant  relative  of 
him  who  fell  at  Quebec  in  1775.  In  1849  he  met  with  financial  reverses 
in  Hernando,  but  instead  of  despairing  he  only  redoubled  his  exertions. 
He  came  near  losing  his  life  in  1852  in  the  explosion  of  the  steam-boat 
“Farmer”  within  a few  miles  of  Galveston.  In  1852  he  moved  to  Mem- 
phis and  began  dealing  in  real  estate;  he  also  dealt  largely  in  slaves. 
He  was  elected  alderman  of  the  city  in  1857,  and  re-elected  in  1859.  By 
1859  he  had  accumulated  a good  fortune,  and  in  1861  he  had  several  large 
plantations,  and  raised  his  1,000  bales  of  cotton.  On  the  outbreak  of  the  war 
he  volunteered  as  a private  in  Capt.  J.  S.  White’s  company,  on  June  14, 1861. 
In  July  Forrest  was  asked  by  Gov.  Harris  and  Gen.  Polk  to  recruit  a 
regiment  for  the  cavalry  service.  This  he  proceeded  at  once  to  do.  On 
July  20  he  went  to  Louisville,  where  he  procured  a partial  outfit  for 
his  men,  consisting  of  500  Colt’s  revolvers,  100  saddles  and  other  sup- 
plies. The  regiment  was  organized  at  Memphis,  in  October.  1861,  by 
electing  N.  B.  Forrest,  lieutenant-colonel;  D.  C.  Kelley,  major;  C.  A. 
Schuyler,  adjutant;  Dr.  S.  M.  Yan  Wick,  surgeon,  and  J.  P.  Strong, 
sergeant-major.  The  regiment  consisted  in  the  aggregate  of  650  men, 
organized  into  eight  companies.  The  first  fighting  done  by  Col.  Forrest 
was  in  Kentucky.  His  men  attacked  and  defeated  the  gun-boat  “Cones- 
toga” in  the  Cumberland  River,  near  Canton,  Ky.  A superior  force 
of  the  enemy  wras  defeated  at  Sacramento  by  a brilliant  charge.  He 
joined  the  forces  at  Fort  Donelson  on  the  12th.  He  contributed  largely 
to  what  success  there  was  connected  witli  that  unfortunate  affair,  and  suc- 
ceeded in  bringing  away  his  regiment  with  little  loss.  He  displayed 
great  ability  here.  He  next  covered  the  retreat  from  Nashville. 

On  the  6th  and  7tli  of  April  he  was  present  at  the  battle  of  Shiloh. 
Forrest,  who  was  now  colonel,  contributed  as  much  to  the  success  of  that 
battle  as  any  other  man.  His  regiment  was  the  last  to  leave  the  field. 
In  a charge  near  the  close  of  that  engagement  he  was  wounded.  From 
Pittsburg  Landing  to  Corinth  the  regiment  was  engaged  almost  daily. 


744 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


equal  to  his  whole  force.  He  captured  pickets  around  Nashville  and 
took  part  in  the  campaign  in  Kentucky.  He  made  a raid  through  West 
Tennessee,  and  returned  in  time  to  take  part  in  the  battle  of  Stone  River. 
He  was  almost  daily  engaged  in  skirmishing  in  Middle  and  East  Ten- 
nesse  till  the  battle  of  Chickamauga,  September  19  and  20,  1863.  He 
was  next  sent  to  the  Army  of  Northern  Mississippi.  He  then  entered 
West  Tennessee  with  a few  men,  and  in  a short  time  had  increased  his 
force  to  about  3,500.  Engagements  were  fought  at  Somerville,  Tenn.,  De- 
cember 26;  at  Colliersville,  December  27;  at  West  Point,  Miss.,  Febru- 
ary, 1864;  at  Paducah,  Ky.,  March  25;  at  Fort  Pillow,  April  12;  at  Bol- 
ivar. May  2;  at  Tishomingo  Creek,  June  10;  at  Harrisburg,  Miss.,  July 
14;  at  Town  Creek,  July  15;  at  Oxford,  Miss.,  in  the  early  part  of 
August;  at  Memphis,  August  21,  and  in  the  raid  through  Middle  Ten- 
nessee and  the  capture  of  Athens,  Ala.  In  Hood’s  advance  into  Ten- 
nessee Forrest  joined  him  at  Florence,  Ala.  From  the  time  of  crossing 
the  Tennessee  to  the  recrossing  of  that  stream  in  that  disastrous  cam- 
paign his  men  were  in  thirteen  engagements.  Had  Forrest’s  advice  been 
followed  at  Franklin,  November  30,  the  fruits  of  that  victory  would  have 
been  attained  without  its  terrible  cost. 

To  his  skill  in  covering  the  retreat,  and  advice  in  its  management, 
was  the  army  saved  from  greater  rout.  After  the  retreat  of  Hood  from 
Tennessee  Forrest  was  engaged  at  Centerville,  Ala.,  March  31,  1865,  and 
at  Ebenezer  Church  April  1.  His  forces  were  engaged  in  the  defense  of 
Selma,  as  a cover  for  Mobile.  April  2 closed  his  military  career,  on  the 
fall  of  Selma.  Few  men  ever  made  so  brilliant  a military  record  in  so 
short  a time.  Without  book  knowledge  he  made  a study  of  men,  and 
took  in  the  military  situation  of  the  country  at  a glance.  His  dash,  un- 
tiring energy,  industry  and  power  of  endurance  were  remarkable.  He 
had  the  happy  faculty  of  inspiring  his  men  with  confidence  in  himself  as 
a leader.  He  seemed  to  grasp  the  most  minute  details  of  an  army  and 
its  wants,  and  had  a wonderful  fertility  of  resource.  He  seldom  if  ever 
blundered,  and  never  failed  to  extricate  his  men  from  the  most  perilous 
positions.  It  might  be  questioned  whether  Forrest  could  have  succeeded 
so  well  with  a large  body  of  men,  or  in  other  words  whether  he  had  the 
capacity  for  maneuvering  large  bodies.  To  this  it  may  be  answered  that 
he  made  no  mistakes,  whether  commanding  a battalion  of  a few  hundred 
or  a division  of  5,000  men.  His  quick  fiery  temper  suited  him  for  a 
cavalry  leader  rather  than  for  the  leader  of  the  more  sluggish  infantry 
columns.  Had  all  other  commanders  been  as  successful  as  was  Gen. 
Forrest  the  result  would  have  been  very  different.  He  was  made  a briga- 
dier-general in  1862,  a major-general  in  1863  and  a lieutenant-general 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


• 745 


early  in  1865.  He  laid  aside  liis  arms  as  quickly  and  quietly  as  he  had 
taken  them  up.  At  the  close  of  the  war  he  returned  to  his  home,  accepted 
the  situation,  and  did  his  best  to  heal  the  wounds  left  by  the  war.  Before 
his  death  he  became  a member  of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church, 
in  which  faith  he  died. 

Andrew  Johnson,  the  seventeenth  President  of  the  United  States, 
was  born  in  Raleigh,  N.  C.,  December  29,  1808.  His  father,  Jacob 
Johnson,  who  died  in  1812,  was  city  constable,  sexton  of  a church  and 
porter  of  the  State  bank.  Extreme  poverty  prevented  Andrew  from  re- 
ceiving any  education,  and  at  the  age  of  ten  he  was  apprenticed  to  Mr. 
Selby,  a tailor.  In  1824,  a short  time  before  the  expiration  of  his  ap- 
prenticeship, having  committed  some  little  misdemeanor,  he  ran  away 
and  went  to  Laurens  Court  House,  S.  C.  He  obtained  work  as  a journey- 
man and  remained  there  until  May,  1826,  when  he  returned  to  Raleigh. 
During  the  following  September,  accompanied  by  his  mother,  he  came  to 
Tennessee  and  located  at  Greeneville,  where  in  a short  time  he  married. 

Up  to  this  time  his  education  was  limited  to  reading,  but  under  his 
wife’s  tuition  he  learned  to  write  and  cipher.  In  1828,  taking  an  interest 
in  politics,  he  organized  a workingmen’s  party  in  opposition  to  the  aris- 
tocratic element,  which  had  before  controlled  the  town  of  Greeneville. 
He  was  elected  alderman,  and  two  years  later  was  made  mayor.  During 
this  time  a village  debating  society  was  formed,  and  he  took  a prominent 
part  in  its  discussions,  manifesting  much  of  the  ability  which  he  after- 
ward displayed.  In  1835  he  offered  himself  as  a candidate  for  a seat  in 
the  lower  house  of  the  General  Assembly,  and  after  a vigorous  canvass 
was  elected.  During  the  following  session  his  opposition  to  the  internal 
improvement  bill  temporarily  lost  him  his  popularity,  and  at  the  next 
election  he  was  defeated.  Succeeding  events,  however,  proved  his  views 
to  have  been  correct,  and  in  1839  he  was  returned  to  the  Legislature. 
From  this  time  forth  he  was  almost  continuously  in  public  life.  He  was 
an  elector  for  the  State  at  large  on  the  Yan  JBuren  ticket  in  1840,  and  in 
1841  was  elected  to  the  State  Senate.  Twto  years  later  h,e  took  his  seat 
in  Congress  as  representative  from  the  First  District  of  Tennessee,  a 
position  which  he  continued  to  hold  by  re-election  for  ten  years.  During 
this  time  he  advocated  the  annexation  of  Texas,  the  war  with  Mexico  and 
the  tariff  of  1846. 

In  1853  he  was  elected  governor  of  Tennessee  over  G.  A.  Henry,  the 
Whig  candidate,  and  again  in  1855  over  Meredith  P.  Gentry,  after  one 
of  the  most  exciting  campaigns  ever  witnessed.  In  December,  1857,  he 
took  his  seat  in  the  United  States  Senate,  to  Avliich  he  had  been  elected 
by  the  Legislature  of  Tennessee.  He  soon  distinguished  himself  as  the 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


MG 

advocate  of  the  homestead  law,  which  was  vetoed  by  President  Buchanan. 
Although  he  usually  voted  with  the  Southern  members  on  the  slavery 
question,  he  was  not  strongly  in  sympathy  with  them.  In  the  canvass  of 
1860  he  supported  Breckinridge  and  Lane,  but  when  secession  was  openly 
proposed  he  opposed  it  with  all  of  his  ability.  This  caused  many  of  his 
former  adherents  to  denounce  him  as  a traitor  to  his  State  and  party,  and 
in  almost  every  city  in  the  State  he  was  burned  in  effigy.  March  4,  1862, 
he  was  nominated  military  governor  of  Tennessee  by  President  Lincoln, 
and  on  the  12th  of  the  same  month  he  arrived  in  Nashville.  He  con- 
tinued as  military  governor  until  March,  1865,  when  he  was  succeeded 
by  William  G.  Brownlow. 

On  June  7,  1864,  the  Republican  Convention  at  Baltimore  nominated 
him  for  the  vice-presidency,  and  on  the  4th  of  the  March  following  he 
was  inaugurated.  Upon  the  assassination  of  President  Lincoln  he  im- 
mediately took  the  oath  of  office  and  entered  upon  his  duties  as  Presi- 
dent. From  his  public  utterances  it  had  been  inferred  that  he  would 
treat  the  Southern  leaders  with  great  severity,  but  his  course  was  quite 
the  reverse,  and  then  began  the  difficulty  between  himself  and  Congress 
which  ended  in  his  impeachment  trial.  After  a long  contest  he  was 
finally  acquitted,  on  a vote  of  thirty-five  for  conviction  to  nineteen  for 
acquittal. 

At  the  Democratic  Convention  of  1868  he  was  a candidate  for  nomi- 
nation for  the  Presidency,  but  received  little  support.  In  March,  1869, 
he  returned  to  his  home  at  Greeneville,  Tenn.,  and  the  next  year  be- 
came a candidate  for  the  United  States  Senate.  He  lacked  two  votes  of 
an  election.  In  1872  he  was  a candidate  for  congressman  at  large,  but 
dividing  the  vote  of  his  party  with  B.  F.  Cheatham  was  defeated  by 
Horace  Maynard.  In  January,  1875,  he  was  elected  to  the  United  States 
Senate  for  the  full  term  of  six  years,  and  at  the  extra  session  in  March,  of 
that  year,  took  his  seat.  He  died  suddenly  of  paralysis  on  July  31,  1875, 
at  the  residence  of  his  daughter  in  Carter  County,  Tenn.  Mr.  John- 
son was  essentially  combative  in  his  temperament,  and  was  rather  im- 
patient of  opposition.  That  he  had  the  courage  of  his  convictions  is 
evident  from  his  course  at  the  beginning  of  the  war,  when  for  a South- 
ern Democrat  to  champion  the  cause  of  the  Union  was  to  sacrifice  both 
friends  and  reputation.  He  cannot  be  said  to  have  enjoyed,  to  any 
great  degree,  the  personal  good-will  and  esteem  of  his  fellow-citizens, 
but  he  never  failed  to  inspire  their  confidence  and  respect.  He  possessed 
no  personal  magnetism,  wit  nor  brilliancy,  and  his  countenance  usually 
wore  an  expression  bordering  on  sadness. 

The  following  by  one  of  his  colleagues  in  Congress  is  a fitting  tribute 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


747 


to  his  character:  “If  I were  to  write  the  epitaph  of  Andrew  Johnson,  X 

would  inscribe  on  the  stone  which  shall  mark  his  last  resting  place, 
“ Here  lies  the  man  who  was  in  the  public  service  for  forty  years,  who 
never  tried  to  deceive  his  countrymen,  and  died  as  he  lived,  an  honest 
man — ‘the  noblest  work  of  God.’” 

Gen.  Felix  Kirk  Zollicoffer  was  born  in  Maury  County,  Tenn.,  May  17, 
1812.  and  was  the  son  of  John  J.  and  Martha  (Kirk  ) Zollicoffer.  The 
father  was  a native  of  North  Carolina.  He  was  descended  from  an  il- 
lustrious Swiss  family,  which  included  several  of  the  most  distinguished 
military  men,  divines  and  scholars  of  that  nation.  Several  centuries  ago 
three  Zollicoffer  brothers  were  granted  a patent  of  nobility  on  account  of 
distinguished  service  rendered  to  the  Government,  and  from  them  de- 
scended the  Zollicoffers  of  Switzerland  and  of  America.  The  latter  branch 
of  the  family  immigrated  to  this  country  probably  near  the  close  of  the 
seventeenth  century. 

Gen.  Zollicoffer,  after  having  received  such  an  education  as  the 
schools  of  his  native  county  afforded,  learned  the  printer’s  trade,  and  at 
the  age  of  seventeen,  in  company  with  two  other  young  men,  began  the 
publication  of  a paper  at  Paris,  Tenn.  Their  enterprise  proving  a fail- 
ure young  Zollicoffer  went  to  Knoxville,  where  he  found  employment  and 
remained  until  1834,  when  he  removed  to  Huntsville,  Ala.  He  was  em- 
ployed at  that  place  in  the  office  of  the  Southern  Mercury  for  a short 
time,  after  which  he  returned  to  Maury  County  and  located  at  Columbia, 
taking  charge  of  the  Observer.  On  September  24,  1835,  he  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Louisa  P.  Gordon,  of  Hickman  County,  a daughter  of 
the  brave  Indian  scout,  Col.  John  Gordon.  The  next  year  he  volunteered 
as  a soldier,  and  served  with  the  Tennessee  troops  during  the  Seminole  Avar. 
In  the  early  part  of  1837  he  returned  and  resumed  his  connection  with  the 
Observer,  of  which  he  continued  the  editor  until  after  the  campaign  of 
1840,  strongly  opposing  the  election  of  Mr.  Van  Buren.  As  editor  of 
the  Nashville  Banner , he  entered  upon  his  duties  January  3,  1842,  and  at 
once  made  a decided  impression.  During  the  gubernatorial  campaign  of 
the  following  year  he  contributed  much  to  the  election  of  James  C.  Jones 
over  James  K.  Polk.  For  some  time  he  had  been  a sufferer  from  an 
aneurism  of  the  aorta,  that  daily  threatened  his  life,  and  after  the  elec- 
tion he  retired  from  the  editorial  chair.  On  the  1st  of  November  follow- 
ing he  was  elected  by  the  Legislature  comptroller  of  the  State,  a position 
he  continued  to  hold  by  re-election  until  1849.  In  August  of  that  year 
he  was  chosen  to  represent  Davidson  County  in  the  State  Senate,  and 
during  the  session  made  himself  one  of  the  leaders  of  that  body. 

In  January,  1851,  he  again  connected  himself  with  the  Banner. 


748 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


He  succeeded  in  inducing  Gen.  William  B.  Campbell  to  accept  the 
nomination  for  governor,  and  the  brilliant  victory  which  was  secured 
was  due.  more  largely  to  his  efforts  than  to  those  of  any  other  man.  The 
result  of  this  canvass  added  greatly  to  the  influence  of  Gen.  Zollicoffer. 

The  nest  year  occurred  the  contest  for  the  Presidency  between  Gens. 
Scott  and  Pierce.  Gen.  Zollicoffer  had  favored  the  nomination  of  Mil- 
lard Fillmore,  and  attended  the  National  Convention  at  Baltimore  to 
advocate  it,  but  when  Gen.  Scott  was  chosen  as  the  leader  of  the  Whigs 
he  supported  him  Avith  his  accustomed  vigor  and  ability,  and,  although 
the  candidate  Avas  decidedly  unpopular  with  the  Whig  party,  Tennessee 
was  brought  to  his  support. 

On  April  20,  1853,  haAung  received  the  Whig  nomination  for  Con- 
gress in  his  district,  he  severed,  for  the  last  time,  his  connection  with  the 
press.  He  was  elected  after  a brilliant  canvass  and  served  for  three  suc- 
cessive terms.  He  then  voluntarily  retired  to  private  life.  During  the 
early  part  of  1861  Gen.  Zollicoffer.  did  all  in  his  power  to  prevent  the 
dissolution  of  the  Union,  and  was  a member  of  the  Peace  Conference  at 
Washington,  but  after  the  call  for  troops  by  President  Lincoln  he  es- 
poused the  cause  of  the  South  and  advocated  secession.  Upon  the  organ- 
ization of  the  State  military  Gov.  Harris  called  him  to  his  aid,  and  com- 
missioned him  brigadier-general.  He  was  placed  in  command  of  the  forces 
in  East  Tennessee,  Avhere,  during  the  fall  of  1861,  he  gathered  an  army  of 
about  4,000  men  and  took  part  at  Cumberland  Ford.  Opposed  to  him 
were  about  double  that  number  of  troops  under  Gen.  Thomas.  On  Jan- 
uary 19,  1862,  deceived  as  to  the  strength  and  position  of  the  enemy  he 
unfortunately  ordered  an  attack,  and  during  the  engagement  was  killed. 
Various  accounts  of  the  death  of  Gen.  Zollicoffer  have  been  published, 
but  the  most  authentic  is  about  as  follows : 

Gen.  Zollicoffer  while  inspecting  his  lines  found  himself  between  a 
Mississippi  regiment  and  the  Fourth  Kentucky  Federal  Regiment  under 
Col.  Fry,  AArko  was  about  to  lead  them  in  a charge  upon  the  Confederate 
lines.  Gen.  Zollicoffer  thinking  the  latter  regiment  a part  of  his  own 
command,  accompanied  by  his  aid,  rode  up  to  Col.  Fry  and  said:  “You 
are  not  going  to  fight  your  friends,  are  you?  These  men”  (pointing  to 
the  Mississippi  regiment),  “are  all  your  friends.”  In  the  meantime 
Zollicoffer’ s aid,  perceiving  their  mistake,  fired  at  Col.  Fry,  killing  his 
horse.  Col.  Fry  sprang  to  his  feet  and  fired  at  Gen.  Zollicoffer,  killing 
him  instantly.  The  troops  thus  deprived  of  their  trusted  leader  retreated 
in  confusion.  Gen.  Zollicoffer  left  a family  of  six  daughters,  five  of 
whom  are  still  liAung.  Mrs.  Zollicoffer  died  in  1857. 


HISTOEY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


749 


CHAPTER  XX 


Political  History — Contentions  for  the  Navigation  of  the  Mississippi 
— Spanish  Territorial  Demands — Contemplation  of  the  Citizens  of 
Tennessee — The  Impeachment  of  Senator  Blount — Policies  of  Gub- 
ernatorial Administrations — Tennessee  During  the  War  of  1812- 
Efforts  to  Counteract  Local  Financial  Depression — Early  Ques- 
tions Concerning  Slavery — The  Tariff  and  the  Doctrine  of  Nulli- 
fication— Jackson’s  Advancement  and  Views — Tenure  of  Office- 
Prominent  Politicians — Party  Policies  and  Contentions — The  Free 
Negro  Bill — Growth  and  Development  of  Secession — Course  of  the 
Governor  and  the  Legislature — Government  Under  the  Confeder- 
ate Constitution — Resumption  of  Federal  Authority — Reorganiza- 
tion of  the  State  Government — The  Convention  of  1865—“  Reconstruc- 
tion ” — Political  Secret  Societies— Memorable  Events — The  New  Con- 
stitution-Subsequent Partisan  Proceedings. 

HE  political  history  of  Temiesee  previous  to  its  organization  as  a 


State  is  mainly  comprised  in  the  history  of  the  G-overnment  of  the 
Notables,  of  the  State  of  Franklin  and  of  its  territorial  government.  But 
there  were  political  movements  and  negotiations  conducted  by  the  United 
States  Government,  in  which  the  people  of  Tennessee,  as  well  as  those  of 
the  other  Western  Territories,  were  deeply  interested.  These  negotiations 
had  reference  mainly  to  the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi  Biver  below  the 
thirty-first  parallel  of  latitude.  Spain  then  owned  Louisiana,  and  evinced 
a determination  to  claim  the  country  up  the  Mississippi  Y alley,  west  of  a 
boundary  line  herewith  described:  “A  right  line  shall  be  drawn  from 

the  eastern  angle  of  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  to  the  Fort  Toulouse,  situated  in 
the  country  of  the  Alibamas ; from  thence  the  River  Louishatchi  should 
be  ascended,  from  the  mouth  of  which  a right  line  should  be  drawn  to 
the  fort  or  factory  of  Quenassie ; from  this  last  place  the  course  of  the 
River  Euphasie*  is  to  be  followed  until  it  joins  the  Cherokee, f the 
course  of  this  last  river  is  to  b4  followed  until  it  receives  the  Pelissippi,^ 
this  last  to  be  followed  to  its  source,  from  which  a right  line  is  to  be 
drawn  to  the  Cumberland  River,  whose  course  is  to  be  followed  until  it 
falls  into  the  Ohio.” 

Spain  also  declared  that,  “As  to  the  course  and  navigation  of  the 
Mississippi  River,  they  follow  with  the  property  and  they  will  belong  to 
the  nation  to  which  the  two  banks  belong,”  and  “ Spain  alone  will  be  the 
proprietor  of  the  course  of  the  Mississippi  from  the  thirty -first  degree  of 
latitude  to  the  mouth  of  this  river.” 


*Hiwassee. 


tTennessee. 


JClinch. 


750 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


Could  Spain  have  maintained  her  claims,  all  of  Tennessee  west  of  the 
Rivers  Hiwassee,  Tennessee  and  Clinch  would  have  belonged  to  her. 
Her  persistence  in  insisting  upon  the  exclusive  right  to  the  navigation 
of  the  Mississippi  River  below  the  thirty-first  parallel,  caused  great  un- 
easiness and  dissatisfaction  among  the  people  in  the  Southern  States  and 
Western  Territories,  and  was  strenuously  resisted  by  Mr.  Jay  for  a con- 
siderable period;  but  at  length  he  yielded  so  far  as  to  recommend  to 
Congress  the  expediency  of  limiting  the  treaty  to  twenty-five  or  thirty 
years,  and  the  insertion  of  an  article  stipulating  that  the  United  States 
would  forbear  to  use  the  river  through  their  territory  to  the  Gulf.  On 
the  25th  of  August,  1785,  a resolution  was  introduced  into  Congress  in- 
structing Mr.  J ay  to  consent  to  an  article  stipulating  a forbearance  on 
the  part  of  the  United  States  to  navigate  the  Mississippi  for  twenty 
years.  When  the  vote  was  taken  on  this  resolution  it  was  found  that  all 
the  Northern  States  sustained  it,  Avliile  all  the  Southern  States  opposed 
it  (Delaware  not  voting),  one  of  the  first  instances  in  which  the 
North  encountered  a “ Solid  South.” 

When  these  proceedings  in  Congress  were  made  known  there  was 
great  excitement  and  indignation  among  the  people  throughout  the 
Southern  States  and  Western  Territories,  so  much  so  that  a separation  of 
the  latter  from  their  Atlantic  brethren  was  threatened,  in  order  to  form 
a union  with  Louisiana  and  thus  secure  the  benefits  of  the  navigation  of 
the  Mississippi  River.  Spain  artfully  encouraged  these  sentiments,  and 
was  not  wholly  unsuccessful  in  gaining  over  the  Western  people  to  an 
adherence  to  her  interests.  Happily,  however,  the  policy  on  the  part  of 
Spain  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  desire  of  the  people  to  form  an  alliance 
with  Louisiana  on  the  other,  were  of  short  duration;  and  finally  a treaty 
was  concluded  in  October,  1795,  covering  the  entire  ground  of  the  con- 
troversy, in  accordance  with  which  the  boundary  line  between  the  two 
countries  was  soon  afterward  run,  the  posts  surrendered,  and  the  tiresome 
controversy,  which  for  fifteen  years  had  kept  the  Western  country  in  a 
state  of  almost  continuous  excitement  and  alarm,  was  brought  to  an 
end. 

The  next  political  event  of  importance  occurred  after  Tennessee  was'1 
admitted  into  the  Union.  This  was  the  impeachment  and  expulsion  from 
the  United  State  Senate  of  William  Blount,  one  of  Tennessee’s  first  sen- 
ators in  Congress.  The  ground  of  impeachment  was  Mr.  Blount’s  con-j 
nection  with  an  alleged  conspiracy  against  the  peace  and  dignity  of  the! 
United  States,  in  attempting  with  others  to  wrest  from  Spain  her  domin- 
ions in  America  and  in  conquering  the  same  for  the  King  of  Great  Brit- 
ain. The  basis  of  the  proceedings  in  the  United  States  Congress  agains 


HISTOEY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


751 


him  was  a letter  written  by  him,  under  date  of  April  21,  1797,  to  James 
Carey  a confidential  friend.  The  letter  hinted  at  some  kind  of  plan,  and 
it  was  evident  that  the  plan  was  of  a very  important  nature ; but  the 
nature  of  the  same  could  not  be  ascertained  from  the  letter  alone.  Not- 
withstanding this  the  House  of  Representatives  on  July  7,  1797,  re- 
quested the  Senate  to  sequester  Mr.  Blount  from  his  seat,  with  which  re- 
quest the  Senate  on  the  nest  day  complied.  The  Senate  then  proceeded 
to  consider  the  report  of  the  committee  to  which  the  charges  against  Sen- 
ator Blount  had  been  referred.  This  report  which  closed  with  a resolu- 
tion expelling  Senator  Blount  from  the  Senate  on  account  of  high  crimes 
and  misdemeanors,  was  sustained  by  a vote  of  twenty -five  to  one. 

While  the  Carey  letter  furnishes  abundant  evidence  that  Senator 
Blount  was  a skillful  diplomatist,  it  furnishes  none  whatever  of  his  being 
guilty  of  conspiracy  against  his  country.  The  most  the  letter  shows  with 
reference  to  the  plan  Mr.  Blount  was  endeavoring  to  carry  out  is,  that  he 
desired  to  keep  that  plan  secret,  at  least  until  it  should  be  an  assured  suc- 
cess. The  letter  contains  the  following  request:  “When  you  have  read 

this  letter  over  three  times,  then  burn  it;”  which  shows  that  politicians, 
even  in  the  early  days,  sometimes  desired  the  destruction  of  the  evidence 
of  their  designs,  even  though  those  designs  were  strictly  honest  and  pa- 
triotic. Among  the  people  of  Tennessee,  Mr.  Blount  never  lost  his  popu- 
larity. Soon  after  his  impeachment  Knox  County  elected  him  to  the 
State  Senate,  and  the  State  Senate  elected  him  its  speaker,  a vacancy  hav- 
ing been  caused  by  the  resignation  of  Gen.  James  White. 

The  several  administrations  of  Hon.  John  Sevier  as  governor  of 
Tennessee  had,  as  a general  thing,  been  characterized  by  prosperity  and 
peace  with  the  Indian  tribes.  To  this  state  of  things  the  Governor  al- 
luded in  1801,  in  his  farewell  message  to  the  General  Assembly.  “ There 
has  been  no  trouble  with  the  Indians  during  the  past  six  years,  the  laws 
of  the  Government  have  been  duly  obeyed,  and  Providence  has  been 
bountiful  and  propitious  in  an  extensive  degree  with  respect  to  the  pro- 
ductions of  the  earth.”  After  recommending  a law  regulating  the  mili- 
tia as  absolutely  necessary  to  the  safety  of  the  State  he  said,  “ The  State 
of  Tennessee  possesses  every  power,  privilege,  sovereignty  and  jurisdic- 
tion that  any  of  the  original  States  in  the  Union  enjoy;  and  such  being 
undeniably  the  case,  what  hesitation  can  there  remain  to  prevent  you 
from  passing  laws  to  enable  citizens  to  obtain  a full  and  complete  pos- 
session of  all  their  titles  and  grants  they  have  a right  to  receive  and  are 
entitled  to?  You  will  readily  perceive  the  impropriety  of  other  States 
undertaking  and  appointing  officers  for  the  discharge  of  the  most  im- 
portant business  in  the  State  of  Tennessee,  independently  of  her  control 


752 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


or  subject  to  her  laws.  It  is  a practice  inconsistent  with  the  liberties  of 
a free  State,  and  never  before  submitted  to.” 

John  Sevier  was  succeeded  this  year  in  the  gubernatorial  office  by 
Archibald  Roane,  who  served  two  years,  and  William  C.  C.  Claiborne 
was  re-elected  to  Congress ; but  having  been  appointed  by  the  President 
of  the  United  States  governor  of  Mississippi  Territory,  he  chose  to  ac- 
cept the  latter  office.  In  1803  John  Sevier  was  again  elected  governor 
of  the  State,  and  served  six  more  years  in  that  capacity,  when,  in  1809,  he 
was  succeeded  by  Willie  Blount,  and  himself  taking  his  seat  in  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly  as  senator  from  Knox  County. 

During  the  second  occupancy  of  the  office  (in  1807),  the  relations 
between  the  Governments  of  Great  Britain  and  the  United  States  became 
unusually  strained.  The  affair  of  the  “Chesapeake,”  which  occured  on  June 
22,  in  which  the  British  man-of-war  “Leopard,”  fired  on  the  “Chesapeake,” 
and  took  from  her  four  seamen  claimed  as  British  subjects,  and  the 
failure  of  subsequent  negotiations  to  effect  a settlement  of  the  difficulties 
between  the  two  nations,  produced  a bitterness  of  feeling  on  the  part  of 
Mr.  Jefferson  and  his  adherents  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  British  minis- 
try on  the  other,  which  could  only,  and  which  finally  did,  result  in  Avar. 
Mr.  Jefferson  had  been  Tennessee’s  choice  for  President,  both  in  1800 
and  1804,  and  she  iioav  sympathized  fully  Avitli  the  National  Government 
in  its  struggle  to  maintain  “sailors’  rights.”  During  this  year  the  Legis- 
lature sent  a communication  to  the  President  of  the  United  States,  ex- 
pressive of  this  sympathy  and  encouragement  in  the  prosecution  of  the 
arduous  duties  of  his  position.  On  the  2d  of  December,  the  Governor 
informed  the  Legislature  that,  in  case  the  Government  of  the  United 
States  should  call  for  militia  from  Tennessee,  Avhich  it  afterward  did,  the 
State  did  not  possess  one  pound  of  powder  and  ball  for  public  use  nor  a 
single  musket  for  public  defense,  which  Avas  immediately  referred  to  a 
committee  for  action. 

On  the  7tli  of  September,  1812,  -the  Legislature  convened  in  extra 
session  and  received  a long  message  from  Gov.  Willie  Blount  regarding 
the  Avar  with  Great  Britain,  Avhich  had  recently  been  declared  by  the 
Congress  of  the  United  States.  Of  the  100,000  militia  called  out  by  the 
President,  2,500  was  the  quota  from  Tennessee.  On  the  9tli'of  October, 
the  Legislature  passed  a series  of  resolutions  approving  of  the  declara- 
tion of  Avar  against  Great  Britain  as  an  act  of  indispensible  necessity  to 
the  sovereignty,  Avelfare,  happiness  and  safety  of  the  government  and 
people  of  the  United  States,  and  they  also  resolved,  “ that  Ave  Ariew  any 
and  every  attempt  to  divide  the  good  people  of  the  United  States,  Avlietker 
by  a foreign  government,  by  the  State  goArernments,  respectively,  or  by 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


753 


any  of  those  styling  themselves  citizens  of  any  of  the  States,  as  an  act, 
in  the  first  place,  too  mean,  degrading  and  barbarous,  even  to  have  been 
countenanced  by  any  other  civilized  government  than  that  of  our  present 
enemy.” 

When  the  Legislature  convened  September  18,  1815,  peace  had  re- 
turned to  the  United  States,  and  Gov.  Willie  Blount  congratulated  the 
members  on  the  advantages  of  a republican  form  of  government  in  times 
of  war  as  well  as  in  times  of  peace,  and  said  “such  a government  is 
worthy  the  best  support  of  freemen.”  During  this  year  Gov.  Blount 
was  succeeded  by  Joseph  McMinn,  who  had  served  for  several  years  as 
speaker  of  the  State  Senate.  On  October  10,  1815,  George  W.  Camp- 
bell was  elected  United  States  Senator  for  sis  years,  and  John  Williams 
for  two  years.  Mr.  Campbell  served  two  years,  when  he  resigned  to 
accept  the  mission  to  St.  Petersburg,  to  succeed  William  Pinkney,  and 
John  H.  Eaton  was  appointed  to  Mr.  Campbell’s  place  in  the  Senate. 

One  of  the  subjects  which  engaged  the  attention  of  the  Legislature 
was  the  depressed  state  of  the  industries  of  the  country.  After  the  set- 
tlement of  the  disputes  with  Great  Britain,  and  before  the  disputes  at 
home  on  the  slavery  question,  this  subject  was  likewise  uppermost  in  the 
minds  of  the  people,  because  painfully  felt  by  all.  The  press  teemed 
with  articles  defining  the  causes  and  prescribing  the  remedies.  Opinions 
as  to  the  duties  of  the  State  and  of  the  people  in  the  emergency  were 
various,  and  sometimes  antagonistic,  even  among  the  ablest  citizens  of 
the  State.  Among  the  causes  enumerated  were  these : The  embarrassed 
state  of  things  in  Europe ; immense  importation  of  foreign  commodities ; 
overtrading  at  home;  neglect  of  domestic  manufactures;  general  extrav- 
agance in  living  among  the  people ; general  indisposition  among  the  peo- 
ple to  apply  themselves  industriously  to  regular  business;  an  attempt  to 
grow  rich  without  labor,  and  the  withdrawal  of  foreign  bank  bills. 

Among  other  remedies  for  the  embarrassments  felt  by  the  people  in 
Tennessee,  Gov.  McMinn  suggested  an  extention  of  time  for  paying 
debts,  the  formation  of  a property  law,  and  the  issue  of  treasury  notes, 
based  on  the  sale  of  the  Hiwassee  lands  and  the  public  faith,  the  treas- 
ury notes  to  be  brought  into  circulation  by  means  of  a loan  office.  In 
accordance  with  the  suggestion  of  the  Governor,  the  Legislature  pro- 
posed the  enactment  of  an  elaborate  loan-office  bill,  by  which  two  prin- 
cipal offices,  with  a capital  of  $750,000  were  to  be  established,  one  at 
Nashville  and  the  other  at  Knoxville,  the  later  being  authorized  to  es- 
tablish eight  branch  offices,  the  former  “at  least  five.”  By  means  of 
these  main  and  branch  offices  all  portions  of  the  State  would  be  supplied 
with  a circulating  medium,  every  citizen  needing  money  to  be  furnished 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


4 O'f 

with  the  treasury  notes  or  bills  according  to  his  necessities,  limited  only 
by  his  ability  to  give  good  real  estate  or  other  security.  The  prospect 
of  the  enactment  of  this  bill  brought  forth  vigorous  remonstrances,  one 
by  the  citizens  of  Davidson  County  to  the  Senate,  signed  by  Gen.  An- 
drew Jackson,  Col.  Edward  Ward  and  others,  and  one  to  the  House  of 
Representatives,  signed  by  numerous  other  citizens.  The  remonstrance 
sent  to  the  Senate  was  ascribed  by  some  to  the  pen  of  Gen.  Jackson, 
though  that  he  wrote  it  Avas  denied  by  those  who  assumed  to  know.  It 
objected  to  the  bill  as  being  in  \riolation  of  the  Constitution  of  the  United 
States,  that  instrument  forbidding  any  State  to  make  any  thing  but  gold 
and  silver  a legal  tender.  While  the  remonstrance  was  denounced  by 
some. of  the  supporters  of  the  loan-office  bill  as  dictatorial  in  its  terms, 
it,  in  conjunction  with  that  sent  to  the  House,  caused  this  bill  to  be  de- 
feated. 

Gen.  William  Carroll,  who  was  inaugurated  governor,  as  the  succes- 
sor of  Joseph  McMinn,  October  1,  1821,  expressed  it  as  his  opinion  that 
“a  determination  on  the  part  of  the  people  to  promote  agriculture  and 
domestic  (household)  manufactures  and  to  lessen  the  consumption  of 
foreign  goods  would  soon  relieve  the  most  of  the  community  from  pres- 
ent pressure.” 

During  the  first  twenty  years  of  the  present  century  there  was  com- 
paratively little  trouble  over  the  slaArery  question.  However,  trouble  Avas 
always  anticipated.  On  November  3,  1803,  an  act  was  passed  by  the 
Legislature  to  prevent  the  use  by  any  person  of  Avords  having  a tendency 
to  inflame  the  minds  of  slaves  or  persons  of  color,  such  inflammatory 
Avords  to  be  directed  toAvard  and  be  in  favor  of  general  or  special  eman- 
cipation, etc.  The  sentiment  of  the  people  of  the  State  generally 
against  slave-trading,  up  even  to  the  time  of  the  civil  Avar,  Avas  very 
Strong.  In  1812  this  sentiment  found  expression  in  an  act  by  the  Legis- 
lature prohibiting  the  importation  of  slaves  into  Tennessee  for  the  pur- 
pose of  selling  them,  though  slave-holders  were  not  prohibited  from  im- 
migrating to  Tennessee  with  their  slaves.  And  in  1815  the  question, 
which  a few  years  later  became  one  of  National  concern  and  importance 
(in  this  instance  the  admission  of  free  colored  persons  into  Missouri), 
began  to  agitate  the  people  of  this  State.  The  Governor  sent  a message 
to  the  Legislature,  informing  them  that  about  fifty  free  negroes  had  been 
brought  into  Tennessee  from  Virginia,  “for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  a 
residence  in  this  State,”  and  that  nearly  the  same  number  would  be 
forwarded  in  the  early  part  of  the  ensuing  winter  for  the  same  purpose. 
The  Governor  said  that  such  a practice  Avas  inconsistent  AA’ith  the  dignity 
of  the  State,  and  it  would  be  a reproach  on  their  character  as  citizens  of 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


755 


Tennessee  if  it  should  not  receive  proper  consideration.  A bill  to  pro- 
hibit the  introduction  of  free  persons  of  color  into  this  State  was  pre- 
sented in,  discussed  and  rejected  by  the  Legislature,  whereupon  the  Gov- 
ernor expressed  himself  as  of  the  opinion  that  it  was  “impolitic  to  place 
citizens  of  another  State  on  a better  footing  than  those  of  our  own  State.” 

Besides  these  two  questions,  that  of  the  emancipation  of  the  slaves 
early  attracted  attention,  and  found  numerous  advocates  in  Tennessee. 
Gen.  William  Carroll  was  inaugurated  governor  October  1,  1821,  and  on 
the  next  day  a report  was  made  by  a committee,  to  which  had  been  submit- 
ted a petition  of  a number  of  citizens  praying  that  the  Legislature  would 
take  into  consideration  the  situation  of  the  slaves,  and  to  devise  some  plan 
for  their  relief,  on  allowing  masters  to  emancipate  such  as  were  able  to 
maintain  themselves,  and  to  declare  all  descendants  of  slaves  born  after 
the  passage  of  a law  to  that  effect,  to  be  free  upon  arriving  at  a certain 
age,  and  to  prevent  the  separation  of  husband  and  wife. 

Free  negroes  were  among  the  earliest  persons  to  acquire  a residence 
within  the  present  limits  of  Tennessee.  Their  settlement  was  permitted 
without  serious  interruption  until  1831,  although  during  the  decade  of  the 
twenties,  owing  to  the  agitation  of  anti-slavery  sentiments  in  the  North, 
and  the  steady  growth  of  pro-slavery  sentiments  in  the  South,  opposition 
to  free  negro  citizenship,  if  such  a condition  could  exist  under  the  Con- 
stitution, was  strongly  manifested  throughout  the  State.  Slavery,  highly 
profitable  to  slave-holders,  had  become  a fixed  institution.  It  was  not 
only  profitable  but  in  the  highest  degree  convenient.  It  shifted  all  the 
drudgery  and  many  of  the  lower  varieties  of  physical  labor  from  the  whites 
to  the  blacks,  bestowing  upon  the  former  abundant  time  and  opportunity 
for  the  cultivation  of  the  social,  moral  and  intellectual  virtues.  It  out- 
lined and  established  aristocratic  circles  and  caste  ; and  the  upper  classes 
of  whites,  owing  to  the  immunity  from  hard  labor,  the  ease  with  which 
they  acquired  comparative  wealth,  and  the  leisure  they  had  to  devote  to 
amusement,  cultivation  and  study,  became  distinguished  far  and  near  for 
their  culture  and  refinement.  Their  renown  for  hospitality  extended 
beyond  the  limits  of  their  own  country.  The  polite  schools  of  the 
aristocratic  courts  of  Europe  furnished  no  bluer  bloods  or  truer  ladies 
and  gentlemen.  Poets,  statesmen,  philosophers  and  artists  arose,  plen- 
didly  proportioned,  amid  the  sunshine  shed  upon  the  lives  of  the  upper 
classes.  Is  it  any  wonder  that  slavery  was  welded  to  the  car  of  progress, 
and  that  it  was  forced  to  march  forward  with  a civilization  that  regarded 
it  with  abhorrence  ? The  splendid  social  and  scholastic  opportuni- 
ties, extending  as  they  did  through  several  generations,  gave  permanence 
to  grace,  culture  and  refinement.  Pleasing  evidences  of  these  accom- 


756 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


plisliments  are  yet  to  be  seen  throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  the 
State. 

But  how  fared  it  with  the  colored  race?  Their  bonds  had  been 
riveted  tighter  by  legislative  enactments  and  social  usages,  and  every 
vestige  of  obstruction  in  the  way  of  absolute  serfdom  had  crumbled, 
or  was  crumbling  in  pieces.  Education  was  denied  them,  as  it  made 
them  independent  and  restless  under  restraint.  Religion  was  awarded 
them,  as  it  made  them  truthful,  moral  and  subdued.  The  effect  upon 
the  slaves  of  the  presence  of  free  negroes  was  prejudicial ; and  various  ex- 
pedients were  proposed,  either  to  counteract  such  influence  or  to  remove 
free  colored  people  from  the  State.  At  length  the  Legislature  passed 
the  following  enactment: 

Section  1.  Be  it  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of  Tennessee,  That  it 
shall  not  he  lawful  for  any  free  person  or  persons  of  color,  whether  he,  she  or  they  be 
born  free  or  emancipated  agreeably  to  the  laws  in  force  and  use,  either  now  or  at  any 
other  time  in  any  State  within  the  United  States,  or  elsewhere,  to  remove  him,  her  or 
themselves  to  this  State  to  reside  therein,  and  remain  therein  twenty  days;  and  if  any  such 
free  person  or  persons  of  color  shall  presume  or  attempt  to  reside  therein,  contrary  to  the 
provisions  of  this  act,  every  such  person  or  persons  of  color  shall  be  liable  to  be  indicted 
before  thegrand  jury  of  the  county,  or  circuit  court  of  the  county,  where  he,  she  or  they  may 
attempt  to  reside,  and  if  convicted,shallbefinedin  a sum  not  less  than  ten  dollars  nor  more 
than  fifty  dollars,  to  the  use  of  the  county,  and  shall,  moreover,  be  sentenced  to  hard  labor  in 
the  penitentiary  for  a term  not  less  than  one  year  nor  more  than  two  years,  the  term  of  service 
to  be  fixed  by  the  judge;  and  if  any  such  free  person  or  persons  of  color  as  aforesaid,  shall  fail 
or  refuse  to  remove  him,  her  or  themselves  from  this  State,  within  thirty  days  after  his,  her 
or  their  discharge  from  the  penitentiary,  unless  detained  by  sickness  or  some  unavoidable 
accident,  such  person  or  persons  shall  againbe  liable  to  indictment  as  before, and  upon  con- 
viction shall  be  sentenced  to  labor  in  the  penitentiary  for  a term  double  the  longest  term 
before  mentioned,  but  shall  not  be  liable  to  any  pecuniary  fine,  as  in  the  first-  instance  is 
provided. 

Sec.  2.  Be  it  enacted,  That  it  shall  not  be  lawful,  from  and  after  the  passage  of  this 
act,  for  any  court  or  any  owner  or  owners  of  any  slave  or  slaves  to  emancipate  any  slave 
or  slaves,  except  on  the  express  condition  that  such  slave  or  slaves  shall  be  immediately 
removed  from  this  State,  and  every  person  or  persons  so  desiring  to  emancipate  any  slave 
or  slaves  shall,  before  such  emancipation  be  allowed,  enter  into  bond  with  good  and  suf- 
ficient security  in  a sum  equal  to  the  value  of  such  slave  or  slaves  so  to  be  emancipated, 
conditioned  that  said  slave  or  slaves  shall  forthwith  remove  from  this  State,  which  said 
condition  shall  be  a part  of  the  judgment  of  such  court. 

Sec.  3.  Be  it  enacted,  That  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  each  of  the  judges  of  the  circuit 
courts  in  this  State,  to  give  this  act  in  charge  to  the  grand  juries  at  each  and  every  term 
of  the  courts  respectively;  and  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  several  attorneys-general  to  re- 
quire information  upon  oath,  from  all  sheriffs,  coroners,  constables  and  any  other  person 
or  persons  they  may  think  proper  to  call  on,  so  as  to  enable  him  or  them  to  prosecute  all 
offenses  under  this  act,  whose  fees  on  conviction  shall  be  the  same  as  in  cases  of  felony 
now  allowed  by  law. 

December  16,  1831. 

The  first  serious  anti-slavery  demonstrations  were  made  within  the 
State  during  the  decade  of  the  thirties.  Organized  societies  in  the  North 
had  for  several  years  distributed  anti-slavery  books  and  pamphlets  in  Ten- 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


757 


nessee  and  other  slave-holding  States,  for  the  purpose  of  fanning  the  fires  of 
abolition.  Able  representatives  of  the  abolition  societies  had  been  sent  to 
the  Southern  States  to  teach  and  preach  universal  emancipation  and  to 
distribute  where  they  would  have  the  greatest  effect  illustrated  publica- 
tions showing  the  more  deplorable  results  of  the  institution  of  slavery. 
They  were  everywhere  met  with  the  bitterest  opposition.  On  the  8th 
of  August,  1835,  Rev.  Amos  Dresser  was  arrested  at  Nashville  for  having 
in  his  possession  publications  calculated  to  incite  an  insurrection  of  the 
slaves.  When  the  facts  became  known  great  excitement  prevailed.  A 
“ Committee  of  Vigilance  and  Safety,”  consisting  of  sixty-two  residents 
of  Nashville,  appointed  to  try  him,  found  him  guilty  of  the  following 
specifications  : 1.  Of  being  an  active  and  efficient  member  of  the  Aboli- 
tion Society  of  Ohio.  2.  That  he  had  in  his  possession,  in  Nashville,  sun- 
dry pamphlets  of  a most  violent  and  pernicious  tendency,  and  which,  if 
generally  disseminated,  would  in  all  human  probability  cause  an  insurrec- 
tion or  rebellion  among  the  slaves.  3.  That  he  published  and  exposed 
to  public  view  the  said  pamphlets  in  Nashville  and  Sumner  County.  After 
what  was  considered  an  impartial  trial,  he  was  adjudged  guilty  by 
the  committee,  sentenced  to  the  punishment  of  twenty  stripes  upon  his 
bare  back,  and  ordered  to  leave  Nashville  within  twenty-four  hours.  This 
sentence  was  promptly  carried  into  execution.  Just  before  this  event 
serious  disturbances  had  occurred  in  Mississippi  and  other  Southern 
States  from  the  same  cause.  An  uprising  of  the  slaves  in  Tennessee 
was  apprehended  at  this  period,  and  extra  precautions  were  taken  to  pre- 
vent it.  The  “ Committee  of  Vigilance  and  Safety”  at  Nashville  was 
authorized  to  adopt  measures  to  hold  the  blacks  in  subjection. 

As  a consequence  of  the  anti-slavery  movements,  public  meetings 
were  held  throughout  the  State  to  denounce  the  course  of  the  abolition- 
ists and  to  nullify  their  proceedings.  On  the  30th  of  August,  1835,  at 
Nashville,  a public  meeting  of  the  “ Committee  of  Vigilance  and  Safety  ” 
was  held,  John  Shelby  serving  as  chairman.  The  following  boycotting 
resolutions  (similar  ones  being  adopted  in  many  other  parts  of  the  State) 
were  adopted  : 

Whereas,  It  is  believed  by  this  committee  that  funds  to  a large  amount  have  been  con- 
tributed by  Arthur  Tappan  and  other  fanatics  of  New  York,  for  the  purpose  of  disseminat- 
ing  through  the  Southern  and  Western  States  incendiary  pamphlets,  inciting  the  slaves  to 
revolt;  and  it  is  known  that  many  of  our  merchants  are  in  the  habit  of  purchasing  goods 
of  said  Tappan  (merchant  of  New  York)  thereby  increasing  his  power  to  injure  us;  There- 
fore, 

Resolved,  That  we  recommend  to  the  merchants  of  this  city  and  of  the  State  of 
Tennessee  to  make  no  purchases  of  said  Tappan;  also 

Resolved , That  we  advise  our  citizens  to  abstain  from  dealing  with  any  merchant  who 
is  known  to  make  any  purchase  from  said  Tappan  or  any  other  abolitionist  after  this  date.,. 


758 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Resolved,  That  the  merchants  of  Nashville  and  the  State  of  Tennessee  be  requested 
to  hold  meetings  and  express  their  views  upon  the  subject  of  trading  or  dealing  with 
Arthur  Tappan  & Co.  or  with  any  other  abolitionist. 

So  vigorous  and  so  prompt  was  tlie  action  taken  by  the  slave-holders 
that  abolition  agitators  Avere  obliged  precipitately  to  leave  the  State. 

From  this  time  until  the  war  of  1861-65  the  breach  between  the  North 
and  South  continued  to  grow  wider  and  deeper.  The  abolitionists  con- 
tinued their  work,  sending  broadcast  over  .the  South,  so  far  as  they  could 
escape  the  vigilance  of  slave-holders,  active  representatives  and  sundry 
publications  calculated  to  encourage  partial  or  general  emancipation. 
To  a large  extent  this  was  accomplished  despite  the  Avatchfulness  and  op- 
posing energy  of  the  slave-holders.  Slight  insurrections  of  the  slaves 
under  these  teachings  Avere  promptly  and  effectually  checked.  Abolition- 
ists Avere  persecuted  and  driven  from  the  State.  Hundreds  of  runaway 
slaves  Avere  assisted  by  Northern  societies  and  individuals  on  their  way 
to  Canada.  The  underground  railroad  became  an  historic  organization. 
Finally  the  fugitive  slave  laAV  was  passed,  but  it  afforded  little  relief  to 
slave-holders.  The  repeal  of  the  Missouri  Compromise,  the  Dred  Scott 
decision,  the  Kansas-Nebraska  bill,  the  Kansas  war,  John  Brown’s  in- 
surrection, the  multiplication  of  Northern  abolition  societies,  and  the  fiery 
debates  in  Congress  kindled  everywhere,  both  North  and  South,  exti’eme 
bitterness  and  widened  to  an  impassable  degree  the  gulf  dividing  the 
two  factions  of  the  Government. 

During  the  session  of  the  Legislature  of  1859-60  the  “ Free  Negro 
Bill  ” Avas  introduced.  It  provided  that  all  free  negroes,  except  certain 
minors,  who  should  remain  in  Tennessee  after  the  1st  of  May,  1861,  should 
be  sold  into  slavery.  It  Avas  admitted  that  free  negroes  Avere  en- 
titled to  the  following  vested  rights  : 1.  Freedom  from  any  master.  2. 
Could  hold  property.  Vested  rights,  it  Avas  stated,  did  not  extend  to 
such  free  colored  persons  as  had  assumed  a residence  within  the  State 
after  the  passage  of  the  act  of  1831,  as  such  residence  Avas  obtained  in 
violation  of  law;  their  rights  Avere  natural  only.  It  Avas  argued  that 
free  colored  persons  who  had  assumed  a residence  before  1831  had  vested 
rights  under  the  laws  but  not  under  the  State  constitution  ; and  that  the 
Legislature  might  repeal  such  laws  and  thus  annul  their  vested  rights. 
On  the  contrary  it  Avas  maintained  that,  as  the  Constitution  permitted 
no  retrospective  law  voiding  or  impairing  the  sacredness  of  contracts, 
free  colored  persons  who  had  secured  vested  rights,  such  as  to 
hold  property,  etc.,  could  not  be  molested;  and  that,  owing  to 
their  natural  rights,  such  persons  as  had  assumed  a residence  within 
the  State  after  the  passage  of  the  law  of  1831  and  who  had  thus  no  ves- 
ted rights,  as  they  had  settled  in  violation  of  law,  could  not  be  ejected 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


759 


from  the  State  by  the  Legislature.  The  Supreme  Court  had  decided  in 
the  case  of  The  State  vs.  Claiborne  that  the  word  “freeman  ” meant  “ cit- 
izen,” and  that  as  a negro  could  not  be  a citizen  he  could  not  be  a free- 
man. But  this,  it  was  rightly  urged,  referred  to  the  political  rights  of 
free  colored  people  and  not  to  their  natural  rights,  such  people  occupying 
much  the  same  relation  to  the  State  that  aliens  did.  The  leading  argu- 
ment against  the  bill  was  its  unconstitutionality.  The  debate  was  closed 
early  in  January,  1860,  Messrs  East,  Ewing,  Neill  S.  Brown,  Williams, 
Bennett,  Meigs,  Keeble,  et.  at.  speaking  against  the  bill,  several  of  their 
speeches  being  published  verbatim  et  literatim  in  the  daily  papers.  It 
failed  to  become  a law. 

About  the  time  of  Gov.  Carrolls  first  election,  a committee,  appointed 
by  the  Legislature  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  information  respecting 
the  condition  of  the  banks,  and  what  legislation,  if  any,  was  required,  re- 
ported that  nothing  was  necessary  to  be  done.  The  banks  were  much 
more  solvent  than  was  generally  supposed.  This  was  especially  the  case 
with  the  Knoxville  and  Nashville  banks,  the  former  of  which  would  have 
to  call  in  but  16  per  cent  and  the  latter  29  per  cent  of  its  loans,  to  en- 
able them  to  discharge  all  their  indebtedness.  The  question  then  nat- 
urally arose,  why  were  their  notes  so  greatly  depreciated?  The  commit- 
tee, of  which  A.  Y.  Brown  was  chairman,  thought  it  was  owing  to  ignor- 
ance  on  the  part  of  the  people  as  to  the  true  financial  condition  of  the 
banks,  and  to  the  intrigue  and  management  of  brokers  in  some  of  the 
principal  towns  of  the  State,  but  especially  to  the  excessive  importation 
of  foreign  fabrics  to  the  neglect  of  domestic  manufactures.  During  the 
early  portion  of  the  history  of  the  State,  and  especially  after  the  close  of 
the  war  with  Great  Britain,  opposition  to  the  importation  of  foreign  fab- 
rics was  general  and  intense,  and  the  sentiment  was  very  strong  in  favor 
of  domestic  manufactures.  Numerous  laws  are  on  the  statute  books, 
favoring  the  establishment  of  iron  works,  salt  works,  paper-mills,  etc. ; 
and  Gov.  Carroll’s  messages  were  never  wreary  of  impressing  it  upon  the 
minds  of  the  people  that  habits  of  industry  and  economy,  and  special 
attention  to  agriculture  and  domestic  manufactures,  were  of  infinitely 
more  value  to  them  than  stay  and  replevin  laws  and  the  issue  of  irre- 
deemable paper  currency — the  latter  being  in  fact  positive  evils,  while 
the  former  were  positive  benefits.  But  the  question  of  encouragement  to 
domestic  manufactures  by  means  of  a protective  tariff  appears  not  to  have 
received  much  attention  from  political  parties  in  this  State  previous  to 
1824.  In  that  year  the  revision  of  the  tariff,  and  the  augmentation  of 
the  duties  under  it,  was  one  of  the  principal  subjects  before  Congress, 
and  turned  not  so  much  upon  the  emptiness  of  the  treasury  as  upon  the 


760 


HISTOEY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


distress  of  the  country.  By  this  time  prosperity  had  returned  to  the 
State,  or  was  visibly  returning,  and  possibly  for  this  reason,  as  well  as 
from  principle,  Tennessee's  representatives,  Blair,  Isaaks  and  Reynolds 
arrayed  themselves  on  the  side  of  Mr.  Webster  in  favor  of  free-trade. 
Four  years  later,  when  the  woolen  bill,  subsequently  enlarged  into  a 
general  tariff  bill,  came  up  and  marked  an  era  in  American  legislation,  a 
very  large  majority  of  Southern  members  of  Congress,  including  the  en- 
tire delegation  (nine)  from  Tennessee,  were  found  to  oppose  its  passage. 

Yet  notwithstanding  the  predilections  of  the  people  of  his  adopted 
State  in  favor  of  free-trade,  Gen.  Jackson  himself,  in  his  message  after 
he  became  President,  as  had  all  of  his  Republican  predecessors  in  that 
office,  favored  protection.  In  1822  his  friends  who  desired  his  elevation 
to  that  great  office  began  a movement  which  in  1828  resulted  in  his  elec- 
tion to  the  United  States  Senate,  and  they  also  procured  for  him  from 
the  General  Assembly  of  the  State  a nomination  to  the  presidency,  which 
would  give  him,  it  was  believed,  more  prestige  before  the  country  than  he 
could  otherwise  obtain,  for  the  people  generally  had  no  very  high  opinion 
of  his  qualifications  for  civil  administration.  With  reference  to  this 
nomination  Mr.  Tucker  says:  “At  first  this  nomination  afforded  matter 

for  jest  and  merriment  rather  than  for  serious  animadversion  in  other 
States;  since,  unquestionable  as  were  Gen.  Jackson’s  military  qualifica- 
tions, he  was  not  thought  to  possess  the  information,  the  respect  for  civil 
authority,  nor  the  temper  deemed  requisite  in  the  office  of  President, 
and  very  few  believed  that  the  favor  which  his  military  successes  had  pro- 
duced for  him  in  his  own  State  would  find  much  support  for  him  in 
other  parts  of  the  Union.”  The  General  was  nominated,  however,  in 
1821,  and  received  99  electoral  votes  to  81  for  John  Quincy  Adams,  11 
for  William  H.  Crawford,  and  37  for  Henry  Clay.  But  as  he  failed  to 
receive  a majority  of  the  electoral  votes,  there  Avas  no  choice  of  Presi- 
dent by  the  people,  and  the  election  Avas  carried  into  the  House  of  Rep- 
resentatives, where,  through  the  influence  of  Henry  Clay,  John  Quincy 
Adams  was  elected  President,  and  Mr.  Clay  made  Secretary  of  State. 
This  appointment  by  President  Adams  led  to  charges  by  Gen.  Jackson’s 
friends  against  him  and  Mr.  Clay  of  a bargain  with  reference  to  these 
two  high  positions,  which  charges  every  well  informed  person  iioav  knows 
to  have  been  without  foundation.  But  the  General’s  defeat  only  served 
to  stimulate  his  friends  to  reneAved  and  greater  efforts  in  his  behalf. 
The  question  Avas  again  taken  up  by  the  Tennessee  Legislature  as  early 
as  October  6,  1825,  on  Avhich  day  the  House  of  Representatives,  after  a 
long  preamble  expressive  of  confidence  and  admiration  for  Gen.  J ackson, 
passed  a resolution  already  passed  by  the  Senate,  nominating  him  their 


HISTOEY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


761 


nest  candidate  for  tlie  presidency.  The  resolution  was  carried  thirty - 
seven  to  one,  the  one  being  Lewis  Reneau,  who  objected  to  the  action  of 
the  Legislature  as  impolitic  and  in  bad  taste,  inasmuch  as  the  election 
was  nearly  four  years  hence.  Upon  hearing  of  this  nomination  Gen. 
Jackson  immediately  resigned  his  seat  in  the  United  States  Senate, 
thinking  it  due  to  himself  to  practice  upon  the  maxims  he  had  recom- 
mended to  others,  and  hence  felt  constrained  to  retire  from  a position 
whence  imputation  might  exist  and  suspicions  arise  in  relation  to  the 
exercise  of  an  influence  tending  to  his  own  aggrandisement. 

Hugh  L.  White  was  elected  October  23,  1825,  to  succeed  Andrew 
Jackson  in  the  Senate,  and  Gen.  Jackson  becoming  a candidate  for  the 
presidency  in  1828  was  triumphantly  elected  to  that  office,  receiving  178 
electoral  votes  to  83  for  Mr.  Adams. 

In  his  first  inaugural  message  President  Jackson  said:  “With  re- 

gard to  a proper  selection  of  subjects  of  impost  with  a view  to  revenue,  it 
would  seem  to  me  that  the  spirit  of  equity  and  compromise  in  which  the 
constitution  was  formed,  requires  that  the  great  interests  of  agriculture, 
commerce  and  manufactures  should  be  equally  favored,  and  that  per- 
haps the  only  exception  to  this  rule  should  consist  of  the  peculiar  en- 
couragement of  any  products  of  either  of  them  that  may  be  found  essen- 
tial to  our  National  independence.” 

Gen.  William  Carroll  served  continuously  as  governor  from  1821  un- 
til 1827,  in  which  latter  year  he  was  succeeded  by  Gen.  Samuel  Houston, 
who  was  inaugurated  in  the  Baptist  Church  in  Nashville,  October  1. 
Gov.  Houston’s  administration  appears  to  have  been  distinguished  by 
nothing  more  extraordinary  than  its  termination.  The  Governor  was 
married  January  22,  1829,  to  Miss  Eliza  H.  Allen,  daughter  of  John 
Allen,  of  Sumner  County,  and  shortly  afterward  discovered,  or  thought  he 
discovered,  that  she  was  wanting  in  that  affection  which  a wife  should 
have  toward  her  husband.  His  mind  was  haunted  also  by  the  suspicion 
that  she  was  not  a pure  and  chaste  woman.  Mrs.  Houston  was  informed 
by  her  husband  of  the  thoughts  that  were  in  his  mind,  and  which  de- 
stroyed his  happiness,  the  natural  result  being  a serious  difficulty  be- 
tween them ; and,  notwithstanding  that  the  Governor’s  suspicions  were 
soon  dispelled  and  his  opinions  changed,  that  he  gave  her  and  her  father 
his  assurance  of  his  acceptance  of  her  as  a virtuous  and  chaste  wife,  and 
that  he  would  defend  her  character  against  all  assailants  with  his  life  if 
need  be,  yet  the  poison  of  suspicion  had  inflicted  its  wound,  and  no  recon- 
ciliation could  be  affected. 

Gen.  Houston,  for  this,  and  perhaps  for  other  reasons,  resigned  the 
office  of  governor  of  Tennessee  into  the  hands  of  William  Hall,  speaker 


762 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


of  the  Senate.  Gen.  Houston  in  his  letter  of  resignation  said:  “In  dis- 

solving the  political  connection  which  has  so  long,  and  in  such  a variety 
of  forms,  existed  between  the  people  of  Tennessee  and  myself,  no  private 
afflictions,  however  deep  or  incurable,  can  forbid  an  expression  of  the 
grateful  recollections  so  eminently  due  to  the  kind  partialities  of  an  in- 
telligent public.  * * * That  veneration  for  public  opinion  by  which 

I have  measured  every  act  of  my  official  life,  has  taught  me  to  hold  no 
delegated  trust  which  would  not  daily  be  renewed  by  my  constituents, 
could  the  choice  be  daily  submitted  to  a sensible  expression  of  their  will ; 
and  although  shielded  by  a perfect  consciousness  of  undiminished  claim 
to  the  confidence  and  support  of  my  fellow-citizens,  yet  delicately  cir- 
cumstanced as  I am,  and  by  my  own  misfortunes,  more  than  by  fault  or 
contrivance  of  any  one,  overwhelmed  by  sudden  calamity,  it  is  certainly 
due  to  myself  and  my  respect  to  the  world  that  I should  retire  from  a 
position  which,  in  the  public  judgment,  I might  seem  to  hold  by  question- 
able authority.” 

Gov.  William  Hall  served  out  the  unexpired  term  of  Gov.  Houston, 
when  he  was  succeeded  by  William  Carroll,  who  was  again  governor  for 
six  years  by  successive  re-elections.  During  these  three  terms  of  Gov. 
Carroll  occurred  events  second  in  importance  to  none  that  occurred 
in  the  history  of  this  country  previous  to  the  civil  war.  During  the 
years  1831  and  1832,  there  was  great  excitement  throughout  the  country, 
and  especially  in  Tennessee,  over  the  nomination  of  the  President  for  a 
second  term.  When  the  time  came  for  nominating  a candidate  Jackson  was 
re-nominated,  and  when  the  time  for  the  election  came  he  was  triumph- 
antly re-elected  by  a majority  of  the  popular  and  electoral  votes  surpris- 
ing even  to  the  most  sanguine  of  his  friends — the  people  giving  him. 
687,502  votes  to  530,189  for  Mr.  Clay,  and  the  Electoral  College  giving 
him  219  votes  to  49  for  his  opponent. 

The  gravest  question  with  which  the  Government  of  the  United  States 
had  to  deal  previous  to  the  secession  of  the  Southern  States  in  1860-61. 
wasthat  of  nullification  in  South  Carolina  in  1832.  Nullification  was  the 
result  of  the  tariff  law  of  1828,  which  most  of  the  Southern  States  thought 
unequal  and  unjust  to  them  in  many  respects,  but  which  all,  except  South 
Carolina,  were  resolved  to  obey  until  it  should  be  modified  or  repealed. 
South  Carolina  boldly  proclaimed  in  her  “Ordinance  to  Nullify  Certain 
Acts  of  the  Congress  of  the  United  States,”  that  certain  laws  imposing 
duties  on  imports  were  “unauthorized  by  the  Constitution  of  the  United 
States,  and  were  null,  void  and  no  law,  nor  binding  on  this  State,  its  offi- 
cers or  citizens and  she  further  ordained  “ that  it  shall  not  be  lawful  for 
any  of  the  constituted  authorities,  whether  of  this  State  or  of  the  United 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


763 


States,  to  enforce  the  payment  of  duties  imposed  by  said  acts  within  the 
limits  of  this  State.” 

President  Jackson’s  views  on  the  constitutionality  of  the  tariff  laws, 
were  diametrically  opposed  to  those  above  expressed.  The  following  is 
his  language:  “The  States  have  delegated  their  whole  authority  over  im- 
ports to  the  General  Government,  without  limitation  or  restriction,  saving 
the  very  inconsiderable  reservation  relating  to  their  inspection  laws. 
This  authority  having  thus  entirely  passed  from  the  States,  the  right  to 
exercise  it  for  the  purpose  of  protection  does  not  exist  in  them,  and  con- 
sequently if  it  be  not  possessed  by  the  General  Government  it  must  be 
extinct.  Our  political  system  would  thus  present  the  anomaly  of  a peo- 
ple stripped  of  a right  to  foster  their  own  industries  and  to  counteract  the 
most  selfish  and  destructive  policy  which  might  be  adopted  by  foreign 
nations.  This  surely  can  not  be  the  case.  This  indispensable  power,  thus 
surrendered  by  the  States,  must  be,  within  the  scope  of  the  authority  on 
this  subject,  expressly  delegated  to  Congress. 

“While  the  chief  object  of  duties  should  be  revenue,  they  may  be  so 
adjusted  as  to  encourage  manufactures.  In  this  adjustment,  however,  it 
is  the  duty  of  the  Government  to  be  guided  by  the  general  good.  Objects 
of  national  importance  ought  to  be  protected.  Of  these,  the  productions 
of  our  soil,  our  mines,  and  our  workshops,  essential  to  our  national  de- 
fense, occupy  the  first  ranks.  Whatever  other  species  of  domestic  indus- 
try, having  the  importance  to  which  I have  referred,  may  be  enabled, 
after  temporary  protection,  to  compete  with  foreign  labor  on  equal  terms, 
merit  the  same  attention  in  a subordinate  degree.” 

The  State  of  Tennessee,  through  her  Legislature,  expressed  her  views 
and  stated  her  position  at  considerable  length,  in  the  latter  part  of  the 
year  1832,  on  the  three  great  questions  then  uppermost  in  the  minds  of 
the  people — the  tariff,  internal  improvements,  and  nullification.  Follow- 
ing is  the  series  of  resolutions  submitted  to  the  Senate  October  20,  1832, 
by  a majority  of  the  joint  select  committee  to  which  they  had  been  re- 
ferred: ' 

Believing  that  a crisis  has  arrived  which  renders  it  important  that  Tennessee  should 
declare  to  the  world  her  opinion  upon  the  subject  of  the  relative  power  of  the  Federal  aDd 
State  Governments,  this  General  Assembly,  that  no  misapprehension  may  exist  as  to 
what  are  their  political  principles,  do  declare  that  they  regard  the  resolutions  adopted  in 
the  Legislature  of  Virginia  in  the  year  1798,  and  the  report  of  Mr.  Madison  thereon,  as  a 
true  and  safe  exposition  of  the  principles  of  the  Federal  constitution;  yet,  as  the  support- 
ers of  nullification  claim  to  be  adherents  of  the  same  doctrines,  it  becomes  the  duty  of  this 
General  Assembly  distinctly  to  declare  it  as  their  opinion,  that  nullification  is  a heresy,  the 
more  dangerous  as  it  professes  to  rest  upon  the  basis  of  the  doctrines  of  1798.  Therefore, 

Resolved  by  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of  Tennessee,  That  we  regard  the  doc- 
trine that  a State  under  the  constitution,  either  by  its  Legislature  or  by  a convention  of 
the  people  of  the  State,  has  the  power  to  render  inoperative  a law  of  Congress  within  the- 


764 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


limits  of  the  State,  as  unwarranted  by  the  Federal  constitution  and  dangerous  to  the  ex- 
istence of  the  Union. 

Resolved,  That  we  regard  nullification  by  either  of  these  means  as  destructive  of  the 
principles  of  the  government,  and,  under  the  guise  of  a peaceful  and  constitutional  rem- 
edy, calculated  to  precipitate  the  country  into  civil  war. 

Resolved  That  the  doctrine,  that  the  State  has  the  right,  under  the  constitution,  to  re- 
sist or  render  inoperative  within  her  limits  an  act  of  Congress,  whenever  the  same  may  be 
declared  unconstitutional  by  a legislative,  or,  in  its  highest  political  attitude,  a convention 
of  the  people  of  the  State,  is  wholly  unwarranted  by  the  constitution,  dangerous  to  the  ex- 
istence of  the  Union,  and  inconsistent  with  the  preservation  of  the  Federal  Government, 
and  tending  directly,  under  the  guise  of  a peaceful  remedy,  to  bring  upon  our  country  all 
the  horrors  of  a civil  war. 

With  reference  to  the  tariff  acts  of  Congress,  while  a minority  of  the 
people  of  Tennessee  thought  that  the  General  Government  had  usurped 
the  right  of  regulating  by  law  the  labor  of  a portion  of  the  people,  by 
imposing  unequal  and  heavy  burdens  upon  a portion  of  the  States  in  the 
form  of  duties,  not  for  the  payment  of  the  public  debt,  but  in  order  to 
protect  the  manufactures  of  another  portion  of  the  States ; yet  the  ma- 
jority, while  they  believed  these  tariff  acts  unequal,  unjust  and  extremely 
oppressive,  still  considered  them  constitutional,  and  hence  thought  that 
no  authority  had  been  usurped  by  Congress  in  their  passage. 

In  the  same  year  that  these  subjects  were  being  discussed,  the  State 
was  re-districted  for  members  of  Congress,  the  Legislature  having  been 
informed  on  the  3d  of  September,  1832,  that  Tennessee  had  become 
entitled  to  thirteen  representatives  in  the  lower  house  of  the  National 
Legislature.  On  the  14th  of  the  same  month  an  act  was  passed  dividing 
the  State  into  fifteen  districts  for  electors  of  President  and  Vice-Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States,  and  providing  that  one  elector,  and  no  more, 
should  reside  in  any  one  district,  and  that  every  voter  should  be  entitled 
to  vote  for  fifteen  electors  resident  as  aforesaid. 

About  this  time  also  Tennessee,  in  common  with  many  other  States 
of  the  Union,  abolished  a practice,  which  had  become  odious  to  public 
sentiment  almost  everywhere — namely,  imprisonment  for  debt.  The  law 
was  passed  December  14,  1831.  Following  is  the  preamble,  showing 
the  estimate  in  which  the  old  law  was  then  held,  and  a portion  of  the  act 
itself: 

Whereas,  Liberty  of  person,  like  liberty  of  conscience,  should  not  be  restrained  by 
unnecessary  legal  provisions,  and  as  independence  of  thought  and  freedom  of  action  arc 
among  the  most  inestimable  of  our  political  rights,  it  is  alike  unjust,  inhuman  and  oppres- 
sive, that  imprisonment  for  debt,  which  is  a hateful  remnant  of  ancient  barbarism,  should 
continue  to  disgrace  our  statute  books,  except  in  cases  of  fraud,  and  that  it  is  repugnant 
to  the  moral  sense  of  the  community  to  imprison  a woman  for  debt  under  any  circum- 
stances, Therefore 

Be  it  enacted,  etc.,  That  no  female  defendant  in  any  civil  action  shall  be  imprisoned 
either  by  virtue  of  mesne  or  final  process,  etc.,  and  that  at  all  civil  actions  at  law  to  be 
commenced  on  any  debt  or  contract  made  after  the  1st  of  March  next,  in  courts  of  record 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


765 


or  before  justices  of  the  peace,  the  original  process  shall  be  a summons  to  the  defendant 
to  appear  and  answer  to  plaintiff's  action,  upon  which  the  defendant  shall  be  notified,  as 
is  now  practiced  where  bail  is  not  required;  nor  shall  special  or  appearance  bail  be  re- 
quired. 

On  January  24,  1840,  it  was  enacted  that  even  in  cases  of  fraud  the 
defendant  should  have  the  privilege  of  release  from  imprisonment  upon 
habeas  corpus,  and  when  the  plaintiff  had  sworn  falsely  the  defendant  was 
discharged  from  imprisonment  altogether.  Since  then  imprisonment  for 
debt  has  been  entirely  swept  from  the  statute  books,  and  there  remains 
no  vestige  of  it  in  Tennessee. 

The  gubernatorial  election  of  1835  was  of  a peculiar  nature.  It  was 
the  first  election  for  governor  under  the  new  constitution.  The  candi- 
dates were  Gov.  Carroll,  Newton  Cannon  and  West  H.  Humphreys.  Gov. 
Carroll  had  then  served  six  consecutive  years,  and  those  opposed  to  him 
objected  to  his  re-election  on  this  ground,  and  also  on  the  ground  of  his 
alleged  ineligibility  to  re-election  under  the  new  constitution.  He  was 
also  considered  the  Van  Buren  candidate,  which,  to  some  extent,  militated 
against  his  success.  His  ineligibility  was  affirmed  upon  the  strength  of 
the  language  of  Article  III.,  Section  4,  of  the  new  constitution: 

The  governor  shall  hold  bis  office  for  two  years,  and  until  his  successor  shall  be  elect- 
ed and  qualified.  He  shall  not  be  eligible  more  than  six  years  in  any  term  of  eight. 

The  most  weighty  argument  against  him,  however,  in  the  popular 
mind,  was  the  fact  that  he  had  already  held  the  office  during  two  periods, 
of  six  years  each,  or  twelve  years  altogether,  and  to  re-elect  him  under 
such  circumstances  would  have  been  to  violate  all  the  precedents  in  the 
State’s  previous  history.  Yet,  notwithstanding  that  all  these  considera- 
tions served  to  defeat  him,  his  popularity  was  so  great  that  he  received 
35,247  of  the  popular  vote,  to  42,795  cast  for  Newton  Cannon,  and  8,433 
for  West  H.  Humphreys.  Newton  Cannon  haying  been  thus  duly  elect- 
ed, Gov.  Carroll’s  eligibility  never  came  to  a test. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  in  1825  Hugh  L.  White  was  elected  to 
the  United  States  Senate,  to  fill  a vacancy  caused  by  the  resignation  of 
Gen.  Jackson.  In  1829  he  was  re-elected  to  the  same  position,  and  in 
the  winter  of  1832-33,  upon  the  resignation  of  John  C.  Calhoun  as  pres- 
ident of  the  Senate,  Mr.  White  was  elected  to  preside  over  the  delibera- 
tions of  that  august  body,  and  in  the  performance  of  the  duties  of  his  of- 
fice was  so  just  and  impartial  as  to  receive  the  commendations  of  Mr. 
Clay,  a political  opponent.  In  1834  Mr.  White  commenced  to  be  named 
as  a possible  successor  to  President  Jackson  in  1837,  and  in  1835  he  was 
brought  prominently  forward  as  a candidate.  Alabama,  by  a large  ma- 
jority of  her  Legislature,  nominated  him  for  that  office,  and  soon  citizens’ 
conventions  in  numerous  counties  and  many  newspapers  in  Tennessee  an- 

48 


766 


HISTORY  OF  liiNNESSEE. 


nounced  him  as  their  choice.  The  newspapers  stated  that  Judge  White’s 
claims  to  the  Presidency  “would  not  be  submitted  to  a packed  jury,  des- 
ignated by  the  name  of  a National  Convention,”  but  to  the  impartial  de- 
cision of  a free  people.  Thomas  H.  Benton,  in  his  “Thirty  Years’  View,” 
says  that  Judge  White’s  candidacy  was  instigated  by  John  C.  Calhoun, 
in  order  to  divide  the  Democratic  party,  and  thus  defeat  Martin  Yan 
Buren.  Mr.  Van  Buren,  as  was  expected  and  foreseen,  became  the  nom- 
inee of  the  Baltimore  Convention,  receiving  the  entire  number  of  votes, 
265,  and  Bichard  M.  Johnson  was  nominated  for  Vice-President,  receiv- 
ing, with  the  aid  of  15  votes  unauthorizedly  cast  for  Tennessee  (which 
State  sent  no  delegates  to  the  convention),  by  Edmund  Bucker,  who  hap- 
pened to  be  in  Baltimore  at  that  time,  in  the  capacity  of  a private  citi- 
zen, 178  votes,  to  87  for  W.  C.  Bives,  just  1 vote  more  than  the  neces- 
sary two-thirds.  In  Tennessee  the  course  of  Mr.  Bucker  was  regarded 
as  a remarkable  episode. 

John  Bell,  one  of  the  most  able  and  distinguished  men  ever  produced 
in  this  country,  and  the  Hon.  Bailie  Peyton,  were  ardently  devoted  to 
Judge  White,  while  Felix  Grundy,  James  K.  Polk,  Cave  Johnson,  and 
J.  N.  Catron  were  in  favor  of  Mr.  Van  Buren,  as  was  also  President 
Jackson  himself,  whose  “preference,”  however,  which  was  so  much  talked 
of  at  the  time,  did  not  prevent  Judge  White’s  receiving  the  popular  and 
electoral  vote  of  Tennessee. 

The  spirit  of  the  movement  in  favor  of  Judge  White  is  sufficiently 
shown  in  John  Bell’s  famous  Vauxliall’s  speech,  delivered  May  23, 1835.  A 
few  words  only  from  the  peroration  of  this  speech  can  be  here  introduced: 

I have  already  said  that  party  is  the  only  source  whence  destruction  awaits  our  sys- 
tem. I am  so  fully  and  solemnly  impressed  with  this  truth  that  were  I asked  what  I con- 
sider the  first  great  duty  of  an  American  statesman  at  this  time,  I would  say  guard  against 
the  excesses  of  party.  If  I were  asked  what  I consider  the  second  duty,  I would  say, 
guard  against  the  excesses  of  party;  and  were  I asked  the  third,  I would  still  say,  guard 
against  the  excesses  of  party.  * * * When  the  spirit  of  party  shall  receive  an  organic 
existence,  thus  giving  rise  to  a system  within  a system,  not  subordinate  but  superior  to 
and  designed  to  control  the  natural  operation  of  the  regular,  lawful,  and  constitutional 
government  of  the  country,  when  the  sacred  obligations  of  truth  and  justice  are  required 
to  be  yielded  up  a sacrifice  to  the  unity  of  such  a party,  then  I proclaim  to  you  and  to  the 
world  that  the  spirit  of  evil  which  is  in  the  party  is  predominant.  Those  who  would  pre- 
serve the  public  liberty  and  our  free  institutions  from  pollution  and  overthrow  must 
range  themselves  under  a different  standard.  When  party  is  the  watchword  and  the 
ensign  of  those  who  fight  for  the  spoils,  the  warning  voice  of  patriotism  says  to  every 
freeman,  every  white  man,  inscribe  your  country  on  your  banner,  and  in  hoc  signo  vincea. 

The  campaign  was  conducted  with  vigor  on  both  sides  until  the  elec- 
tion in  November,  1836,  when  it  was  found  that  Mr.  Van  Buren  had  re- 
ceived 170  electoral  votes;  Gen.  Harrison,  73;  Judge  White,  26  (Ten- 
nessee’s 15  and  Georgia’s  11);  Daniel  Webster,  14,  and  Willie  P. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


76.7 


Mangum,  South  Carolina's,  11.  Tennessee’s  choice  for  Vice-President 
was  John  Tyler.  The  popular  vote  received  in  Tennessee  by  Judge 
White  was  35,962,  while  Van  Buren  received  26,120.  The  defeat  of  Judge 
White  for  the  presidency  led  him  and  his  supporters  mainly  to  unite  with 
the  Whigs.  They  had  become  unalterably  opposed  to  the  leading  meas- 
ures of  the  administration  of  President  Jackson,  and  perceived  as  they 
thought  the  liberties  of  th'e  people  surely  being  absorbed  by  the  executive 
of  the  nation.  The  policy  of  Mr.  Van  Buren  being  in  the  main  but  a con- 
tinuance of  that  of  his  predecessor,  the  Whigs  were  equally  opposed  to  it. 
However,  in  the  gubernatorial  election  of  1839,  in  which  Gov.  Newton 
Cannon  was  the  Whig  candidate,  and  James  Iv.  Polk  the  Democratic 
candidate,  the  latter  gentleman  was  elected  by  a vote  of  54,680  to  52,114 
cast  for  Gov.  Cannon,  and  thus  the  custom,  so  long  followed,  of  honoring 
the  governor  with  three  successive  terms,  was  departed  from,  and  has  not 
since  been  renewed.  The  issues  before  the  people  for  some  years  previ- 
ous to  Mr.  Polk’s  election  pertained  almost  wholly  to  the  banks  and  to 
the  currency.  President  Jackson  had  vetoed  the  bill  re-chartering  the 
United  States  Bank,  and  the  country  became  dependent  upon  State 
banks.  The  panic  of  1837  was  attributed  by  the  Whigs  to  the  “experi- 
ments” of  the  executive,  as  is  shown  by  the  following  extract  from  Gov. 
Cannon’s  message  to  the  Legislature,  October  4,  1837 : 

It  has  fallen  to  our  lot  to  taste  the  bitter  fruits  of  an  experiment  upon  the  currency,, 
which  in  the  midst  of  the  highest  state  of  prosperity  has  brought  upon  us  a strong  revul- 
sion and  total  derangement  of  the  monetary  concerns  of  the  country.  How  long  and  to 
what  extent  we  may  be  doomed  to  suffer  under  this  state  of  things  must  mainly  depend 
upon  the  action  of  the  General  Government,  by  whose  mistaken  action  and  unwise  policy 
this  calamity  has  been  inflicted  upon  us. 

The  Whigs  were  generally  in  favor  of  the  re-establishment  of  the 
United  States  Bank,  and  opposed  to  the  State  Bank  system,  while  the 
Democrats  were  in  favor  of  the  State  Bank  and  opposed  to  the  United 
States  Bank.  Ephraim  H.  Foster  and  Hugh  L.  White  were  the  two  sena- 
tors in  Congress,  both  of  whom  had  been  elected  by  the  Whigs  and  were 
opposed  to  the  policy  of  the  administration  in  several  important  partic- 
ulars. In  1839  the  Legislature  of  Tennessee  had  changed  its  complexion, 
a majority  of  the  members  being  then  Democratic.  This  Legislature,  in 
the  plentitude  of  its  wisdom,  deemed  it  proper  to  change  the  character 
of  the  United  States  Senate,  so  far  as  lay  within  its  power,  by  instructing 
Messrs.  Foster  and  White  to  pursue  a course  with  regard  to  certain  spe- 
cific measures  different  from  that  they  would  naturally  pursue  if  permitted 
to  be  guided  by  their  own  judgment  alone.  The  Legislature  said  they 
availed  themselves  of  the  power  which  legitimately,  and  in  conformity 
with  long  established  Republican  usage  throughout  the  Union,  belonged 


768 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


to  them  of  instructing'  their  senators  and  requesting  their  representatives 
in  Congress  to  carry  out  their  declared  wishes:  and 

WnEREAS,  The  extraordinary  circumstances  which  have  existed  for  the  last  few  year 
in  the  financial  and  commercial  interests  of  the  United  States,  remain  unabated,  and  unde 
causes  of  increased  excitement  and  difficulty  originating  as  we  believe  in  the  same  vas 
source  of  public  mischief;  and 

Whereas,  We  do  solemnly  believe  that  to  that  source,  the  late  United  States  Bank,  i 
in  a great  degree  to  be  attributed  the  oppressive  calamities  under  which  we  have  suffered 
and  through  which  we  are  now  actually  passing,  etc.,  etc.  Therefore,  be  it 

Resolved,  That  our  Senators  in  Congress  be  instructed,  and  our  Representative: 
requested  to  vote  against  the  chartering  by  Congress  of  a national  bank; 

To  vote  for  and  to  use  all  fair  and  proper  exertions  to  procure  the  passage  of  th< 
sub-treasury  bill,  or  independent  treasury  bill ; 

To  vote  against  Mr.  Crittenden’s  or  any  similar  bill  to  secure  the  freedom  of  elections 

To  vote  against  the  distribution  among  the  States  of  the  sales  of  the  public  lands; 

To  vote  for  a bill  repealing  the  duties  on  imported  salt;  and 

To  heartily  support  the  leading  measures  and  policy  and  administrations  of  Andrew 
Jackson  and  Martin  Van  Buren. 

These  were  named  and  are  known  as  the  “ Instructing  Resolutions,1 
and  were  passed  by  the  Senate  November  8,  1839,  and  by  the  House  o: 
Representatives  November  14.  On  the  15th  Mr.  Roster,  in  an  exceedingly 
able  letter,  covering  all  the  points  of  the  instructing  resolutions,  resignec 
his  seat  in  the  Senate  of  the  United  States.  Felix  Grundy  was  electee 
to  fill  the  vacancy,  and  resigned,  not  being  constitutionally  eligible  ai 
the  time  of  this  election,  but  was  re-elected  December  14,  1839.  Mr 
Grundy  died  December  19,  1840,  and  was  succeeded  in  the  Senate  by 
A.  O.  P.  Nicholson,  appointed  by  Gov.  Polk. 

Senator  White,  like  Senator  Foster,  unable  conscientiously  to  obey 
the  instructions  contained  in  the  resolutions,  resigned  his  seat  in  the 
Senate  in  a letter  dated  January  11,  1840.  His  letter  was  shorter,  more 
pointed,  but  perhaps  not  less  able  than  that  of  Mr.  Foster.  It  contained 
this  remarkable  passage: 

After  your  resolutions  shall  have  performed  their  wonted  office  and  my  resignation 
shall  have  been  received,  before  electing  my  successor,  I hope  in  your  wisdom  you  wil 
either  rescind  or  expunge  the  sixth  resolution.  Our  common  constituents,  the  free  ant 
chivalrous  citizens  of  Tennessee,  I hope  will  ever  be  represented  in  the  Senate  by  thoso 
whose  principles  and  feelings  ai-e  in  accordance  with  their  own;  and  while  this  resolution 
is  suffered  to  remain,  no  man  can  accept  that  high  station  but  one  who  is  himself  en 
slaved,  and  fit  only  to  represent  those  in  the  like  condition  with  himself. 

With  reference  to  this  same  sixth  resolution  Mr.  Foster,  in  his  lette: 
of  resignation,  had  said:  “I  would  as  soon  be  the  servant  of  the  Presi 

dent  as  his  senator.”  Thus  did  those  two  distinguished  men  emphatically 
protest  against  the  “ long-established  Republican  usage  throughout  tin 
Union  ” of  instructing  senators  in  Congress.  Alexander  Anderson,  oi 
Knox  County,  was  elected  to  succeed  Hugh  L.  White  in  the  Senate  of  tin 
United  States  for  the  unexpired  term. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


769 


Considerable  difficulty  was  experienced  in  electing  senators  to  regu- 
larly succeed  Mr.  Foster  and  Judge  White.  The  State  was  very  nearly 
equally  divided  in  sentiment  between  the  two  great  political  parties— 
Democratic  and  Whig.  Mr.  Polk  had  been  elected  governor  of  the  State 
in  1839  by  only  2,500  majority  in  a total  vote  of  106,831,  and  in  1811 
James  C.  Jones,  the  Whig  candidate,  was  elected  by  a majority  of  3,213 
over  Gov.  Polk,  in  a total  vote  of  103,929;  though  in  the  meantime,  in 
November,  1810,  Gen.  Harrison,  the  Whig  candidate  for  the  Presidency, 
had  received  in  Tennessee  a majority  of  12,102  in  a total  vote  of  108,680. 
This  Presidential  election  was  perhaps  as  nearly  devoid  of  issues  as  any 
that  has  occurred  since  the  formation  of  the  Government,  the  principal 
ones  being  the  re-establishment  of  the  United  States  bank  and  the  turn- 
ing out  of  office  of  the  appointees  of  Jackson  and  Van  Buren.  After  the 
success  of  Gen.  Harrison  was  assured,  the  Whig  papers,  as  might  have 
been  expected,  announced  that  the  victory  was  a triumph,  not  only  of 
party,  but  the  firm  and  conclusive  assertion  of  moral  right  and  sound 
policy  over  Executive  misrule. 

In  1811  the  equally  balanced  condition  of  the  two  parties  was  further 
shown  by  the  election  of  members  to  the  Legislature,  there  being  chosen 
to  the  Senate  12  Whigs  and  13  Democrats,  and  to  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives, 39  Whigs  and  36  Democrats,  giving  the  Whigs  a majority  on 
joint  ballot  of  only  two.  The  Legislature  convened  October  1,  and  on 
the  22d  Lewis  Reneau  introduced  into  the  Senate  a resolution  that  the 
Senate  meet  the  House  of  Representatives  in  the  Representative  Hall  on 
the  first  Monday  of  November,  1811,  for  the  purpose  of  electing  two 
senators,  one  to  fill  the  vacancy  caused  by  the  death  of  Felix  Grundy, 
and  the  other  to  succeed  Judge  White,  whose  term  had  expired  on  the 
previous  1th  of  March.  This  resolution  was  laid  on  the  table,  and  after 
numerous  attempts  to  take  it  up  and  go  into  convention  with  the  House, 
such  attempts  being  uniformly  defeated  by  the  Democratic  members, 
either  by  an  adjournment  or  by  a direct  vote.  On  the  16tli  of  November 
a message  was  received  from  the  House  urging  upon  the  Senate  the  im- 
mediate necessity  of  filling  the  vacancies  in  the  Senate  of  the  United 
States,  not  only  on  the  ground  of  the  interests  of  the  State,  but  also  upon 
those  of  policy  and  constitutional  obligation.  It  was  observed  in  this 
message  that  each  member  of  the  Legislature  had  taken  an  oath  to  sup- 
port the  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  which  instrument  made  it  in- 
cumbent upon  State  Legislatures  to  fill  vacancies  in  the  United  States 
Senate,  and  that  a failure  to  do  so  would  be  disorganizing  and  revolution- 
ary, and  tend  to  the  destruction  of  the  Government  of  the  United  States, 
for  if  Tennessee  had  the  right  to  refuse  to  elect  Senators  all  the  other 


770 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


States  had  the  same  right,  and  if  all  should  exercise  it  at  the  same  time 
there  would  be  no  United  States  Senate,  and  the  result  would  be  the  dis- 
solution of  the  Federal  compact. 

After  the  reading  of  this  message,  one  of  its  preambles  was  so  amend- 
ed as  to  read  in  effect  that  it  would  promote  and  advance  the  public  in- 
terest by  keeping  E.  H.  Foster  and  Spencer  Jarnagin  out  of  office  for  the 
next  four  and  six  years,  respectively,  these  two  gentlemen  being  the  Whig 
candidates  for  the  vacant  seats.  The  amendment  was  strongly  protested 
against  as  being  indicative  of  contempt  for  the  whole  Whig  party  in  the 
Legislature.  It  was  evident  from  the  first,  if  the  two  Houses  should  go 
into  joint  convention  that  two  Whig  senators  would  be  elected,  and  this 
the  Democratic  members  were  determined  to  prevent  by  refusing  to  go 
into  convention.  It  was  their  desire,  in  view  of  the  nearly  equal  division 
in  public  sentiment  in  the  State  on  the  subject  of  national  politics  to 
choose  one  Democratic  and  one  Whig  senator,  and  they  would  be  satis- 
fied with  nothing  less.  This  position  they  justified  on  the  grounds  that 
the  thirteen  Democratic  senators  represented  62,000  qualified  voters, 
while  the  twelve  Whig  senators  represented  only  58,000  qualified  voters; 
that  if  the  popular  will  of  the  counties  of  Humphreys  and  Benton  were  faith- 
fully represented  the  strength  of  both  political  parties  would  be  equally 
balanced  in  any  attempt  to  elect  senators  to  Congress,  by  a joint  vote  of 
the  two  houses;  that  a change  of  four  votes  in  one  representative  district, 
and  of  fifteen  in  another,  would  in  each  case  have  sent  a Democrat  in- 
stead of  a Whig  to  the  House  of  Representatives,  and  thus  in  either  case 
have  produced  a tie,  and  they  were  determined  to  compel  the  Whig  ma- 
jority in  joint  convention  in  case  they  should  go  into  it,  to  grant  them 
the  benefits  they  could  have  commanded  if  a tie  in  the  joint  convention 
ha.d  been  the  result  of  the  popular  election.  The  attempt  to  elect  two 
senators  was  finally  abandoned  by  the  convention,  and  the  Legislature 
adjourned  February  7,  1842. 

Mr.  John  Quincy  Adams,  of  Massachusetts,  about  that  time,  presented 
to  Congress  a petition,  praying  for  a dissolution  of  the  Union,  and  the 
Whigs  of  Tennessee  charged  the  thirteen  Democratic  Senators,  who,  by 
their  obstructive  tactics  had  prevented  the  election  of  United  States 
Senators,  with  having  taken  an  important  step  toward  effecting  the  very 
result  for  which  Mr.  Adams’  petitioners  had  only  prayed. 

The  Legislature  of  1841,  besides  failing  to  elect  Senators  to  Con- 
gress, also  failed  to  redistrict  the  State,  as  required  to  do  by  the  consti- 
tution, into  senatorial  and  representative  districts.  In  order  that  these 
duties  might  be  performed  as  soon  as  practicable,  Gov.  Jones  convened 
the  Legislature  in  extra  session  October  8,  1842.  This  Legislature 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


771 


failed  to  elect  United  States  Senators,  but  it  did  succeed  in  redistricting 
the  State;  and  the  Whigs  being  in  the  majority,  controlled  the  construc- 
tion of  the  redistricting  bill,  which  elicited  vigorous  protests  from 
Democratic  members  of  both  Senate  and  House,  as  being  unjust  to  the 
Democratic  party  of  the  State ; a flagrant  outrage  upon  popular  rights ; 
as  overshadowing  all  gerrymandering  that  had  ever  been  attempted  in 
any  State  of  the  Union;  as  a violation  of  the  eternal  principles  of  justice 
and  right;  and  as  a sacrifice  of  the  rights  of  citizenship  upon  the  altar 
of  party. 

But  notwithstanding  these  charges  of  unfairness  against  the  Whig 
members  of  the  Legislature,  Gov.  Jones  was  elected  in  1843  over  ex- 
Gov.  Polk  by  a majority  of  3,833,  and  the  Legislature  became  strongly 
Whig  in  both  branches,  the  Senate  having  fourteen  Whigs  to  eleven 
Democrats,  and  the  House  forty  Whigs  to  thirty-five  Democrats — a 
Whig  majority  of  eight  on  joint  ballot,  hence  it  was  an  easy  matter  for 
the  Whigs  to  fill  the  two  vacant  seats  in  the  United  States  Senate,  with- 
out going  into  joint  convention,  the  method  they  insisted  upon  in  1841, 
when  that  was  the  only  method  in  which  it  was  possible  for  them  to  suc- 
ceed. On  the  17th  of  October,  1843,  therefore,  they  proceeded  to  elect 
Ephraim  H.  Foster  to  succeed  Felix  Grundy,  and  Spencer  Jarnagin  to 
succeed  Judge  White;  each  of  these  successful  candidates  receiving  four- 
teen votes  in  the  Senate  and  forty  in  the  House  of  Representatives — a 
strict  party  vote. 

In  the  Presidential  election  of  1844  the  annexation  of  Texas  was  the 
principal  issue,  and,  hence,  when  Henry  Clay,  on  the  17th  of  April  of 
that  year,  expressed  himself  as'  opposed  to  annexation,  the  hopes  of  the 
Democrats  of  the  State  were  greatly  elevated,  for  they  believed  that  no 
candidate  could  be  elected  President  unless  he  favored  annexation;  and 
when  on  the  20th  of  the  same  month  Mr.  Van  Buren  announced  himself 
as  also  opposed  to  annexation,  his  enemies  in  the  Democratic  party  were 
greatly  elated,  for  they  then  became  certain  that  he  could  not  become  the 
nominee  of  the  Democratic  party.  When  the  Whig  convention  met  on 
the  1st  of  May,  at  Baltimore,  it  nominated  Mr.  Clay  for  the  Presidency 
by  acclamation,  and  on  the  27th  of  the  same  month,  in  the  same  city,  Mr. 
Yan  Buren’ s chances  were  ruthlessly  destroyed  by  the  adoption  of  the 
two-thirds  rule.  There  were  266  votes  in  the  convention,  of  which,  on 
the  first  ballot,  Mr.  Van  Buren  received  146,  to  116  for  all  others.  On 
the  second  ballot  he  received  127,  and  on  the  eighth  ballot  104.  On  this 
ballot  James  K.  Polk,  who  was  openly  and  strongly  in  favor  of  annexa- 
tion, received  his  first  support,  forty-four  votes,  and  on  the  ninth  ballot 
he  received  233  votes,  and  was  nominated. 


772 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


The  result  of  the  election  was  that  Mr.  Polk  received  170  electoral 
votes  to  105  for  Mr.  Clay,  New  York,  with  her  thirty-six  electoral  votes 
having  been  carried  for  Mr.  Polk,  by  the  aid  of  James  G.  Birney,  the  ab- 
olition candidate  for  the  presidency.  Tennessee,  however,  preferred  to 
support  Mr.  Clay,  and  gave  him  00,039  votes  to  59,915  for  Mr.  Polk, 
thus  giving  to  the  Whig  candidate  her  thirteen  electoral  votes*  by  the  slen- 
der majority  of  124,  and  thus  was  Mr.  Polk  the  first  presidential  candi- 
date in  the  history  of  the  country  who  was  not  supported  by  his  own 
State. 

On  March  4,  1845,  the  senatorial  term  of  E.  H.  Foster  expired,  and 
on  the  25th  of  October  the  Legislature  elected  Hopkins  L.  Turney  as 
his  successor.  In  August  of  that  year  Aaron  Y.  Brown  was  elected  gov- 
ernor of  the  State,  receiving  58,269  votes  to  56,646  cast  for  E.  H.  Fos- 
ter, and  the  Democratic  party  elected  a majority  of  the  Legislature.  The 
Senate,  however,  was  evenly  divided,  twelve  Whigs  and  twelve  Demo- 
crats, and  an  episode  worthy  of  remembrance  occurred  in  the  election  of 
speaker.  The  Democrats  nominated  John  A.  Gardner  for  the  position, 
but  the  Whigs  were  determined  he  should  not  be  elected  on  account  of 
his  having  been  one  of  the  thirteen  Democratic  senators  who,  in  1841 
and  1842,  prevented  the  election  of  two  Whig  senators  to  Congress. 
After  133  ballots  had  been  cast  Mr.  Gardner  withdrew,  and  on  the 
138th  ballot  Harvey  M.  Wajterson  was  elected.  In  1847  Neill  S.  Brown 
was  elected  governor,  receiving  61,469  votes  to  60,454  cast  for  Gov.  A. 
V.  Brown,  and  on  the  22d  of  November,  on  the  48th  ballot,  John  Bell 
•was  elected  United  States  senator  to  succeed  Spencer  Jarnagin. 

The  presidential  election  of  1848  resulted  in  there  being  cast  in  Ten- 
nessee 64,705  votes  for  Gen.  Zachary  Taylor,  and  58,419  for  Gen.  Lewis 
Cass,  a Whig  majority  of  6,286.  In  1849,  however,  the  current  of  po- 
litical opinion  had  so  far  changed  as  to  elect  Gen.  William  Trousdale  gov- 
ernor (Democratic)  over  Neill  S.  Brown  (Whig),  the  former  receiving 
61,740  votes,  the  later  60,350,  and  the  Legislature  became  a tie  on  joint 
ballot,  the  Senate  being  composed  of  14  Whigs  and  11  Democrats,  while 
the  House  of  Representatives  contained  36  Whigs  and  39  Democrats. 
In  1851  political  sentiment  turned  again  in  favor  of  the  Whigs,  who 
elected  Judge  William  B.  Campbell  governor,  giving  him  63,333  votes, 
while  the  Democrats  could  muster  only  61,673  in  favor  of  Gov.  Trousdale, 
and  the  Legislature  elected  that  year  was  strongly  Whig,  the  Senate 
having  16  Whigs  to  9 Democrats,  and  the  House  40  Whigs  to  35  Demo- 
crats, though  the  Democrats  succeeded  in  electing  7 members  to  Con- 

*Tbe  extra  session  of  the  Legislature  of  1812  changed  the  law  as  to  Electoral  Districts,  making  them  con- 
form to  the  Congressional  Districts,  which  were  at  that  time  reduced  to  eleven,  and  provided  for  two  electors 
at  large. 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


773 


gress  to  the  Whigs  4.  In  1852  Tennessee  cast  58,802  votes  for  Gen. 
Winfield  Scott  for  President,  to  57,123  for  Franklin  Pierce,  but  in  1853 
Andrew  Johnson  was  elected  governor  over  Gustavus  A.  Henry,  the  Whig 
candidate,  by  a majority  of  2,261  in  a total  vote  of  124,581.  In  1855 
Andrew  Johnson  was  re-elected  governor  over  the  American  candidate, 
Meredith  P.  Gentry,  the  vote  being  for  Johnson  67,499,  and  for  Gentry 
65,224. 

In  the  canvass  preceding  this  election  the  two  rival  candidates  made 
laudable  efforts  to  “locate”  each  other  politically — Mr.  Johnson  placing 
Mr.  Gentry  among  the  Federalists  by  showing  that  he  was  willing  to 
vote  for  Webster  for  President  in  1852,  and  by  calling  attention  to  his 
vote  in  Congress  for  the  appropriation  for  President  Harrison’s  widow;, 
while  Mr.  Gentry  “located”  Mr.  Johnson  among  the  Abolitionists,  by 
showing  that  he  was  in  favor  of  dividing  the  State  into  Congressional 
Districts  on  the  basis  of  the  voting  population,  thus  ignoring  the  “ three- 
fifths  of  all  other  persons,”  who  could  not  be  constitutionally  ignored. 
This  proposition  was  known  as  “ Johnson’s  white  basis  scheme.” 

In  1856  the  tide  of  political  sentiment  had  begun  turning  quite 
strongly  in  favor  of  the  Democratic  party,  as  shown  in  the  election  for 
President — James  Buchanan  receiving  73,638  votes,  while  Millard  Fill- 
more, the  American  candidate,  received  only  66,178 — and  by  this  vote 
were  elected  Democratic  presidential  electors  for  the  first  time  since 
1832,  and  for  the  second  time  in  the  history  of  the  State.  ^Fremont,  the 
Republican  candidate  for  the  presidency,  received  no  votes  in  Tennessee. 
In  1860,  when  occurred  the  last  presidential  election  previous  to  the  civil 
war,  the  vote  was  as  follows:  For  John  Bell,  69,176;  for  John  Breckin- 
ridge, 64,809;  and  for  Stephen  A.  Douglas,  11,330.  No  votes  Avere  cast 
for  Abraham  Lincoln. 

In  1857  Isham  G.  Harris  was  elected  governor  over  Robert  Hatton, 
the  former  receiving  71,178  votes  to  59,807  for  the  latter;  in  1859  Gov, 
Harris  was  re-elected  over  John  Netherland,  the  votes  being  for  the  tAvo 
candidates,  respectively,  76,073  and  68,042;  and  in  1861  Isham  G.  Har- 
ris was  again  re-elected,  receiving  70,273  to  37,915  votes  cast  for  W.  H. 
Polk.  Thus  stood  the  parties  at  the  breaking  out  of  the  civil  war. 

The  question  of  secession  from  the  Union  had  been  occasionally  dis- 
cussed for  years  before  it  was  finally  attempted,  but  generally  in  earnest 
opposition.  In  1850  the  Hon.  A.  O.  P.  Nicholson  expressed  himself  as 
entertaining  strong  Union  sentiments,  saying  that  “ South  Carolina  may 
pass  her  secession  ordinance,  but  from  that  day  she  will  have  no  more 
peace.”  The  policy  of  secession,  however,  gradually  became  more  and 
more  popular  throughout  the  Southern  States,  but  obtained  a foothold 


774 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


more  slowly  in  Tennessee  than  in  the  exclusively  cotton  States.  The 
True  Whig,  published  in  Nashville,  said  in  August,  1851: 

It  is  a singular  fact,  yet  nevertheless  true,  that  every  secessionist  who  has  been  elected 
to  Congress  in  Alabama,  North  Carolina  and  Tennessee,  or  throughout  the  South,  is  a 
Democrat,  and  all  the  secession  candidates  in  Mississippi,  in  which  State  the  election  oc- 
curs in  October  next,  are  Democrats. 

To  this  charge  the  Daily  American,  also  published  in  Nashville,  replied: 

There  is  error  in  this  statement.  Strictly  speaking  there  has  not  been  a secessionist 
elected  to  Congress  from  the  States  named.  Some  four  or  five  of  the  members  elected  to 
Congress  in  North  Carolina  and  Alabama  believe  in  the  right  of  secession  as  an  abstract 
question,  as  a last  resort  for  aggravated  wrong;  but  not  one  of  them,  we  believe,  is  in 
favor  of  its  exercise  for  present  causes.  As  to  Tennessee,  we  are  at  a loss  to  know  who  of 
the  members  are  thus  designated  as  secessionists  by  the  Whig.  We  do  not  know  that  a 
single  one  of  them  believes  in  the  constitutional  right  of  a State  to  secede,  even  as  an  ab- 
stract question. 

It  would  be  difficult,  even  if  desirable,  to  affirm  with  precision,  when 
any  and  which  leading  member  of  either  the  political  parties  of  Tennes- 
see first  announced  his  belief  in  the  doctrine  of  secession  as  an  abstract 
right.  But  it  is  evident,  from  the  following  message  of  Gov.  Isham  G. 
Harris,  that  he,  at  least,  at  the  time  of  its  writing  had  become  a convert 
to  the  doctrine: 

Executive  Departmeht,  February  28,  1860. 
Gentlemen  of  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives: 

I herewith  transmit  resolutions  adopted  by  the  Legislatures  of  South  Carolina  and  Mis- 
sissippi upon  Federal  relations.  Whilst  I do  not  concur  in  their  recommendations,  not 
seeing  the  necessity  or  propriety  of  a convention  of  the  slaveholding  States  at  this  time,  I 
nevertheless  deem  it  proper  that  I should  communicate,  and  that  you  should  respectfully 
consider  the  suggestion  of  our  sister  States. 

Believing,  as  I do,  that  the  people  of  Tennessee  are  loyal  to  the  constitution,  in  all  its 
parts,  and  with  each  and  all  of  its  guarantees  possessing  a jealous  regard  for  the  rights  of 
the  States;  feeling  justly  apprehensive  of  encroachments  upon  them,  they  would  feel  and 
demonstrate,  when  necessary,  their  identity  with  any  of  her  sister  States,  in  resisting  any 
unjust  or  unconstitutional  warfare  upon  them  or  their  institutions. 

The  resistance  should  be,  first,  by  the  use  of  all  the  constitutional  means  in  our  power; 
to  the  end  that  the  Union  may  be  preserved  as  it  was  formed,  and  the  blessings  of  a gov- 
ernment of  equality  under  a written  constitution  perpetuated. 

But  if  the  hope  of  thus  obtaining  justice  shall  be  disappointed,  and  the  Federal  Gov- 
ernment, in  the  hands  of  reckless  fanatics,  shall  at  any  time  become  an  engine  of  power 
to  invade  the  rights  of  individuals  and  of  States,  to  follow  the  example  of  our  fathers  of 
1776,  will  be  the  only  alternative  left  us.  While  there  is  much  in  the  present  attitude  of 
parties,  States  and  public  men  in  the  northern  portion  of  the  Confederacy  to  cause  appre- 
hension as  to  the  security  of  our  rights  and  the  continuance  of  fraternal  feeling,  yet  there 
is  a probability,  and  a strong  one,  that  wise,  temperate  and  firm  counsels  may  avert  the 
impending  evils. 

******** 

Respectfully,  Isham  G.  Harris. 

In  the  resolutions  referred  to  by  Gov.  Harris  in  the  above  message, 
South  Carolina  had  reaffirmed  her  right  to  secede,  as  affirmed  in  her  or- 
dinance of  1852,  whenever  the  occasion  should  arise  justifying  her  in  her 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


775 


own  judgment  in  taking  that  step,  and  favoring  the  assembling  of 
the  Southern  States  to  concert  measures  for  united  action.  And  Missis- 
sippi had  resolved  that  the  election  of  a President  of  the  United  States 
by  the  votes  of  one  section  of  the  Union  only,  on  the  ground  of  an  irre- 
concilable conflict  between  the  respective  systems  of  labor  of  the  two  sec- 
tions, would  so  threaten  a destruction  of  the  ends  for  which  the  constitu- 
tion was  formed,  as  to  justify  the  slaveholding  States  in  taking  counsel 
together  for  their  separate  protection  and  safety. 

The  attitude  of  the  Southern  States  thus  illustrated  was  the  imme- 
diate consequence  of  the  John  Brown  raid  on  Harper’s  Ferry,  made  Oc- 
tober 25,  1859.  Eight  days  after  John  Brown’s  foolish  and  fanatical  out- 
break, a series  of  resolutions  was  introduced  into  the  Tennessee  Legisla- 
ture, recognizing  the  outbreak  as  the  natural  fruit  of  the  “treasonable, 
irrepressible,  conflict  doctrine  of  the  great  head  of  the  black  Republican 
party,  and  that  it  becomes  the  imperative  duty  of  national  men  of  all 
parties  throughout  the  Union  to  unite  in  crushing  out  its  authors  as 
traitors  to  their  country,”  etc. 

After  the  election  of  Mr.  Lincoln  to  the  presidency,  the  three  great 
political  parties  in  Tennessee,  in  the  presence  and  anxiety  of  a common 
danger  (for  all  were  devotedly  attached  to  the  institution  of  slavery),  were 
drawn  more  closely  together  in  sentiment  and  feeling.  They  correctly 
and  clearly  perceived  that  imminent  danger  threatened  the  institution  of 
slavery.  The  leaders  of  these  three  parties  united  in  an  address  to  the 
people  of  the  State,  recommending  them  to  assemble  in  primary  meetings 
to  request  the  Governor  to  call  together  the  Legislature,  with  a view  to 
their'  providing  for  a State  convention,  the  object  of  which  should  be  to 
bring  about  a conference  of  the  Southern  States  to  consider  the  existing 
political  troubles,  and  if  possible  to  compose  sectional  strife.  The  first 
extra  session  of  the  Legislature  of  1861,  convened  January  7.  The 
speaker  of  the  Senate,  T.  W.  Newman,  in  the  course  of  his  opening  ad- 
dress said : 

We  have  been  called  together  in  the  midst  of  revolution,  the  consequences  of  which 
no  man  can  calculate,  I fear  no  people  can  now  remedy,  no  State  counteract,  no  Govern- 
ment stop.  The  rejection  of  the  just,  fair  and  equitable  propositions  of  the  venerable 
senator  from  Kentucky  staggers  the  hopes  of  the  most  conservative  men  of  the  South. 
Xet  the  Southern  States  then  assemble  through  their  best,  their  ablest  men,  without  dis- 
tinction of  party.  They  will  adopt  a declaration,  by  which  we  will  all  stand,  to  which  we 
can  all  pledge  our  lives,  our  fortunes  and  our  sacred  honor.  In  Southern  disunion  there 
are  destruction,  defeat  and  ruin,  while  in  co-operation  and  unity  there  are  safety,  property 
and  happiness. 

Gov.  Harris  addressed  the  Legislature  in  a long  message  in  which  he 
ably  reviewed  all  the  charges  of  aggression  against  the  Northern  people 
upon  the  institution  of  slavery  and  of  its  various  violations  of  the  Con- 


776 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


stitution  of  the  United  States:  defended  the  South  as  not  having  violat- 
ed constitutional  obligations,  recommended  several  amendments  to  the 
constitution,  one  of  which  was  that  these  amendments  should  never  be 
changed  without  the  consent  of  all  the  slave  States.  He  also  said: 

If  the  non-slaveliolding  States  should  refuse  to  comply  with  a demand  so  just  and 
reasonable;  refuse  to  abandon  at  once  and  forever  their  unjust  war  upon  us,  our  institu- 
tions, and  our  rights;  refuse,  as  they  have  heretofore  done,  to  perform  in  good  faith  the 
obligations  of  the  compact  of  union — much  as  we  may  appreciate  the  power,  prosperity, 
greatness,  and  glory  of  this  Government;  deeply  as  we  deplore  the  existence  of  causes  which 
have  already  driven  one  State  out  of  the  Union;  much  as  we  may  regret  the  imperative 
necessity  which  they  have  wantonly  and  wickedly  forced  upon  us,  every  consideration  of 
self-preservation  and  self-respect  require  that  we  should  assert  and  maintain  our  “equal- 
ity in  the  Union,  or  independence  out  of  it.” 

Thus  powerfully  did  the  Governor  approach  the  Legislature,  and 
through  that  body  indirectly,  and  by  other  means  directly,  the  people. 
The  latter,  however,  were  not  ready  for  secession,  John  Bell,  but  a few 
months  previously,  as  a candidate  for  the  presidency  upon  a platform 
of  one  plank:  “The  Union,  the  Constitution,  and  the  Enforcement 
of  the  Laws,”  had  received  over  69,000  votes,  and  Stephen  A.  Douglas 
over  11,000,  and  it  may,  with  small  risk  of  error,  be  assumed  that  this 
aggregate  vote  of  81,000  preferred  union  to  disunion.  But  those  who 
favored  secession  had  the  great  advantage  of  able,  earnest,  and  deter- 
mined leaders,  while  the  Unionists,  who  should  have  been  and  might 
have  been  even  more  ably  led  by  John  Bell  and  Andrew  John- 
son, were  deprived  of  such  leadership  by  the  characteristic  hesitancy 
of  the  former  with  respect  to  his  proper  course,  and  by  the  absence 
during  a portion  of  the  time  from  the  State  of  the  latter  in  the  Sen- 
ate of  the  United  States.  Notwithstanding  this  great  disadvantage 
the  people  of  the  State,  under  the  less  able  but  equally  patriotic  T. 
A.  It.  Nelson,  Horace  Maynard,  William  G.  Brownlow  and  others,  when, 
on  the  9tli  of  February  they  were  called  upon  to  decide  calling  a conven- 
tion to  consider  the  proper  course  for  the  State  to  pursue,  cast  91,803 
votes  against  the  convention,  to  24,749  in  its  favor.  And  up  to  the  hour 
of  the  attack  upon  Fort  Sumter,  though  the  Governor  and  a majority  of 
the  Legislature  were  really  in  favor  of  joining  the  Southern  Confederacy, 
yet  they  were  unable  to  accomplish  this  result. 

After  this  event  it  would  doubtless  have  been  impossible  to  stem  the 
tide  of  secession  sentiment.  On  the  8th  of  June,  so  great  had  been  the 
change  in  public  opinion  that  upon  the  questions  of  separation  and  no 
separation,  representation  and  no  representation,  the  vote  stood  in.  East 
Tennessee:  For  separation,  14,780;  no  separation,  32,923;  representa- 
tion, 14,601;  no  representation,  32,962.  Middle  Tennessee:  Separation, 
58,265;  no  separation,  7,956;  representation,  58,198  ; no  representation, 


HISTORY  OR  TENNESSEE. 


777 


8,298.  West  Tennessee:  Separation,  29,127;  no  separation,  6,117;  repre- 
sentation, 28,902;  no  representation,  6,104  Camps:  Separation,  6,216; 
no  separation,  6,310.  Total  vote:  For  separation,  108,118;  against  separa- 
tion, 53,336;  for  representation,  101,701;  against  representation,  17,361. 

On  tlie  2d  of  July,  by  proclamation  of  Jefferson  Davis,  Tennessee 
became  a member  of  the  Southern  Confederacy,  and  on  August  1,  1861, 
a vote  was  taken  on  the  question  of  the  adoption  of  the  permanent  con- 
stitution of  the  Confederate  States,  resulting  as  follows:  East  Tennes- 
see— for  constitution,  15,129;  against  it,  26,232.  Middle  Tennessee — 
for  constitution,  12,931;  against  it,  2,251;  West  Tennessee — for  consti- 
stitution,  22,938;  against  it,  1,868.  Military  Camps — for  constitu- 
tion, 3,835;  against  it,.  3.  Total  vote:  For  constitution,  85,133; 

against  it,  30,357.  On  October  21,  1861,  the  Legislature  elected  two 
senators  to  the  Confederate  Congress,  one  from  the  old  Democratic 
party,  Landon  C.  Haynes,  and  the  other  from  the  old  Whig  party,  Gus- 
tavus  A.  Henry. 

On  December  1,  1861,  the  following  presidential  electors  met  in 
Nashville  to  cast  the  . vote  of  the  State  for  President  and  Vice-President 
of  the  Confederate  States  of  America:  At  large,  Robert  C.  Foster  and 
William  Wallace.  District  electors — F.  M.  Fulkerson,  W.  L.  Eakin,  S. 
D.  Rowan,  John  F.  Doak,  George  W.  Buchanan,  Lucius  J.  Polk,  G.  A. 
Washington,  R.  F.  Lamb,  Robert  B.  Hunt,  Joseph  R.  Mosby.  John  R. 
Fleming  was  elected  by  the  foregoing  to  fill  the  vacancy  caused  by  the 
absence  of  the  chosen  elector  for  the  second  district.  After  organization 
the  vote  of  the  college  was  unanimously  for  Jefferson  Davis  and  Alexan- 
der H.  Stephens  for  President  and  Vice-President  of  the  Confederate 
States.  From  this  time  on,  until  a portion  of  the  State  was  occupied  by 
the  United  States  soldiers,  what  political  history  the  State  had  is  mainly 
narrated  in  the  military  chapters. 

As  soon  as  a portion  of  Tennessee  came  under  control  of  Federal 
authority,  measures  were  taken  for  the  re-establishment  of  local  govern- 
ment. Gov.  Johnson  appointed  new  officers  and  instructed  them  to  be 
guided  in  their  course  of  official  action  by  the  constitution  and  the  laws 
passed  previous  to  the  secession  of  the  State,  all  colored  persons  coming 
before  a judicial  tribunal  to  be  treated  as  free  persons  of  color.  By  the 
latter  part  of  1864  the  entire  State  had  been  regained,  and  on  September 
5 of  that  year  a convention  of  loyal  citizens  assembled  in  the  capitol  at 
Nashville  in  pursuance  of  the  following  call: 

At  the  request  of  a meeting  of  the  loyal  men  representing  the  several  divisions  of  the 
State  of  Tennessee  at  the  capital  in  Ha<shville  on  the  2d  day  of  August,  1864,  and  in  ac- 
cordance 'with  our  own  views,  we  do  hereby  call  a convention  of  the  loyal  people  of  the 
State  of  Tennessee,  to  be  holden  at  Nashville  on  the  first  Monday  in  September  next,  to 


778 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


take  into  consideration:  1st.  The  general  state  of  the  country.  2d.  The  means  of  reorgua- 
izing  civil  government  and  restoring  law  and  order  in  the  State  of  Tennessee.  3d.  The 
expediency  of  holding  a presidential  election  in  the  State  in  November  next,  and  finally 
to  take  such  preliminary  steps  in  reference  to  said  matter  as  they  may  deem  necessary  and 
proper,  and  we  do  most  earnestly  urge  upon  the  loyal  order-loving  and  law  abiding  people 
of  every  county  in  the  State,  the  great  importance  of  securing  a full  representation  in 
said  proposed  convention. 

W.  G.  Buownlow.  Horace  Maynard. 

W.  P.  Jones.  John  H.  Campbell. 

M.  M.  Brien.  J.  B.  Bingham. 


J.  M.  Tomeny. 


W.  II.  Fitch,  Jr. 


About  250  delegates  representing  fifty-five  counties  were  present.. 
Gen.  Samuel  Milligan  was  cliosen  chairman.  The  convention  remained 
in  session  for  four  days,  during  which  time  a series  of  resolutions  was 
proposed  and  adopted.  Among  other  things  it  was  resolved  that  a con- 
vention of  the  loyal  people  of  the  State  should  assemble  at  as  early  a 
day  as  possible  to  revise  the  State  Constitution  and  reorganize  the  State 
Government,  and  that  an  election  for  President  and  Vice-President  of  the 
United  States  should  be  held  in  the  following  November,  at  which  only 
known  active  friends  of  the  National  Government  should  be  permitted  to 
vote.  At  the  same  time  the  following  Lincoln  and  Johnson  electoral 
ticket  was  nominated:  For  the  State  at  large,  Horace  Maynard  and  WL 

H.  Wisener;  for  East  Tennessee,  L.  C.  Honk,  Robert  A.  Crawford,  J.  CL 
Everett;  for  Middle  Tennessee,  J.  O.  Shackleford,  W.  B.  Stokes,  T.  TL 
Gibbs;  for  West  Tennessee,  Almon  Case,  William  H.  Fitch.  On  the 
30th  of  September  Gov.  Johnson  issued  a proclamation  ordering  an 
election  to  be  held  in  accordance  with  the  above  resolution,  and  prescrib- 
ing the  following  oath,  to  be  administered  to  all  voters  not  publicly 
known  to  be  active  friends  of  the  United  States  Government: 


I solemnly  swear  that  I will  henceforth  support  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States, 
and  defend  it  against  the  assaults  of  all  its  enemies.  That  I am  an  active  friend  of  the 
Government  of  the  United  States,  and  an  enemy  of  the  so-called  Confederate  States;  that 
I ardently  desire  the  suppression  of  the  present  Rebellion  against  the  Government  of  the 
United  States;  that  I sincerely  rejoice  in  the  triumph  of  the  armies  and  navies  of  the 
United  States,  and  in  the  defeat  and  overthrow  of  the  armies,  navies  and  armed  combina- 
tions in  the  so-called  Confederate  States;  that  I will  cordially  oppose  all  armistices©!* 
negotiations  for  peace  with  Rebels  iD  arms  until  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States, 
and  all  laws  and  proclamations  made  in  nursuance  thereof  shall  be  established  over  all 
the  people  of  every  State  and  Territory  embraced  within  the  National  Union;  and  that;  I 
will  earnestly  aid  and  assist  the  loyal  people  in  whatever  measure  may  be  adopted  for  the 
attainment  of  these  ends;  and  further  that  I take  this  oath  freely  and  voluntarily  and. 
without  mental  reservation.  So  help  me  God. 

This  oath  disfranchised  a large  number  who  would  otherwise  have 
voted  at  the  election,  and  a protest  against  the  action  of  Gov.  Johnson 
was  prepared  and  signed  by  the  electors  on  the  McClellan  and  Pendleton 
ticket,  and  presented  to  the  President  by  John  Lelyett,  but  Mr.  Lincoln 
declined  to  interfere  in  the  matter.  The  election  was  accordingly  held. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


779 


in  conformity  Avith  the  Governor’s  proclamation,  and  resulted  in  an  almost 
unanimous  vote  for  the  Lincoln  and  Johnson  electors,  who  met  at  the  re- 
quired time  and  cast  their  votes,  which,  however,  were  not  received  by 
Congress. 

November  30,  1864,  a call  was  issued  by  the  executive  committee  of 
Middle  Tennessee,  for  a convention  to  be  held  in  Nashville  on  December 
19,  “for  the  purpose  of  forming  a ticket  to  be  run  for  a State  Constitu- 
tional Convention  by  the  loyal  men  of  the  State.’’  At  the  appointed 
time  the  presence  of  the  Confederate  Army  in  the  vicinity  of  Nashville 
prevented  the  assembling  of  the  convention,  and  it  was  postponed  until 
January  8,  1865,  at  which  date  a large  number  of  delegates,  representing 
fifty-nine  counties,  assembled.  The  convention  was  organized  with  Col. 
S.  R.  Rogers,  as  chairman.  A business  committee  to  whom  were  referred 
all  resolutions,  was  appointed,  composed  of  the  following  delegates:  Sam- 
uel Milligan,  chairman,  J.  C.  Gaut,  Horace  Maynard,  J.  R.  Hood,  Joseph 
S.  Fowler,  William  Basson,  William  Spence,  H.  F.  Cooper,  Dr.  A.  Gregg, 
J.  B.  Bingham  and  Col.  R.  K.  Byrd.  Two  reports  were  presented.  The 
majority  report  proposed  amendments  to  the  Constitution,  to  be  submitted 
to  the  people  of  Tennessee  on  the  22d  of  February  following,  providing 
for  the  abolition  of  slavery,  the  disfranchisement  of  all  officers,  civil,  judi- 
cial, and  others,  who  had  acted  in  hostility  to  the  United  States  Govern- 
ment, the  abrogation  of  the  ordinance  of  secession  and  all  laws  passed 
after  May  6,  1861,  and  the  repudiation  of  all  debts  contracted  in  aid  of 
the  Rebellion.  A resolution  was  also  adopted  requiring  voters  at  the  elec- 
tion for  the  ratification  of  the  amendment,  and  at  the  first  State  election 
to  subscribe  to  an  oath  similar  to  the  one  required  at  the  Presidential 
election  in  the  preceding  November 

A minority  report  was  presented  by  J.  R.  Hood,  denying  the  author- 
ity of  this  convention  to  propose  amendments  to  the  constitution,  and 
favoring  the  calling  of  a regularly  elected  Constitutional  Convention,  to 
be  held  some  time  in  February.  After  a long  discussion,  the  majority 
report  was  adopted.  William  G.  Brownlow  was  then  unanimously  nom- 
inated for  governor.  After  which  the  convention  adjourned,  having  been 
in  session  for  six  days.  On  the  26th  of  January  Gov.  Johnson  issued  a 
proclamation  confirming  the  action  of  the  convention,  and  ordering  an 
election  to  be  held  on  February  22,  1865,  to  vote  upon  the  amendments, 
and,  provided  the  amendment  carried,  also  one  to  be  held  on  March  4, 
for  the  election  of  a governor  and  members  of  the  General  Assemblv. 
The  election  of  February  22  passed  off  quietly.  The  proposed  amend- 
ments were  adopted  almost  unanimously,  but  the  vote  was  quite  small. 
On  February  28,  although  the  completed  returns  had  not  been  received, 


780 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Gov.  Johnson  issued  a proclamation  declaring  the  adoption  of  the  amend- 
ments. Accordingly,  the  election  of  the  March  4 was  held,  and  William 
G.  Brownlow  was  chosen  governor  by  a vote  of  23,222  to  35.  On  the  3d 
of  the  following  month  the  Legislature  convened.  William  Heiskell,  of 
Knox  County,  was  chosen  speaker  by  the  lower  House,  and  Samuel  B. 
Lodgers,  also,  of  Knox  County,  by  the  Senate.  On  April  5,  1865,  Gov. 
Brownlow  was  inaugurated,  and  on  the  following  day  transmitted  his 
message  to  the  Legislature.  He  denounced  secession  in  his  most  vigor- 
ous style,  and  advocated  the  ratification  of  the  amendment  to  the  United 
States  Constitution  abolishing  slavery.  On  account  of  the  unsettled  con- 
dition of  the  country,  and  the  alarming  prevalence  of  crime,  he  recom- 
mended that  persons  convicted  of  horse  stealing,  house-breaking  and 
highway  robbery  be  punished  with  death.  “ Let  the  proof  in  all  such 
cases  be  clear  and  unquestionable,  and  then  let  the  offenders  be  hung,  even 
for  the  first  offense.”  He  advised  that  the  pay  of  all  State  officers  and 
members  of  the  General  Assembly  be  increased,  reviewed  the  financial 
condition  of  the  State,  and  discussed  the  subject  of  the  common  schools, 
railroads,  the  State  Bank,  and  other  State  institutions. 

The  Legislature  remained  in  session  until  Monday,  June  12.  One  of 
the  most  important  measures  adopted  was  an  act  to  limit  the  franchise, 
known  as  the  “Arnell  bill.”  By  its  provisions  the  right  of  suffrage  was 
restricted  to  the  following  persons : White  men  over  twenty-one  years  of 
age  who  were  publicly  known  to  have  entertained  unconditional  Union 
sentiments  from  the  outbreak  of  the  Rebellion;  or  who  had  arrived  at 
the  age  of  twenty-one  years  since  March  4,  1865,  and  had  not  been  en- 
gaged in  armed  rebellion  against  the  United  States  Government;  also 
those  who  had  served  in  the  Federal  Army  and  had  been  honorably  dis- 
charged; those  who  had  been  conscripted  by  force  into  the  Confederate 
Army,  and  were  known  to  be  Union  men;  and  those  who  had  voted  at  the 
elections  in  February  and  March,  1865.  All  other  persons  were  dis- 
franchised. For  all  persons  who  had  held  civil  or  diplomatic  offices  un- 
der the  Confederate  States,  or  who  had  held  a military  office  above  the 
rank  of  captain,  if  in  the  army,  or  lieutenant,  if  in  the  navy;  also  for 
those  who  had  resigned  seats  in  Congress  or  positions  in  the  army  or 
navy,  or  had  absented  themselves  from  the  United  States  for  the  purpose 
of  aiding  the  Rebellion,  the  term  of  disfranchisement  was  to  continue  for  1 
a period  of  fifteen  years  from  the  passage  of  the  act.  For  all  persons 
not  included  in  any  of  the  above  classes  the  right  of  suffrage  was  to  be  J 
withheld  for  five  years.  It  Avas  made  the  duty  of  the  clerk  of  each  coun- 
ty court  to  open  and  keep  a registration  of  votes,  and  before  him  proof 
of  loyalty  was  to  be  made.  It  Avas  provided,  hoAvever,  that  “ no  man  of 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


78  J. 


publicly-known  Union  sentiments”  should  be  required  to  make  oath  upon 
registering,  and  that  no  person  not  registered  was  to  be  permitted  to 
vote.  A person  challenged  by  an  admitted  voter  was  required  to  take  an 
oath  of  allegiance  and  fidelity  to  the  State  and  the  United  States  Govern- 
ment, and  any  persons  taking  the  oath  falsely  was  declared  guilty  of  per- 
jury, and  subject  to  the  pains  and  penalties  attached  to  that  crime. 

By  the  passage  of  this  act  a very  large  proportion  of  the  former  vot- 
ers of  the  State  were  disfranchised,  and  it  was  regarded  by  them  as  an 
act  of  great  injustice.  At  this  session,  also,  the  revenue  laws  of  the 
State  were  amended,  and  a high  tax  was  levied  on  the  sales  of  merchan- 
dise and  other  commercial  and  legal  transactions.  The  Legislature  ad- 
journed to  meet  on  the  first  Monday  in  October,  at  which  time  it  again 
convened.  Meanwhile  an  election  for  congressmen  had  been  held  Aug- 
ust 3,  1865,  under  the  new  franchise  law,  and  the  following  men  were 
chosen:  N.  G.  Taylor,  Horace  Maynard,  Edmund  Cooper,  W.  B.  Stokes, 
W.  B.  Campbell,  D.  B.  Thomas,  I.  R.  Hawkins  aud  J.  W.  Leftrich. 
Upon  the  beginning  of  the  next  session  of  Congress  these  members,  to- 
gether with  Joseph  S.  Fowler  and  D.  S.  Patterson,  senators -elect,  pre- 
sented themselves  for  admission,  but  were  refused  their  seats  upon  the 
grounds  that  Tennessee  had  not  yet  been  restored  to  her  position  in  the 
Union.  June  16,  1865,  Congress  submitted  the  fourteenth  amendment 
to  the  United  States  Constitution  to  the  States  for  their  ratification,  and 
three  days  later  Gov.  Brownlow  issued  a proclamation  convening  the 
Legislature  on  the  4th  of  July  for  the  purpose  of  considering  it.  A 
quorum  of  the  lower  house  could  not  be  obtained  for  several  days,  and 
as  a last  resort  the  sergeant-at-arms  was  ordered  to  arrest  and  bring  in 
the  members  who  had  absented  themselves  to  prevent  the  ratification  of 
the  amendment.  A.  J.  Martin,  of  Jackson  County,  and  P.  Williams,  of 
Carter  County,  were  brought  in,  and  on  the  19tli  of  July  a ballot  was 
taken,  the  arrested  members  refusing  to  vote.  The  result  is  tersely  given 
in  the  following  dispatch: 

Nashville,  Tenn.,  July  19,  12  o’clock  M. 

Hon.  Edwin  M.  Stanton,  Secretary  of  War,  Washington,  D.  G. : 

My  compliments  to  the  President.  We  carried  the  constitutional  amendment  in  the 
House.  Vote,  forty- three  to  eleven,  two  of  his  tools  refusing  to  vote. 

William  G.  Brownlow. 

Only  two  other  States,  Connecticut  and  New  Hampshire,  had  preceded 
Tennessee  in  this  action.  As  soon  as  information  of  the  ratification 
reached  Congress,  a joint  resolution  was  adopted  declaring  that  “ the  State 
of  Tennessee  is  hereby  restored  to  her  former  practical  relations  to  the 
Union,  and  is  again  entitled  to  be  represented  by  senators  and  represent- 
atives in  Congress.”  The  resolution  was  signed  by  the  President,  who 


40 


782 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


returned  it  with  a special  message,  in  which  he  stated  that  he  had  signed 
the  bill  merely  to  avoid  delay,  and  added:  “ My  approval  is  not  to  be  con- 
strued as  an  acknowledgment  of  the  right  of  Congress  to  pass  laws  pre- 
liminary to  the  admission  of  duly  qualified  representatives  from  any  of 
the  States.” 

As  has  been  stated,  the  Thirty-fourth  General  Assembly  re-assembled 
on  October  2,  1865.  The  majority  of  both  Houses  held  extreme  radical 
views  on  the  question  of  restricting  the  elective  franchise,  but  there  was 
a determined  minority  in  favor  of  a much  more  liberal  policy  in  dealing 
with  those  who  had  participated  in  the  Rebellion.  On  January  19,  1866, 
anew  “ franchise  bill”  was  introduced.  Its  provisions  were  very  similar 
to  those  of  the  act  which  it  was  intended  to  supersede,  except  that  they 
were  more  comprehensive.  It  excluded  from  the  privilege  of  the  fran- 
chise all  who  had  borne  arms  against  the  United  States,  or  who  had  in 
any  way  voluntarily  aided  the  Rebellion ; also  those  who  had  ever  sought 
or  accepted  office,  civil  or  military,  under  the  so-called  Confederate  Gov- 
ernment. It  established  an  office  of  Commissioner  of  Registration  in 
each  county,  and  certificates  of  registration  were  required  at  all  elections 
municipal,  county  and  State. 

It  soon  became  apparent  to  the  opponents  of  the  bill  that,  unless 
some  unusual  measures  were  adopted  to  prevent  it,  it  would  become  a 
law.  Consequently,  when  it  came  up  for  a third  reading  in  the  House, 
enough  members  absented  themselves  to  prevent  a quorum,  and  contin- 
ued to  do  so  for  several  days.  Finally,  the  majority  of  the  absentees 
tendered  their  resignations.*  Gov.  Brownlow,  assuming  the  seats  of  all 
members  willfully  absenting  themselves  to  be  vacant,  issued  a proclama- 
tion for  an  election  to  be  held  on  March  31,  1866,  to  fill  the  vacancies. 
Nearly  all  who  had  resigned  were  candidates  for  re-election,  and  with 
five  exceptions,  were  returned  with  large  majorities.  Meanwhile,  both 
the  Senate  and  House  had  continued  the  session  by  adjournment  from 
day  to  day,  and  upon  the  restoration  of  a quorum,  the  consideration  of 
the  franchise  bill  was  resumed.  It  passed  both  Houses,  and  became  a 
law  on  May  3. 

During  this  session  an  attempt  was  made  to  erect  East  Tennessee  in- 
to a separate  State.  A similar  effort  had  been  made  at  the  beginning  of 
the  war,  but  it  was  suppressed  by  the  Confederate  State  authorities.  In 
April,  1866,  Gen.  Joseph  A.  Cooper  published  a letter  advocating  the 
measure,  and  on  the  3d  of  May  following,  a convention  of  delegates  from 
twenty-two  counties  assembled  at  Knoxville,  for  the  purpose  of  memorial- 

*The  seceding  members  were  W.  B.  Lewis,  Samuel  P.  Walker  A.  E.  Garrett,  Asa  Faulkner,  A.  A.  Free- 
man, J.  F.  Thomas,  Abner  A.  Steele,  W.  B.  Scales,  A.  R.  Wynne,  Thomas  H.  Bledsoe,  William  Barton,  P.  Will- 
iams. C.  N.  Ordway,  N.  Brandon,  W.  K.  Poston,  M.  E.  W.  Dunnaway,  W.  W.  Willis,  A.  D.  Nicks,  James  R. 
Hood*  William  Simmons,  Joseph  H.  Travis,  A.  C.  Gillem  and  Wallace  Waters. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


783 


izing  the  Legislature  for  leave  to  form  a new  State.  An  address  to  the 
people  of  East  Tennessee  was  published,  and  a committee,  consisting  of 
Joseph  A.  Cooper,  D.  C.  Trewhitt,  John  Caldwell,  L.  C.  Houk,  William 
Alexander,  S.  J.  W.  Luckey,  A.  B.  Owens  and  M.  L.  Phillips,  were  ap- 
pointed to  prepare  the  memorial.  Mr.  Senter  presented  it  to  the  Sen- 
ate, and  accompanied  it  with  a joint  resolution,  requesting  the  Governor 
to  issue  writs  of  election  to  the  sheriffs  of  the  several  counties  repre- 
sented in  the  convention,  commanding  them  to  hold  an  election  for  the 
purpose  of  ascertaining  the  sentiments  of  the  people  upon  the  question. 
The  resolution  was  referred  to  a special  committee,  consisting  of  two 
from  each  grand  division  of  the  State,  who  made  two  reports.  The 
majority  report,  signed  by  the  members  from  Middle  and  West  Tennessee, 
advised  the  rejection  of  the  petition,  and  expressed  the  opinion  that  to 
grant  it  would  be  unconstitutional.  The  minority  report,  signed  by  D. 
W.  C.  Senter  and  C.  J.  McKinney,  of  East  Tennessee,  favored  grant- 
ing the  request.  The  majority  report  was  adopted. 

On  November  5,  1866,  the  General  Assembly  convened  for  the  fourth 
and  last  time.  The  position  of  that  body  at  this  time  was  far  from  envia- 
ble. From  the  first,  representing,  as  it  did,  but  a small  fraction  of  the 
voters  of  the  State,  it  received  but  little  moral  support  from  the  com- 
munity for  which  it  was  supposed  to  legislate,  and  now  the  disfranchised 
party,  adopting  the  views  of  Andrew  Johnson,  believed  and  maintained 
that  they  were  unjustly  deprived  of  their  constitutional  rights,  and 
denounced  the  Legislature  and  the  executive  with  unmeasured  severity. 
This  action  on  the  part  of  the  people,  as  may  be  supposed,  did  not  tend 
to  make  those  in  authority  any  the  less  vigorous  in  their  measures.  Dur- 
ing this  session  the  franchise  act  was  again  amended,  admitting  the 
negroes  to  its  privileges,  but  at  the  same  time  denying  them  the  right  to 
hold  office  or  to  sit  upon  juries.  Another  measure  of  scarcely  less  im- 
portance was  the  organization  and  equipment  of  a State  militia.  A force 
of  about  1,700  men  was  raised,  and  placed  under  the  command  of  Gen, 
Joseph  A.  Cooper.  These  troops,  distributed  to  those  points  in  the  State 
where  the  greatest  danger  of  an  insurrection  was  supposed  to  exist,  were 
maintained  until  after  the  election  in  August,  when  all  but  five  companies 
were  disbanded. 

On  February  22, 1867,  the  Republican  State  Convention  assembled  at 
Nashville,  and  unanimously  renominated  William  G.  Brownlow  for  gov- 
ernor. The  resolutions  adopted  were,  in  substance:  That  equal  rights 
should  be  granted  to  all ; that  those  who  saved  the  State  in  time  of  peril 
should  govern  and  control  it ; that  those  who  sought  to  destroy  it,  should 
not  be  hastily  restored  to  their  former  privileges ; and  the  course  of  the 


784 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


General  Assembly  and  tlie  administration  of  Gov.  Brownlow  bad  been 
highly  satisfactory.  The  policy  of  the  Union  Republican  party  in  Con- 
gress, in  its  opposition  to  President  Johnson,  was  also  endorsed. 

The  Democratic  State  Convention  met  on  the  16th  of  April,  and  nom- 
inated Emerson  Etheridge  of  West  Tennessee,  for  governor.  Mr.  Ether- 
idge was  a man  of  publicly  known  Union  sentiments,  and  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  war  was  compelled  to  leave  his  home  an  account  of  his  hostil- 
ity to  the  course  of  secession,  but  with  the  return  of  peace  he  had  joined 
that  considerable  number  of  original  Union  men  in  the  South  Avho  sup- 
ported President  Johnson  in  his  policy  of  reconstruction  and  who  be- 
came the  bitterest  opponents  of  the  Republican  party.  The  convention 
adopted  resolutions  favoring  the  immediate  restoration  of  all  disfran- 
chised citizens  to  complete  citizenship  and  approving  the  course  of  Presi- 
dent Johnson.  The  campaign  which  followed  was  one  of  the  greatest 
excitement.  The  granting  of  the  right  of  suffrage  to  the  negroes, 
while  so  large  a proportion  of  the  white  citizens  was  debarredfrom  voting, 
justly  aroused  intense  opposition,  and  the  State  guards,  re-enforced  by 
regular  troops,  Avere  not  sufficient  to  prevent  out-breaks.  The  election 
hoAvever,  passed  off  quietly.  The  franchise  laAV  Avas  strickly  enforced, 
and  the  Republican  candidates  were  successful  in  nearly  every  instance, 

The  Thirty-fifth  General  Assembly,  which  convened  on  the  7th  of 
October,  1867,  contained  but  feAV  old  members,  although  there  was  but 
little  change  in  its  political  complexion.  D.  W.  0.  Senter  was  chosen 
speaker  of  the  Senate,  and  E.  S.  Richards  of  the  House.  The  session 
continued  until  March  16,  1868,  during  which  time  but  feAV  Iuavs  of 
importance  were  enacted,  On  October  28,  1867,  the  two  houses  met  in 
convention  and  elected  Gov.  Brownlow  to  succeed  D.  S.  Patterson  in 
the  United  State  Senate,  for  the  term  beginning  March  4,  1869.  Mr. 
Patterson  had  been  elected  to  the  office  soon  after  the  reorganization  of 
the  State  Government  in  1865,  and  during  his  entire  term  had  acted  with 
the  Democratic  party  in  support  of  President  Johnson  and  his  recon- 
struction measures. 

The  Republican  State  Convention  to  appoint  delegates  to  the  National 
Convention,  which  was  held  on  January  22,  1868  recommended  the  nomi- 
nation of  General  Grant  for  the  presidency,  while  the  Democratic  Con- 
vention, which  met  on  the  9th  of  June,  endorsed  Andrew  Johnson  as  its 
candidate. 

During  the  early  part  of  this  year,  a neAv  organization  began  to  exert 
an  influence  in  the  political  affairs  of  the  State.  It  first  made  its  appear- 
ance in  the  vicinity  of  Columbia,  in  Maury  County,  and  from  there  it 
spread  rapidly  over,  not  only  Tennessee,  but  the  entire  South.  It  is  said 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


785 


to  have  originated  in  a bit  of  harmless  pleasantry  on  the  part  of  some 
masqueraders  who  amused  themselves  by  imposing  upon  the  superstitious 
fears  of  the  negroes.  The  success  of  their  adventures  suggested  the  or- 
ganization of  a band  for  protection  against  the  depredations  of  negroes 
and  worthless  camp-followers  and  turbulent  characters  left  behind  upon 
the  disbanding  of  the  armies.  To  the  societies  thus  formed  the  name  of 
Ku  Klux  Klans  was  given.  Their  operations  were  conducted  with  the 
greatest  secrecy,  and  costumes,  names,  and  symbols  of  the  most  outland- 
ish and  mysterious  character  were  adopted.  From  a merely  protective 
social  organization,  it  soon  developed  into  a political  and  military  order 
of  the  highest  discipline.  It  was  stated  by  Gen.  Forrest,  in  September, 
1’868,  that  the  Ivu  Klux  Klans  of  Tennessee,  alone,  could  put  40,000 
men  into  the  field  in  five  days.  It  was  also  said  that  in  many  lo- 
calities 1,500  members  could  be  brought  from  their  homes  to  a com- 
mon rendezvous  within  three  hours  after  the  first  signal  was  given. 
Men  of  all  professions  and  conditions  became  members  of  the  order. 
As  a political  organization  it  was  arrayed  against  the  Loyal  League, 
which  also  originated  in  Tennessee,  about  the  close  of  the  war.  At 
that  time  the  white  Unionists  of  middle  and  West  Tennessee,  and  the 
colored  people,  who  generally  adhered  to  them,  found  themselves  threat- 
ened, oppressed,  and  in  some  localities  robbed  and  murdered.  The  re- 
sult was  the  organization  of  a powerful  social  order  known  as  the  Loyal 
League,  which  united  the  members  of  that  largo  but  cowed  class,  gave 
them  means  of  secret  and  rapid  communication  with  each  other,  enabled 
them  to  protect  each  other’s  person  and  property,  and  to  avenge  wrongs 
done  to  their  numbers.  Upon  the  reorganization  of  the  State  govern- 
ment accompanied  by  the  disfranchisement  of  their  former  enemies,  their 
power  was  greatly  increased,  and  it  is  not  surprising  that  they  used  it  in 
retaliation.  Thus  the  oppressors  became  the  oppressed ; evil-minded  per- 
sons obtained  control  of  the  organization,  and  in  many  localities  numer- 
ous outrages  were  committed  in  the  name  of  the  Loyal  League.  To  this 
cause  was  largely  due  the  almost  phenomenal  growth  of  the  Ku  Klux 
organization;  indeed  the  history  of  the  two  orders  is  very  similar.  Both 
were  formed  for  protection  purposes,  later  became  powerful  political  or- 
ganizations, and  finally  went  beyond  the  control  of  their  original  leaders, 
and  by  unscupulous  men  were  made  to  cover  the  most  terrible  outrages. 

On  July  6,  1868,  Gov.  Brownlow  issued  a proclamation  convening 
the  General  Assembly  in  extraordinary  session  on  the  27th  of  the  same 
month.  That  body  met  at  the  appointed  time  and  received  a message 
from  the  Governor,  calling  attention  to  the  recent  Ku  Klux  outrages,  and 
recommending  the  reorganization  of  the  State  Militia.  He  also  advised 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


780 

some  action  with,  reference  to  the  finances  of  the  State,  and  these  were 
the  subjects  which  mainly  occupied  the  attention  of  the  Legislature  dur- 
ing the  session.  A bill  was  introduced  into  the  House  providing  for  the 
organization  of  the  State  Militia,  under  the  name  of  the  “Tennessee 
State  Guards,”  and  giving  the  governor  power  to  declare  martial  law  in 
any  county  where  he  might  deem  it  necessary.  Petitions  against  the 
passage  of  the  bill  were  sent  in  from  all  quarters,  and  many  members  of 
the  Legislature  entered  their  protest  against  it.  Nevertheless,  it  became 
a law,  and  on  February  20,  1869,  Gov.  Brownlow  issued  a proclamation, 
declaring  martial  law  in  Overton,  Jackson,  Maury,  Giles,  Marshall,  Law- 
rence, Gibson,  Madison  and  Haywood  Counties,  among  which  he  ordered 
Gen.  Cooper  to  distribute  the  State  Guards,  then  numbering  1,600. 

On  February  12  Gov.  Brownlow  tendered  the  resignation  of  his  of- 
fice, and  on  the  25th  D.  W.  C.  Senter,  speaker  of  the  Senate,  ivas  inaug- 
urated as  his  successor.  Two  months  later,  May  20,  1869,  the  Repub- 
lican State  Convention  met  at  Nashville  to  nominate  a candidate  for  gov- 
ernor. Gov.  Senter  had  already  announced  his  own  candidacy,  and  was 
supported  by  an  enthusiastic  delegation.  His  opponent  was  William  B. 
Stokes,  the  commander  of  a regiment  of  Tennessee  Federal  Cavalry  dur- 
ing the  war,  and  at  that  time  the  representative  of  his  district  in  Con- 
gress. The  convention  assembled,  and,  after  continuing,  amidst  great 
excitement  and  confusion,  for  two  days,  without  effecting  an  organiza- 
tion, it  adjourned,  with  each  faction  claiming  its  candidate  to  be  the  reg- 
ular nominee.  In  the  canvass  the  franchise  question  immediately  be- 
came the  dominant  one,  and  practically  absorbed  all  others.  Gov.  Senter 
issued  an  address  to  the  people,  in  which  he  said:  “The  question  which 
most  interests  the  people  of  Tennessee  at  the  present  time,  and  which, 
in  itself,  is  perhaps  more  pressing  and  important  than  any  other,  is  the 
elective  franchise.  On  this  subject  I am  free  to  say  that,  in  my  judg- 
ment, the  time  has  come,  and  is  now,  when  the  limitations  and  disabili- 
ties which  have  found  their  way  into  our  statute  books,  as  the  result  of 
the  war,  should  be  abolished  and  removed;  and  the  privilege  of  the 
elective  franchise  restored  and  extended  to  embrace  the  mass  of  the  adult 
population  of  the  State.”  Mr.  Stokes  represented  the  view  of  the  more 
extreme  element  of  the  party,  and,  ivhile  favoring  the  restoration  of  the 
franchise  privilege,  insisted  that  it  should  be  done  gradually  and  under 
certain  restrictions.  The  Democrats,  powerless  to  accomplish  anything 
of  themselves,  framed  no  platform  and  nominated  no  ticket,  leaving  the 
contest  ostensibly  to  the  two  Republicans.  In  reality,  however,  the 
Democracy  was  better  organized  than  either  of  the  Republican  factions, 
and  they  threw  their  influence  in  favor  of  Senter,  who  also  received  the 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


787 


support  of  Senator  Brownlow  and  the  Knoxville  Whig.  Owing  to  the 
extreme  laxity  with  which  the  registration  was  conducted,  a very  large 
vote  was  cast  at  the  ensuing  election,  and  it  was  estimated  that  of  the 
170,000  votes  polled  nearly  75,000  were  cast  by  Democrats.  Gov.  Sen- 
ter’s  majority  reached  nearly  60,000.  Of  the  members  of  the  Legisla- 
ture elected  only  5 representatives  and  2 senators  had  ever  held  seats 
in  either  house  before,  and  a majority  of  them  were  either  conservative 
Republicans  or  Democrats. 

The  Thirty-sixth  General  Assembly  convened  on  the  4th  of  October, 
and  on  the  19th  began  balloting  for  a United  States  Senator  to  succeed 
Joseph  S.  Fowler.  Several  candidates  were  presented,  of  whom  Andrew 
Johnson  received  the  largest  number  of  votes,  but  not  a majority  of  all 
cast.  After  a number  of  ballots  the  opponents  of  Mr.  Johnson  united  in 
support  of  Henry  Cooper,  senator  from  Davidson  County,  who  was  elect- 
ed by  a vote  of  55  to  51.  In  accordance  with  the  pledges  given  during 
the  preceding  campaign,  the  Legislature  repealed  most  of  the  obnoxious 
laws,  and  passed  an  act  providing  for  an  election  to  be  held  on  the  third 
Saturday  in  December,  to  vote  upon  a constitutional  convention,  to  as- 
semble on  the  second  Monday  of  the  following  January.  The  bill  pro- 
vided that  all  male  citizens  over  twenty-one  years  of  age,  who  had  been 
residents  of  .the  State  six  months  preceding  the  election,  should  be  per- 
mitted to  vote.  The  election  resulted  in  a large  majority  in  favor  of  the 
convention,  an  account  of  which  is  given  in  another  chapter  of  this  work. 
The  first  election  after  the  adoption  of  the  new  constitution  took  place  on 
the  second  Tuesday  in  November,  1870.  The  Democratic  Convention 
of  that  year  met  at  Nashville,  on  the  13th  of  September,  and  nominated 
Gen.  John  C.  Brown,  of  Giles  County,  for  governor.  The  Republican 
Convention  assembled  at  the  same  place  on  the  22d  of  September,  and 
chose  W.  H.  Wisener,  of  Bedford  County,  as  its  nominee  by  acclamation. 
The  most  important  questions  discussed  during  the  campaign  were  con- 
nected with  the  financial  policy  of  the  State.  Gen.  Brown  advocated 
substantially  the  same  policy  that  was  afterward  embodied  in  the  fund- 
ing act  of  1873*,  and  was  elected  by  a vote  of  78,979  to  41,500.  The 
Legislature  chosen  at  the  same  time  was  Democratic  by  a large  majority. 
Thus  the  great  struggle,  which  for  nearly  five  years  had  disturbed  the 
peace  and  prosperity  of  the  State,  was  brought  to  an  end  at  last.  A new 
constitution,  framed  by  the  representatives  of  the  whole  people,  had 
been  adopted  by  the  people,  and  a government  elected  by  the  universal 
suffrages  of  the  free  citizens  of  Tennessee  was  inaugurated  for  the  first 
time  since  1834. 


*See  Chapter  XI. 


788 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


An  unsuccessful  attempt  liad  been  made,  however,  to  induce  Congress 
to  declare  the  proceedings  of  the  Constitutional  Convention  of  1870  void, 
and  to  “reconstruct”  Tennessee  upon  the  same  plan  as  the  other  Southern 
States.  A long  investigation  into  the  political  condition  of  the  State  was 
conducted  by  Congress,  but  it  resulted  in  nothing  detrimental  to  the 
new  State  government.  The  investigation  was  based  upon  the  following 
statements  made  by  members  of  Congress  from  Tennessee: 

Forty  first  Congress  of  the  United  States, 

Hon.  B.  F.  Butler,  Washington,  D.  C.,  February  15,  1870. 

Chairman  Reconstruction  Committee. 

As  representatives  from  the  State  of  Tennessee  in  the  Forty  first  Congress,  in  behalf 
of  ourselves  and  our  constituents,  we  submit  the  following  propositions,  and  earnestly 
press  their  immediate  consideration  upon  your  committee: 

1.  We  submit  that  the  power  now  controlling  the  State  of  Tennessee  is  wholly  illegal 
and  revolutionary,  brought  about  by  fraud  and  violence  in  contravention  of  the  constitu- 
tion of  the  State  as  reorganized  by  Congress. 

2.  That  the  present  State  government  of  Tennessee  is  wanting  in  the  great  and  es- 
sential requisite  of  good  government,  without  which  peace  and  happiness  are  impossible, 
to  wit,  the  proper  protection  of  the  property  and  the  lives  of  its  citizens. 

3.  The  State  government  of  Tennessee,  as  now  constituted  and  revolutionized,  has 
never  had  any  recognition  by  the  Government  of  the  United  States,  and  we  ask  that  Con- 
gress take  immediate  steps  to  provide  for  us  a government,  Republican  in  form,  that  will 
conduce  to  the  happiness  of  and  welfare  of  all  its  people. 

4.  We  ask  that  you  supplement  this  work  with  an  act  for  the  enforcement  of  the 
third  section  of  the  fourteenth  amendment  to  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States. 

Signed,  . Samuel  M.  Arnell.  Lewis  Tillman. 

W.  B.  Stokes.  W.  J.  Smith. 

W.  F.  Prosser.  Horace  Maynard. 

During  the  latter  part  of  1871  tlie  new  political  movement,  which  re- 
sulted in  the  nomination  of  Horace  Greeley  for  the  presidency,  began  to 
manifest  itself.  On  October  7,  1871,  a reunion  and  reform  association 
was  organized  at  Nashville  by  several  of  the  leading  men  of  the  State, 
among  whom  were  Emerson  Etheridge,  A.  S.  Colyar,  E.  H.  East,  H.  S. 
Eoote,  Frank  T.  Hied  and  John  Ruhm.  An  address  was  issued  to  the 
people  of  the  State,  setting  forth  the  principles  and  objects  of  the  associ- 
ation, which  included  the  restoration  of  fraternal  feelings  between  the 
North  and  the  South,  the  maintenance  of  law  and  order,  the  establish- 
ment of  an  efficient  system  of  education,  a general  amnesty,  opposition 
to  repudiation,  reduction  of  taxation  by  the  General  Government  and 
civil  service  reform.  Early  in  the  following  year  the  Liberal  Republican 
movement  reached  the  State,  and  in  March,  1872,  the  leaders  of  the  reform 
association  issued  an  address  to  the  Republicans  of  Tennessee,  urging  the 
appointment  of  delegates  to  the  Cincinnati  Convention,  to  be  held  the  1st 
of  May.  Conservative  members  of  both  of  the  old  parties  who  were  op- 
posed to  President  Grant  and  his  administration,  joined  in  the  movement, 
and  a full  delegation  was  appointed.  In  the  convention,  Mr.  Greeley  was 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


789 


not  the  first  choice  of  the  Tennessee  delegates,  and  it  was  only  in  the 
sixth  and  last  ballot  that  he  received  their  vote.  The  campaign  which 
followed  was  one  of  the  most  memorable  in  the  history  of  the  State, 
abounding  in  anomalous  situations  and  combinations.  The  Democratic 
State  Convention  assembled  at  Nashville  on  May  9,  in  which  delegates 
from  seventy-three  counties  were  present.  Benjamin  J.  Lea,  of  Hay- 
wood County,  was  chosen  chairman.  The  convention  expressed  itself  as 
opposed  to  an  independent  Democratic  ticket,  and  favored  supporting  the 
Cincinnati  nominees.  Delegates  to  the  Baltimore  convention  were  ap- 
pointed, and  an  electoral  ticket  was  partially  completed.  Gen.  Brown 
was  renominated  for  governor  by  acclamation. 

The  Republicans  held  two  State  conventions  during  the  year.  The 
first  assembled  on  the  15th  of  May,  and  appointed  delegates  to  the 
National  Convention,  with  instructions  to  support  Grant  and  Maynard  for 
the  presidency  and  vice-presidency,  respectively.  No  candidate  for  gov- 
ernor was  nominated,  it  being  deemed  at  that  time,  the  best  policy  to 
make  no  contest.  On  the  4th  of  September,  however,  a second  conven- 
tion Avas  held,  and  A.  A.  Freeman,  of  Haywood  County,  was  nomi- 
nated for  that  office.  On  September  1,  Col.  A.  S.  Colyar  announced 
himself  as  an  Independent  candidate  for  governor,  but  a month  later 
withdrew  from  the  canvass. 

As  important  as  were  the  other  contests  during  the  campaign,  public 
interest  centered  in  the  canvass  for  congressman  for  the  State  at  large. 
The  Democratic  Convention  to  nominate  a candidate  for  that  office  assem- 
bled August  21,  1882.  The  candidates  for  the  nomination  Avere  Andrew 
Johnson  and  Gen.  B.  F.  Cheatham.  Before  a ballot  was  taken  Johnson’s 
supporters  withdrew,  and  the  remaining  delegates  declared  Gen.  Cheat- 
ham the  nominee.  Mr.  Johnson  immediately  announced  himself  as  the 
people’s  candidate,  and  received  enthusiastic  support  from  the  working 
men.  Previous  to  this  time  the  Republicans  had  despaired  of  electing  a 
candidate,  and  none  had  been  nominated.  This  division  in  the  ranks  of 
their  opponents  rendered  success  almost  certain,  and  at  the  convention  on 
September  4 Horace  Maynard  was  declared  the  nominee  for  congressman 
for  the  State  at  large.  A thorough  canvass  of  the  State  was  made  by  the 
three  candidates,  a portion  of  the  time  being  given  to  joint  debate.  The 
result  of  the  election  was  as  follows:  Maynard,  80,825,  Cheatham  65,- 

188,  and  Johnson  37,900.  The  vote  foivboth  Grant  and  Freeman  was 
larger  than  had  been  anticipated,  but  they  were  defeated  by  a majority  of 
about  12,000.  The  Legislature  elected  was  as  follows:  Senators — Dem- 
ocrats, 14;  Republicans  7,  and  Independent,  4;  representatives — Dem- 
ocrats, 40;  Republicans,  28,  and  Independent,  7. 


790 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


The  most  important  legislation  accomplished  by  this  General  Assem- 
bly was  the  passage  of  the  funding  act  and  the  establishment  of  a system 
of  public  schools.  The  two  years  witnessed  but  little  agitation  in  politi- 
cal circles.  There  was  a general  return  to  the  old  organizations,  result- 
ing in  a considerable  strengthening  of  the  Democratic  party,  which  en- 
tered the  next  campaign  well  organized,  and  acting  with  remarkable  una- 
nimity. The  Democratic  State  Convention,  to  which  all  “ anti-radicals  ” 
were  invited,  assembled  at  Nashville  August  19,  1874,  and  organized 
with  G.  A.  Henry,  of  Montgomery  County,  as  president.  Twelve  candi- 
dates were  placed  before  the  convention,  and  on  the  fourteenth  ballot 
James  D.  Porter,  of  Henry  County,  received  the  nomination.  The  part 
of  the  platform  adopted  relating  to  State  issues  declared  in  favor  of  pro- 
tection to  honest  labor,  equality  of  assessment  for  taxation,  opposition  to 
monopolies,  the  abolishment  of  unnecessary  offices  and  a reduction  of  sal- 
aries, rigid  economy  in  the  State  administration,  opposition  to  any  policy 
looking  to  the  raising  of  a greater  revenue  than  was  necessary  to  carry 
on  the  State  government  and  meet  all  its  honest  obligations,  and  opposi- 
tion to  any  increase  of  taxation.  Mr.  Porter,  the  nominee  of  the  con- 
vention, a successful  lawyer,  was  a member  of  the  lower  house  of  the 
General  Assembly  in  1859-60,  and  served  during  the  war  as  assistant  ad- 
jutant-general on  the  staff  of  Gen.  Cheatham. 

The  Republican  Convention  met  at  Chattanooga  September  16,  1874, 
and  nominated  Horace  Maynard  for  governor.  Resolutions  were  adopted 
opposing  the  funding  and  assessment  acts,  indorsing  public  schools,  and 
denouncing  Gov.  Brown’s  administration  as  incompetent  andjuiwise.  Dur- 
ing the  campaign  the  civil  rights  bill,  which  was  then  before  Congress, 
was  one  of  the  leading  questions  discussed,  and  did  much  to  defeat  the 
Republicans.  The  Democratic  victory  was  one  of  the  most  complete 
over  gained  by  a party  in  the  State.  Gov.  Porter’s  majority  reached 
over  45,000.  The  Legislature  was  almost  unanimously  Democratic, 
there  being  only  two  Republicans  in  the  Senate  and  six  in  the  House. 
Nine  out  of  the  ten  congressmen  elected  were  also  Democrats. 

One  of  the  first  duties  of  the  Thirty-ninth  General  Assembly,  which 
convened  on  the  first  Monday  in  January,  1875,  was  the  election  of  a 
United  States  Senator  to  succeed  William  G.  Brownlow.  Several  candi- 
dates were  presented,  prominent  among  whom  were  Andrew  Johnson, 
Gov.  Brown  and  Gen.  William  B.  Bate.  Fifty-five  ballots  were  taken, 
resulting  in  the  election  of  Mr.  Johnson,  he  receiving  fifty-two  out  of 
ninety-seven  votes  cast.  On  the  forty-fourth  ballot  Gen.  Bate  received 
forty-eight  of  the  ninety-six  votes  cast. 

The  campaign  of  1876  found  the  political  situation  changed  but  little 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


791 


from  what  it  had  been  two  years  before.  The  Democratic  State  Conven- 
tion to  appoint  delegates  to  the  National  Convention  met  at  Nashville  on 
May  31,  1876.  John  H.  Crozier,  of  Knoxville,  was  elected  chairman. 
Resolutions  were  adopted,  advocating  civil  service  reform,  the  repeal  of 
the  resumption  act  of  1875,  the  repeal  of  the  national  banking  system, 
and  opposition  to  a further  contraction  of  the  currency  and  to  a protec- 
tive tariff.  The  convention  also  expressed  a preference  for  Thomas  A. 
Hendricks  for  President. 

At  a convention  held  in  August,  presided  over  by  James  D.  Richard- 
son, of  Rutherford  County,  Gov.  Porter  was  unanimously  nominated  and 
William  B.  Bate  and  Isham  G.  Harris  were  chosen  electors  for  the  State 
at  large.  The  platform  adopted  outlined  the  same  financial  policy  as 
that  of  two  years  before.  As  the  nomination  of  Mr.  Harris  for  elector 
at  large  was  distasteful  to  many  members  of  the  party,  he  withdrew,  and 
E.  A.  James,  of  Hamilton  County,  was  substituted  in  his  place.  Soon 
after  the  Democratic  Convention  Dorsey  B.  Thomas  announced  himself 
as  an  Independent  candidate  for  governor,  stating  that  on  National  issues 
he  was  in  harmony  with  the  Democratic  party,  but  opposed  to  its  policy 
with  regard  to  the  State  debt.  While  opposing  repudiation,  he  favored  a 
decreased  taxation  until  the  people  should  become  better  able  to  bear  the 
burden  imposed  upon  them  by  the  debt. 

The  Republican  party  also  held  two  conventions,  the  first  on  May 
17,  to  appoint  delegates  to  the  National  Convention,  and  the  second  on 
the  24th  of  August,  to  nominate  electors  for  the  State  at  large,  H.  S. 
Eoote  and  A.  H.  Pettibone  being  the  nominees.  No  candidate  for  gov- 
ernor was  nominated.  The  platform  advocated  opposition  to  “ the  unjust 
tax  laws,”  and  to  the  convict-lease  system,  and  denounced  the  Democratic 
party  for  levying  a high  tax  and  then  failing  to  provide  for  the  payment 
of  the  interest  on  the  State  debt.  It  also  demanded  the  repeal  of  what 
was  known  as  the  “ dog  law,”  a law  passed  by  the  preceding  Legislature, 
levying  a tax  upon  dogs. 

During  the  campaign  two  other  candidates  for  governor,  Gen.  George 
Maney  and  W.  F.  Yardley,  a colored  lawyer  of  Knoxville,  announced 
themselves.  Both  advocated  the  principles  of  the  Republican  party.  On 
November  6,  just  before  the  election,  Gen.  Maney  withdrew,  and  the 
greater  part  of  his  support  was  transferred  to  Mr.  Thomas. 

The  election  again  resulted  in  a great  victory  for  the  Democratic  can- 
didates. Gov.  Porter  received  a majority  of  about  50,000  over  Mr. 
Thomas,  while  Maney  and  Yardley  received  about  10,000  and  2,000 
votes,  respectively.  The  State  Legislature  remained  nearly  Democratic. 

In  January,  1877,  two  United  States  Senators  were  elected,  one  to  sue- 


792 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


ceed  Henry  Cooper  and  the  other  to  fill  out  the  unexpired  term  of  An- 
drew Johnson.  To  the  long  term  Isliam  G.  Harris  was  elected  on  the  first 
ballot.  To  the  short  term  the  contest  lay  between  William  B.  Bate, 
James  E.  Bailey  and  D.  M.  Key,  who  then  occupied  the  seat  by  appoint- 
ment from  the  Governor.  On  the  seventy- third  ballot  Mr.  Bailey,  of 
Montgomery  County,  was  elected,  having  received  fifty-five  of  the  one 
hundred  votes  cast. 

During  this  session  of  the  General  Assembly  the  holders  of  a large 
part  of  the  State  bonds  offered  to  compromise  by  accepting  a settlement 
of  the  debt  on  a basis  of  60  cents  on  the  dollar.  The  Legislature,  how- 
ever, adjourned  without  taking  action  upon  the  proposition,  and  an  extra 
session  was  called  for  that  purpose,  to  begin  on  December  5,  1877.  The 
session  continued  nearly  a month,  but  no  settlement  was  effected. 

In  the  campaign  of  the  following  year  the  “State  debt”  question 
was  again  the  leading  issue,  and  threatened  to  break  up  the  existing  par- 
ties. The  Democratic  Convention  met  on  August  15,  1878,  and  contin- 
ued in  session  for  three  days.  Several  candidates  for  the  nomination  for 
governor  were  presented,  prominent  among  whom  were  John  M.  Flem- 
ing, of  Knoxville;  John  H.  Savage,  of  McMinnville;  A.  S.  Colyar,  of 
Nashville,  and  John  Y.  Wright,  of  Maury  County.  After  taking  twenty- 
one  ballots  without  a choice,  a compromise  candidate  in  the  person  of  A. 
S.  Marks,  of  Franklin  County,  was  presented,  and  on  the  next  ballot  he 
received  the  nomination.  Mr.  Marks  had  been  a life-long  Democrat,  was 
originally  opposed  to  secession,  served  in  the  Confederate  Army,  losing 
a leg  at  Murfreesboro,  and  at  the  time  of  his  nomination  was  chancellor 
of  his  district.  As  the  party  was  much  divided  upon  the  financial  policy, 
no  opinion  was  expressed  upon  the  subject,  but  it  was  proposed  to  sub- 
mit the  question  to  a popular  vote. 

The  Republican  Convention  assembled  at  Nashville  on  the  22d  of 
August.  Forty-nine  counties  were  represented,  and  H.  S.  Foote  was 
chosen  chairman.  The  committee  on  resolutions  reported  a platform 
embodying  much  the  same  principles  as  had  been  expressed  before.  It 
was  proposed  to  pay  “all  the  liabilities  of  the  State  according  to  the 
terms  of  the  obligation,  except  so  far  as  the  creditors  may  voluntarily 
concede  more  favorable  terms.”  Emerson  Etheridge  was  nominated  for 
governor,  but  declined  the  nomination,  and  three  weeks  later  the  execu- 
tive committee  substituted  E.  M.  Wight,  of  Chattanooga. 

The  first  convention  of  the  National  Greenback  party,  ever  held  in 
the  State,  assembled  at  Nashville  on  August  29-,  1878,  and  nominated  E. 
H.  East  for  governor  by  acclamation.  Only  twenty-one  counties  were 
represented.  An  attempt  to  organize  the  party  had  been  made  two  years 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


793 


"before,  but  the  movement  at  that  time  received  little  support.  Early  in 
the  canvass  Judge  East  withdrew,  and  was  succeeded  by  Lewis  B.  Till- 
man, Sr.,  of  Bedford  County.  About  ten  days  later  he  also  withdrew, 
and  Col.  R.  M.  Edwards,  of  Cleveland,  was  substituted.  . While  Mr.  Ed- 
wards received  a vote  of  over  15,000,  his  candidacy  did  not  materially 
affect  the  result  as  between  the  Democratic  and  Republican  candidates, 
and  Mr.  Marks,  with  a large  majority  of  the  Democratic  Legislative  can- 
didates, was  elected. 

In  accordance  with  the  pledges  made  during  the  campaign,  the  Eorty- 
first  General  Assembly  passed  an  act  for  the  settlement  of  the  State  debt 
on  the  basis  of  50  cents  on  the  dollar  and  four  per  cent  interest,  upon 
condition  of  its  ratification  by  the  people  at  an  election  to  be  held  in 
August,  1879.  The  proposition  was  thoroughly  discussed  by  able  speak- 
ers throughout  the  State,  but  it  failed  of  ratification.  The  causes  of 
the  failure  were  numerous.  The  creditors  had  not  signified  their  will- 
ingness to  abide  by  the  settlement  proposed  and  under  these  circum- 
stances, many  considered  that  to  ratify  it  would  be  an  attempt  to  force 
the  bond-holders  to  accept  their  terms  and  in  a sense  would  be  a partial 
repudiation;  others  contended  for  a still  greater  reduction  in  the  debt. 

Thus  at  the  opening  of  the  campaign  in  1880  the  settlement  of  the 
State  debt  still  remained  the  chief  issue  and  seriously  disturbed  the  har- 
mony of  the  Democratic  party.  The  two  factions  in  that  party  known 
as  “State  credit”  and  “low  tax”  had  become  more  determined,  and  it 
was  evident  that  the  question  could  be  no  longer  compromised.  Two 
conventions  were  held.  The  first,  which  met  on  the  8tli  of  June,  to 
appoint  delegates  to  the  National  Convention,  ignored  State  issues,  but 
the  Gubernatorial  convention,  which  assembled  at  Nashville  on  August 
10,  was  compelled  to  frame  a platform ; and  while  the  adoption  of  the  pol- 
icy of  either  faction  would  cause  a disruption  of  the  party,  it  was  felt 
that  to  assume  an  equivocal  or  uncertain  position  Avould  be  equally  fatal. 
The  committee  on  resolutions  presented  its  reports.  The  majority  re- 
port contained  the  following:  “We  recognize  the  disposition  on  the  part 
of  the  creditors  of  the  State,  in  view  of  the  great  losses  entailed  by  the 
war,  in  the  great  depression  of  business,  and  in  the  general  shrinkage  of 
values,  to  make  a liberal  reduction  in  both  the  principal  and  interest  of 
our  bonded  indebtedness,  and  we  declare  that  we  favor  a prompt  settle- 
ment by  the  Legislature  with  our  creditors  upon  the  best  terms  that  can  be 
agreed  upon  as  the  result  of  negotiation.”  The  first  minority  report 
presented  a resolution  similar  to  the  one  adopted  by  the  convention  in 
1878.  The  second  minority  report  favored  the  • adoption  of  apian  of 
settlement,  leaving  it  to  be  acted  upon  by  the  succeeding  Legislature, 


794 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


thus  giving  opportunity  for  the  people  indirectly  to  ratify  or  reject  it. 
After  some  discussion  the  majority  report  was  adopted.  Immediately 
about  150  delegates,  headed  by  D.  L.  Snodgrass,  withdrew  from  the  con- 
vention. The  proceedings  however  were  continued,  and  John  Y.  Wright, 
of  Maury  County,  was  nominated  for  governor.  The  seceeding  delegates 
met  the  following  day  and  nominated  S.  F.  Wilson,  of  Sumner  County. 
The  portion  of  the  platform  presented,  referring  to  the  State  debt, 
favored  the  repudiation  of  all  that  portion  of  the  alleged  indebtedness 
incurred  in  aid  of  railroads  and  all  the  bonds  issued  for  interest  accru- 
ing during  the  war.  It  was  also  declared  that  no  settlement  should  be 
made  that  had  not  first  been  submitted  to  the  people. 

The  Republican  Convention  was  held  on  the  5th  of  May.  Alvin 
Hawkins,  of  Carroll  County,  was  nominated  for  governor,  and  delegates 
were  appointed  to  the  Chicago  Convention.  The  resolutions  adopted  two 
years  before  were,  in  substance,  reaffirmed.  The  National  Greenback 
party  again  nominated  Col.  R.  M.  Edwards  for  governor. 

The  division  in  the  Democratic  party  resulted  in  the  election  of 
Hawkins  and  a large  number  of  Republican  members  of  the  Legislature, 
the  Senate  standing,  Republicans,  ten;  Democrats,  fifteen;  the  House, 
Republicans,  thirty-seven;  Democrats,  thirty-eight.  The  Hancock  and 
English  electors,  however,  were  elected  by  a considerable  majority,  as 
both  factions  of  the  party  supported  them. 

One  of  the  first  duties  of  the  Forty-second  General  Assembly,  after 
its  organization  in  January,  1881,  was  the  election  of  a United  States 
Senator,  to  succeed  James  E.  Bailey.  A number  of  nominations  were 
made,  but  during  the  early  part  of  the  contest  Senator  Bailey  and  Gen. 
William  B.  Bate  received  the  majority  of  the  Democratic  votes,  while tlie 
Republicans  supported  Horace  Maynard.  After  twenty-nine  ballots  bad 
been  taken,  without  an  election,  Howell  E.  Jackson,  of  Madison  County, 
was  nominated,  and,  receiving  the  support  of  a large  number  of  Repub- 
licans, was  elected  in  the  next  ballot  by  a vote  of  seventy-two  to  twenty- 
three  for  Maynard. 

The  Forty-second  General  Assembly  also  made  two  attempts  at  effect- 
ing a permanent  settlement  of  the  State’s  indebtedness.  On  April  6, 
1881,  what  was  known  as  the  “ 100-3  act  ” was  passed,  and  this  having 
been  declared  unconstitutional,  on  May  19,  1882,  during  an  extra  session, 
the  “60-6”  act  was  substituted.*  This  much  vexed  question,  however, 
like  the  ghost  of  Banquo,  would  not  down,  and  it  was  again  the  leading 
issue  in  the  campaign  of  1882.  The  Democratic  Convention  assembled 
on  the  21st  of  June.  The  schism  which  had  been  produced  in  the  party 


♦See  Chapter  XI. 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


795 


two  years  before  had  been  so  far  healed  as  to  permit  delegates  from  both 
factions  to  assemble  together,  and  there  was  a general  disposition  to  com- 
promise differences.  The  committee  on  resolutions  presented  two  reports- 
The  majority  report,  which  was  finally  adopted,  advocated  substantially 
the  same  plan  as  was  embodied  in  the  act  of  1883.  This  was  considered 
by  the  most  pronounced  “State  credit”  men  as  a victory  for  the  “low 
tax”  faction,  and  they  withdrew  from  the  convention.  Their  number 
was  small,  in  comparison  with  the  entire  convention,  and  the  proceedings 
were  continued  without  interruption,  Gen.  William  B.  Bate  receiving  the 
nomination  for  governor.  The  “ State  credit  ” or  “ sky  blue  ” faction, 
which  had  withdrawn,  among  whom  were  John  W.  Childress,  the  chair- 
man of  the  Democratic  Executive  Committee,  James  E.  Bailey,  Gen.  W. 
H.  Jackson,  and  several  other  prominent  members  of  the  party,  met  and 
decided  to  call  a convention,  to  meet  on  the  11th  of  July,  at  which  time 
Joseph  H.  Fussell  was  nominated  for  governor.  A platform  was  adopt- 
ed, which  contained  the  two  following  planks: 

Resolved,  That  we  re-affirm  the  Democratic  platform  of  1880  on  the  subject  of  the 
State  debt,  and  approve  the  60-3-4-5-6,  settlement,  passed  in  accordance  therewith. 

Resolved,  That  we  favor  the  establishment  of  a railroad  commission,  to  regulate 
freights  and  tariff  so  as  to  prevent  unjust  discrimination,  with  such  powers  as  shall  pro- 
tect the  rights  of  both  the  people  and  the  railroads. 

The  Republican  Convention  met  at  Nashville  on  April  27,  and  re-  . 
nominated  Gov.  Hawkins,  but  no  principles  which  had  not  been  advo- 
cated before  were  presented.  At  the  election  in  November,  Beasley 
received  less  than  10,000  votes,  and  Fussell  about  one-half  of  that  num- 
ber, while  Bate’s  majority  over  Hawkins  reached  30,000.  The  Forty- 
third  General  Assembly,  the  number  of  members  having  been  increased 
in  1881,  was  composed  as  follows:  The  Senate — -Republicans,  8;  Demo- 
crate  25;  House — Republicans,  26;  Democrats,  71;  Greenbackers,  2. 
This  General  Assembly,  while  it  adopted  a plan  of  settlement  definitively 
disposing  of  the  State  debt  question,  introduced  another  element  of 
discord.  The  railroad  commission,  which  was  demanded  by  the  “State 
credit  ” faction,  was  established,  and  for  various  reasons  proved  highly 
unpopular. 

The  campaign  of  1881  was  opened  by  the  Republican  Convention, 
which  was  held  on  April  17.  Delegates  were  appointed  to  the  National 
Convention,  and  Judge  Frank  T.  Ried,  of  Davidson  County,  was  unan- 
imously nominated  for  governor.  The  administration  of  the  Democratic 
party,  both  in  the  Nation  and  the  State,  was  denounced,  and  especially 
was  the  railroad  commission  condemned.  The  Democratic  Convention 
assembled  at  Nashville  on  the  18th  of  June,  and  nominated  Gov.  Bate 
for  re-election  by  acclamation.  The  railroad  commission  was  approved,. 


796 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


and  the  debt  settlement  was  declared  to  be  final.  A long  debate  on  the 
tariff  plank  took  place,  and  resulted  in  the  adoption  of  a resolution  to 
support  the  platform  of  the  National  Convention. 

On  May  22,  1884,  a prohibition  convention  was  held  in  Nashville, 
which  was  largely  attended  by  delegates  from  all  points  -of  the  State. 
Judge  Robert  Cantrell  was  chosen  chairman.  Resolutions  were  adopted 
favoring  a constitutional  amendment  prohibiting  the  sale  of  intoxicating 
liquors,  to  be  submitted  to  a vote  of  the  people.  The  nomination  of  a 
separate  ticket,  however,  was  discountenanced.  During  the  campaign 
the  railroad  commission  was  made  one  of  the  leading  issues,  and  did 
much  to  reduce  the  Democratic  majority,  especially  upon  the  State  ticket. 
The  majority  for  Gov.  Bate  reached  about  7,000,  while  that  of 
the  Cleveland  and  Hendricks  electors  was  about  9,000.  The  next 
General  Assembly  repealed  the  law  creating  the  railroad  commission. 
Gov.  Bate  refused  his  signature,  but  it  passed  over  his  veto.  At  the 
same  session  the  following  proposed  constitutional  amendment  to  be 
passed  upon  by  the  next  Legislature,  was  adopted: 

No  person  shall  manufacture  for  sale,  or  sell,  or  keep  for  sale  as  a beverage,  any  in- 
toxicating liquors  whatsoever,  including  ale,  wine  or  beer.  The  General  Assembly  shall 
by  law  prescribe  regulations  for  the  enforcement  of  the  prohibition  herein  contained,  and 
shall  thereby  provide  suitable  penalties  for  the  violation  of  the  provisions  thereof. 

The  Republican  Gubernatorial  Convention  of  1886,  met  at  Nashville 
on  the  16th  of  June,  and  nominated  Alfred  A.  Taylor,  for  governor.  A 
platform  was  adopted,  declaring  in  favor  of  National  aid  to  education  and  a 
protective  tariff,  and  condemning  the  existing  convict  lease-system.  The 
following  resolution  concerning  the  proposed  prohibitory  constitutional 
amendment  was  adopted: 

That  the  people  have  the  undoubted  right  to  alter,  amend,  or  abolish  their  constitu- 
tion or  form  of  government  none  will  dispute;  Therefore  be  it 

Resolved,  That  the  Republican  party  of  the  State  of  Tennessee  recognize  the  right  of 
the  people  to  have  the  submission  amendment  voted  upon  at  the  ballot  box. 

The  Democratic  Convention  was  held  on  the  11th  and  12th  of  August, 
and  resulted  in  the  nomination  of  Robert  L.  Taylor,  a brother  of  the  Re- 
publican nominee  for  governor.  The  platform  of  the  Democratic  Na- 
tional Convention  was  indorsed,  a National  debt  was  denounced  as  a 
National  curse,  and  it  was  declared  a crime  to  hoard  money  in  the  treas- 
ury raised  by  taxation  rather  than  pay  it  out  on  the  interest-bearing 
indebtedness  of  the  Government.  It  favored  “the  maintenance  and  im- 
, provement  of  our  system  of  public  schools  and  the  education  of  all  classes 
of  our  citizens;”  and  finally  advised  the  submission  to  a popular  vote  of 
the  proposed  constitutional  amendment  prohibiting  the  manufacture  and 
sale  of  intoxicating  liquors  as  a beverage  in  Tennessee. 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


797 


KNOX  COUNTY.* 

KNOX  COUNTY  is  situated  very  near  the  center  of  the  valley  of 
East  Tennessee.  Its  shape  is  very  irregular,  having  no  two  sides 
parallel.  Beginning  on  the  north  and  passing  around  it  to  the  right  it  is 
bounded  by  the  counties  of  Union,  Grainger,  Jefferson,  Sevier,  Blount, 
Loudon,  Roane  and  Anderson.  It  contains  an  area  of  about  576  square 
miles.  The  surface  of  the  greater  portion  of  the  county  consists  of  a 
series  of  parallel  ridges  and  valleys  extending  from  the  northeast  to  the 
southwest.  Along  the  northwest  boundary  runs  Flint  or  Chestnut  Ridge. 
It  receives  its  former  name  from  the  character  of  the  rock  forming  it, 
which  is  a kind  of  chert,  resembling  true  flint.  The  latter  name  is  derived 
from  the  chestnut  timber  which  abounds  there.  On  the  west  side,  in  a 
divide  of  the  ridge,  lies  a short  section  of  a narrow  valley  known  as  Rac- 
coon Yalley.  On  the  east  side  it  slopes  gradually  into  Bull  Run  Valley, 
which  receives  its  name  from  Bull  Run  Creek,  a tributary  of  the  Clinch 
which  flows  through  it.  On  the  east  side  of  this  valley  Copper  Ridge 
rises  somewhat  abruptly,  and  beyond  the  ridge  is  Beaver  Creek  Valley, 
which  is  one  of  the  richest  in  the  county,  and  was  one  of  the  earliest 
settled.  It  is  divided  through  the  middle  by  the  creek  whose  name  it 
bears.  Lying  between  Beaver  and  Black  Oak  Ridges  is  the  section  of  a 
valley  known  as  Hind’s  Valley,  the  lower  half  of  which  is  watered  by 
Hickory  Creek,  a tributary  of  the  Clinch.  The  soil  of  this  valley  is 
generally  light  and  thin,  but  is  well  adapted  to  grass,  and  is  capable  of 
improvement.  The  fertile  section  bounded  by  Black  Oak  and  Webb’s 
Ridges  is  known  as  Grassy  Valley.  It,  unlike  the  others,  does  not  slope 
gradually  from  northeast  to  southwest,  but  is  crossed  transversely  by 
small  ridges  and  depressions.  Black  Oak  Ridge  constitutes  the  water- 
shed between  the  waters  of  the  Tennessee  and  the  Clinch.  Poor  Valley 
lies  between  Webb’s  Ridge  and  McAnnally’s  Ridge.  As  its  name  indi- 
cates its  soil  is  poor,  consisting  of  the  washings  of  the  shale  and  dolo- 
mite, which  make  up  the  ridges.  The  largest  valley  in  the  county  is  the 
Central  or  Knoxville  Valley,  otherwise  known  as  Rocky  Valley  or  New 
Market  Valley,  which  consti bites  the  valley  of  the  Tennessee  River.  The 
soil  is  composed  of  the  shale,  chert,  limestone  and  dolomite,  which  have 
washed  down  from  the  surrounding  ridges  on  a clay  sub-soil,  the  whole 

♦Much  matter  connected  with  the  history  of  Knoxville  is  found  in  other  chapters  of  this  work,  and  to 
avoid  repetition  is  here  omitted.  The  facts  concerning  the  settlement  of  the  county  have  been  taken  from 
Ramsey,  Haywood  and  other  publications.  For  other  matters  the  writer  is  indebted  to  Dr.  Thomas  W. 
Humes,  Prof.  W.  G.  McAdoo,  Col.  J.  H.  Crozier  and  many  other  citizens  of  Knoxville. 

50 


798 


HISTOEY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


of  which  is  mixed  with  more  or  less  iron  which  gives  it  a reddish  color. 
This  constitutes  the  most  fertile  portion  of  the  county,  and  is  made  up 
of  excellent  farming  lands.  A part  of  the  county  southeast  of  the 
French  Broad  and  Tennessee  Rivers  constitutes  what  is  known  as  the 
Knobby  region,  in  which  the  parallelism  incident  to  the  other  sections  is 
broken  up.  It  consists  of  a vast  group  of  reel-topped  hills  of  remarkable 
uniformity  of  size  and  shape  rising  above  the  plane  of  the  valley  from 
200  to  400  feet,  and  separated  from  each  other  by  rough,  irregular 
ravines.  The  formation  is  described  by  State  Geologist  Salford  as  red 
ferruginous,  sandy,  fossiliferous,  limestone,  interstratified  with  calcareous 
strata  of  floggy  limestone.  The  soil  of  the  valleys,  which  are  very  nar- 
row, is  exceedingly  fertile,  and  produces  good  crops  of  corn,  oats  and 
wheat.  The  creeks  from  this  region  on  account  of  its  peculiar  configura- 
tion are  small.  They  are  Hind  and  Mill  Shoal  emptying  into  the 
French  Broad;  Baker,  Hodge  and  Knob,  tributaries  of  the  Tennessee, 
and  Stock  Creek  flowing  into  Little  River. 

The  Holston  River  enters  the  county  from  the  east  and  flows  in  a 
generally  southwest  course  to  a point  about  four  miles  above  Knoxville, 
where  it  unites  with  the  French  Broad  to  form  the  Tennessee.  The 
French  Broad  enters  the  county  at  a point  near  where  the  line  between 
the  counties  of  Sevier  and  Blount  intersects  the  Knox  County  line,  and 
continues  in  a nearly  due  west  course  until  its  junction  with  the  Holston. 
The  Tennessee,  from  its  origin  to  the  point  where  it  leaves  the  county, 
makes  several  curves  of  greater  or  less  size,  but  its  general  direction  is 
to  the  southwest.  This  portion  of  the  Tennessee  and  extending  to  King- 
ston, previous  to  1874,  was  known  as  the  Holston.  The  tributaries  of 
the  Holston  are  Big  Flat  Creek,  into  which  flows  Little  Flat  Creek,  Rose- 
bury  Creek  and  I)oak  Creek  on  the  right  bank,  and  Swan  Pond,  Tur- 
key and  Sinking  Creek  on  the  left  bank.  The  Tuckahoe  empties  into 
the  French  Broad  on  the  right  bank,  while  Love  Creek,  First  Creek, 
Second  Creek,  Third  Creek  and  Lyon  Creek  are  tributaries  of  the  Ten- 
nessee from  the  north. 

Probably  the  first  white  persons  to  set  foot  in  what  is  now  Knox  County 
■were  the  troops  under  Cols.  Evan  Shelby  and  John  Montgomery,  upon 
their  return  from  the  Chickamauga  expedition*  in  May,  1779,  and  it  was 
undoubtedly  the  bearity  of  the  scenery,  the  fertility  of  the  soil,  and  the 
many  other  natural  advantages  of  this  region,  which  they  now  saw  for  the 
first  time,  that  induced  many  of  them,  a few  years  later,  to  make  it  their 
home.  In  March  of  the  next  year,  the  heroic  Col.  Donelson  with  his 
party,  passed  down  the  Holston  River,  on  their  way  to  the  Cumberland 

*See  page  79. 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


799 


settlement.  On  the  second  day  of  the  month  they  passed  the  mouth  of 
French  Broad  River,  and  about  12  o’clock  of  that  day  one  of  the  boats  was 
sunk  upon  an  island  supposed  to  have  been  Dickinson’s  Island  about  two 
miles  above  Knoxville.  This  misfortune  delayed  the  entire  party  and 
they  camped  upon  the  bank  of  the  river  opposite  the  island  until  the  next 
morning  when  they  resumed  their  journey.*  A year  or  two  later  corn 
having  become  scarce  among  the  settlers  on  the  Nolachucky,  Jeremiah 
Jack  and  William  Rankin,  of  Gi'eene  County,  descended  the  river  in  a 
canoe  for  the  purpose  of  bartering  with  the  Indians  for  corn.  On  their 
return  they  landed  and  camped  one  night  on  the  north  bank  of  the  French 
Broad  about  a mile  above  its  mouth,  and  so  well  pleased  was  Mr.  Jack 
with  the  place,  that  upon  his  immigration  to  the  present  Knox  County  in 
1787,  he  selected  this  spot  as  his  future  residence. 

In  August,  1788,  James  White,  Robert  Love,  F.  A.  Ramsey  and  others 
for  the  purpose  of  locating  land  warrants,  explored  the  country  as  low  as 
the  confluence  of  the  Holston  and  Tennessee  Rivers.  They  crossed  the 
French  Broad  at  War  Ford,  and  continued  on  the  south  side  of  that  stream 
until  they  reached  the  mouth  of  Dumplin  Creek,  when  they  recrossed,  and 
explored  the  county  between  the  French  Broad  and  Holston.  They  then 
crossed  the  latter  stream  a few  miles  above  where  Knoxville  nowr  stands, 
and  continued  through  the  Grassy  Valley  to  the  mouth  of  the  Holston. 
It  was  upon  this  tour  that  Gen.  AVhite  and  Col.  Ramsey  saw  the  lands 
which  they  soon  after  entered  and  occupied. 

In  1785  the  Government  of  Franklin  formed  two  new  counties 
out  of  the  county  of  Greene,  known  as  Sevier  and  Caswell,  the  latter 
of  which  probably  contained  what  is  now  Knox  County.  Settlements 
were  made  in  that  year  on  both  sides  of  the  French  Broad  and  on 
the  Holston.  Adam  Meek  made  the  first  settlement  on  the  head  of  Beaver 
Creek  in  Quaker  Valley.  He  had  no  neighbor  to  the  west  of  him  and 
so  sparsely  settled  was  the  county  to  the  east  that  he  at  first  obtained  his 
meal  from  the  neighborhood  of  Greeneville.  He  was  a surveyor  from 
Mecklenburg  County,  N.  C.,  and  had  previously  explored  the  country 
and  made  surveys  on  the  frontier.  Like  most  other  pioneers  he  built  his 
first  cabin  of  round  poles  with  a covering  of  bark  and  grass.  During  the 
Indian  troubles  he  frequently  retired  at  evening  with  his  family  to  a 
deep  sink  three-quarters  of  a mile  from  his  cabin,  and  there  spent  the 
night.  Very  soon  after  settlements  were  made  at  the  head  of  Flat  Creek 
and  Bull  Run,  and  in  the  fork  between  the  Holston  and  French  Broad  a 
colony  was  formed  at  Greene’s,  afterward  Manifold’s  Station,  and  near  it 
located  James  Cosby,  James  Beard,  Bowman  and  Gibson.  At  the  same 


*See  page  129 


800 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


time  Col.  James  White  settled  on  the  north  bank  of  the  French  Broad, 
about  four  miles  above  its  mouth,  opposite  Cozby  and  Greene.  Capt. 
Thomas  Gillespie  located  three  miles  below  on  the  north  side  of  the 
river.  In  1787  Jeremiah  Jack  opened  the  second  plantation  above  the 
mouth  of  the  French  Broad.  During  the  same  year  Robert  Armstrong 
planted  corn  and  raised  a crop  on  the  Holston,  a little  above  the 
mouth  of  Swan  Pond  Creek,  on  which  he  settled  the  next  year.  At 
the  same  time  Devereaux  Gilliam  occupied  the  plantation  embracing  the 
point  between  the  French  Broad  and  Holston,  while  Archibald  Rhea,  Sr., 
settled  immediately  opposite,  on  the  south  bank  of  the  French  Broad. 
These  settlements  between  the  rivers  being  almost  isolated  were  less 
annoyed  by  the  Indians,  than  those  south  or  north  of  them.  On  on& 
occasion,  however,  a party  of  warriors  crossed  the  river  to  Capt.  Gillespie’s 
cabin,  ivhile  the  captain  was  away  from  home,  and  finding  Mrs.  Gillespie 
alone  entered  the  house.  One  of  them  then  taking  out  a scalping  knife 
was  at  the  point  of  scalping  an  infant  which  lay  in  the  cradle,  when  Airs. 
Gillespie  sprang  to  the  door,  and  looking  in  the  direction  of  the  clearing 
where  the  Captain  had  the  day  before  been  at  work  and  where  the  fires 
were  still  burning,  called  for  help.  The  Indians  thinking  that  the  men 
were  near  by  dashed  out  of  the  house  and  into  the  adjacent  canebrakes 
while  Mrs.  Gillespie  with  the  child  in  her  arms  tied  in  the  direction 
from  which,  she  knew  her  husband,  who  had  gone  to  Dumplin  Creek 
twelve  miles  away,  would  return.  After  proceeding  several  miles  she 
met  the  Captain  who  took  her  and  the  child  upon  the  horse,  and  carried 
them  back  to  Manifold’s  Station.  He  then  reinforced  himself  with  three 
men,  and  returned  in  haste  to  his  home.  The  savages  had  plundered  it 
of  its  contents,  and  while  some  were  carrying  off  the  spoils,  one  was 
busily  engaged  in  setting  fire  to  the  house.  He  was  fired  upon  by  the 
Captain,  who  had  outridden  his  companions,  but  being  partly  obscured 
by  the  smoke,  escaped.  The  property  however,  was  recaptured  and  the 
Indians  were  driven  across  the  river.  Thereafter  these  settlements  suf- 
fered but  little  from  Indian  aggressions  except  the  stealing  of  horses, 
which  frequently  occurred.  The  population  of  this  section  now  rapidly 
increased,  the  two  rivers  making  it  easy  of  access  by  boats  and  canoes. 
Among  those  who  came  were  James  Anderson,  Aloses  Brooks  and  George 
McNutt,  who  removed  from  the  Nolachucky  and  settled  on  the  north  j 
side  of  the  Holston  above  Knoxville.  The  year  before  James  White  had  ) 
removed  from  his  first  location  in  the  fork,  and  with  James  Conner,  an  old  1 
neighbor  from  Iredell  County,  N.  C.,  had  begun  a settlement  on  the 
present  site  of  Knoxville.  Their  cabin  stood  on  the  west  side  of  First 
Creek  about  one  hundred  rods  from  its  mouth.  It  afterward  constituted 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


801 


•one  corner  of  White’s  Fort,  which  consisted  of  a quadrangular  plat  of 
ground  containing  a quarter  of  an  acre,  on  each  corner  of  which  was  a 
strong  cabin.  Between  these  corners  stockades  were  placed  eight  feet  high, 
impenetrable  to  small  arms,  and  having  port  holes  at  convenient  height 
and  distance.  This  fort  became  a central  point  for  immigrants,  and  a 
rendezvous  for  rangers  and  scouts.  Attracted  by  the  beauty  and  health- 
fulness of  the  location,  immigrants  came  in  large  numbers. 

While  Col.  White  was  establishing  this  settlement,  John  Adair  built 
a station  five  miles  to  the  north,  and  by  an  act  of  the  Legislature  of  North 
Carolina  passed  in  December,  1789,  his  house  was  made  a depot  for  sup- 
plies for  the  use  of  the  Cumberland  Guards,  when  called  upon  to 
conduct  families  through  the  wilderness  to  the  Cumberland  settlements. 
At  the  same  time  Adair  was  appointed  commissary. 

The  country  now  began  to  be  reached  by  wagons.  Settlers  were  push- 
ing on  to  the  West,  and  in  quick  succession  Well’s,  Bennett’s,  Byrd’s, 
Hackett’s  and  Cavett’s  Stations  were  formed.  Campbell’s  Station  was 
settled  by  several  emigrants  from  Virginia,  prominent  among  whom 
was  Col.  David  Campbell.  The  settlements,  however,  were  subject  to 
frequent  interruptions  from  hostile  Indians,  both  Cherokees  and  Creeks, 
but  more  especially  the  latter,  and  even  those  who  located  in  the 
immediate  vicinity  of  Knoxville  were  not  altogether  exempt  from 
incursions  by  these  savage  tribes.  Numerous  treaties  of  peace  were 
made,  only  to  be  broken,  usually  by  the  Indians,  but  it  must  be  con- 
fessed, on  more  than  one  occasion,  by  irresponsible  whites.  During 
all  of  1788  the  Indians  were  troublesome  along  the  frontier,  and 
did  the  settlers  as  much  harm  as  they  could.  At  last  Gen.  Joseph 
Martin  was  compelled  to  raise  troops  for  their  protection.  He  had 
been  appointed  to  the  command  on  the  resignation  of  Col.  Evan 
Shelby,  in  1784.  He  collected  soldiers  from  all  the  four  counties  west 
of  the  Alleghanies,  and  some  were  sent  from  Virginia.  They  rendez- 
voused at  the  present  site  of  Knoxville,  and  then  crossed  the  Holston 
and  marched  by  the  way  of  the  Little  Tennessee  and  the  Hiwassee  to  the 
Chickamauga  town,  and  burned  every  house  there.  They  then,  after  in- 
flicting other  injuries  upon  the  Indians,  returned  to  their  homes.  Shortly 
afterward,  on  October  15,  a body  of  not  less  than  200  or  300  Indians, 
Cherokees  and  Creeks,  captured  Gillespie’s  Station,  on  Little  Biver,  with- 
in eight  or  ten  miles  of  Knoxville,  and  took  several  prisoners.  Gen. 
Sevier  immediately  started  in  pursuit,  overtook  them  and  recaptured  the 
prisoners.  He  also  succeeded  in  taking  several  Indians,  who  were  after- 
ward exchanged  for  wdiite  captives  that  had  been  carried  into  the 
Nation. 


802 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


During  the  next  two  years  the  Indians  directed  their  attention  to  the 
Cumberland  settlements,  and  although  occasional  depredations  were  com- 
mitted, the  pioneers  along  the  Holston  enjoyed  comparative  quiet. 

On  the  2d  of  July,  1791,  a treaty  of  peace  and  perpetual  friendship 
was  concluded  between  Gov.  Blount  and  the  Cherokee  chiefs,  who  met 
at  the  treaty  ground  on  the  present  site  of  Knoxville.*  But  notwith- 
standing this  treaty  the  hostility  of  the  Indians  was  very  distressing 
throughout  the  greater  part  of  1791  and  the  four  or  five  years  succeed- 
ing. On  the  10th  of  May,  1792,  as  two  sons  of  a Mr.  Wells,  in  Hind’s 
Valley,  within  twelve  miles  of  Knoxville,  were  picking  strawberries,  six 
Indians  came  up,  tomahawked  and  scalped  them  before  his  eyes,  but 
went  off  without  making  further  attempts  upon  the  family.  At  about 
the  same  time  several  warriors  came  to  Col.  Campbell’s  and  fired  upon  him 
and  another  man  who  was  plowing  at  his  side,  but  fortunately  neither  was 
injured.  During  this  year  the  settlers  on  the  more  exposed  parts  of  the 
frontier  were  compelled  to  seek  safety  at  the  forts,  and  except  in  cases  of 
necessity  did  not  venture  far  from  them.  On  the  12th  of  September, 
while  a Mr.  Gillespie  and  two  sons  were  at  their  home  after  some  corn, 
they  were  attacked  by  the  Indians.  Gillespie  and  the  elder  son  were 
killed  and  the  younger  son  taken  prisoner.  The  latter  was  held  by  the 
Indians  until  the  following  month,  when  he  was  ransomed  by  James 
Carey  for  250  pounds  of  leather  and  a horse.  During  the  latter  part  of 
this  year  the  lower  Cherokees  formally  declared  war  against  the  United 
States,  and  fearing  that  their  attack  might  be  directed  against  the  Hol- 
ston settlement,  the  militia  colonel  of  Knox  County  issued  orders  to  his 
captains  similar  to  the  following: 

Knoxville,  September  11,  1792. 

Sir:  You  are  hereby  commanded  to  repair  with  your  company  to  Knoxville,  equipped 
to  protect  the  frontier;  there  is  imminent  danger.  Bring  with  you  two  days’  provisions,  if 
possible;  but  you  are  not  to  delay  an  hour  on  that  head. 

I am,  sir,  yours,  James  White. 

Capt.  Thomas  Gillespie. 

The  militia  thus  summoned  paraded  at  various  points  designated,  and 
"were  distributed  to  the  more  exposed  stations.  It  was  soon  learned, 
however,  that  the  expedition  of  the  Indians  had  been  directed  against 
the  Cumberland  settlement,  and  Gov.  Blount  disbanded  most  of  the 
troops.  How  inadequately  the  frontiers  of  Knox  County  were  protected 
at  this  time  is  apparent  from  the.  following  list  of  the  stations  and  their 
strength  on  December  22,  1792:  Gamble’s  Station — William  Keagan, 
lieutenant,  men  thirteen  (on  furlough,  five;  at  station,  eight).  Black’s 
Station — Joel  Wallace,  ensign;  men,  four.  Henry’s  Station — George 


*See  page  93. 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


803 


Huff  acre,  corporal;  men,  six.  Well’s  Station — Richard  Dearmond,  cor- 
poral; men,  six.  Ish’s  Station — Matthew  Karr,  sergeant;  men,  eight. 
Campbell’s  Station— none.  Lowe’s  Station — none.  Manifee’s  Station 
— Captain  Samples;  men,  fourteen.  Raccoon  Yalley  Station — -Sergt. 
Finley  and  oue  man.  Total  at  stations,  forty-seven. 

With  this  small  force  it  is  little  to  be  wondered  at  that  the  Indian 
aggressions  continued.  On  the  12th  of  November,  1792,  a party  of  fif- 
teen Cherokees  attacked  the  home  of  Ebenezer  By  ram  in  Grassy  Valley, 
about  eight  miles  from  Knoxville,  in  which  were  only  two  men  with  their 
families.  The  Indians  had  surrounded  the  house,  before  they  were  dis- 
covered, and  forced  open  a window  and  pointed  their  guns  into  it ; but  by 
a well  directed  fire  from  the  two  men  two  of  the  savages  were  wounded 
and  the  remainder  put  to  flight.  On  the  22d  of  the  following  January 
the  Indians  killed  and  scalped  John  Pates  on  Crooked  Creek,  about  six- 
teen miles  from  Knoxville,  and  on  the  29th  they  stole  several  horses 
from  Gamble’s  Station.  These  continued  aggressions  created  great 
excitement,  and  the  local  militia  without  orders  assembled  for  the  pur- 
pose of  marching  to  the  nearest  Indian  towns  and  retaliating  upon  them. 
The  Governor,  however,  assisted  by  Col.  White  and  others  succeeded  in 
restraining  them  from  entering  the  Indian  territory,  and  quiet  was 
restored.  But  the  Indians  continued  their  depredations.  On  the  16th 
of  March  fourteen  horses  were  stolen  from  Flat  Creek  within  sixteen 
miles  of  Knoxville,  and  two  days  later  two  young  men  named  Clements, 
living  below  Knoxville,  were  killed  and  scalped.  On  May  25  Thomas 
Gillam  and  his  son  James  were  killed ‘and  scalped  by  the  Indians  in  the 
Raccoon  Yalley  aboiA  eighteen  miles  from  Knoxville.  Capt.  Beard 
with  fifty  mounted  infantry  started  immediately  in  pursuit,  and  on  the 
12th  of  June  came  upon  the  '^Hanging  Maw’s  family  and  other  Indians 
ordered  to  the  place  by  the  Government.  These  were  immediately 
attacked,  and  several  were  killed,  among  whom  were  two  or  three  chiefs 
and  the  Hanging  Maw’s  wife.  As  these  Indians  had  assembled  to  confer 
with  Maj.  King  and  other  agents  of  the  United  States,  this  attack  of 
Beard’s  was  an  atrocious  violation  of  the  faith  of  the  Government,  and  a 
general  war  with  the  Cherokees  was  thought  to  be  inevitable.  Another 
invasion  of  the  Indian  country  by  Col.  Doherty  and  Col.  McFarland 
occurred  later  in  the  season,  and  served  still  further  to  incite  the  savages 
to  murderous  attacks.  No  general  movement  of  the  Cherokees  in  the 
direction  of  the  Holston  was  made,  however,  until  September  of  this 
year.  On  Wednesday,  the  25th  of  that  month,  the  expected  incursion 
was  made  by  a large  body  of  Creeks  and  Cherokees  variously  estimated 


*A  Cherokee  chief. 


804 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


at  from  900  to  1,500,  including  100  horsemen,  under  the  leadership  of 
John  Watts  and  Double  Head.  They  crossed  the  Tennessee  below  the 
mouth  of  the  Holston,  and  marched  all  night  toward  Knoxville,  expect- 
ing to  reach  there  before  daylight  on  the  morning  of  the  25tli,  but  some 
detention  at  the  river  prevented.  A further  delay  was  occasioned  by 
Double  Head,  who  insisted  upon  taking  every  cabin  as  they  passed.  A 
dispute  also  arose  over  the  question  of  killing  all  of  the  inhabitants  of 
Knoxville  or  only  the  men,  and  before  the  plan  of  procedure  was  adjusted 
daylight  was  at  hand.  They  were  then  at  the  head  of  Sinking  Creek  in 
Grassy  Valley,  having  passed  Campbell’s  Station  in  which  twenty  fami- 
lies were  stationed,  and  which,  in  their  haste  to  reach  Knoxville,  they  had 
left  undisturbed.  In  sight  of  them  was  the  station  of  Alexander  Cavett, 
in  which  besides  himself  and  family  were  two  men,  in  all  thirteen  per- 
sons. Disappointed  in  their  hopes  of  plunder,  and  not  daring  to  risk  an 
attack  upon  Knoxville  in  daylight,  they  determined  to  wreak  their  ven- 
geance upon  this  defenseless  family.  They  accordingly  marched  to  the 
house  and  surrounded  it.  The  three  men  within  resolved  to  sell  their 
lives  as  dearly  as  possible,  and  opened  fire  upon  the  assailants,  killing 
one  Creek,  one  Cherokee,  and  wounding  three  more.  The  Indians  then 
offered  to  spare  their  lives  if  they  would  surrender,  and  to  immediately 
exchange  them  for  Indian  prisoners  amongst  the  whites.  These  terms 
they  accepted,  but  no  sooner  had  they  left  the  house  than  Double  Head 
and  his  party  fell  upon  them,  and  treacherously  put  them  to  death.  This 
station  was  only  eight  miles  from  Knoxville,  and  the  firing  was  heard  by 
the  people  of  that  place. 

The  action  taken  by  them  at  this  time  is  but  an  illustration  of  the 
heroic  character  of  the  early  pioneers  of  Tennessee.  The  following  account 
is  taken  from  the  semi-centennial  address  of  Rev.  Dr.  Thomas  W. 
Humes:  “At  that  time  Knoxville  could  muster  but  forty  fighting  men, 

but  these  forty  were  no  cravens  to  fly  at  the  approach  of  danger  even 
though  it  presented  itself  in  the  terrible  shape  in  which  it  then  men- 
anced  them.  Here  was  their  homes,  their  families,  their  all,  and  with  an 
alacrity  and  zeal  worthy  of  the  crisis  they  prepared  to  defend 
their  firesides.  A knowledge  of  Indian  cunning  induced  them  to  conclude 
that  the  approach  of  the  savages  to  the  town  would  not  be  made  by  the 
main  western  road  but  in  a more  northern  and  circuitous  direction,  and 
they  determined  to  meet  them  on  the  ridge  over  which  the  road  now  passes 
to  Clinton  about  one  mile  and  a half  from  town,  and  then,  by  a skillful 
arrangement  of  their  little  company,  check  their  march,  and  if  possible 
alarm  and  intimidate  them.  Leaving  the  oldest  two  of  their  number 
(John  McFarland  and  Robert  Williams)  to  mold  bullets  in  the  block- 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


805 


house  which  stood  on  the  spot  now  (1842)  occupied  by  the  Mansion 
House,  and  which  contained  300  guns  belonging  to  the  United 
States,  the  other  thirty-eight  proceeded,  under  the  command  o£  Col. 
James  White,  to  station  themselves  on  the  south  side  of  the  ridge  we 
have  mentioned  with  an  interval  of  twenty  feet  between  the  men. 
Orders  were  given  to  reserve  their  fire  until  the  Indians  were  brought 
within  range  of  every  gun  when  at  a given  signal,  they  wrere  to  pour  in 
upon  them  a well  directed  volley,  and  before  the  savages  could  recover 
from  their  surprise  secure  their  own  retreat  to  the  block-house,  and  there 
with  their  waves,  mothers,  and  children  around  them  sell  their  lives  at  a 
fearful  price  or  scatter  from  the  port-holes  a shower  of  leaden  hail  among 
the  besiegers  that  would  drive  them  from  their  banquet  of  blood.  Hap- 
pily neither  of  these  contingences  awaited  them.” 

After  burning  Cavett’s  Station  the  Indians  returned  southward,  and 
within  a few  days  Gen.  Seveir  with  600  or  700  men  started  in  pur- 
suit.* They  marched  into  the  Indian  country,  burned  several  towns, 
and  administered  a decisive  blow  to  the  savage  inhabitants. 

While  this  campaign  had  the  effect  to  render  the  Indians  more 
cautious  it  did  not  put  a stop  to  their  marrauding  expeditions.  On  the 
23d  of  the  following  December,  while  two  men,  Roger  Oats  and  Nicholas 
Ball,  were  bringing  in  a load  of  corn  to  Well’s  Station  for  the  support  of 
its  inmates,  they  were  attacked  and  killed  by  the  Indians  and  their 
horses  taken  away. 

On  the  evening  of  the  24tli  of  April,  1794,  Dr  James  Cozby,  who, 
as  has  been  stated,  lived  south  of  the  French  Broad  about  eight  miles 
from  Knoxville,  observed,  in  the  gathering  darkness,  a party  of  twenty 
Indians  stealthily  approaching  his  house.  He  was  an  old  Indian  fighter, 
and  at  once  prepared  to  defend  himself  and  family,  consisting  of  his 
wife,  and  several  children  only  one  of  whom  could  shoot,  from  the 
port  holes  in  the  house.  A constant  watch  was  kept,  and  as  there  was  a 
cleared  space  about  the  house,  any  near  approach  of  a savage  could  be 
seen.  Cozby,  in  a loud  voice,  gave  several  commands  as  if  addressing  a 
body  of  soldiers.  The  Indians  thus  deceived  hesitated  to  make  the 
attack,  and  after  lingering  in  the  vicinity  until  near  daybreak  withdrew. 
In  the  morning  it  was  found  that  they  had  gone  to  the  house  of 
William  Casteel,  two  miles  away,  and  murdered  the  entire  family,  except 
one  daughter  whom  they  had  left  for  dead,  but  who  afterward  recovered. 

After  this  atrocious  murder  it  was  with  the  greatest  difficulty  that 
Gov.  Blount  restrained  the  inhabitants  south  of  the  French  Broad  from 
an  immediate  invasion  of  the  Indian  territory.  In  this  he  was  assisted 


* See  page  95. 


806 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


by  the  civil  officers  of  Knox  County,  who  met  in  committee  on  the  20th 
of  June  at  the  house  of  James  Beard,  and  prepared  an  address  to  the 
people  advising  them  to  acquiesce  in  the  design  of  the  Government  to 
obtain  peace  by  negotiation  rather  than  by  arms. 

One  of  the  last  murders  committed  by  the  Indians  in  Knox  County 
was  that  of  George  Mann,  living  twelve  miles  above  Knoxville,  which 
occurred  on  the  night  of  the  25th  of  May,  1795.  Hearing  some  noise 
about  his  stable  he  left  the  house  to  discover  its  cause,  and  upon  his  re- 
turn was  intercepted  by  the  Indians  who  fired  upon  him,  dangerously 
wounding  him.  He  fled  to  a cave  a short  distance  away,  but  was  pur- 
sued, dragged  from  his  hiding  place  and  slain.  His  wife,  hearing  the 
Indians  in  pursuit  of  her  husband,  locked  the  door  and  sat  in  silent  ex- 
pectation of  their  return.  She  did  not  have  long  to  wait,  however. 
Hearing  their  approaching  footsteps  she  seized  a rifle,  which  she  had 
learned  to  use,  and  leveled  it  at  the  door.  The  savages  approached  in 
single  file,  and  the  foremost  pushed  the  door  partly  open.  Instantly  she 
pulled  the  trigger,  and  two  Indians,  wounded  by  the  single  shot,  fell  to 
the  ground.  The  others,  gathering  them  up,  fled,  and  she  and  her  chil- 
dren were  safe.  On  only  one  occasion  after  this  were  the  inhabitants 
aroused  by  an  Indian  alarm.  On  July  27,  1795,  it  was  learned  that  a 
party  of  Creeks  to  the  number  of  about  a thousand  were  marching 
through  the  Cherokee  country  toward  the  Holston  settlements.  Gen. 
White  was  ordered  out  with  one-half  of  the  Knox  County  militia  to 
oppose  them,  Avhile  the  Cherokee  women  and  children  were  removed  to  the 
north  side  of  the  Tennessee.  The  Creeks,  however,  advanced  only  to 
Will’s  Town,  from  which  point  they  were  turned  back,  and  from  that 
time  the  Holston  settlements  were  undisturbed  by  Indian  hostilities. 

About  two  years  later  two  white  men,  Micajah  and  Wiley  Harp  came 
to  Knox  County,  and  during  their  short  residence  there  proved  them- 
selves as  barbarous  as  their  red-skinned  brethren.  They  settled  on 
Beaver  Creek  where  they  made  a crop  in  1797,  and  during  that  season 
furnished  the  butcher  in  Knoxville,  John  Miller,  with  hogs,  sheep  and  cat- 
tle which  they  stole  from  their  neighbors.  Finally  they  took  several  fine 
horses  from  Edward  Tiel,  who  lived  about  one  mile  northeast  of  Knox- 
ville. With  some  of  his  neighbors  he  started  in  pursuit,  and  captured 
them  in  the  Cumberland  Mountains,  but  while  bringing  them  home  they 
were  allowed  to  escape,  and  afterward  they  committed  several  murders. 
The  first  was  that  of  a youth  named  Coffin,  whom  they  killed  on  Copper 
Kidge  while  on  his  way  to  mill.  They  murdered  one  Ballard,  mistaking 
him  for  Hugh  Dunlap,  who  had  at  one  time  attempted  to  arrest  them. 
They  also  killed  a man  by  the  name  of  Bradbury.  After  about  a year 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


807 


they  removed  west  of  the  Cumberland  Mountains,  where  they  became  a 
terror  to  the  inhabitants. 

Meanwhile  the  immigration  to  East  Tennessee  had  continued.  In 
July,  1795,  a census  of  the  territory  was  taken  at  which  time  Knox  County, 
which  then  included  an  area  several  times  as  great  as  at  present,  had  a 
population  of  11,573,  of  whom  2,365  were  slaves.  During  the  same 
month  occurred  two  events  of  importance  in  the  county:  the  opening  of 
a wagon  road  from  Knoxville  to  Nashville,  and  the  arrival  in  Knoxville 
of  Uvo  wagons  from  South  Carolina  by  the  way  of  Warm  Springs. 

Up  to  this  time  no  regular  postoffices  had  been  established.  In  the 
Knoxville  Gazette  of  October,  1792,  John  Chisolm  advertised  that  he 
would  establish  a post  route  from  Knoxville  to  Greene  Court  House,  thence 
to  Jonesboro,  and  to  Abingdon,  Ya.,  returning  by  the  way  of  Sullivan 
Court  House  and  Hawkins  Court  House,  to  Knoxville,  once  in  every 
twenty-one  days,  provided  that  $250  were  subscribed  for  that  purpose. 
During  the  year  1795  a bi-monthly  mail  to  Knoxville  was  established 
under  provision  of  the  postoffice  department,  and  George  Roulstone  was 
appointed  postmaster.  To  this  office  was  sent  all  the  mail  for  much  of  the 
country  to  the  east  and  all  of  the  country  west  of  Knoxville.  In  a list  of 
letters  published  as  remaining  on  hand  at  this  office  January  1,  1797, 
are  letters  directed  to  Nolachucky,  to  Buncombe,  to  Jonesboro,  to  Blount 
County,  to  Jefferson  County,  to  Powell’s  Valley,  to  Nashville,  to  Sum- 
ner County,  to  Palmyra,  to  Bledsoe’s  Lick  and  other  points  equally  re- 
mote. 

In  1797  the  rivers  began  to  be  used  as  channels  of  commerce,  mainly 
for  the  shipment  of  produce.  On  February  27  of  that  year  two  boats 
carrying  five  tons  each,  from  the  South  Fork  of  the  Holston  in  Virginia, 
reached  Knoxville.  They  were  loaded  with  flour  and  whisky,  and  had 
traveled  a distance  of  about  300  miles. 

In  1826  the  first  steamboat  arrived.  It  was  known  as  the  “Atlas'”  and 
was  under  the  command  of  Capt.  Conner,  to  whom  was  extended  an  enthu- 
siastic reception  by  the  citizens  of  the  town.  It  afterward  proceeded  as 
far  as  the  fork  of  the  French  Broad  and  Holston,  where  another  ovation 
was  tendered  by  Dr.  J.  G.  M.  Bamsey,  and  his  neighbors.  A company 
was  immediately  formed  for  the  purchase  of  a steamboat  to  ply  upon  the 
river,  and  W.  B.  A.  Ramsey  was  dispatched  to  Cincinnati  to  contract  for 
the  building  of  a small  boat,  which  arrived  a few  months  later  and  was 
christened  the  “ Knoxville.”  This  boat  remained  upon  the  Tennessee 
until  1838,  when,  under  the  name  of  the  “ Indian  Chief,”  it  was  used 
in  the  transfer  of  the  Cherokees  west  of  the  Mississippi. 

Upon  the  reception  of  the  “Atlas”  at  Mecklenburg,  Dr.  Ramsey  de- 


■808 


HISTOKY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


livered  an  address,  in  which  he  pointed  out  the  fact  that  New  Orleans 
was  too  far  away  to  become  a profitable  market  for  East  Tennessee,  and 
advocated  the  construction  of  a great  macadamized  road  to  Charleston,  S. 
C.  In  1828  he  went  to  Charleston  to  spend  the  winter,  and  while  there 
succeeded  in  interesting  several  prominent  men  in  the  project.  At  about 
this  time  the  opening,  and  successful  operation  of  the  Baltimore  & Ohio 
Railroad  attracted  the  attention  of  the  public  to  that  method  of  transpor- 
tation, and  the  question  of  building  a railroad  through  East  Tennessee 
connecting  Charleston  with  the  northwest,  began  to  be  discussed.  It 
finally  resulted  in  the  holding  of  a great  commercial  convention,  or  rather 
railroad  convention  in  Knoxville,  July  4,  1836,  at  which  time  plans 
were  perfected  for  the  building  of  a road  from  Cincinnati  to  Charleston 
by  the  way  of  Cumberland  Gap.  Before  anything  of  importance  had  been 
accomplished,  however,  the  financial  panic  of  1837  put  an  end  to  the  work, 
and  it  was  never  resumed.  A portion  of  the  delegates  to  the  convention, 
not  satisfied  with  its  action,  withdrew  and  formed  an  organization  for 
the  building  of  a road  to  Charleston  by  another  route.*  This  finally 
resulted  in  the  completion  of  the  East  Tennessee  & Georgia  Road  in 
1856.  In  1852  the  East  Tennessee  & Virginia  Road  was  chartered,  and 
completed  six  years  later.  At  about  the  same  time  the  Knoxville  & 
Kentucky,  and  the  Knoxville  & Charleston  Railroads  were  chartered, 
and  in  January  1853  the  county  court  ordered  an  election  to  vote 
upon  the  proposition  to  subscribe  $100,000  to  each  of  these  roads. 
The  measure  carried,  and  six  per  cent  bonds  were  ordered  to  be  issued. 
The  work  of  construction  progressed  very  slowly,  and  at  the  beginning 
of  the  war  only  a few  miles  of  road  had  been  completed. 

On  June  11,  1792,  Gov.  Blount  issued  an  ordinance  defining  the  lim- 
its of  the  counties  of  Greene  and  Hawkins  and  laying  off  two  new  coun- 
ties, Knox  and  Jefferson.  At  the  same  time  he  appointed  Charles  Mc- 
Clung,  James  Mabry,  Alexander  Outlaw  and  Joseph  Hamilton  to  survey 
and  mark  the  dividing  line  bedween  these  counties.  Courts  of  pleas  and 
quarter  sessions  were  ordered  to  be  held  in  Knox  County  at  Knoxville, 
and  in  Jefferson  County  at  the  house  of  Jeremiah  Matthews.  Five  days 
later,  the  Governor  commissioned  the  following  justices  of  the  peace  for 
Knox  County:  James  White,  John  Sawyers,  Hugh  Beard,  John  Adair, 
George  McNutt,  Jeremiah  Jack,  John  Kearns,  James  Cozby,  John  Evans, 
Samuel  Newell,  William  Wallace,  Thomas  McCulloch,  William  Hamilton, 
David  Craig  and  William  Lowry,  all  of  whom  appeared  before  Judge 
David  Campbell  and  took  an  oath  to  support  the  Constitution  of  the 
United  States,  and  also  an  oath  of  office.  In  a like  manner,  on  the  25th 


•See  page  342. 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


809 


of  June,  Robert  Houston  was  commissioned  by  the  Governor  and  quali- 
fied as  sheriff,  and  was  ordered  to  make  proclamation  for  the  opening  of 
a county  court  at  the  house  of  John  Stone  in  the  town  of  Knoxville. 
Charles  McClung  had  already  received  his  commission  as  clerk  of  the 
court,  and  on  Monday,  the  16th  of  July,  1792,  the  first  court  was  held  by~ 
James  White,  Samuel  Newell,  David  Craig  and  Jeremiah  Jack,  James 
White  being  elected  chairman.  But  little  business  was  transacted  at  this 
term.  Robert  Houston  gave  bond  for  the  performance  of  his  official 
duties  in  the  sum  of  $12,500,  with  John  Chisolm,  James  White,  Jere- 
miah Jack,  James  Cozby  and  Robert  Armstrong  as  his  sureties.  Will- 
iam Meeks,  James  Anderson,  Benjamin  Pride,  James  Neely,  John  Liddy, 
Joseph  Hart,  George  Caldwell,  William  Gray  and  James  Blair  produced 
commissions  as  constables,  and  Luke  Bowyers,  Alexander  Outlaw,  Joseph 
Hamilton,  Archibald  Roane,  Hopkins  Lacy,  John  Rhea  and  James  Reese 
qualified,  and  were  admitted  to  practice  law.  William  Henry  was  given 
permission  to  build  a mill  on  Rosebury’s  Creek,  and  Alexander  Cunning- 
ham obtained  leave  to  keep  a public  ferry  at  his  landing  opposite  Knox- 
ville. Roads  were  ordered  to  be  laid  out  from  Knoxville  to  Col.  Alexan- 
der Kelley’s  mill  to  David  Craig’s  on  Nine  Mile  Creek,  to  the  ford  on 
the  Clinch  River,  and  to  Campbell’s  Station.  Stone’s  house  at  whicli 
this  court  was  held  stood  on  the  southwest  corner  of  Gay  and  Cumber- 
land Streets.  At  about  this  time,  temporary  buildings  for  a courthouse 
and  a jail  were  erected.  The  former  stood  on  the  south  side  of  Main 
Street,  a little  east  of  Gay.  Soon  after  its  erection  it  was  set  fire  to  by  a 
lawyer,  it  is  said,  and  was  entirely  destroyed.  The  jail  proved  less  sat- 
isfactory than  the  courthouse,  for  at  the  second  term  of  the  court,  the 
sheriff  appeared  and  protested  against  it,  and  on  January  26,  1793  com- 
missioners were  appointed  to  contract  for  the  building  of  a new  jail, 
which  was  to  be  sixteen  feet  square;  the  logs  to  be  one  foot  square;  the 
lower  floor  to  be  laid  of  logs  of  that  size  laid  double  and  crosswise;  the 
loft  to  be  laid  also  of  logs  covered  crosswise  .vith  oak  plank  one  and  a 
half  inches  thick,  and  well  spiked  down.  This  building  was  erected  at 
the  corner  of  Gay  and  Main  Streets,  on  the  lot  afterward  occupied  by  the 
Bank  of  East  Tennessee.  It  is  said  that  it  proved  to  its  builder  as  did 
the  gallows  prepared  for  Mordecai,  to  Hainan,  he  being  its  first  occupant. 
After  the  burning  of  the  courthouse,  a new  one  was  not  erected  for  sev- 
eral years,  but  instead  a building  was  rented  from  Col.  James  White  for 
that  purpose,  for  which  he  received  $30  yearly. 

At  the  January  term,  1793,  the  county  court  fixed  the  rates  of  taxa- 
tion for  that  year  at  10  cents  on  each  100  acres  of  land,  and  16§  cents 
on  each  poll,  and  a justice  was  appointed  for  each  captain’s  company,  ta 


810 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


take  a list  of  the  taxables  and  taxable  property.  At  the  same  time  the 
following  ordinary  rates  were  fixed:  Diet,  16  cents;  corn  per  gallon,  10 
cents;  oats,  same;  fodder  per  bundle,  3 cents;  whisky  per  one  half-pint 
8 cents;  brandy  per  one-half  pint,  12  cents;  rum,  16  cents;  wine,  16 
cents;  beer  per  quart,  8 cents;  cider,  the  same;  lodging  per  night,  6 
cents,  and  pasturage  per  day,  8 cents. 

On  April  25,  1796,  was  begun  the  first  county  court,  held  under  the 
State  constitution,  at  which  time  the  following  justices  of  the  peace, 
commissioned  by  Gov.  Sevier,  were  present:  James  White,  Joseph 
Greer,  John  McClellan,  John  Adair,  George  McNutt,  John  Hackett, 
David  Campbell,  John  Manifee,  Nicholas  Gibbs,  John  Sawyers,  Samuel 
Doak,  James  Cozby,  Samuel  Flanniken,  Jeremiah,  Jack  and  William 
Doak.  All  the  county  officers  tendered  their  resignations,  which  were 
accepted,  but  they  were  immediately  re-appointed  by  the  court,  ami  quali- 
fied under  the  new  constitution. 

On  the  4th  of  February,  1797,  Charles  McClung,  Francis  A.  Ram- 
sey, John  McClellan,  John  Adair  and  James  Cozby,  were  appointed 
commissioners  for  the  purpose  of  fixing  on  a site  and  contracting  for  the 
building  of  a courthouse.  A lot  fronting  on  Main  Street,  and  extending 
from  Gay  to  Prince,  was  donated  as  a site  by  Col.  James  White,  and  a 
building  30x40  feet,  and  two  stories  high,  was  erected.  It  was  built  of 
rough  fragments  of  rock  cemented  with  mortar,  and  did  not  present  a very 
handsome  exterior.  Its  aggregate  cost  was  $>5,803.19  and  to  meet  this  ex- 
penditure one-half  of  the  county  revenue  from  1797  to  1807  was  appropri- 
ated to  that  purpose.  In  1812,  by  an  act  of  the  Legislature,  the  county  court 
was  given  permission  to  sell  a portion  of  the  courthouse  lot  to  the  Bank  of 
Tennessee,  and  accordingly  a lot  fronting  on  Main  Street,  and  extending  sev- 
enty feet  from  the  corner  of  Gay  was  sold  for  $5.  In  November,  1801,  the 
General  Assembly  passed  an  act  authorizing  Knox  County  to  levy  a special 
tax,  not  exceeding  124  cents  on  each  100  acres  of  land,  for  the  purpose  of 
building  a prison  and  stocks,  and  Charles  McClung,  Robert  Houston 
and  Joseph  Greer  were  appointed  commissioners  to  let  the  contract. 
This  jail  was  completed  about  1807,  at  a cost  of  $4,569.56,  and  stood 
near  the  site  of  the  one  it  superseded,  at  the  corner  of  Gay  and  Main 
Streets.  In  July,  1818,  Robert  Craighead  was  appointed  to  sell  this  jail 
and  lot,  and  to  ascertain  for  what  sum  a suitable  lot  could  be  obtained. 
No  further  action  was  taken,  however,  until  two  years  later,  when  a new 
brick  jail  was  erected  near  the  southeast  corner  of  the  square  bounded 
by  Main,  Walnut,  Hill  and  Locust  Streets.  This  building  was  used  for 
many  years. 

In  1836  the  new  State  constitution  went  into  effect,  and  several 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


811 


changes  in  the  management  of  county  affairs  took  place.  Heretofore 
the  countv  officers  had  been  elected  by  the  county  court,  now  all  but 
two  or  three  were  to  be  chosen  by  the  people.  The  first  officers  thus 
elected  were  Moses  M.  Swan,  clerk  of  the  county  court;  George  M. 
White,  clerk  of  the  circuit  court;  Samuel  Love,  trustee;  William  Dun- 
lap, sheriff,  and  William  R.  Bowen,  register.  Prior  to  this  time  too,  the 
county  had  been  divided  for  local  government  and  civil  affairs,  according 
to  the  militia  companies,  designated  by  the  names  of  the  captains.  It 
was  now  divided  into  seventeen  civil  districts,  and  so  continued  until 
1851,  when  the  Eighteenth  District  was  formed  from  portions  of  Districts 
Nos.  3 and  4,  and  the  Nineteenth,  from  fractions  of  Districts  Nos.  8 and 
9.  In  1857  a new  district,  No.  5,  was  formed  from  fractions  of  the  4th 
6th,  and  7th,  the  greater  part  of  original  Fifth  District  having  been 
cut'  off  at  the  formation  of  Union  County.  These  were  the  divisions  of 
the  county  prior  to  the  civil  war. 

In  January,  1839,  six  commissioners,  George  M.  White,  William 
Baker,  David  Campbell,  D.  P.  Armstrong,  James  Park  and  William  S. 
Kennedy,  were  appointed  to  decide  whether  the  old  courthouse  should 
be  repaired,  or  a new  one  should  be  built.  At  the  following  April  term 
they  reported  unanimously  in  favor  of  the  last  proposition,  and  the 
last  three  named  commissioners  were  authorized  to  contract  for  and  to 
superintend  the  construction  of  the  new  building.  At  the  same  time 
an  appropriation  of  810,000,  in  payments  of  not  less  than  $2,000,  was 
made  to  defray  the  expenses.  The  contract  was  let  for  $9,570,  and  by 
December,  1842,  the  building  was  tendered  to  the  commissioners  who 
refused  to  receive  it  on  the  grounds  that  it  was  not  completed  according 
to  agreement.  The  matter  was  then  referred  to  a board  of  arbitrators 
composed  of  James  H.  Cowan,  Thomas  Rodgers  and  G.  M.  Hazen,  who 
sustained  the  commissioners,  and  a small  reduction  was  made  in  the  con- 
tract price. 

In  1839  provision  was  also  made  for  the  purchase  of  a poor  farm, 
and  John  Mynatt,  Thomas  D.  Hall,  and  Lewis  Lutterell  were  appointed 
to  locate  it.  Accordingly  a tract  of  188  acres  was  purchased  from 
Robert  and  James  McCampbell  for  $950,  and  buildings  were  erected  for 
the  reception  of  paupers.  Previous  to  that  time  these  unfortunate 
persons  had  been  farmed  out  to  the  lowest  bidder,  and,  as  was  to  have 
been  expected,  they  often  suffered  cruel  treatment  at  the  hands  of  those 
to  whom  they  were  assigned.  The  management  of  the  farm  has  re- 
mained substantially  the  same  since  its  establishment.  It  is  under  the 
immediate  direction  of  a superintendent,  who  is  controlled  by  a com- 
mittee from  the  county  court.  The  average  number  of  inmates  is  seventy. 


812 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


and  the  total  cost  to  the  county  is  about  $3,000  annually.  In  1875  a 
workhouse  was  established  to  which  are  sentenced  persons  convicted  of 
misdemeanor,  and  those  who  are  unable  to  pay  their  lines.  These  con- 
victs are  employed  in  building  pikes,  and  since  the  work  began  about 
twenty-five  miles  have  been  completed.  The  annual  cost  to  the  county 
is  about  $10,000. 

In  October  1856  it  was  determined  to  build  a new  jail,  and  $10,000 
was  appropriated  for  that  purpose  to  be  expended  under  the  direction  of 
Ebenezer  Alexander,  0.  W.  Jones  and  William  Craig.  This  building  was 
completed  the  following  year  upon  the  site  of  the  old  jail.  It  became  so 
badly  damaged  during  the  war,  that  a new  one  again  became  necessary, 
and  in  July  1866  David  F.  Dearmond,  M.  D.  Bearden,  and  Charles  Mor- 
row were  appointed  to  contract  for  it.  Accordingly  a new  lot  was  pur- 
chased from  William  K.  Eckles  at  a cost  of  $1,000,  and  the  contract  let 
for  the  new  building  for  $18,000.  This  is  the  sixth  and  last  jail  erected 
by  the  county. 

Previous  to  1872,  except  a short  time  during  and  after  the  war,  when 
a temporary  bridge  was  used,  the  Tennessee  River,  then  the  Holston, 
was  crossed  at  Knoxville  by  means  of  a ferry.  In  that  year  W.  A.  A.  Con- 
ner John  L.  Moses,  Alfred  Caldwell,  John  Tunnell,  Julius  Ochs  and  M. 
Nelson  were  appointed  to  contract  for  the  building  of  a bridge,  and 
$75,000  was  appropriated  for  that  purpose.  This  was  afterward  increased 
until  the  aggregate  appropriations  amounted  to  $160,000  for  which 
eight  per  cent  bonds  were  issued.  The  bridge  was  completed  in  1871, 
the  entire  cost  being  $163,653.  65.  This  structure,  however,  was  doomed 
to  syidden  destruction.  On  May  1,  1875  during  a violent  wind  storm,  it 
was  blown  down  and  entirely  destroyed.  In  1879  a contract  was  entered 
into  between  George  W.  Saulpaw,  by  the  terms  of  wliich  he  Avas  given 
the  use  of  the  old  piers  so  long  as  he  shoAild  keep  open  a bridge  upon 
them.  He  at  once  began  the  erection  of  a bridge,  which  was  opened 
March  2,  1880.  Soon  after  S.  B.  Luttrell  purchased  a one-half  interest 
in  it,  and  the  following  year  became  the  sole  proprietor. 

As  soon  as  the  county  had  somewhat  recovered  from  the  effects  of  the 
war  the  subject  of  building  a new  courthouse  began  to  be  agitated,  but 
prior  to  1883  all  propositions  to  appoint  commissioners  for  that  purpose 
were  voted  down  by  the  county  court.  In  that  year,  however,  W.  S. 
Smith,  Robert  Hardin,  J.  W.  Fowler,  B.  J.  Hartley.  M.  D.  Sullivan  and 
J.  T.  Doyle  Avere  appointed  to  ascertain  at  what  cost  the  Franklin  House 
Square  (the  square  bounded  by  Main,  Prince,  Hill  and  Gay  streets) 
could  be  obtained  as  a site  for  the  proposed  new  courthouse.  They  re- 
ported the  cost  at  $26,000,  and  it  was  accordingly  purchased  for  that 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


813 


sum.  In  1885  the  erection  of  the  new  building  was  begun  under  the 
supervision  of  S.  R.  Rodgers,  R.  A.  Sterling  H.  Clapp,  A.  G.  French, 
and  G.  W.  Mabry  with  Stephenson  and  Getaz  as  the  architects.  . The 
corner-stone  was  laid  in  July  of  that  year,  and  the  building  was 
occupied  for  the  first  time  on  the  28th  of  September,  1886.  It  is  built 
of  brick,  marble  and  iron,  with  terra  cotta  decoration,  and,  with  possibly 
one  exception,  is  the  finest  structure  of  the  kind  in  the  State.  It  is  two 
stories  high  with  a basement.  On  the  first  floor  are  the  criminal  court- 
room, the  county  courtroom,  grand  jury  room,  witnesses-room,  and  offices 
for  the  chairman  and  clerk  of  the  county  court,  trustees,  register  and  dis- 
trict attorney.  On  the  second  floor  are  rooms  for  the  chancery,  circuit, 
and  supreme  court,  and  offices  for  the  clerk  and  master,  chancellor,  clerk 
of  the  circuit  court,  and  clerk  of  the  supreme  court. 

The  total  cost  of  the  building,  including  fence  and  pavement,  was 
$136,000. 

The  present  financial  condition  of  the  county,  is  as  follows: 

Bonded  indebtedness,  funded  bonds  issued  since  October  1, 


1881,  and  outstanding,  October  1,  1886 $261,200  00 

Old  bonds  outstanding,  not  funded ...  18,500  00 

Total $279,700  00 

Bonds  redeemed  since  October  1,  1886 $12,250  00 

Loans  still  outstanding,  January  1,  1887 267,500  00 

Unpaid  county  warrants 83,036  22 

Balance  due  on  courthouse 90,262  30 


Total  indebtedness  of  the  county $390,798  52 

The  assets  are  as  follows: 

1,000  shares  in  the  Knoxville  & Ohio  Railroad $100,000  00 

Old  courthouse 15,000  00 

Eleven  shares  in  Kingston  Pike 375  00 

Farm  in  the  Fifth  Civil  District 5,000  00 

Farm  in  the  Fourth  Civil  District 700  00 

Poor  farm 3.000  00 

Workhouse  bail  bonds 2,300  00 

Notes  good 700  00 


Total $127,075  00 


The  total  collections  for  county  purposes  during  1886  amounted  to 
$44,785.30,  and  the  expenditures  to  $43,731.02.  The  aggregate  collec- 
tions and  disbursements  for  all  purposes  were  $137,209.91  and 
$134,360.49  respectively. 

During  the  past  eighteen  years  five  new  civil  districts  have  been 
created.  In  July,  1869,  the  Twentieth  was  formed  from  portions  of  the 
Fifth  and  Sixth,  and  one  year  later  a part  of  the  Fifteenth  was  added  to  the 
Fourteenth,  which  was  then  divided  forming  the  Twenty-first.  In  Janu- 

5 I 


814 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


ary,  1878,  a part  of  the  Sixteenth  was  united  into  the  Twenty-second,  and 
in  October,  1879,  the  Twenty-third  was  formed  from  a part  of  the  Seven- 
teenth. In  January,  1880,  a suburb  of  Knoxville  known  as  the  AVest  End 
was  constituted  the  Twenty-fourth  Civil  District. 

The  following  is  a list  of  the  officers  of  Knox  County  from  its  organ- 
ization. 

Sheriffs — Robert  Houston,  1792-1802;.  John  Love,  1802-03 ; Joseph 
Love,  1803-14;  John  Calloway,  1814-26;  George  M.  White,  1826-34; 
William  Dunlap,  1834-38;  Samuel  McCammon,  1838-50;  William  Craig, 
1850-56;  William  P.  Crippin,  1856-62;  AVilliam  H.  Swan,  1862-64; 
Marcus  D.  Bearden,  1864-70;  V.  F.  Gossett,  1870-74;  M.  D.  Swan, 
1874-76;  Alexander  Reeder,  1876-80;  C.  B.  Gossett,  1880-82;  Homer 
Gilmore,  1882-86;  J.  K.  Lones,  1886. 

Clerks  of  the  county  court — Charles  McClung,  1792-1834;  George 
M.  AVhite,  1834—36;  Moses  M.  Swan,  1836-44;  George  W.  C.  Cox,  1844 
-56;  William  Craig,  1856-66;  William  Rule,  1866-71;  J.  S.  A.  Blang, 
1871-74;  J.  F.  J.  Lewis,  1874^-86;  John  AV.  Conner,  1886. 

Trustees — Samuel  Newell,  1793-94;  Charles  McClung,  1794-1806; 
John  Hillsman,  1806-12;  Robert  Houston,  1812-30;  Samuel  Love,  1830 
-38;  George  AA7.  C.  Cox,  1838-44;  William  McCammon,  1844-52;  Sam- 
uel McCammon,  1852-54;  Hiram  Barry,  1854^68;  H.  L.  W.  Mynatt, 
1868-70;  James  S.  Boyd,  1870-72;  B.  F.  Bearden,  1872-76;  W.  A.  An- 
derson, 1876-78;  W.  H.  Swan,  1878-82;  B.  F.  Bearden,  1882-84;  J.  A. 
Swan,  1884. 

Registers — Thomas  Chapman,  1792-1803;  Samuel  G.  Ramsey,  1803- 
17;  J.  G.  M.  Ramsey,  1817 — ; J.  G.  M.  Ramsey,  1829-36;  W.  R. 
Bowen,  1836-40;  Henry  B.  Newman,  1840-48;  J.  C.  Luttrell,  1848-56; 
A.  S.  Hudiburg,  from  January  to  March,  1856;  R.  H.  Campbell,  1856- 
60 ; T.  J.  Burkhart,  1860-64;  A.  T.  Cottrell,  1864-68;  R.  L.  Hall, 
1868-69;  L.  H.  Bowlus,  1869-70;  Charles  Morrow;  1870-82;  AAr.  R. 
Carter,  1882. 

Clerks  of  the  circuit  court — F.  A.  Ramsey,  1810-20;  William 
Swan,  1820-36;  George  M.  White,  1836-52;  M.  L.  Hall,  1852-64; 
Stephen  H.  Smith,  1864-66;  W.  R,  McBath,  1866-70;  E.  AV.  Adkins, 
1870-82;  AV.  B.  Ford,  1882. 

Clerks  of  the  criminal  court — H.  C.  Tarwater,  1870-73;  W.  H. 
Swan,  1873-74;  George  L.  Maloney,  1874-82;  AV.  F.  Gibbs,  1882. 

Clerks  and  masters  of  the  chancery  court — W.  B.  A.  Ramsey, 
1832-48;  Hugh  L.  McClung,  1848-57;  Samuel  A.  White,  1857-59; 
David  A.  Deaderick,  1859-70;  M.  L.  Patterson,  1870-82;  S.  P.  Evans, 
1882. 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


815 


As  lias  been  stated  the  court  of  pleas  and  quarter  sessions  of  Knox 
County  was  organized  July  16,  1792.  At  this  time  as  well  as  for 
many  years  after,  this  court  besides  transacting  public  business,  had' 
original  jurisdiction  in  minor  civil  and  criminal  cases,  and  appellate 
jurisdiction  in  all  cases  from  justices’  courts.  The  first  case  tried  was 
that  of  William  Burden  vs.  William  Cavanaugh  on  appeal.  The 
jury  were  John  Coulter,  William  Rhea,  Joseph  Black,  William  Trimble, 
Samuel  Doak,  Moses  Justice,  Andrew  Boyle,  Samuel  Boyle,  Robert 
Gamble,  Joseph  Weldon,  John  Mclntire  and  Pearson  Brock,  who  re- 
turned a verdict  for  the  Defendent.  It  was  therefore  considered  by  the 
court  “ that  the  Plaintiff  take  nothing  by  his  plaint  aforesaid,  but  for  his 
falce  clamour  be  in  mercy,  and  the  said  Defendent  go  hence  without  day, 
and  recover  against  the  said  Plaintiff  his  costs  by  him  about  his  defence 
in  this  behalf  expended.” 

This  court  continued  to  try  causes  of  minor  importance  until  the 
adoption  of  the  constitution  of  18  3 1 when  this  part  of  its  duties  was 
transferred  to  the  circuit  court. 

On  March  13,  1793,  Gov.  Blount  issued  an  ordinance  creating 
Knox  and  Jefferson  Counties  a judicial  district  by  the  name  of  Ham- 
ilton, and  during  the  following  October  the  superior  court  was  organ- 
ize 1 by  David  Campbell,  who  appointed  Francis  A.  Ramsey  clerk  of  the 
law  court,  and  Samuel  Mitchell  clerk  and  master  in  equity.  The  for- 
mer continued  in  his  position  until  the  discontinuance  of  the  court  in 
1810.  The  latter  was  succeeded  in  1797  by  Joseph  Greer,  who,  the  year 
before,  had  been  chosen  one  of  the  presidential  electors.  He  continued  as 
clerk  and  master  until  1810. 

During  the  first  two  or  three  terms  of  this  court  the  transactions 
were  unimportant.  The  first  trial  for  a capital  offense  was  begun  and 
held  in  accordance  with  the  following  proclamation: 

William  Blount,  Governor  in  and  over  the  Territory  of  the  United  States  of 

America  South  of  the  River  Ohio, 

To  David  Campbell,  John  McNair y and  Joseph  Anderson,  judges  in  and  for  said  territory 

Greeting: 

I do  authorize  you,  auy  two  or  either  of  you,  to  hold  a court  of  oyer  and  terminer 
and  general  jail  delivery  at  Knoxville,  to  commence  on  the  first  day  of  August  next,  and  to 
■continue  the  same  by  adjournment  from  day  to  day,  not  exceeding  three  days,  for  the 
trial  of  a Creek  Indian,  apprehende  I on  suspicion  of  being  guilty  of  the  murder  of  John 
Ish,  a citizen  of  the  United  States,  resident  in  this  Territory,  to  hear,  try  and  determine  to 
give  judgment  and  award  execution  thereon. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  seal  at  Knoxville  this  29th  day  of  July.  1794. 

By  the  Governor. 

William  Blount. 

Hugh  L.  White. 

Judge  Anderson  issued  an  order  to  Robert  Houston,  sheriff  of  Knox 
County,  who  returned  a venire  facias  of  forty  men,  from  whom  the  fol- 
lowing grand  jury  was  chosen:  John  Patterson,  foreman;  Andrew  Hannah, 


816 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Oliver  Wallace,  William  Richie,  Samuel  Hindman,  Moses  Brooks,  George 
Walker,  David  Walker,  George  Stout,  Wiliam  Trimble,  Jeremiah  Jeffrey, 
John  Steel,  William  Lea,  Robert  Kirkpatrick,  Thomas  Milliken,  Thomas 
Richie,  George  Hayes  and  James  Cunningham.  The  jury  immediately 
returned  an  indictment  for  murder  against  Abongphohigo,  an  Indian  of 
the  Creek  Nation,  late  of  the  town  of  Zookcaucaugee  or  Punk  Knob  on 
Oakfuskey  River.  John  Rhea  was  appointed  to  defend  him,  and  John 
Carey  was  sworn  as  interpreter.  The  jury  was  composed  of  Andrew  W. 
Campbell,  William  Sharpe,  Nicholas  Neal,  Thomas  Robison,  Joseph 
Brooks,  Alexander  Cole,  M.  Pruett,  James  Milliken,  Thomas  Inglis, 
James  Walker,  John  Kerr  and  Thomas  Bounds.  The  trial  lasted  only 
one  day,  and  a verdict  of  guilty  was  promptly  returned.  Four  days 
later  the  prisoner  was  executed  by  the  sheriff  of  Knox  County. 

Some  of  the  penalties  imposed  by  the  laws  at  that  time  would  now  be 
considered  barbarous.  At  the  October  term,  1795,  of  the  superior  court, 
Michael  Johnson,  of  Jefferson  County,  was  found  guilty  of  stealing  a 
horse  of  the  value  of  $50,  and  for  this  offense  received  the  following 
sentence.  “ It  is  ordered  that  the  said  Michael  Johnson  shall  stand  in  the 
pillory  one  hour,  and  shall  be  branded,  whipped  on  his  bare  back  with 
thirty-nine  lashes  well  laid  on,  and  at  the  same  time  shall  have  both  his 
ears  nailed  to  the  pillory  and  cut  off,  and  shall  be  branded  on  the  right 
cheek  with  the  letter  H of  the  length  of  three-fourths  of  an  inch,  and 
of  the  breadth  of  one- half  inch,  and  on  the  left  cheek  with  the  letter  T 
of  the  same  dimensions  as  the  letter  H in  a plain  and  visible  manner, 
and  that  the  sheriff  of  Knox  County  see  this  sentence  put  into  execution  on 
Tuesday,  the  20th  inst.,  between  the  hours  of  12  and  2 o’clock  in  the  after- 
noon.” This  penalty  was  deemed  too  light,  and  two  or  three  years  later  the 
crimes  of  horse  stealing,  burglary,  arson,  etc.,  were  made  punishable  by 
death.  In  1797,  at  the  April  term  of  the  superior  court,  Robert  Parker, 
of  Grainger  County,  was  convicted  of  stealing  500  Spanish  milled  dol- 
lars from  Thomas  Humes,  and  was  executed  on  the  28th  of  the  same 
month.  As  there  was  no  appeal  from  the  decisions  of  this  court,  pun- 
ishment for  crime  was  promptly  administered. 

The  custom  of  granting  benefit  of  clergy  under  the  old  English 
common  law,  a rare  occurrence  in  America,  still  obtained  in  this  court, 
and  through  it  many  criminals  escaped  the  severe  penalties  of  the  law. 
As  the  statutes  provided  that  for  a second  offense  benefit  of  clergy  should 
not  be  granted,  to  prevent  a repetition  of  the  plea,  it  was  customary  to 
brand  upon  the  thumb,  the  criminal  pleading  its  protection.  The  follow- 
ing examples  serve  to  illustrate  this  custom.  April  22,  1797,  Caleb  Carter 
was  convicted  of  carrying  away  by  force  of  arms  from  one  Jonathan 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


817 


Boggle — “ one  straight  coat  pattern  of  the  value  of  $8,  one  silk  handker- 
chief of  the  value  of  $2,  and  $1.50  in  cash.  Being  asked  if  he  had 
aught  to  say  why  sentence  of  death  should  not  be  pronounced  upon  him, 
prayed  the  benefit  of  clergy,  which  was  granted  him.  Therefore  the 
sentence  of  the  law  pronounced  by  the  court  is  that  he  be  branded  upon 
the  brawn  of  the  thumb  with  the  letter  T.”  At  the  same  term  of  the 
court  Benjamin  Stephens  was  tried  on  an  indictment  for  “ stealing  from 
Patrick  Ninny,  of  Jefferson  County,  one  piece  of  gingham  containing  six 
yards,  at  the  price  of  five  shillings  per  yard,  the  whole  piece  being  equal 
in  value  to  four  Spanish  milled  dollars.”  He  was  found  guilty,  and  had 
he  not  plead  the  benefit  of  clergy  would  have  been  sentenced  to  death. 
He  took  the  advantage  of  that  plea,  however,  and  was  simply  branded 
upon  the  thumb.  At  the  next  term  of  the  court  Hugh  Washburn  also 
escaped  the  death  penalty  by  pleading  the  benefit  of  clergy.  To  what 
persons  the  benefit  of  clergy  might  be  granted  in  this  court  is  not  now 
known,  but  it  is  certain  that  it  was  restricted  to  a certain  class.  Consid- 
ering the  severity  of  the  punishment,  however,  and  the  comparative 
insignificance  of  many  of  the  offenses,  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that 
the  courts  were  willing  to  grant  that  plea  without  a too  rigid  examina- 
tion as  to  the  petitioner’s  right  to  its  protection. 

On  January  1,  1831,  with  the  opening  of  the  penitentiary,  a new 
penal  code  went  into  effect,  and  the  whipping  post,  pillory,  and  branding 
iron  as  instruments  of  punishment,  were  abandoned.  The  first  represen- 
tatives to  the  penitentiary  from  Knox  County  were  Abraham  and  Silas 
Conley  convicted  of  stealing  property  to  the  value  of  $2  and  $3 
respectively,  for  which  they  were  sentenced  to  one  year’s  imprisonment. 

In  1810  circuit  courts  were  established,  and  the  superior  court  of  law 
and  equity  was  superseded  by  the  supreme  court  of  errors  and  appeal. 
The  latter  court  was  organized  at  Knoxville  on  May  28,  1810,  by  Hugh 
Xi.  White  and  George  W.  Campbell,  judges  of  the  supreme  court,  and 
William  Cocke,  judge  of  the  first  circuit.  Thomas  Emmerson  was  chosen 
-clerk  and  so  continued  until  1816,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Hugh 
Brown, who  filled  the  office  for  many  years.  The  circuit  court  was  organ- 
ized about  the  same  time  as  the  supreme  court  by  James  Trimble,  judge 
of  the  second  circuit,  who  appointed  F.  A.  Kamsey  as  clerk.  In  1816 
Judge  Trimble  was  succeeded  by  Edward  Scott,  who  continued  upon  the 
bench  continuously  until  1844.  The  chancery  court  was  not  organized 
until  April,  1832.  The  first  chancellor  was  William  B.  Beese,  who  con- 
tinued until  the  reorganization  of  the  courts  under  the  new  constitution 
in  1836,  when  he  was  elected  to  the  supreme  bench,  and  was  succeeded 
by  Thomas  L.  Williams. 


818 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Of  the  attorneys  admitted  to  practice  at  the  first  session  of  the  court 
of  pleas  and  quarter  sessions,  Alexander  Outlaw  was  at  that  time  the  most 
prominent.  He  had  taken  a conspicuous  part  in  the  organization  of  the 
county  of  Franklin,  and  had  represented  the  county  of  Caswell  in  the  As- 
sembly in  1786.  He  afterward  took  an  equally  important  part  in  the  for- 
mation of  the  State  constitution,  and  among  the  early  legislators,  as  a rep- 
resentative from  Jefferson  County.  In  1799  he  was  chosen  speaker  of 
the  Senate. 

John  Rhea  was  several  years  younger  than  Outlaw,  and  not  so  well 
known.  He  afterward  attained  considerable  distinction,  and  was  a mem- 
ber of  Congress  for  a period  of  eighteen  years.  Hopkins  Lacy  became 
clerk  of  the  Territorial  Assembly,  and  upon  the  organization  of  the  courts 
under  the  constitution  of  1796,  was  chosen  attorney-general  of  Washing- 
ton District.  Archibald  Roane  had  been  engaged  in  the  practice  of  his 
profession  for  some  time,  and  in  1796  he  was  under  one  of  the  judges  of 
the  superior  court,  a position  which  he  held  until  elected  governor  in 
1801. 

In  March,  1798,  several  lawyers  practicing  in  the  courts  of  East  Ten- 
nessee inserted  a notice  in  the  Knoxville  Gazette  stating  that  thereafter 
they  would  not  appear  in  court  in  any  case  unless  the  fees  had  been  paid 
in  advance,  whereupon  William  Tatham  published  the  following,  which  is 
so  unique  as  to  deserve  representation  here: 

FIAT  JUSTITIA. 

Having  adoptee]  the  above  motto  as  early  as  I had  the  honor  of  admission  to  the  bar 
I have  covenanted  with  myself  that  I will  never  knowingly  depart  from  it,  and  on  this 
foundation  I have  built  a few  maxims  which  offered  my  reflection  in  satisfaction. 

1.  I will  practice  law  because  it  offers  me  opportunity  of  being  a more  useful  mem- 
ber of  society. 

2.  I will  turn  a deaf  ear  to  no  man  because  his  purse  is  empty. 

3.  I will  advise  no  man  beyond  the  comprehension  of  his  case. 

4.  I will  bring  none  into  law  whom  my  conscience  tells  me  should  be  kept  out. 

5.  I will  never  be  unmindful  of  the  cause  of  humanity  and  this  comprehends,  the 
widows  and  fatherless  and  those  in  bondage. 

6.  I will  be  faithful  to  my  client  but  never  so  unfaithful  to  myself  as  to  become  a 
party  to  his  crime. 

7.  In  criminal  cases  I will  not  underrate  my  own  abilities  for  if  my  clientproves  a ras- 
cal his  money  is  better  in  my  hands,  and  if  not  I hold  the  option. 

8.  I will  never  acknowledge  the’omnipotence  of  the  Legislature  to  consider  their  acts 
to  be  law  beyond  the  spirit  of  the  constitution. 

9.  No  man’s  greatness  shall  elevate  him  above  the  justice  due  to  my  client. 

10.  I will  not  consent  to  compromise  when  I conceive  a verdict  essential  to  my  cli- 
ent’s future  reputation  or  protection,  for  of  this  he  cannot  be  a complete  judge. 

11.  I will  advise  the  turbulent  with  candor,  and  if  they  will  goto  law  against  my  ad- 
vice, they  must  pardon  me  for  volunteering  against  them. 

12.  I will  acknowledge  every  man’s  right  to  manage  his  own  case  if  he  pleases. 

The  above  are  my  rules  of  practice,  and  although  I will  not  at  any  critical  juncture 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


819 


promise  to  finish  my  business  in  person  if  the  public  interest  should  require  my  removal 
from  hence  I will  do  everything  in  my  power  for  those  who  like  them,  and  endeavor  to 
leave  it  in  proper  hands  if  I should  be  absent. 

Knoxville,  Tenn.  William  Tatham. 

The  fate  of  this  candid  and  upright,  and  it  may  be  added  eccentric 
attorney  is  not  known,  but  it  is  probable  that  his  hopes  of  political  pre- 
ferment were  unrecognized. 

In  1794  Willie  Blount,  John  Cocke,  William  Cocke  and  W.  C.  C. 
Claiborne  were  admitted  to  practice  in  the  courts  of  Knox  County.  All 
were  men  of  distinguished  ability,  and  prominent  in  the  affairs  of  the 
State.  Only  the  first  named  was  a resident  of  Knoxville.  He  served  as 
a judge  of  the  supreme  court  for  a few  months  in  1796,  but  never  attained 
much  prominence  as  a jurist. 

Other  attorneys  were  admitted  to  practice  as  follows:  Ephraim  Dun- 
lap, 1792;  David  Greer,  John  Sevier,  Jr.,  John  Lowry  and  Samuel 
Mitchell,  1793;  John  McKee,  1795;  John  Gray,  D.  W.  Breazeale,  Hugh 
L.  White,*  John  Wilkinson  and  Benjamin  Seawell,  1796;  George  W. 
Campbell,*  Jenkin  Whiteside*  and  John  F.  Jack,  1798;  James  Porter, 
John  Kennedy  and  Edward  Scott,*  1799;  Pleasant  M.  Miller,*  1800; 
John  Williams,  James  Trimble*  Samuel  Love,  Andrew  White,  and 
Thomas  Dardis,  1803;  Thomas  Emmerson,  J.  D.  Barnard,  William 
Thompson,  N.  W.  Williams,  Luke  Lea,  William  McNutt  and  Enoch  Par- 
sons, 1805;  William  Brown,  Joel  Casey  and  George  W.  Gibbs,  1806. 
Only  a part  of  the  above  named  persons  were  residents  of  Knoxville,  and 
several  who  attained  distinction  in  the  profession  have  received  sufficient 
mention  elsewhere.  D.  W.  Breazeale,  who  has  been  almost  entirely  for- 
gotten, resided  at  Knoxville  and  for  a number  of  years  had  an  extensive 
practice.  Enoch  Parsons  has  also  dropped  out  of  remembrance,  although 
for  one  time  he  figured  quite  conspicuously  in  political  affairs.  In  1819 
he  was  a candidate  for  governor  against  McMinn,  receiving  about  8,000 
votes.  He  afterward  removed  to  Alabama,  where  he  again  became  can- 
didate for  governor.  He  and  his  brother  Peter,  also  a lawyer,  married 
daughters  of  John  Kain,  who  lived  about  seven  or  eight  miles  above 
Knoxville  near  where  McMillian’s  Station  now  is. 

With  the  exception  of  Judge  White,  the  most  prominent  personage 
in  Knoxville  during  the  earlier  part  of  the  century,  was  undoubtedly 
Col.  John  Williams. f He  was  born  in  Surrey  County,  N.  C.,  in  1778. 

He  removed  to  Knoxville  and  became  an  attorney  in  the  courts  of  the 
State  in  1803.  He  was  possessed  of  a fine  person,  and  graceful,  courtly 

*See  Chapter  XII. 

+The  sketches  of  Col.  John  Williams  and  o'udge  Thomas  L.  Williams  were  furnished  by  Col.  John  H. 
Crozier. 


820 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


and  dignified  manners,  but  bis  complaisant  and  benevolent  countenance 
made  him  accessible  to  bis  humblest  acquaintances.  These  qualities 
made  him  very  popular  with  all  classes.  Soon  after  his  arrival  in 
Tennessee  he  married  a daughter  of  Gen.  James  White,  one  of  the  most 
prominent,  popular  and  wealthy  citizens  of  the  State.  He  industriously 
and  devotedly  practiced  his  profession  until  the  beginning  of  the  war  in 
1812,  when  he  raised  a regiment  of  volunteers  and  marched  to  Florida. 
Returning  home  he  was  appointed  colonel  of  the  Thirty-ninth  Regi- 
ment United  States  Volunteers.  Having  recruited  his  regiment  to  600 
men,  on  the  application  of  Gen.  Jackson,  then  commanding  the  army 
against  the  Creek  Indians,  Col.  Williams  marched  to  his  relief,  and  with 
his  regiment  took  an  active  part  in  the  battle  of  the  Horseshoe.  At  the 
termination  of  the  war,  in  1815,  he  was  elected  to  the  United  States 
Senate.  He  was  re-elected  in  1817  and  served  until  1823,  when  he  was 
defeated  by  Gen.  Jackson,  who  was  a candidate  for  the  presidency. 
Col.  Williams  was  supposed  to  be  indifferent  or  hostile  to  Gen.  Jackson’s 
election  as  President,  but  such  was  his  popularity  he  could  have  defeated 
any  candidate  except  Gen.  Jackson.  Soon  after  he  became  a candidate 
for  the  State  Senate,  from  Knox  County,  but  was  not  successful.  He 
was  then  appointed  minister  to  Guatemala,  by  President  Adams.  At 
the  end  of  one  year  he  returned  and  made  a successful  canvass  for  the 
State  Senate.  This  was  the  last  time  he  offered  his  service  to  the  pub- 
lic, but  no  citizen  in  the  State  in  a private  station,  exercised  a greater 
influence  on  its  politics  and  civil  affairs.  He  was  an  ardent  friend  and 
promoter  of  every  enterprise  for  the  public  welfare,  and  at  the  time  of 
his  death  was  a director  in  the  Cincinnati  & Charleston  Railroad. 
From  his  retirement  from  the  State  Senate  in  1829,  up  to  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  1837,  he  devoted  himself  assiduously  to  the  practice  of 
his  profession. 

About  1810  William  C.  Mynatt  was  admitted  to  the  bar,  and  was 
soon  after  elected  attorn ey-general.  He  continued  in  that  office  until 
1818,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  William  E.  Anderson.  He  remained 
in  the  practice  of  his  profession  for  a number  of  years,  but  was  some- 
what too  fond  of  ardent  spirits  to  achieve  success.  Later  he  became  the 
proprietor  of  the  Mansion  House.  He  had  a keen  sense  of  the  humorous, 
and  is  said  to  have  been  “a  fellow  of  infinite  jest.”  He  was  a contem- 
porary of  Thomas  D.  Arnold,  a man  of  great  eccentricity,  of  whom  many 
amusing  incidents  are  told.  Arnold  was  born  in  Knox  County  in  1791. 
He  studied  law  with  John  Cocke,  and  served  under  him  as  private  in  the 
war  of  1812.  He  was  a stanch  Whig,  and  in  1,830,  after  a third  canvass 
defeated  Pryor  Lea  for  Congress.  At  the  expiration  of  his  term  he  moved 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


821 


to  Greene  County,  and  there,  in  1840,  was  again  elected  to  Congress. 
He  died  about  1869. 

Pryor  Lea  was  also  a native  of  Knox  County,  born  in  1794.  He  re- 
ceived his  education  in  Greenville  College,  studied  law  and  was  admitted 
to  practice  in  1817.  He  served  with  Gen.  Jackson  in  the  Creek  war  in 
1813,  and  was  clerk  of  the  Lower  House  of  the  General  Assembly  in 
1816.  In  1824,  he  was  appointed  United  States  District  Attorney,  and 
in  1826  was  elected  to  Congress,  where  he  remained  two  terms.  In  1837 
he  removed  to  Jackson,  Miss.,  and  ten  years  later  to  Goliad,  Tex.,  where 
he  recently  died. 

Richard  G.  Dunlap  became  a member  of  the  Knoxville  bar  about 
1822.  He  was  the  eldest  of  seven  sons  of  Hugh  Dunlap,  one  of  the  first 
merchants  of  Knoxville,  and  is  said  to  have  been  the  first  white  child 
born  in  the  town.  He  was  a man  of  fine  appearance  and  polished  man- 
ners but  of  a somewhat  pompous  bearing.  He  soon  removed  to  Texas, 
and  in  1840  was  sent  as  a minister  from  that  republic  to  the  United 
States.  He  afterward  i-esided  at  New  Orleans,  where  he  died.  Several 
of  his  brothers  also  rose  to  prominence:  Hugh  G.  and  William  C.  both 

became  circuit  court  judges  in  West  Tennessee,  and  the  latter  served 
two  terms  in  Congress  ; James  T.  became  comptroller  of  the  treasury, 
a position  he  held  for  four  years. 

The  Andersons,  Isaac,  William  E.,  Robert  M.  and  James,  were  an- 
other remarkable  family  of  this  period.  They  were  all  remarkable  for 
their  size  and  commanding  presence  and  their  great  strength  both  phy- 
sical and  intellectual.  Isaac  became  a prominent  Presbyterian  divine; 
William  E.  served  as  attorney-general  of  this  judicial  circuit  from  1818 
to  1825,  when  he  removed  to  Nashville;  Robert  M.  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  about  1820,  and  continued  to  practice  at  Knoxville  until  1837.  In 
that  year  the  Twelfth  Judicial  Circuit  was  formed  and  he  was  elected  to 
preside.  As  the  new  circuit  did  not  include  Knox  County,  he  removed 
to  New  Market.  He  continued  upon  the  bench  until  his  death.  The 
fourth  brother,  James,  was  a very  respectable  magistrate  of  Knox  County. 

Judge  Thomap  L.  Williams,  who  was  elected  chancellor  in  1836,  was 
also  a member  of  a remarkable  family.  He  was  a brother  of  Col.  John 
A illiams,  mention  of  whom  has  been  made,  and  a twin  brother  of  Hon. 
Lewis  Williams,  who  was  a representative  in  Congress  from  North  Caro- 
lina for  twenty-seven  consecutive  years.  Judge  Williams,  when  a young 
man,  came  to  Knoxville  and  began  the  practice  of  his  profession.  He 
was  an  impressive  and  eloquent  speaker,  and  soon  became  a leading- 
member  of  the  bar.  He  never  offered  his  services  to  the  public  for 
preferment  but  once,  when  he  was  elected  to  the  Legislature.  This  was 


822 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


in  the  earlier  part  of  his  life.  He  was  several  times  elected  -chancellor,, 
and  continued  in  office  nearly  twenty  years  or  to  within  two  or  three 
years  of  his  death.  As  chancellor  he  was  very  popular  with  the  bar,  and 
his  decisions  were  generally  acquiesced  in  by  the  lawyers.  In  fact  his 
decisions  were  so  generally  correct  that  they  were  seldom  reversed  or 
modified  by  the  supreme  court.  When  such  did  occur,  it  was  because 
some  technical  rule  of  equity  intervened  to  prevent  the  appearance  of  a 
decree  that  was  according  to  right  and  justice.  An  able  judge  of  the 
supreme  court  who  was  studying  one  of  Judge  Williams’  decrees  once 
said:  “Judge  AYilliams  is  an  excellent  chancellor — I think  I may  say  the 
best  in  the  State,  but  I have  one  complaint  against  him.  He  will  throw 
hard  cases  on  the  supreme  court.  Here  is  a case,  which  he  has  decided, 
according  to  the  right,  but  a technical  rule  of  equity  compels  the  court 
to  reverse  his  decree.” 

Judge  Williams  died  at  the  residence  of  his  sister,  near  Nashville,  in 
1857.  The  supreme  court  was  in  session  at  the  time,  and  resolutions  highly 
complimentary  to  his  honesty  and  uprightness  as  a citizen,  and  his  ability 
as  a judge,  were  adopted  by  the  bar. 

In  1833  Knoxville  was  credited  with  eighteen  lawyers.  At  this  time 
John  R.  Nelson  was  attorney-general.  He  had  previously  been  deputy 
sheriff  of  the  county,  and  while  occupying  that  office,  had  managed  to 
obtain  some  knowledge  of  the  law.  He  was  then  chosen  to  represent 
the  county  in  the  Lower  House  of  the  General  Assembly,  and  while 
a member  of  that  body  was  elected  to  the  office  of  attorney-generaL 
Here  he  had  opportunity  to  display  his  strong  native  ability,  and  con- 
trary to  the  expectation  of  his  friends  he  made  an  excellent  prosecutor  * 
He  resigned  his  office  in  1835,  but  still  continued  to  practice,  and  attained 
to  considerable  prominence  as  a criminal  lawyer.  Physically  he  was  a 
man  of  great  strength  and  vigor,  but  was  somewhat  given  to  over  indul- 
gence in  eating  and  drinking.  He  was  succeeded  in  the  office  of  attorney- 
general  by  John  H.  Crozier,  who  was  appointed  to  fill  out  the  unexpired 
term.  Col.  Crozier  is  still  living  near  Knoxville.  He  has  now  retired 
from  practice,  but  for  half  a century  he  was  one  of  the  leading  advocates 
of  East  Tennessee.  He  is  a man  of  fine  intellect,  an  orator  of  uncommon 
brilliancy  and  a conversationalist  of  rare  powers.  In  1836  he  was  a can- 
didate before  the  Legislature  for  the  office  which  he  was  then  filling  by 
appointment.  Inexperienced  in  political  intrigue,  he  would  not  consent 
to  any  exchange  of  votes  in  his  behalf,  and  was  consequently  defeated, 
his  successful  opponent  being  Reuben  B.  Rodgers.  In  1837  lie  was 
elected  to  the  Legislature  without  opposition,  and  in  1844  was  an  elector 
on  the  Whig  ticket.  The  following  year  he  was  elected  to  Congress  and 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


823 


re-elected  in  1847.  From  1851  to  1854  he  was  appointed  commissioner 
upon  the  supreme  bench  to  decide  cases  in  which  Judge  McKinney  was 
incompetent. 

One  of  the  contemporaries  of  Col.  Crozier  was  Samuel  R.  Rodgers 
who  served  as  chancellor  for  a short  time  at  the  close  of  the  war.  He 
was  a man  of  good  ability,  but  was  scarcely  aggressive  enough  to  achieve 
the  highest  distinction  as  an  advocate.  Upon  the  bench,  however,  he  dis- 
played conspicuous  ability.  In  manner  he  was  mild  and  amiable,  and  was 
highly  esteemed  by  the  community  in  which  he  lived.  Samuel  B.  Boyd, 
who  was  another  contemporary  of  those  mentioned  above,  soon  after  re- 
ceiving his  license  to  practice,  removed  to  Alabama  where  he  resided  for 
several  years.  He  then  returned  to  Knoxville,  and  remained  until  his 
death.  He  was  throughly  educated,  and  possessed  strong  native  ability. 

Samuel  B.  Kennedy  became  a member  of  the  Knoxville  bar  about 
1830,  but  he  soon  after  removed  to  Mississippi,  where  he  died  two  or 
three  years  later.  W.  B.  A.  Ramsey  was  licensed  to  practice  in  1826. 
While  not  a brilliant  man  he  possessed  excellent  judgment,  and  had  he 
applied  himself  to  his  profession  he  could,  undoubtedly,  have  attained 
distinction  as  a jurist.  During  the  greater  part  of  his  life,  however,  he 
was  engaged  in  filling  some  official  position.  In  1832  he  was  appointed 
clerk  and  master  of  the  chancery  court  and  continued  in  that  position 
until  elected  Secretary  of  State  in  1847.  George  W.  Churcliwell,  who 
died  at  the  beginning  of  the  civil  war,  was  a member  of  the  Knoxville 
bar  for  more  than  thirty  years.  He  was  an  advocate  of  fair  ability  and 
a man  of  commanding  presence,  but  was  somewhat  rough  and  eccentric 
in  his  manners.  He  was  at  one  time  a member  of  the  Legislature,  and 
in  1836  was  a strong  supporter  of  Hugh  L.  White.  During  the  events 
previous  to  the  war  he  espoused  the  cause  of  the  South.  His  son.  Will- 
iam M.  Churcliwell,  was  a young  man  of  some  brilliancy  and  was  twice 
elected  to  Congress.  He  became  a colonel  in  the  Confederate  Army,  and 
died  during  the  war. 

William  G.  McAdoo,  who  served  as  attorney-general  for  nearly  ten 
years  preceding  1860,  began  the  practice  of  law  in  1849.  In  1851  he 
was  elected  attorney-general  by  the  Legislature,  and  after  the  change  in 
the  Constitution  was  re-elected  by  the  people.  He  was  an  excellent 
prosecutor,  one  of  the  best  ever  on  the  circuit.  He  is  still  living  in 
Knoxville,  and  a more  extended  notice  appears  in  another  chapter. 
William  Swan  received  a license  to  practice  about  1838.  He  had  pre- 
viously been  clerk  of  the  circuit  court  and  was  then  somewhat  advanced 
in  life.  He  obtained  a good  practice,  but  was  not  sufficiently  well  read 
to  achieve  much  distinction.  He  died  about  1860. 


"824 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Ebenezer  Alexander,  who  succeeded  Judge  Scott  upon  the  bench  of 
the  circuit  court  in  1844,  was  admitted  to  practice  about  1880.  In  his 
youth  he  received  a good  literary  education  in  the  East  Tennessee  Uni- 
versity, which  was  then  under  the  presidency  of  Dr.  Coffin.  He  served 
for  a time  as  attorney-general  and  was  twice  elected  to  the  bench  of  the 
circuit  court,  once  by  the  Legislature  and  once  by  the  people.  He  died 
in  1857  while  serving  his  second  term  as  circuit  .judge.  He  was  of  an 
amiable  disposition  and  was  very  popular  with  the  mass  of  the  people. 
While,  perhaps,  not  as  profound  a jurist  as  some  of  his  colleagues,  as  a, 
judicial  officer  he  gave  general  satisfaction.  He  was  honest,  industrious 
and  impartial.  Judge  Alexander  was  succeeded  upon  the  bench  by 
James  M.  Welcker,  who  died  the  following  year.  He  had  been  admitted 
to  the  bar  about  1841,  and  after  practicing  a few  years  had  abandoned 
his  profession  and  engaged  in  farming.  At  the  death  of  Judge  Alex- 
ander he  was  induced  by  his  friends  to  accept  a position  upon  the  bench. 
During  his  career  as  an  advocate  he  was  associated  with  a younger 
brother,  A.  G.  Welcker,  who  afterward  removed  to  Chattanooga.  The 
vacancy  occasioned  by  the  death  of  Judge  Welcker  was  filled  by  George 
Brown,  of  Madisonville.  He  continued  upon  the  bench  until  the  sus- 
pension of  the  courts  during  the  civil  war,  when  he  joined  the  Federal 
Army.  In  1864  Elijah  T.  Hall  was  commissioned  judge  of  this  circuit 
by  Gov.  Brown  low.  He  continued  in  that  position,  by  election  and  re- 
election,  until  1878,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Samuel  A.  Rodgers,  of 
Loudon.  Upon  the  establishment  of  a criminal  court  at  Knoxville  in 
1870  his  brother,  M.  L.  Hall,  was  chosen  to  preside  over  it,  and  acted 
in  that  capacity  until  1886.  In  September  of  that  year  he  was  succeeded 
by  S.  T.  Logan,  who,  in  accordance  with  an  act  of  the  General  Assembly 
of  1885,  also  presides  over  the  circuit  court.  Judge  M.  L.  Hall  received 
his  professional  instruction  in  the  offices  of  Robert  M.  Anderson  and 
Samuel  R.  Rodgers.  He  was  licensed  to  practice  in  1841.  In  1852  he 
was  elected  clerk  of  the  circuit  court,  and  from  that  time  until  Septem- 
ber. 1886,  was  constantly  in  office.  He  continued  as  clerk  of  the  circuit 
court  until  1864,  when  he  was  appointed  clerk  of  the  Federal  court  by 
Judge  Trigg. 

The  successor  of  Judge  Williams  as  chancellor  was  Seth  J.  W. 
Lucky,  of  Jonesboro,  who  continued  in  that  position  until  the  close  of 
the  war.  He  had  previously  been  upon  the  circuit  court  for  many  years 
and  was  highly  esteemed,  both  as  a man  and  a judge.  He  died  in  April, 
1869.  His  successor  was  Samuel  R.  Rodgers,  who  continued  upon  the 
bench  but  one  year.  In  1866  A.  O.  P.  Temple  was  elected  chancellor, 
and  satisfactorily  discharged  the  duties  of  that  office  until  1878.  He  had 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


825 


been  a resident  of  Knoxville  for  several  years  before  the  war,  and  during 
the  war  was  a stanch  Unionist.  He  is  still  living,  and  since  his  retire- 
ment from  the  bench  has  served  a term  as  postmaster.  He  wras  suc- 
ceeded as  chancellor  by  W.  B.  Staley,  of  Kingston,  who  filled  the  office 
for  one  term  and  is  now  a resident  of  Knoxville.  The  present  incumbent 
is  H.  R.  Gibson.  Several  other  prominent  members  of  the  profession,, 
among  whom  are  Thomas  L.  Lyons,  Horace  Maynard  and  W.  H.  Sneed, 
have  been  residents  of  Knoxville,  but  they  have  received  sufficient  men- 
tion in  another  chapter.  The  present  bar  of  Knoxville  is  one  of  con- 
spicuous ability  and  among  its  members  are  some  of  the  ablest  men  of 
the  State. 

The  military  achievements  of  Tennessee  have  been  remarkably 
brilliant,  and  Knox  County  is  entitled  to  no  small  part  of  the  honor  of 
making  and  sustaining  the  reputation  of  the  “Volunteer  State.”  In  all 
the  troublous  times  under  the  territorial  government  Knoxville  was  the 
rendezvous  for  volunteers  and  the  headquarters  for  operations  against 
the  Indians,  and  under  their  leader,  the  gallant  Gen.  White,  the  citizens 
of  the  county  were  ever  ready  to  endure  the  hardships  and  brave  the 
perils  of  savage  warfare  for  the  protection  of  their  homes  and  country. 
But  as  an  account  of  their  expeditions  and  adventures  is  presented  in 
another  chapter,  it  will  not  be  repeated  here.  In  the  Creek  Avar  of  1812 
and  1813  Knox  County  and  vicinity  bore  a conspicuous  part.  In  the 
early  part  of  the  Avar  Col.  John  Williams  led  out  a regiment  of  militia 
which  marched  into  the  Creek  County.  The  term  of  enlistment  was  short, 
and  the  men  returned  Avithout  having  accomplished  anything  of  moment. 
In  the  fall  of  1813  Gen.  James  AVliite,  in  command  of  a brigade  of  three 
months’  militia,  joined  Gen.  Cocke’s  forces,  and  it  was  his  brigade,  acting 
under  orders  from  Gen.  Cocke,  that  captured  and  burned  the  Hillibee 
towns.* 

Early  in  1813  Col.  John  Williams  received  a commission  to  recruit 
and  organize  the  Thirty-ninth  Regiment  of  United  States  Volunteers. 
On  June  18,  1813,  he  had  recruited  a force  of  600  men  and  they  were 
mustered  into  the  service.  The  lieutenant-colonel  of  the  regiment  was 
Thomas  H.  Benton ; the  major,  Lemuel  P.  Montgomery.  The  companies 
were  commanded  by  Samuel  Bunch,  James  Davis,  John  Jones,  John  B. 
Long,  John  Phagan,  Thomas  Stuart  and  William  Walker.  Bunch  after- 
ward became  colonel  of  one  of  the  regiments  of  militia  in  White’s  brigade. 
Among  those  who  served  as  first  lieutenants  were  David  Lauderdale, 
David  McMillen,  Nathaniel  Smith,  Guy  Smith  (avIio  also  served  as 
quartermaster),  A.  Stanfield  and  J.  O.  Tate.  Andrew  Greer,  N.  Dortch, 


*See  page  466. 


HISTOBY  OB  TENNESSEE. 


•821) 

M.  W.  McClellan,  M.  C.  Molton,  Simpson  Payne,  R.  Quarles  and  J.  K. 
Snapp  were  second  lieutenants;  and  Dicks  Alexander,  A.  G.  Cowan, 
Joseph  Denison,  It.  B.  Harvey,  Joseph  S.  Jackson,  Ellis  Thomas  and  T. 
B.  Tunstall  were  third  lieutenants.  One  of  the  ensigns  was  Sam  Houston. 
Thus  the  regiment  contained  three  men  who  were  afterward  to  become 
United  States  Senators. 

Col.  Williams  had  expected  to  go  to  New  Orleans,  and  was  awaiting 
orders  to  move,  when  Judge  H.  L.  AVhite  visited  Gen.  Jackson,  and, 
learning  of  his  urgent  need  of  reinforcements,  hastened  home  and  urged 
Col.  Williams  to  march  at  once  to  his  assistance.  This  Col.  Williams 
finally  decided  to  do,  and,  waiting  only  long  enough  to  communicate  his 
intentions  to  the  war  department,  he  set  out.  He  reached  Gen.  Jackson 
about  the  1st  of  March,  and  on  the  27th  of  that  month  participated  in  the 
battle  of  the  Horseshoe.  His  regiment  acted  with  especial  gallantry. 
Maj.  Montgomery  was  the  first  man  to  leap  upon  the  works  of  the  enemy, 
but  was  instantly  killed.  Ensign  Houston  received  an  arrow  in  the  thigh, 
inflicting  a wound  from  which  he  never  fully  recovered.  The  regiment 
continued  in  the  Creek  country  until  after  the  treaty  of  peace  was  signed, 
when  they  returned  home  and  were  mustered  out  on  June  15,  1815. 

The  news  of  the  signing  of  the  treaty  of  peace  with  Great  Britain 
was  received  in  Knoxville  with  the  greatest  rejoicing.  The  First  Pres- 
byterian Church  then  just  erected  was  illuminated,  and  a thanksgiving 
service  was  held  there.  Afterward  a grand  ball  in  honor  of  the  event 
was  given. 

In  1886  a company  of  two  months’  militia  was  raised  for  service  in 
the  Seminole  war.  Dr.  James  Morrow  was  captain,  Samuel  B.  Ken- 
nedy, first  lieutenant,  and  Thomas  C.  Lyons  second  lieutenant.  The  troops 
for  East  Tennessee  rendezvoused  at  Athens,  where  It.  G.  Dunlap  was 
chosen  to  command  the  brigade.  The  regiment  to  which  Capt.  Morris’ 
company  was  assigned  was  engaged  during  its  term  of  service  in  assist- 
ing to  remove  the  Cherokees  west  of  the  Mississippi,  and  Lieut.  Lyons 
was  promoted  to  a position  upon  Gen.  Wool's  staff.  In  the  Mexican  war 
Knox  County  took  no  considerable  part.  Under  the  first  call  for  twelve 
months’  men  a company  was  organized  at  Knoxville  on  June  10,  1846, 
with  WillianrR.  Caswell  as  captain;  Samuel  Bell,  first  lieutenant;  Calvin 
Gossett,  second  lieutenant,  and  James  Anderson,  third  lieutenant.  The 
company  known  as  the  “ Knoxville  Dragoons”  then  went  to  Memphis 
where  the  regiment  was  organized  as  the  Second  Tennessee  Volunteer  Cav- 
alry, with  J.  E.  Thomas  as  colonel,  R.  D.  Allison,  lieutenant-colonel, 
and  Richard  Waterhouse,  major.*  At  the  end  of  their  terms  of  service  the 

*For  the  movements  of  these  regiments  see  pages  475  and  476. 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


827 


members  of  the  company  returned  to  their  homes,  but  a call  was  soon 
issued  for  two  regiments  to  serve  for  three  years,  or  during  the  war,  and 
several  men  re-enlisted.  In  September,  1847,  Jordan  T.  Council  organ- 
ized a company  of  infantry,  of  which  he  became  captain.  Tazewell  New- 
man, first  lieutenant;  Joseph  H.  Crockett,  second  lieutenant;  Thomas  Mc- 
Affry,  third  lieutenant,  and  James  Henderson,  orderly  sergeant.  The  com- 
pany was  ordered  to  Memphis  where  it  was  assigned  the  position  of 
Company  D,  Fourth  Tennessee  Infantry,  with  Richard  Waterhouse  as 
colonel,  J.  D.  Swan,  lieutenant-colonel  and  McD  J.  Bunch,  major. 

During  the  civil  war  Knoxville,  as  the  metropolis  of  this  division  of 
the  State,  was  a position  of  considerable  importance,  and  was  early  made 
the  headquarters  of  the  Army  of  East  Tennessee  by  the  Confederate 
military  authorities.  Knox  County,  however,  was  strongly  Union  in 
sentiment.  At  the  election  held  in  February,  1861,  to  determine  the 
question  of  calling  a convention,  out  of  8,561  votes  cast,  only  394  were 
in  favor  of  that  measure,  and  at  the  election  in  June  “ no  separation  ” 
received  a majority  of  nearly  three  to  one.  This  sentiment  somewhat 
delayed  the  organization  of  troops,  and  some  of  the  young  men,  impa- 
tient to  join  the  army  and  fearful  lest  the  war  should  end  before  they 
had  an  opportunity  to  do  so,  hastened  to  Georgia  soon  after  the  fall  of 
Fort  Sumter  and  joined  the  first  regiment  of  vohmteers  from  that 
State.  But  the  necessity  of  collecting  a force  to  suppress  the  Unionists, 
who  threatened  to  cut  off  communication  between  Virginia  and  the 
southwrest,  soon  became  apparent.  The  old  fair  grounds  tvTo  miles  west 
of  Knoxville  was  made  a rendezvous  for  the  companies  organized  in 
East  Tennessee,  and  there,  on  May  29,  the  Third  (Confederate)  Tennes- 
see Regiment  was  organized  from  troops  mainly  from  Monroe  County, 
which  was  strongly  secession.  Soon  after  the  Fourth  and  Nineteenth 
Regiments  were  organized.  On  July  26,  Gen.  Zollicoffer  arrived  and 
assumed  command  of  the  forces  in  East  Tennessee.  He  remained  in 
Knoxville  until  September,  when  he  went  to  Cumberland  Gap,  leaving 
Col.  H.  B.  Wood  in  command  of  the  post.  On  November  25  the  lat- 
ter was  succeeded  by  Gen.  W.  H.  Carroll,  wdiile  at  the  same  time  Gen. 
G.  B.  Crittenden,  the  division  commander,  also  had  his  headquarters  at 
Knoxville. 

On  the  1 ltli  of  October  the  Thirty-seventh  Regiment  of  Infantry  was 
organized  with  Moses  White  as  colonel,  H.  P.  Moffett,  lieutenant-colonel, 
and  W.  M.  Hunt,  major.  Considerable  difficulty  uras  experienced  in  pro- 
viding the  regiment  with  the  proper  arms.  On  December  9 it  was 
reported  that  of  the  771  men  in  the  command  only  200  wrere  armed,  and 
these  with  a miscellaneous  assortment  of  rifles,  shotguns  and  muskets, 


828 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


many  of  which  were  totally  unfit  for  use.  On  the  next  day  Gen.  Carroll 
was  ordered  to  join  Gen.  Zollicoff'er,  with  his  brigade,  but  owing  to  its 
insufficient  equipment,  he  was  unable  to  move  until  toward  the  close  of  the 
month.  Maj.  G.  H.  Monserrat  was  then  left  in  command  of  the  post  at 
Knoxville,  and  from  that  time  forth  no  considerable  Confederate  force 
was  maintained  at  this  point.  In  March,  1862,  E.  Kirby  Smith  assumed 
command  of  the  Department  of  East  Tennessee,  and  he,  for  a time,  made 
his  headquarters  at  Knoxville.  Later,  during  the  autumn  of  1862  and 
the  following  winter,  the  post  was  under  the  command  of  Gen.  J.  P, 
McCown,  Gen.  Sam.  Jones  and  Gen.  Maury,  successively.  During  this 
time  strenuous  efforts  were  made  to  enforce  the  conscript  act  but  with 
only  partial  success.  On  April  27,  1868,  Gen.  S.  B.  Buckner  was  assigned 
to  the  command  of  East  Tennessee,  and  Knoxville  was  his  headquarters 
until  the  evacuation  in  September. 

From  its  position  the  town  was  difficult  of  access  by  the  Federal 
forces,  and  it  was  undisturbed  by  them  until  June,  1868,  when  Gen. 
Sanders  with  a few  hundred  men  made  a raid  around  it.  On  the  even- 
ing of  September  4,  following,  the  advance  of  Gen.  Burnside  entered  the 
town,  but  it  was  not  until  the  next  day  that  he  arrived  in  person  and  took 
up  his  headquarters  in  a dwelling  formerly  the  residence  of  John  H. 
Crozier  but  now  occupied  by  the  Journal.  The  remainder  of  this  month 
and  the  greater  part  of  October  was  spent  in  securing  Cumberland  Gap 
and  other  important  points  in  upper  East  Tennessee.  On  October  22 
news  was  received  that  Longstreet  with  his  corps  was  on  the  march  up  the 
valley,  and  Burnside  at  once  ordered  the  greater  portion  of  his  force  to 
Loudon  to  meet  him.  The  report,  however,  proved  premature  as  Gen. 
Longstreet  did  not  leave  Chattanooga  until  the  4th  of  November,  but 
Burnside,  confident  that  the  movement  would  be  made,  awaited  his 
enemy’s  arrival.  His  army  consisted  of  the  Ninth  Corps,  com- 
manded by  Gen.  Potter,  and  composed  of  two  divisions  under  Gens. 
Hartranft  and  Ferrero  respectively;  the  Twenty-third  Corps  composed  of 
White’s  and  Hascall’s  divisions,  and  the  cavalry  under  Gen.  J.  M. 
Shackleford,  numbering  altogether  about  10,000  men.  The  disposition  of 
these  forces  upon  Longstreet’ s appearance  was  about  as  follows:  The 

Ninth  Corps  at  Lenoir’s,  where  a pontoon  bridge  had  been  thrown  across 
the  river:  White’s  division  of  the  Twenty-third  Corps  at  Loudon,  on  the 
north  side  of  the  river ; a portion  of  the  Twenty-third  Corps  at  Knoxville, 
under  command  of  Chief-of-staff  Gen.  John  G.  Parke;  a division  of 
cavalry  and  mounted  infantry  under  Gen.  Sanders,  south  of  the  river  not 
far  from  Rockford,  and  detachments  at  Kingston,  Maryville  and  other 
points.  Longstreet’s  army  consisted  of  the  divisions  of  Gens.  Hood,. 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


829 


McLaws  and  Wheeler,  and  two  battalions  of  artillery  commanded  by 
Cols.  Alexander  and  Leyden,  respectively,  numbering  in  the  aggregate 
about  20,000  men.  On  the  13th  of  November  Gen.  Wheeler  with  three 
brigades  of  cavalry  detached  himself  from  the  main  army,  marched  to 
Maryville,  captured  the  detachment  there,  and  attempted  to  capture  and 
occupy  the  heights  south  of  the  river  at  Knoxville.  After  a vigorous 
attack  upon  the  force  under  Gen.  Sanders,  however,  he  was  compelled  to 
withdraw,  and  marched  down  the  river  to  join  the  main  army  which  had 
thrown  a bridge  across  the  river  at  Hough’s  Ferry.  On  the  12th  of 
November  Assistant  Secretary  of  War  Dana  and  Col.  Wilson  of  Grant’s 
Staff  visited  Gen.  Burnside,  and  upon  conference  it  was  decided  to  hold 
Knoxville  at  all  hazards,  and  Kingston  if  possible.  On  the  next  morning 
Gen.  Burnside  accompanied  his  guests  as  far  as  Lenoir’s,  and  at  once 
began  making  preparations  for  the  withdrawal  of  his  forces  to  Knoxville. 
He  ordered  Gens.  Potter  and  White  to  Hough’s  Ferry  to  delay  the  pas- 
sage of  Longstreet’s  army,  while  at  the  same  time  he  started  his  wagon 
trains  for  Knoxville.  Soon  after  daylight  on  the  15th  he  had  his  whole 
command  on  the  road  moving  toward  Lenoir’s,  which  place  was  not 
reached  until  nearly  night.  There  two  days’  rations  were  issued,  and  the 
army  went  into  camp. 

At  Campbell’s  Station  about  ten  miles  above  Lenoir’s  the  Loudon 
road  enters  the  Kingston  pike  extending  from  Kingston  to  Knoxville. 
This  was  therefore  an  important  point,  and  before  daylight  Hartranft’s 
division,  accompanied  by  Biddle’s  cavalry,  was  started  in  advance  to  seize 
and  hold  it.  Meanwhile  McLaws’  division  was  hastening  up  on  the 
Kingston  road  for  the  same  purpose.  The  roads  were  in  bad  condition 
from  heavy  rains,  and  the  progress  of  both  were  slow,  but  Hartranft’s 
division  gained  the  position,  and  by  11  o’clock  Burnside’s  main  army 
had  passed  the  forks  of  the  road  and  formed  in  line  of  battle.  Ferrero’s 
division  was  posted  on  the  right  to  the  north  of  the  wood,  Hartranft’s 
division  on  the  left,  with  White’s  division  in  the  center.  Five  batteries 
of  six  guns  each  were  placed  in  commanding  positions  to  the  rear  of  the 
first  line  of  troops.  About  12  o’clock,  after  some  severe  skirmishing  by 
McLaws’  division,  Longstreet  brought  his  command  into  position  with 
Hood’s  division,  under  Gen.  Jenkins,  on  the  right,  the  artillery  in  the 
center,  at  the  junction  of  the  roads,  and  McLaws’  on  the  left.  Gallant 
and  well  sustained  charges  were  made,  first  by  McLaws’  division  on  Burn- 
side’s right,  and  second  by  Hood’s  division  on  the  extreme  left,  but  both 
were  repulsed.  It  had  been  the  intention  to  make  these  assaults  simul- 
taneously, but  owing  to  some  misunderstanding  of  orders  this  was  not 
done.  Meanwhile  the  wagon  trains  had  obtained  a start  toward  Knox- 


830 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


ville,  and  Gen.  Burnside  now  retired  bis  army  under  a lieavy  fire  to 
a bill  about  three-fourths  of  a mile  in  the  rear.  This  position  was 
obtained  in  good  order  about  4 o’clock,  and  in  a few  minutes  McLaws 
renewed  the  attack  upon  the  Union  right,  but  Burnside,  anticipat- 
ing the  movement,  had  massed  his  artillery  to  meet  it,  and  after  an  hour’s 
hard  fighting  Longstreet  withdrew  his  forces  beyond  the  range  of  the 
Union  batteries.  The  Union  loss  in  this  battle  was  reported  at  26  killed, 
166  wounded  and  57  missing,  while  the  Confederate  loss  was  probably 
much  greater. 

The  spot  where  this  battle  was  fought  had  already  become  historic. 
It  was  the  site  of  one  of  the  oldest  forts  or  stations  in  Knox  County,  and 
near  by  were  the  birthplaces  of  Com.  Farragut  and  Bell  Boyd,  the  cele- 
brated spy. 

After  the  withdrawal  of  Longstreet’s  army  Gen.  Burnside  gave 
orders  to  retreat  to  Knoxville.  The  night  was  very  dark  and  the  roads 
heavy  but  by  daylight  the  next  morning  the  army  reached  its  destina- 
tion. The  lines  of  fortification  had  already  been  selected  by  Chief 
Engineer  O.  M.  Poe,  and  the  work  of  intrenching  was  immediately  begun. 
Ferrero’s  division  was  posted  on  the  west,  extending  from  the  river  to 
where  the  railroad  crosses  Second  Creek;  Hartranft’s  division  on  the 
north,  extending  from  First  to  Second  Creek  along  Vine  Street,  and 
White’s  and  a portion  of  Hascall’s  division  on  the  east,  from  Second 
Creek  to  a point  on  the  river  where  the  old  glass-works  were  located. 
Artillery  was  placed  on  all  the  hills  on  and  within  these  lines.  A bridge 
had  been  thrown  across  the  river,  and  a portion  of  the  artillery,  sup- 
ported by  Cameron’s  brigade  of  the  Twenty-third  Corps,  was  stationed 
on  the  heights  to  the  south. 

Meanwhile  Gen.  Longstreet  had  pushed  in,  and  to  delay  his  appi’oach 
the  cavalry  under  Gen.  Sanders  was  dismounted,  and  on  the  morning  of 
the  17th  sent  out  four  or  five  miles  on  the  Kingston  pike  to  delay  and 
harrass  Longstreet’s  advance  consisting  of  McLaws’  division.  The  whole 
of  that  day  was  spent  in  skirmishing,  Sanders  slowly  falling  back  and 
McLaws  advancing  until  night,  when  the  former  made  a stand  about 
500  yards’ above  the  house  of  R H.  Armstrong  where  a line  of  defense 
consisting  of  rails,  rifle  pits,  etc.,  was  constructed,  extending  from  the 
river  to  the  railroad.  McLaws  occupied  a parallel  line  just  in  front  of 
Armstrong’s  house  where  his  artillery  was  stationed. 

Vigorous  attempts  were  made  by  McLaws  during  the  next  day  to  drive 
in  the  Union  line,  but  this  was  stubbornly  resisted  as  it  was  imperatively 
necessary  that  the  position  be  held  as  long  as  possible  to  give  time  for  the 
strengthening  of  the  works  around  the  city.  Chief  Engineer  Poe  says  in 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


831 


his  report  that  every  hour  was  worth  a thousand  men.  About  three 
o’clock  in  the  afternoon  the  line  was  so  hard  pressed  that  it  was  impossible 
lonsrer  to  maintain  it,  and  Gen.  Sanders  rode  forward  from  his  head- 
quarters  to  direct  the  retreat.  He  had  reached  a point  about  the  center 
of  his  line,  and  just  in  its  rear,  when  he  received  a mortal  wound  and  was 
carried  into  the  city.  Gen.  Wolford,  however,  succeeded  in  withdraw- 
ing his  forces  in  good  time,  and  Gen.  Longstreet  made  the  fatal  mistake 
of  not  pressing  the  attack.  Gen.  Sanders  was  carried  to  the  Lamar 
House  where  he  died  in  a few  hours  after  having  been  baptized  by  Rev. 
J.  A.  Hyden  of  the  Methodist  Church.  The  next  night,  in  the  presence 
of  Gen.  Burnside  and  the  other  officers,  he  was  buried  in  the  yard  of  the 
Second  Presbyterian  Church,  Rev.  Dr.  Thomas  W.  Humes  conducting 
the  exercises.  On  the  18th  of  November  Longstreet’s  entire  command 
had  come  up  and  were  placed  in  position.  As  has  been  stated  McLaws’ 
division  occupied  the  space  between  the  river  and  the  railroad;  Hood’s 
division  extended  from  the  railroad  to  the  Clinton  road,  while  Hart’s 
cavalry  brigade  completed  the  investment  on  the  east,  from  the  Tazewell 
Pike  to  the  river.  As  the  siege  progressed,  Longstreet  received  rein- 
forcements from  Gens.  Sam  Jones,  “ Mudwall  ” Jackson  and  “ Cerro 
Gordo  ” Williams,  and  the  divisions  of  Hood  and  McLaws  were  moved  up 
so  that  the  former’s  left  rested  on  the  Tazewell  pike,  and  the  latter’s  left 
extended  to  the  Clinton  road. 

Prom  the  18tli  to  the  24th  nothing  of  great  importance  occurred, 
although  some  skirmishes  were  kept  up,  and  two  or  three  sallies  were 
made  from  the  Union  line,  for  the  purpose  of  destroying  houses  which 
gave  shelter  to  the  sharpshooters  of  Longstreets’  army,  under  direction  of 
Capt.  Poe  the  work  of  strengthening  the  fortifications  rvent  steadily  on,  nor 
had  it  ceased  when  the  siege  was  raised.  First  Creek  was  dammed  at 
the  Mabry  Street  crossing,  and  Second  Creek  at  the  railroad  crossing, 
thus  flooding  the  low  ground  along  the  railroad.  Fort  Sanders  was 
rendered  almost  impregnable  by  a deep  ditch  in  front,  and  beyond  that 
a net  work  of  wire,  and  Cheveux  cle  Frise. 

On  the  night  of  the  24th  Longstreet  sent  about  1,100  men  under 
Gen.  McLaws  across  the  river  near  the  Armstrong  House,  and  on 
the  next  day  an  attempt  was  made  to  carry  the  heights  south  of  the  river. 
This  was  unsuccessful,  except  as  to  one  hill  below  the  university  which 
was  taken  and  a battery  placed  upon  it.  This  battery,  however,  proved 
of  little  service.  From  this  time  until  the  attack  on  Fort  Sanders  the 
siege  presents  few  points  of  interest,  with  the  exception  of  an  occasional 
sortie  for  the  possession  of  the  rifle  pits  in  front  of  the  fort. 

It  had  been  the  purpose  of  Gen.  Longstreet  to  starve  the  Federals 


882 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


into  surrender,  and  lie  would  undoubtedly  have  succeeded  very  quickly  had 
he  cut  them  off'  from  all  outside  sources  of  supplies.  It  is  stated  by 
Capt.  Poe  in  his  report  that  at  the  commencement  of  the  siege  the  army 
had  provision  sufficient  for  but  a single  day,  yet  at  its  close  a quantity 
sufficient  to  last  ten  days  had  been  collected.  The  Holston  and  French 
Broad  Rivers  above  Knoxville  were  not  carefully  guarded,  and  large 
quantities  of  provisions  and  provender  were  floated  down  in  flat-boats 
under  cover  of  darkness  and  dense  fogs.  These  supplies  were  freely  fur- 
nished by  loyal  citizens,  and  were  sent  down  under  direction  of  Capt. 
Doughty  and  his  company,  who  remained  on  the  French  Broad  during 
the  entire  siege. 

On  the  28th  of  November  Gen.  Longstreet,  learning  of  the  approach 
of  Gen.  Sherman  with  a force  of  25,000  men,  resolved  to  attempt  to  carry 
the  Federal  works  by  assault.  Upon  consultation  with  his  officers  it 
was  at  last  decided  to  attack  Fort  Sanders.  This  point  was  determined 
upon,  it  is  said,  through  the  advice  of  the  engineer,  Gen.  Leadbetter,  who 
from  observation  had  decided  that  there  was  no  ditch  in  front  the  fort. 
He  was  led  into  this  error  by  seeing  a dog  pass  out  of  the  fort  without 
disappearing  from  sight  as  he  would  have  done  had  he  entered  a ditch. 
This  was  afterward  explained  by  the  fact  that  the  animal  had  crossed 
over  the  ditch  on  a plank. 

The  attack  upon  the  fort  was  begun  early  in  the  morning  of  the  29th 
by  three  brigades  of  McLaws’  division  composed  of  Mississippi,  Georgia 
and  South  Carolina  Regiments  respectively.  The  engagement  lasted 
about  twenty  minutes,  and  was  attended  with  severe  loss  on  the  part  of 
the  Confederates.  The  obstacles  in  front  of  the  fort  threw  their  lines 
into  confusion,  and  the  ditch  proved  almost  impassable.  Heavy  rains 
had  made  the  ground  very  slippery,  and  no  scaling  ladders  had  been  pro- 
vided. Only  a few  succeeded  in  scaling  the  parapet,  and  tliese  were 
either  captured  or  killed.  The  assault  was  gallantly  made  and  sustained, 
but  the  odds  were  too  great  for  human  endurance.  The  shattered  col- 
umns were  withdrawn,  and  soon  after  Longstreet  began  a retreat  up  the 
valley  to  Morristown.  On  the  12tli  of  December  Gen.  Burnside  turned  over 
his  command  to  Gen.  Foster  and  left  Knoxville.  Upon  his  arrival  there 
in  September  Gen.  S.  P.  Carter  had  been  appointed  provost-marshal  of 
East  Tennessee,  continuing  in  that  position  until  the  close  of  the  hostili- 
ties, discharging  the  duties  of  the  office  with  skill  and  justice. 

In  the  summer  of  1864  most  of  the  troops  having  been  withdrawn 
from  Knoxville  a regiment  of  militia  was  organized  for  the  defense  of  the 
toAvn.  F.  F.  Flint  was  made  colonel;  F.  A.  Reeve,  lieutenant-colonel; 
D.  G.  Thornburg,  major;  W.  R.  Patterson,  adjutant,  and  W.  J.  Perkins, 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


833 


quartermaster.  The  companies  were  commanded  as  follows:  Company  A, 
John  Baxter;  Company  B,  W.  G.  Brownlow;  Company  C,  John  Nether- 
land;  Company  D,  E.  C.  Trigg;  Company  E,  Perez  Dickinson;  Company 
F,  A.  A.  Kyle ; Company  G,  John  M.  Fleming  and  Company  H.  Capt.  Mont- 
gomery, the  aggregate  number  of  men  being  846. 

During  the  continuance  of  hostilities  in  East  Tennessee  the  suffer- 
ing among  the  poorer  people  became  intense,  and  in  the  fall  of  1863,  Col. 
N.  G.  Taylor  visited  the  North  and  East  to  procure  money  and  supplies 
for  these  unfortunates.  He  delivered  addresses  in  all  the  large  cities, 
and  succeeded  in  arousing  the  sympathies  of  the  people.  Large  contri- 
butions were  made,  and  in  order  that  the  supplies  might  be  properly  and 
systematically  distributed  it  became  necessary  to  form  an  organization 
in  East  Tennessee  which  was  effected  at  Knoxville  on  February  8,  1864. 
Thomas  W.  Humes  was  made  president ; M.  M.  Miller,  treasurer  and  J. 
M.  Fleming,  secretary.  The  society  was  known  as  the  East  Tennessee 
Belief  Association,  and  during  the  three  years  of  its  existence  received 
and  distributed  large  quantities  of  supplies  to  the  needy  inhabitants. 

The  first  company  recruited  in  Knox  County  for  service  in  the  Con- 
federate Army  was  Company  E,  of  the  Nineteenth  Tennessee  Infantry, 
which  was  organized  in  May,  1861.  with  Dr.  John  Paxton  as  captain; 
John  Miller,  first  lieutenant;  George  Boyce,  second  lieutenant;  L.  B. 
Graham,  third  lieutenant,  and  Samuel  Hamilton,  orderly  sergeant.  At 
the  reorganization,  one  year  later,  W.  W.  Lackey  became  captain; 
S.  Abernathy,  first  lieutenant;  H.  A.  Waller,  second  lieutenant,  and  J. 
L.  Waller,  third  lieutenant.  At  the  battle  of  Chickamauga,  on  Septem- 
ber 19,  1863,  Capt.  Lackey  was  killed  and  was  succeeded  by  H.  A. 
Waller.  This  was  the  only  company  in  the  Nineteenth  Begiment  raised 
in  Knox  .County.  At  the  organization  it  numbered  101  members,  but 
twelve  only  remained  at  the  close  of  the  war.  The  regiment  was  organ- 
ized at  the  fair  grounds  near  Knoxville  on  June  10,  1862,  at  which  time 
the  following  officers  were  chosen:  D.  H.  Cummings,  colonel;  F.  M. 

■ Walker,  lieutenant-colonel;  A.  Fulkerson,  major;  Y.  Q.  Johnson,  adju- 
tant; J.  D.  Taylor,  quartermaster;  H.  M.  Doak,  sergeant-major;  J.  E. 
Dulaney,  surgeon;  Bev.  D.  Sullins,  chaplain,  and  W.  J.  Worsham  and 
Bufus  Lamb,  chief  musicians.  A considerable  number  from  this  county 
also  joined  the  Fourth  Infantry,  under  Col.  W.  M.  Churchwell,  and  also 
the  Thirty-first,  under  the  command  of  Col.  William  Bradford.  Lieut. - 
Col.  James  W.  Humes  and  Sergt.-Maj.  James  White,  of  this  regi- 
ment, were  from  Knoxville. 

Company  D,  of  the  Sixty-third  Tennessee  Infantry,  was  also  partially 
recruited  at  Knoxville  by  Capt.  A.  A.  Blair,  in  May,  1862.  The  re- 


834 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


mainder  of  the  company  was  from  Washington  and  Hawkins  Counties. 
The  officers  were  A.  A.  Blair,  captain;  J.  B.  McCollum,  first  lieutenant; 
J.  W.  Carter,  second  lieutenant;  J.  L.  Wilson,  third  lieutenant,  and  E. 
N.  Collum,  orderly  sergeant. 

Of  the  First  and  Second  Kegiments  of  Tennessee  Confederate  Cav- 
alry. a considerable  number  were  from  Knox  County.  The  First  Begi- 
ment  was  originally  organized  as  Brazleton’s  battalion,  at  Knoxville,  in 
August,  1861.  It  was  composed  of  seven  companies  under  the  com- 
mand of  Lieut. -Col.  William  Brazleton,  with  William  Bradford  as  major, 
and  operated  in  East  Tennessee  and  Kentucky.  At  the  reorganization 
in  the  spring  of  1862  James  E.  Carter  succeeded  Brazleton,  and  Alonzo 
Bean  became  major.  At  Murfreesboro  three  more  companies  were  added 
and  the  organization  completed  with  James  E.  Carter  as  colonel;  Alonzo 
Bean,  lieutenant-colonel;  Alexander  Goforth,  major,  and  J.  D.  Carter, 
adjutant.  The  companies  composing  the  regiment  were  as  follows: 
Company  A,  from  Bliea  County,  Capt.  Keys;  Company  B,  Hamilton 
County,  Capt.  J.  B.  King;  Company  C,  McMinn  and  Monroe  Counties, 
Capt.  Bichard  Vandyke;  Company  D,  Bhea  and  Boane  Counties,  Capt. 
Greer;  Company  E,  Knox  County,  Capt.  John  Jarnagin;  Company  F, 
Claiborne  County,  Capt.  Frank  Fulkerson;  Company  G,  Blount  County, 
Capt.  Wiggs;  Company  H,  Jefferson  County,  Capt.  Neff;  Company  I, 
Blount  County,  Capt.  William  Wallace;  Company  K,  Jefferson  County, 
Capt.  Bichard  Swearinger.  Later  two  other  companies  were  added: 
Company  L,  from  Claiborne  County,  Capt.  Blackburn,  and  Company  M, 
Washington  County,  Capt.  Ed.  Gammon.  The  regiment  was  assigned 
to  Pegram’s  brigade.  On  the  first  day  of  the  battle  of  Murfreesboro  it 
participated  in  the  movement  around  Bosecrans’  army,  and  on  the  third 
day  was  actively  engaged.  After  the  battle  it  was  transferred  to  East 
Tennessee,  and  was  at  Cumberland  Gap  when  that  place  was  surrendered 
by  Gen.  Frazier.  Later  it  participated  in  several  engagements  in  upper 
East  Tennessee,  among  which  was  the  battle  of  Blue  Springs;  was  pres- 
ent at  the  siege  of  Knoxville,  and  remained  with  Gen.  Longstreet  during 
his  stay  in  East  Tennessee.  In  May,  1864,  the  regiment  was  dismounted 
and  sent  to  the  valley  of  Virginia  under  Gen.  William  E.  Jones  to  meet 
the  Federal  forces  under  Gen.  Hunter.  In  the  battle  which  took  place 
at  Piedmont  a severe  defeat  was  sustained,  and  the  regiment  lost  150  out 
of  315  men  in  killed,  Avounded  and  captured.  After  participating  in 
Early's  campaign  down  the  valley  to  Washington  it  was  again  mounted 
in  the  fall  of  1864,  and  from  that  time  until  after  the  surrender  of  Gen. 
Lee,  operated  in  southwestern  Virginia  and  East  Tennessee. 

The  Second  Tennessee  Cavalry  was  organized  at  Woodson’s  Gap  in  the 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


835 


spring  of  1862  by  the  consolidation  of  Branner’s  and  McClellan’s  battal- 
ions. The  companies  forming  these  battalions  previous  to  that  time 
had  acted  somewhat  independently  of  each  other,  and  had  been  engaged 
in  scouting  through  East  Tennessee.  They  were  commanded  as  follows : 
Company  A,  John  Kuhn;  Company  B,  John  Rogers;  Company  C,  Will- 
iam Ford;  Company  D,  Capt.  Owens;  Company  E,  William  E.  Smith; 

Company  F,  Capt.  Stone;  Company  G,  Capt.  Clark;  Company  H,  

; Company  I.  N.  C.  Langford;  Company  K,  Capt.  Gillespie.  The 

regimental  officers  were  H.  M.  Ashby,  colonel;  H.  C.  Gillespie,  lieuten- 
ant-colonel; P.  A.  Cobb,  major;  R.  M.  Bearden,  adjutant,  and  Charles 
Coffin,  sergeant-major.  The  regiment  was  at  first  placed  in  Alston’s 
brigade,  but  during  the  following  fall  was  transferred  to  Gen.  Pegram’s 
command.  Later  it  was  under  Col.  Scotts  and  Gen.  W.  T.  C.  Humes 
successively,  and  finally  toward  the  close  of  the  war  Col.  Ashby  was 
promoted  to  the  command  of  the  brigade.  The  regiment  from  that  time 
was  commanded  by  Capt.  Kuhn,  acting  lieutenant-colonel,  with  Capt. 
William  E.  Smith,  acting  major.  This  was  one  of  the  most  gallant 
regiments  in  the  army  and  received  many  complimentary  orders  from  its 
commanders.  It  participated  in  the  battles  of  Fishing  Creek,  Shiloh  (a 
detachment),  Perry ville,  Murfreesboro,  Chickainauga  and  the  Atlanta 
campaigns.  It  was  with  Wheeler  on  his  raid  into  Tennessee  during  that 
campaign.  Afterward  it  opposed  Sherman  on  his  march  through  Geor- 
gia and  the  Carolinas,  and  finally  surrendered  near  Greensboro,  N.  C. 
The  greater  portion  of  the  troops  from  Knox  County  in  this  regiment 
were  in  Company  I.  W.  W.  Gibbs,  who  served  as  third  lieutenant  in 
Ashby’s  company  of  Branner’s  battalion,  afterward,  in  the  spring  of 
1863,  organized  a company  of  scouts  which  saw  much  hard  service  in 
East  Tennessee. 

Four  batteries  of  light  artillery  were  raised  foJ  the  Confederate  service 
in  Knox  County.  In  the  spring  of  1861  H.  L.  W.  McClung  organized 
a company  of  120  men,  of  which  E.  S.  McClung  was  senior  first  lieuten- 
ant; A.  Allison,  junior  first  lieutenant;  William  Lewis,  senior  second 
lieutenant,  and  David  G.  Jackson,  junior  second  lieutenant.  The  bat- 
tery consisted  of  six  pieces — four  smooth-bore  six- pounders,  and  two  twelve 
pound  howitzers.  The  company  was  ordered  into  Kentucky  where  it 
participated  in  the  battle  of  Fishing  Creek,  after  which  it  joined  A.  S. 
Johnston’s  army  and  was  present  at  the  battle  of  Shiloh.  As  a part  of 
Breckiliridge’s  division  it  was  at  Vicksburg  during  the  first  bombard- 
ment. It  then  accompanied  the  division  to  East  Tennessee,  where  it 
spent  several  months  guarding  the  bridge  at  Loudon  and  at  Carter’s 
Station.  Later  it  did  guard  duty  at  Saltville,  Va.  A detail  of  two  guns 


836 


HISTOEY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


from  this  battery  and  two  from  another  under  the  command  of  Lieut. 
Allison  were  present  with  Morgan  when  he  was  killed  at  Greenville,  on 
September  4,  1864,  and  under  Vaughn  the  battery  participated  in  the 
fight  at  Morristown,  where  Capt  McClung  and  Lieut.  Allison  were  both 
captured.  The  remainder  of  the  company  took  part  in  the  battle  at  Bull 
Bun,  Tenn.,  and  finally  surrendered  under  Gen.  Johnston  at  Benton - 
ville,  N.  C. 

The  Khett  Artillery,  or  Burrougli’s  battery,  was  organized  in  June, 
1861,  by  W.  H.  Burroughs  and  James  C.  Luttrell,  who  were  elected  cap- 
tain and  senior  first  lieutenant  respectively.  The  other  officers  were  G. 
A.  Huwald,  junior  first  lieutenant;  J.  E.  Blackwell,  senior  second  lieu- 
tenant, and  J.  J.  Burroughs,  junior  second  lieutenant.  The  battery  was 
first  stationed  at  Cumberland  Gap,  but  upon  Kirby  Smith’s  raid  into  Ken- 
tucky it  joined  his  command,  and  was  present  at  the  battles  of  Bich- 
mond  and  Perryville.  After  their  return  to  Knoxville,  a disagreement 
arose  between  Capt.  Burroughs  and  Lieut.  Luttrell,  the  former  wishing 
to  resume  guard  duty,  and  the  latter  to  continue  in  active  service.  Fi- 
nally, Capt.  Burroughs,  with  the  battery,  was  ordered  to  Cumberland  Gap, 
and  was  continued  in  that  vicinity  until  the  close  of  the  war.  Lieut. 
Luttrell  was  given  a detail  from  the  Brigade  battery,  and,  until  the  sur- 
render at  Greensboro,  N.  C.,  was  engaged  in  active  service  under  Gens. 
Pegrarn,  Wheeler  and  Forrest,  successively. 

Kain’s  battery  was  organized  in  March,  1862,  with  W.  C.  Kain  as  cap- 
tain; Thomas  O’Conner,  senior  first  lieutenant;  Hugh  L.  White,  junior 
first  lieutenant;  James  Newman,  senior  second  lieutenant;  W.  C.  Danner, 
junior  second  lieutenant;  and  about  125  noncommissioned  officers  and  pri- 
vates. They  proceeded  to  Chattanooga,  where  they  received  their  guns 
and  equipment,  after  which  they  marched  to  Bridgeport,  and  there  par- 
ticipated in  their  first  battle.  They  then  engaged  in  a raid  to  Winches- 
ter, returning  across  the  Cumberland  Mountains  to  Loudon,  where  they 
did  guard  duty  for  a short  time.  Late  in  1862  one  section  of  two  guns 
was  detached  under  Lieut.  White  and  sent  to  Murfreesboro,  where  it 
participated  in  the  battle.  It  soon  after  rejoined  the  battery  at  Knox- 
ville, which,  under  the  command  of  Lieut.  O’Conner,  marched  to 
Cumberland  Gap,  where  the  entire  company  (with  the  exception  of  nine 
men)  were  surrendered  on  September  9,  1863,  and  sent  to  Camp  Doug- 
lass, from  which  only  thirty-two  returned  alive  at  the  end  of  the  war. 

Huwald’ s battery  was  organized  with  G.  A.  Huwald,  captain ; G.  B. 
Bamsey,  first  lieutenant;  William  Martin,  second  lieutenant,  and  Charles 
McClung,  third  lieutenant,  and  numbered  about  ninety  men.  It  operated 
in  East  Tennessee  with  Pegram’s  brigade  until  after  the  evacuation, 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


837 


when  it  went  to  Chattanooga  and  participated  in  the  battle  of  Chicka- 
mauga.  It  afterward,  at  Dalton,  Ga.,  was  consolidated  with  Scott’s  battery, 
from  Louisiana,  after  which  the  officers  were  G.  A.  Huwald,  captain; 
G.  B.  Ramsey,  senior  first  lieutenant;  John  Turner,  junior  first  lieuten- 
ant;— Leftwich,  senior  second  lieutenant ; Robert  Yestal,  junior  second 
lieutenant.  It  participated  actively  in  the  Atlanta  campaign,  and  lost 
one  section  by  capture  at  Beaver  Creek.  The  remainder  of  the  company 
continued  on  through  Georgia,  and  at  the  time  of  the  surrender  were  at 
Aiken,  S.  C.  There  they  sold  the  horses,  guns,  etc.,  at  auction ; divided 
the  money  among  themselves,  and  returned  home.  While  on  the  Atlanta 
campaign,  Lieuts.  Ramsey  and  Turner  fought  a duel  in  which  the  latter 
received  a mortal  wound.  Afterward  Huwald  was  suspended  for  playing 
cards  with  his  private  soldiers,  and  Ramsey  then  assumed  command. 

As  nearly  all  of  the  Union  regiments  from  East  Tennessee  were 
organized  in  Kentucky  from  bands  of  refugees  very  few  full  companies 
were  made  up  of  men  from  any  one  county.  It  is  impossible,  therefore, 
to  classify  them  by  counties  with  any  degree  of  accuracy.  Of  the  Eirst 
Tennessee  Cavalry,  Company  C was  composed  chiefly  of  men  from 
Knox  County.  This  regiment  was  organized  at  Camp  Garber,  Ky., 
March  1,  1862,  as  the  Fourth  Infantry,  and  so  continued  until  Novem- 
ber 1 of  that  year,  when  it  was  transferred  to  the  cavalry  service.  The 
first  regimental  officers  were  Robert  Johnson,  colonel;  James  P.  Brown- 
low,  lieutenant-colonel;  James  O.  Berry,  major  and  John  Hall  adjutant. 
Afterward,  in  the  cavalry  service,  M.  T.  Burkhart  and  William  R.  Tracy 
became  majors,  but  in  the  summer  of  1863  were  succeeded  by  Russell 
Thornburgh  and  Calvin  M.  Dyer,  both  of  whom  subsequently  became 
lieutenant-colonels.  Henry  G.  Flagg  and  Birton  Smith  were  also  pro- 
moted to  the  rank  of  major.  The  former  in  August,  1863,  and  the  latter 
in  July,  1864 

Company  C was  organized  by  James  P.  Brownlow,  who,  upon  being 
chosen  lieutenant-colonel,  was  succeeded  by  M.  T.  Burkhart.  The  latter 
in  a few  months  was  raised  to  the  rank  of  major,  and  the  command  de- 
volved upon  Elbert  J.  Cannon.  The  final  captain  of  the  company  was 
Jacob  K.  Lones,  who  was  commissioned  in  December,  1863.  John  Rob- 
erts and  James  H.  Smith  both  successively  held  the  rank  of  second  and 
first  lieutenants.  The  whole  number  of  men  who  enlisted  in  this  com- 
pany was  122,  of  whom  41  were  killed  or  died  of  wounds  or  disease. 
The  Second,  Third,  Fourth,  and  Ninth  Cavalries  also  contained  a consid- 
erable number  of  Knox  County  men. 

Of  the  infantry  regiments  the  Third  and  Sixth  were  most  largely  com- 
posed of  men  from  Knox  County,  although  it  was  well  represented  in  the 


838 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


First,  Second  and  Eighth.  The  companies  in  the  Third,  organized  in 
whole  or  in  part  from  Knox  County  men,  were  D,  F,  H,  and  I.  Com- 
pany D was  organized  February  10,  1862,  with  John  O’Keefe,  captain; 
W.  C.  Robinson,  first  lieutenant ; S.  L.  King,  second  lieutenant  and  W. 
C.  Brandon,  orderly  sergeant.  The  officers  of  Company  F were  J.  L. 
Ledgerwood,  captain;  James  Clapp,  first  lieutenant;  C.  Rutherford,  sec- 
ond lieutenant  and  0.  Zachary,  orderly  sergeant.  Company  H,  J.  W. 
Adkinson,  captain;  J.  G.  Roberts,  first  lieutenant,  and  W.  W.  Adkinson, 
second  lieutenant.  Soon  after  the  organization,  J.  G.  Roberts  became 
captain,  and  E.  C.  Roberts,  first  lieutenant.  Company  I was  organized  with 
E.  D.  Willis  as  captain;  W.  L.  Ledgerwood,  first  lieutenant;  J.  H.  Ellis, 
second  lieutenant,  and  R.  Bince,  orderly  sergeant;  later,  by  promotion, 
W.  L.  Ledgerwood  became  captain;  J.  IT.  Ellis,  first  lieutenant  and  J. 
C.  Bayless,  second  lieutenant. 

Of  the  Sixth  Tennessee  Infantry,  all  but  two  companies,  E and  F, 
were  recruited  mainly  from  Knox  County  men.  Company  A was  organ- 
ized with  A.  M.  Gamble,  captain ; Thomas  D.  Edington,  first  lieutenant, 
and  Y.  F.  Gossett,  second  lieutenant.  In  August,  1862,  Capt.  Gamble 
was  raised  to  the  rank  of  major,  and  the  remaining  officers  were  regularly 
promoted;  W.  W.  Dunn  becoming  second  lieutenant.  Company  B was 
organized  by  Spencer  Deaton,  with  James  M.  Armstrong,  first  lieutenant; 
Thomas  A.  Smith,  second  lieutenant,  and  William  D.  Atchley,  orderly 
sergeant.  In  May,  1864,  Lieut.  Armstrong  was  promoted  to  the  com- 
mand of  the  company.  The  officers  of  Company  C at  the  organization  were 
Rufus  M.  Bennett,  captain;  John  P.  Baryar,  first  lieutenant;  William  L. 
Lea,  second  lieutenant,  and  Joseph  A.  E.  Blang,  orderly  sergeant.  March, 
1863,  Lieut.  Lea  became  captain,  but  on  the  6th  of  August,  1864,  was 
killed,  and  was  succeeded  by  Adam  T.  Cottrell.  At  about  the  same  time 
G.  L.  Maloney  was  made  first  lieutentant  and  John  M.  Berry,  second 
lieutenant.  Company  D was  organized  by  M.  D.  Bearden  with  S.  L. 
Gilson,  first  lieutenant;  Thomas  Parham,  second  lieutenant,  and  William 
N.  Price,  orderly  sergeant.  In  January,  1863,  James  H.  Coleman  became 
first  lieutenant.  He  was  succeeded  in  July,  1864,  by  J.  L.  Turner.  F.  B. 
Nicholl  also  served  as  second  lieutenant.  Company  E was  from  Clai- 
borne County,  and  was  commanded  by  William  Ausmus.  Archibald 
Meyers  was  captain  of  Company  F,  which  was  from  Campbell  County. 
The  organization  of  Company  G was  as  follows:  Francis  H.  Bounds, 
captain;  A.  E.  Murphy,  first  lieutenant;  A.  M.  Cate  second  lieutenant 
and  Ignaz  Fanz,  orderly  sergeant.  Only  eight  companies  were  organ- 
ize 1.  The  regimental  officers  upon  organization  were  Joseph  A.  Cooper, 
colonel;  Edward  Maynard,  lieutenant-colonel;  William  C.  Pickens,  major; 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


839 


H.  W.  Parks,  adjutant;  William  Rule,  commissary  sergeant,  and  T.  T. 
Thornburgh,  sergeant-major.  In  August,  1862,  William  C.  Pickens  was 
succeeded  by  A.  M.  Gamble,  and  in  December,  1863,  William  Rule  be- 
came adjutant.  Thornburgh  was  also  succeeded  by  Thomas  L.  Trewliitt. 

One  company  of  the  Seventh  Regiment  of  Mounted  Infantry  was  re- 
cruited in  Knox  County.  The  officers  were  Charles  W.  Cross,  captain ; 
T.  L.  B.  Huddleston,  first  lieutenant;  S.  D.  Whitton,  second  lieutenant, 
and  E.  E.  Longmire,  orderly  sergeant. 

As  has  been  stated,  J ames  White  removed  from  his  first  location  in 
the  fork  in  1786,  and  with  James  Conner  began  a settlement  in  the 
vicinity  of  what  has  since  become  the  city  of  Knoxville.  The  first  ground 
cleared  by  them  is  said  to  have  been  the  lot  upon  which  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church  now  stands,  but  this  was  not  the  site  of  their  cabin,  which  was 
on  the  west  side  of  First  Creek,  just  north  of  where  Union  Street  now 
is.  The  strength  of  the  settlement  thus  begun  had  so  far  increased  in 
1791  as  to  induce  Gov.  Blount  to  fix  upon  it  as  the  seat  of  the  Territorial 
government.  Early  in  that  year  he  removed  from  the  fork  of  the 
Holston  and  Watauga  Rivers,  where  he  had  been  located  since  assuming 
his  official  position,  and  took  up  his  residence  on  a knoll  between  the 
hill  upon  which  the  university  stands  and  the  river.  A few  small  buildings 
for  the  reception  of  government  stores  were  erected  near  the  mouth  of 
First  Creek,  and  it  was  in  that  vicinity  that  the  treaty  of  Holston  was 
held  on  the  2d  day  of  the  following  July. 

Although  the  town  was  not  laid  off  until  in  February,  1792,  the  first 
number  of  the  Knoxville  Gazette , issued  November  5,  1791,  contains  a 
notice  of  an  agreement  entered  into  on  October  3 of  that  year,  by  James 
White,  the  proprietor  of  the  town,  and  John  Adair,  Paul  Cunningham 
and  George  McNutt,  commissioners  on  the  part  of  subscribers  for  lots, 
by  the  terms  of  which  subscribers  were  to  pay  a uniform  price,  and  after 
all  the  lots  had  been  taken,  they  were  to  be  assigned  by  lottery.  It  is 
probable,  however,  that  this  scheme  was  never  carried  out,  as  no  other 
mention  of  it  could  be  found.  The  following  account  of  the  founding  of 
the  town,  written  by  Hugh  Dunlap,  is  probably  accurate : “At  the  treaty 
of  Holston,  in  1791,  there  were  no  houses  except  shanties  put  up  for  the 
occasion  to  hold  government  stores.  Gen.  James  White  lived  in  the 
neighborhood,  and  had  a blockhouse  to  guard  his  family.  At  the  treaty 
they  used  river  water  entirely,  until  Trooper  Armstrong  (James  Arm- 
strong) discovered  the  spring  to  the  right  of  the  street  leading  from  the 
courthouse  to  what  is  now  (1842)  called  “ Hardscrabble.”  He  at  the 
time  requested  Gen.  White,  as  a great  favor,  to  let  him  have  a lot  includ- 
ing the  spring  when  the  town  was  laid  off.  The  General  granted  his 


840 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


request,  and  after  the  town  was  surveyed  made  him  a deed  to  the  lot. 
These  facts  were  told  me  by  Gen.  White  himself,  for  I was  not  present 
at  the*  treaty.  I left  Philadelphia  with  my  goods  in  December,  1791, 
and  did  not  reach  Knoxville  until  about  the  1st  of  February,  1792.  I 
deposited  my  goods,  and  kept  store  in  a house  used  by  the  Government 
at  the  treaty.  At  the  time  of  my  arrival  in  the  town  Samuel  and 
Nathaniel  Cowan  had  goods  there.  John  Chisolm  kept  a house  of  en- 
tertainment, and  a man  by  the  name  of  McLemee  was  living  there.  These 
men  with  their  families  constituted  the  inhabitants  of  Knoxville  at  that 
time.  Gov.  Blount  lived  on  Barbara  Hill,  a knoll  between  College  Hill 
and  the  river.  It  was  then  approached  from  the  town  by  a path  follow- 
ing the  meanders  of  the  river.  The  land  upon  which  Knoxville  is  built 
belonged  to  Gen.  White.  In  February,  1792,  Col.  Charles  McClung 
surveyed  the  lots,  and  laid  off  the  town.  I do  not  remember  on  what  day 
of  the  month,  it  excited  no  particular  interest  at  the  time.  The  whole 
town  was  then  a thicket  of  brushwood  and  grapevine,  except  a small  por- 
tion in  front  of  the  river  where  all  the  business  was  done.  There  never 
was  any  regular  public  sale  of  lots.  Gen.  White  sold  anybody  a lot  for 
eight  dollars  who  would  settle  upon  it  and  impi'ove  it.” 

The  new  town  was  called  Knoxville  in  honor  of  Gen.  Henry  Knox, 
then  Secretary  of  War.  As  the  county  had  not  been  laid  off,  no  county 
buildings  were  at  first  erected,  but  lots  for  a courthouse  and  jail  were 
reserved  by  Gen.  White.  He  also  set  apart  a lot  for  the  erection  of  a 
bouse  of  worship,  and  two  years  iater  donated  an  entire  square  for  the 
use  of  Blount  College.  This  was  the  square  bounded  by  Gay,  Church, 
Clinch  and  State  Streets. 

In  1793  a detachment  of  United  States  troops,  under  command  of 
Capt.  Carr,  arrived  and  erected  a barrack  upon  the  lot  now  occupied  by 
the  new  courthouse.  This  was  a somewhat  extensive  structure  built  of 
logs  notched  closely  together,  and  extending  from  Main  Street  toward 
the  river.  The  second  story  projected  two  feet  on  every  side  beyond  the 
walls  of  the  first.  In  both  stories,  and  in  the  floor  of  the  second,  port 
holes  were  left  at  suitable  distances.  The  square  around  was  cleared  of 
everything  that  might  give  protection  to  an  assailant. 

Nearly  all  of  the  merchants  were  at  first  located  on  State  Street. 
Nathaniel  and  Samuel  Cowan’s  store  stood  at  the  corner  of  State  and 
Front  Streets,  opposite  Chisolm’s  tavern.  After  a year  or  two  the  partner- 
ship between  them  was  dissolved,  and  Nathaniel  removed  to  the  country. 
At  about  the  same  time  a third  brother,  James  Cowan,  opened  a store 
near  State  Street  above  Main.  During  the  latter  part  of  1792  Titus 
Ogden,  a merchant  and  a paymaster  of  troops  and  of  Indian  annuities, 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


841 


arrived  and  established  a store  on  State  Street.  He  died  about  a year 
later  and  was  buried  on  College  Hill. 

The  commercial  importance  of  the  town  increased  quite  rapidly,  and 
during  the  next  two  or  three  years  stores  were  opened  by  James  and 
Samuel  Miller,  James  Ore,  John  Sommerville  & Co.,  Charles  McClung, 
Alexander  Carmichael  and  Stephen  Duncan,  several  of  whom,  however, 
remained  in  business  but  a short  time.  The  last  named  a few  years 
later  was  convicted  of  murder,  and  with  an  accomplice  was  executed  at 
Knoxville. 

Next  in  importance  to  the  merchant  was  the  tavern  keeper.  John 
Chisolm  as  the  pioneer  landlord  soon  had  several  competitors,  and  in 
order  to  maintain  the  rates  he  adopted  the  modern  plan  and  formed  a 
combination.  In  the  Gazette  of  December  17,  1792,  John  Chisolm,  Alex- 
ander Carmichael,  John  Wood  and  Peter  McNamee  inform  the  public 
that  they  have  opened  houses  of  entertainment  in  Knoxville  upon  the  fol- 
lowing terms:  “breakfast  and  supper,  one  shilling  each;  dinner,  one 
shilling  and  sixpence ; constant  boarders,  $2  per  week ; whisky,  six  pence 
per  one  half  pint.” 

In  1794  the  Territorial  Assembly  convened  in  Knoxville.  The  coun- 
cil held  its  sessions  in  the  barrack,  and  the  House  sometimes  in  another 
room  of  the  barrack,  but  occasionally  at  Carmichael’s  tavern  at  the  corner 
of  Cumberland  and  State  Streets.  The  joint  conferences  were  held  in 
the  courthouse.  As  the  seat  of  government,  Knoxville  attained  an 
importance  not  common  to  frontier  villages  of  a few  years’  growth.  Its 
society,  too,  possessed  an  air  of  unusual  refinement.  This  was  due  in  a 
great  measure  to  the  influence  of  Gov.  Blount  and  his  wife,  Mary  Grain- 
ger— more  to  that  of  the  latter  perhaps,  than  of  the  former.  Soon  after 
the  town  was  surveyed  the  Governor  erected  a house  at  the  corner  of  State 
and  Hill  Streets,  where  he  dispensed  to  all  an  elegant  hospitality.  Mrs. 
Blount  was  an  accomplished  lady  of  noble  mind  and  gentle  disposition, 
and  from  her  presence  eminated  a certain  grace  and  dignity  which  did 
much  to  soften  and  refine  the  manners  of  the  pioneer  inhabitants.  She 
became  a universal  favorite,  and  to  show  the  high  esteem  in  which  she 
was  held  a fort,  a town  and  a county,  were  successively  named  in  her  honor. 

The  constitutional  convention  of  1796  assembled  in  the  office  of 
David  Henley,  an  agent  of  the  war  department,  a small  building  in  the 
outskirts  of  the  town.  The  population  of  Knoxville  at  this  time  had 
increased  somewhat,  but  as  is  well  known,  there  were  not  to  exceed 
forty  houses  in  the  place,  and  these  without  exception  were  built 
of  logs.  The  merchants  then  in  business  were  Col.  McClellan,  John 
Nicholls,  James  and  Samuel  Cowan  and  John  Crozier.  That  the  place 


842 


HISTOBY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


was  one  of  considerable  resort  is  evident  from  tlie  fact  that  it  supported 
five  taverns.  The  largest  of  these  stood  on  the  present  site  of  Schubert’s 
Hotel,  and  was  owned  by  John  Stone. 

The  town  continued  to  improve  slowly,  both  in  wealth  and  population. 
In  1810  there  was  a population  of  about  400,  and  a few  brick  houses  had 
been  built.  Among  the  merchants  who  located  in  the  town  during  the 
first  decade  of  the  present  century  were  Thomas  Humes,  James  Dardis, 
James  and  William  Park  and  Calvin  G.  and  R.  Morgan,  ail  of  whom 
became  substantial  and  influential  citizens.  Mr.  Humes  came  to  Knox- 
ville from  Mossy  Creek,  and  opened  a store  at  the  northeast  corner  of  Gay 
and  Main  Streets.  Just  before  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1816,  he 
erected  what  was  known  as  the  City  Hotel,  now  a part  of  the  Lamar 
House.  James  and  William  Park  occupied  the  site  of  Stone’s  tavern  at 
the  corner  of  Cumberland  and  Gay  Streets,  where  they  continued  for 
many  years.  J ames  Dardis  was  located  on  Cumberland  Street,  west  of 
the  City  Hotel.  The  Morgans,  whose  store  was  at  the  corner  of  Cum- 
berland and  Crozier  Streets,  did  the  largest  business.  They  also  owned 
a large  tract  of  land  north  of  Clinch  Street. 

Other  merchants  previous  to  1820  were  Haynie  & Jackson,  Z.  Booth, 
Samuel  Roberts,  Bowen  & Davis,  J.  PI.  Cowan  & Co.,  Charles  McClung, 
& Son,  David  Nelson,  King  & Whitson  and  Anthony  & Conway. 

On  October  20,  1811,  the  Bank  of  Tennessee  was  incorporated,  and 
one  year  later  it  went  into  operation  with  Hugh  L.  White  as  president, 
and  Luke  Lea  as  cashier.  The  board  of  directors  was  composed  of  John 
Crozier,  James  Park,  David  Campbell,  Calvin  Morgan,  John  Hillsman, 
Robert  King  and  -James  Dardis.  The  bank  building  stood  on  the  north- 
west  corner  of  Main  and  Gay  Streets.  The  bank  continued  in  operation 
until  1828,  when  it  began  to  close  up  its  affairs.  In  1820  a State  bank 
was  established  at  Nashville,  with  a branch  at  Knoxville.  This  institu- 
tion was  located  at  the  corner  of  Crozier  and  Cumberland  Streets.  The 
cashier  was  James  Campbell,  “ Scotch  Jimmy.”  It  never  did  a very 
extensive  business,  and  was  closed  out  in  1833. 

In  1809  the  Knoxville  Water  Company  was  incorporated  by  the 
Legislature.  The  members  of  the  company  were  John  Crozier,  Josiah 
Nicholl,  James  and  William  Park,  Richard  Bearden,  George  W.  Camp- 
bell, Thomas  Humes,  Nathaniel  Cowan,  John  Williams,  Pleasant  M. 
Miller,  James  Dardis,  Thomas  Dardis,  John  N.  Gamble,  James  Trimble, 
Edward  Scott, Robert  Craighead, Charles  McClung  and  three  or  four  others. 
Wooden  pipes,  or  rather  logs  bored  through  the  center,  from  end  to  end, 
were  laid  to  bring  the  water  from  what  is  known  as  McCampbell’s  Spring, 
situated  about  two  miles  north  of  town.  The  pipes  not  being  strong 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


843 


enough,  to  sustain  the  pressure,  this  plan  did  not  prove  a success,  and  it 
was  soon  abandoned.  In  1814  John  Craighead  obtained  permission  from 
the  county  court  to  make  a cistern  or  reservoir  in  the  courthouse  yard. 
Pipes  were  to  be  laid  to  a point  on  First  Creek  near  its  mouth,  and  by 
means  of  a water  wheel  water  was  to  be  forced  into  the  reservoir,  and 
thence  distributed  over  the  town.  This  system,  however,  was  never  put 
into  operation. 

In  1830  Knoxville  contained  a population  of  about  1,500.  The  mer- 
chants at  that  time  were  James  and  William  Park,  M.  and  H.  McCluna') 
Hon.  A.  M.  White,  James  H.  Cowan,  S.  T.  Jacobs,  Calvin  Morgan  & Son, 
D.  P.  Armstrong,  Robert  King  & Son,  A.  McMillan,  E.  Williams,  John 
Crozier,  Zach.  Booth,  Samuel  Roberts  & Son,  William  Lindsey  and  Will- 
iam Bowen.  At  this  time  but  little  wholesale  business  was  done.  Goods 
were  mostly  bought  in  Baltimore  and  Philadelphia,  and  hauled  in  large 
wagons  the  entire  distance,  at  a cost  of  from  $5  to  $6  per  100  pounds. 
The  wagons  carried  from  two  to  three  tons,  and  on  the  outgoing  trips  were 
loaded  with  ginseng,  feathers  and  other  produce.  About  1835  a canal 
was  completed  to  Lynchburg,  Va.,  and  that  became  a shipping  point  for 
Knoxville.  At  nearly  the  same  time  steamboats  began  plying  regularly 
between  Knoxville  and  Decatur,  Ala.,  and  the  heavier  goods  were  received 
in  that  way.  They  reached  Decatur  by  rail  from  Tuscumbia,  the  head  of 
navigation  in  the  Tennessee  River  below  the  shoals.  It  was  at  this  time 
that  the  jobbing  trade  of  Knoxville  began  to  assume  importance.  The 
pioneers  in  that  business  were  McClung,  Wallace  & Co.,  Cowan  & Dickin- 
son, G.  M.  Hazen  & Co.  and  Robert  King  & Son,  in  dry  goods,  and 
James  King,  McClung  & French  and  Bearden  & White  in  groceries. 
The  town  soon  became  the  distributing  point  for  all  of  East  Tennessee, 
western  North  Carolina,  southwestern  Virginia  and  a part  of  Kentucky. 
No  traveling  salesmen  were  employed,  but  merchants  from  the  country 
and  surrounding  towns  came  to  Knoxville  twice  a year  to  replenish  their 
stocks.  Dry  goods  were  usually  sold  on  six  month’s  credit,  with  the  priv- 
ilege of  six  months  more  with  interest;  groceries  were  sold  on  shorter 
time.  The  steamboat  trade  increased  rapidly,  and  at  one  time  there  were 
no  less  than  eighteen  boats  plying  between  Knoxville  and  other  points 
on  the  river.  The  leading  firms  engaged  in  the  business  were  James 
and  William  Williams,  McClung  and  French,  Bearden  & White  and 
James  King  & Co. 

Among  the  retail  dealers  of  this  period  were  M.  M.  Gaines,  A.  G.  Jack- 
son,  Crozier  & Deaderick,  McMullan  & McElrath. 

In  1833  a branch  of  the  Union  Bank  of  Nashville  was  opened  in  a 
building  which  stood  in  Cumberland  Street,  about  where  the  office  of 


844 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Schuberts  Hotel  now  is;  Andrew  McMillan  was  the  cashier.  In  1837 
the  building  on  Main  Street  was  erected,  and  the  bank  continued  in  ope- 
ration there  until  the  war.  The  successors  of  McMillan  were  Hugh  A. 
M.  White  and  J.  J.  Craig. 

In  1838  Knoxville  suffered  severely  from  a fever,  somewhat  resembling 
yellow  fever  in  its  effect,  which  became  epidemic.  Some  parts  of  the 
town  had  experienced  an  unusual  amount  of  sickness  during  the  two  pre- 
vious years,  but  it  did  not  excite  much  alarm.  The  summer  of  1838, 
which  was  unusually  hot  and  dry,  fully  developed  the  disease.  It  appeared 
in  June,  reached  its  height  in  September,  and  disappeared  upon  the  ap- 
proach of  cold  weather.  It  pervaded  the  whole  town,  and  over  one  hundred 
persons  fell  victims  to  the  scourge.  The  disease  was  not  well  understood 
by  physicians,  but  it  was  supposed  to  have  been  caused  by  the  miasma 
arising  from  the  large  deposits  of  decomposing  matter  which  had 
accumulated  in  the  mill  ponds  surrounding  the  town,  and  which,  during 
the  drought,  had  become  exposed  to  the  sun.  To  prevent  a recurrence  of 
the  disease  the  ponds  were  declared  nuisances,  and  the  dams  were  re- 
moved. 

In  1854  the  city  was  visited  by  cholera,  which  became  epidemic  in 
nearly  all  the  towns  of  the  State.  In  1838  Knoxville  had  escaped  an 
attack,  but  this  year  it  suffered  severely.  The  first  victim  was  Col.  John 
McClellan,  a brother  of  Gen.  Geo.  B.  McClellan,  who  died  on  the  30th 
of  August.  He  belonged  to  the  United  State’s  Army,  and  was  stationed 
at  this  point  in  charge  of  some  Government  work  on  the  river.  A 
number  of  other  cases  quickly  followed,  and  nearly  all  proved  fatal.  It 
did  not  spread  over  all  the  town,  however,  but  was  confined  principally 
to  Main  Street  and  the  part  nearest  to  the  river. 

The  celebration  of  the  semi-centennial  anniversary  of  the  settlement 
of  Knoxville,  which  occurred  on  the  10th  of  February,  1842,  forms  a 
memorable  event  in  the  history  of  the  town.  Almost  the  entire  popula- 
tion of  the  town  and  surrounding  country  were  present.  The  officers  of 
the  occasion  were  Matthew  McClung,  president;  James  Park,  Robert 
King.  M.  D.  Bearden,  W.  B.  A.  Ramsey,  David  Campbell,  I.  B.  Havely, 
Calvin  Morgan,  Samuel  Bell,  H.  A.  M.  White,  Moses  Lindsey,  J.  E.  S. 
Blackwell  and  J.  H.  Cowan,  vice-presidents,  and  D.  P.  Armstrong, 
Marshal.  Thomas  W.  Humes,  the  orator  of  the  day,  delivered  an  eloquent 
address  reviewing  the  early  history  of  Knoxville,  after  which  a large 
company  of  ladies  and  gentlemen  repaired  to  the  City  Hotel,  where 
a sumptuous  dinner  was  in  readiness.  After  dinner  the  chairman  of  the 
committee  of  arrangements,  Maj.  E.  Alexander,  read  the  following  regu- 
lar toasts. 


KNOX 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


845 


The  Day  we  have  Assembled  to  Commemorate — Hallowed  by  recol- 
lections of  the  dangers  and  privations  of  a past  generation,  may  it  be  a 
festival  in  all  time  to  come.” 

The  Early  Settlers  of  Knoxville — “ Honored  be  their  memories,  and 
gratified  our  recollections  of  their  perseverance,  their  courage,  and  their 
fortitude.” 

The  Historical  and  Antiquarian  Society  of  East  Tennessee — “Formed 
for  the  purpose  of  collecting  and  preserving  facts  connected  with  the  settle- 
ment and  early  history  of  Tennnessee,  may  its  success  be  commensurate 
with  the  object.” 

A large  number  of  volunteer  toasts  and  responses  followed.  The  cel- 
ebration was  conducted  upon  strictly  temperance  principles,  and  no  wine 
was  served.  Rev.  AVilliam  Mack  offered  the  following  toast— The 
Town  Spring  of  Knoxville — “ Grateful,  sparkling  and  free,  cold  water, 
pure  water,  bright  water  for  me.” 

Among  those  who  participated  in  the  exercises  were  Thomas  A.  R. 
Nelson,  Dr.  J.  G.  M.  Ramsey  and  Horace  Maynard. 

The  celebration  closed  with  a ball  at  the  Mansion  House. 

The  decade  from  1850  to  1860  was  characterized  by  greater  activity 
and  growth  than  any  similar  period  in  the  history  of  the  town  previous  to 
that  time.  This  was  due  mainly  to  the  opening  of  the  East  Tennessee 
& Virginia  and  the  East  Tennessee  & Georgia  Railroads,  which  led  to 
the  establishment  of  some  extensive  manufactories,  and  considerably 
augmented  the  volume  of  trade.  The  wholesale  business  at  this  time 
was  carried  on  principally  by  Cowan  & Dickinson,  McClung,  Wallace  & 
Co.,  and  Walker,  O’Keef  & Co.,  dealers  in  dry  goods  and  general  mer- 
chandise, and  W allace  & McPherson,  Harvey  Ault,  and  C.  Powell  & Co., 
grocers. 

A short  time  previous  to  the  war  the  first  two  named  firms  united  un- 
der the  name  of  Cowan,  McClung  & Co.  They  also  did  the  largest  re- 
tail business  in  the  town.  Other  retail  dealers  were  A.  G.  Jackson  & 
Co.,  Plumlee  Bros,  and  Boyd  & Piper,  dry  goods;  T.  G.  Rollins  and 
James  C.  Moses  & Bro.,  hardware;  Dixon  & Whitaker  and  T.  J.  Powell, 
insurance;  Ed.  Armistead,  hats  and  caps;  John  S.  Van  Gilder,  boots  and 
shoes,  Rayl  & Vanuxem,  books  and  stationery;  Ricardi  Bros.,  confec- 
tionery; Byrne  & Elliott  and  Strong  & Stevenson,  drugs. 

This  period  was  also  remarkable  for  the  large  number  of  banking 
institutions  established. 

Cowan  & Dickinson  obtained  a charter  for  the  Bank  of  East  Ten- 
nessee, which  they  soon  after  sold  to  a Mr.  Fiske,  of  New  Orleans.  About 
1852  AVilliam  M.  Churchwell  became  president,  and  under  his  manage- 


53 


846 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


ment  a system  of  wild  speculation  and  over-issue  was  inaugurated,  which 
resulted  in  its  downfall  in  1856.  The  cashier  was  Samuel  Morrow,  who 
afterward,  in  company  with  John  Baxter,  established  the  Exchange  and 
Deposit  Bank. 

In  1852  the  Miners  & Manufacturers  Bank  was  founded  by  Joseph 
L.  King  and  William  Goodrich.  It  occupied  the  old  State  Bank  build- 
ing at  the  corner  of  Gay  and  Main  Streets. 

In  1859  the  Branners  (John  R.,  William  A.,  George  M.,  Joseph 
and  Benjamin)  purchased  the  charter  of  the  Ocoee  Bank,  of  Cleveland, 
Tenn.,  and  removed  it  to  Knoxville,  Avliere  it  was  opened  in  the  building 
now  occupied  by  the  People’s  Bank.  Of  this  institution  John  R.  Bran- 
ner  was  president  and  Joseph  R.  Mitchell,  cashier.  In  1854  the  Bank 
of  Knoxville  was  organized  by  John  L.  Moses,  Joseph  H.  Walker  and  A. 
L.  Maxwell.  The  following  year  it  was  sold  to  Hugh  A.  M.  White  and 
George  M.  White.  The  Farmers  Bank  was  established  by  Hugh  L.  Mc- 
Clung  in  about  1854.  He  sold  it  to  Shepherd  & Wheless,  of  Nashville, 
who  continued  it  for  two  or  three  years,  after  which  it  was  consolidated 
with  the  Ocoee  Bank. 

About  1857  a branch  of  the  State  Bank  was  opened  in  the  building 
now  occupied  by  the  Mechanics  National  Bank,  with  John  H.  Crozier  as 
president,  and  M.  B.  McMahan,  cashier.  Mr.  Crozier  was  soon  after 
succeeded  by  Dr.  J.  G.  M.  Ramsey.  Notwithstanding  the  number  of 
other  banking  institutions  this  bank,  with  the  Union  Bank,  did  the  greater 
part  of  the  business. 

In  the  preceding  pages  no  mention  has  been  made  of  the  many  minor 
industrial  enterprises  established  in  Knoxville  during  her  earlier  history, 
which,  of  small  importance  in  themselves,  were  necessary  to  the  welfare 
of  the  town,  and  deserve  notice  in  this  chapter.  Among  the  earliest 
settlers  in  the  town  was  the  firm  of  Lord  & McCoy,  who  sank  a tanyard 
on  Second  Creek  in  1798,  and  in  1795  a saddler’s  shop  was  opened  by 
John  and  Robert  Hunter.  The  next  year  a second  shop  was  established 
by  John  Lavender.  Grist-mills  were  early  erected  throughout  the 
county,  and  soon  scarcely  a stream  was  without  one  or  more  upon  its 
banks.  During  the  first  eighteen  months  after  organization  of  the 
county  the  county  court  granted  no  less  than  twelve  permits  for  the  build- 
ing of  grist  and  saw  mills.  Although  all  the  manufacturing  industries 
were  conducted  on  an  extremely  small  scale,  their  number  and  variety 
were  much  greater  than  at  the  present  time.  Excepting  some  of  the  finer 
dress  materials,  nearly  every  article  worn  or  used  was  supplied  by 
domestic  manufacture.  The  hatter,  the  shoemaker  and  the  tailor  furnished 
the  clothing,  while  the  cabinet-maker  and  the  blacksmith  supplied  the 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


847 


household  utensils.  In  enumerating  the  industries  of  Knoxville  in  1830 
the  Tennessee  Gazetteer  names  two  spinning  factories,  ten  carding 
machines,  four  grist-mills,  three  saw  mills,  one  brass  foundry,  six  black- 
smith shops,  two  cabinet-makers,  three  hatters,  six  saddlers,  eight  shoe- 
makers, one  tinner,  five  tanners,  two  coach-makers  and  two  wagon-makers. 
The  foundry  mentioned  in  the  above  list  was  established  on  Second  Creek, 
near  Churchwell  Street,  by  William  Morse,  who  also  operated  a spinning 
factory  and  blacksmith  shop.  After  running  a few  years  the  entire 
plant  was  destroyed  by  fire.  The  other  spinning  factory  was  built  by 
Nathaniel  Bosworth  on  the  same  creek,  a little  higher  up,  and  was  some- 
what extensive,  employing  from  fifteen  to  twenty  hands.  This  continued 
until  1838.  In  1833  William  Oldham  built  a cotton  spinning  factory 
on  First  Creek,  between  Church  and  Cumberland.  The  machinery  for 
this  mill  he  hauled  in  wagons  from  Lexington,  Ky.,  across  the  Cumber- 
land Mountains.  It  was  a small  establishment,  containing  only  about 
300  spindles,  and  was  run  entirely  by  water  power.  He  was  preparing 
to  increase  its  capacity  in  1838,  when  the  destruction  of  the  mill  dams 
rendered  it  useless.  He  then  removed  his  machinery  to  Blount  County, 
and  established  what  is  now  known  as  the  Rockford  Mills. 

For  several  years  after  the  settlement  of  the  county  cotton  was  one  of 
the  staple  productions  of  Knox  County.  About  1820,  however,  its  cul- 
tivation began  to  decline,  and  by  the  end  of  that  decade  it  had  practically 
ceased.  Probably  the  first  cotton-gin  ever  erected  in  Knoxville  was 
built  by  Calvin  Morgan,  and  stood  on  Gay  Street,  near  where  the  In- 
surance Building  now  is.  A second  one  was  built  and  operated  on 
Second  Creek  by  a Mr.  McCulloch.  Wool-carding  machines  were  com- 
mon throughout  the  county.  The  earliest  one  in  the  vicinity  of  Knox- 
ville was  put  in  operation  in  1816,  by  James  Scott  on  First  Creek,  about 
two  miles  above  its  mouth.  This  continued  in  use  up  to  the  war. 
Another  was  set  up  and  run  for  a time  near  where  Bosworth’ s factory 
stood. 

Of  the  five  tanyards  in  1830  one  was  owned  by  William  Morrow, 
and  was  situated  on  First  Creek,  at  the  crossing  of  Cumberland  Street. 
John  Webb  had  one  nearly  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  street.  A third, 
owned  by  Robert  Lindsey,  was  located  at  the  east  end  of  Clinch  Street, 
while  Rutherford  & White  operated  one  on  Second  Creel,  where  Cas- 
well’s furniture  factory  now  stands.  In  1850  F.  A.  R.  Scott  built  a small 
oil  mill  on  Second  Creek,  and  the  following  year  opened  a tannery  in 
connection  with  it.  In  1853  he  sold  the  mill  and  tannery  to  M.  B. 
McMahan,  wrho  continued  to  operate  the  latter  until  1860,  when  he  was 
succeeded  by  an  incorporated  company.  During  the  war  John  S.  Van 


848 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


Gilder,  who  was  then  extensively  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  boots 
and  shoes,  obtained  control  of  it,  and  in  1865  he  was  joined  by  Mr.  Scott. 
These  two  gentlemen  have  since  continued  the  business  under  the  name 
of  the  Knoxville  Leather  Company.  The  cabinet  shops  were  run  by 
Lones  & McCroskey  and  Terence  McAffry.  The  former  was  situated  on 
the  lot  where  C.  W.  Park  now  lives,  and  the  latter  on  Cumberland  Street, 
between  Henley  and  High.  Some  time  about  1820  a chair  factory  was 
erected  on  Gay  Street,  about  where  Ogden  Bros.’  store  now  is.  It  was 
established  by  a company  of  chair-makers  from  the  north,  and  for  a few 
years  furnished  a large  section  of  country  with  chairs.  The  building 
stood  unoccupied  for  many  years  afterward,  and  served  as  a target  for  the 
small  boys,  who  affected  to  believe  that  it  was  haunted.  The  first  mill  in 
the  vicinity  of  Knoxville  was  a “tub  mill,”  erected  by  Gen.  James 
White  soon  after  his  settlement.  Afterward  his  son,  Moses  White, 
operated  a mill  on  First  Creek,  near  the  crossing  of  Mabry  Street,  for 
several  years.  A second  mill  was  built  by  John  Craighead  at  the  cross- 
ing of  Main  Street,  and  about  1820  Rufus  Morgan  built  a more  exten- 
sive one  on  the  same  creek.  In  1830  the  three  grist-mills,  together  with 
two  saw  mills  on  First  Creek,  were  all  owned  and  operated  by  James  and 
William  Kennedy.  James  Scott  also  ran  a grist-mill  in  connection  with 
his  fulling  and  carding  mill,  about  two  miles  farther  up  the  creek. 

Previous  to  1838  the  town  was  almost  entirely  surrounded  by  water 
and  the  creeks  furnished  abundant  water  power.  The  depression  on  the 
north,  now  occupied  by  the  depot,  was  covered  with  water  several  feet 
deep,  and  was  known  as  the  Flag  Pond,  while  on  First  Creek  there  were 
three  mill  ponds  within  the  space  of  half  a mile.  The  upper  one,  known 
as  White’s  mill  pond,  extended  north  and  northeast  for  more  than  a mile. 
On  Second  Creek  there  were  two  large  ponds.  The  cutting  down  of  the 
dams  in  1838  drained  the  ponds,  and  while  they  have  been  partially 
restored,  the  water  power  has  never  been  equal  to  what  it  was  before 
that  time. 

About  1855  a large  steam  flouring-mill  was  built  upon  the  site  of  the 
Knoxville  Rolling  Mill,  by  M.  W.  AVilliams,  but  it  was  soon  after 
destroyed  by  fire.  It  was  succeeded  by  the  Knoxville  City  Mills,  on 
Broad  Street,  which  were  recently  abandoned.  In  1859  F.  A.  R.  Scott 
and  J.  C.  Deaderick  erected  what  is  known  as  the  Trio  Mill,  on  First 
Creek,  which  has  since  been  in  constant  operation. 

In  1838  Gideon  M.  Hazen  and  M.  D.  Bearden  erected  a paper-mill 
at  Middle  Brook,  three  and  one-half  miles  from  the  city,  which  was  con- 
tinued until  1886,  when  the  breaking  of  the  dam  caused  its  suspension. 
It  was  run  about  seven  months  in  the  year  by  water  power,  and  the 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


849 


remainder  of  the  time  by  steam  and  water  power  combined.  For  the 
past  ten  years  it  has  been  owned  and  operated  by  J.  A.  Rayl  and  Samuel 
McKinney,  and  it  will  probably  be  repaired  and  set  in  operation  again. 

The  first  maufacturing  enterprise,  upon  anything  like  a modern  scale, 
was  established  by  A.  L.  Maxwell,  who  came  from  New  York  in  1852, 
and  erected  a large  machine  shop  at  the  corner  of  Broad  Street  and  the 
railroad.  Mr.  Maxwell,  who  was  the  senior  member  of  the  firm  of  Max- 
well, Briggs  & Co.,  was  very  extensively  engaged  in  bridge  building 
throughout  thf  South,  and  designed  this  shop  to  supply  the  iron  work 
for  the  Howe  truss  bridges  which  he  was  erecting.  The  building:  was 
completed,  and  the  concern  went  into  operation  in  June,  1858,  employing 
from  200  to  250  hands.  Two  years  later,  finding  that  the  bridge  mate- 
rial could  be  furnished  more  advantageously  from  Richmond,  Va., 
an  interest  in  the  establishment  was  sold  to  some  Vermont  parties,  and 
the  Knoxville  Manufacturing  Company  was  formed  for  the  purpose  of 
building  engines,  boilers,  etc.  This  business  was  continued  until  just 
before  the  war,  when  the  shops  were  closed,  and  Mr.  Maxwell  again  took 
possession  of  the  property. 

In  1852  Williams,  Moffett  & Co.  erected  a foundry  and  stove  factory 
on  Second  Creek,  near  the  present  site  of  the  Knoxville  Leather  Com- 
pany’s works.  They  employed  considerable  capital,  and  for  the  time  did 
quite  an  extensive  business.  In  1856  the  establishment  was  transferred 
to  the  firm  of  Shepard,  Leeds  & Hoyt,  who  two  years  before  had  built  a 
foundry  and  car  works  on  the  ground  now  occupied  by  the  railroad  shops. 
They  invested  a capital  of  about  820,000,  and  employed  from  twenty  to 
thirty  hands  in  the  manufacture  of  cars,  car  wheels,  agricultural  imple- 
ments and  plows.  In  this  business  Mr.  Maxwell  successively  purchased 
the  interest  of  Messrs.  Leeds,  Hoyt  and  Shepard,  until  in  1861  he  be- 
came the  sole  proprietor.  During  the  siege  in  1863,  the  entire  plant 
along  the  railroad  was  destroyed  by  fire,  entailing  a loss  upon  the  pro- 
prietor of  some  $250,000. 

The  advent  of  the  civil  war  marks  the  beginning  of  a new  era  in  the 
history  of  Knoxville.  At  that  time  she  contained  a population  of  about 
3,000  souls,  representing  a growth  of  nearly  seventy  years.  As  a com- 
mercial center  she  had  attained  no  little  importance,  and  two  or  three 
manufacturing  establishments  of  respectable  proportions  had  been  put 
into  operation.  Two  railroads  had  also  been  recently  opened,  connecting 
her  with  the  East  and  West.  Yet,  if  one  may  judge  from  the  gazeteers 
and  other  publications  of  the  time,  she  was  little  known  outside  of  Ten- 
nessee, other  than  as  the  seat  of  a university  and  the  former  capital  of 
the  State.  Her  population  had  remained  remarkably  stationary,  re- 


850 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


ceiving  only  now  and  tlien  a recruit  from  the  East,  in  the  person  of  some 
' young  professor  or  teacher.  Her  citizens,  eminently  respectable,  intelli- 
gent, and  cultivated,  and  proud  of  their  splendid  traditions  and  honorable 
ancestry,  had  lived  to  themselves,  marrying  and  giving  in  marriage 
until,  it  is  said,  nearly  every  person  in  the  town  was  related  to  every 
other  person.  Yet  it  is  not  to  be  inferred  that  these  people  were  devoid 
of  enterprise.  Every  project  looking  to  the  development  of  the  resources 
of  the  country  was  liberally  supported.  When  the  Southern  Commercial 
Convention  was  to  be  held  in  Knoxville,  the  citizens  promptly  raised 
$1,000  to  provide  for  the  proper  reception  and  entertainment  of  the 
guests.  Subscriptions  to  railroads  and  other  internal  improvements  were 
in  every  case  supported  by  large  majorities,  and  that  no  greater  progress 
had  been  made,  was  due  rather  to  environment,  than  to  the  character  of 
the  people. 

During  the  progress  of  the  civil  war  Knoxville  reaped  her  full  portion 
of  suffering  and  loss.  Property  was  destroyed,  industry  paralyzed  and 
trade  scattered.  In  one  respect  her  position  during  that  struggle  was 
without  a parallel  among  the  cities  of  the  South.  Her  population  on  the 
great  question  of  disunion  was  almost  equally  divided,  and  the  animosities 
and  feuds  engendered  were  bitter  in  the  extreme.  In  the  early  part  of 
the  war  the  disunion  element  being  in  the  ascendancy,  and  acting  in  the 
heat  and  excitement  of  war,  oppressed  and  harassed  those  who  remained 
loyal  to  the  Union;  and  when  during  the  last  two  years  the  positions  of 
the  parties  were  reversed,  acts  of  retaliation  were  frequently  indulged  in. 
But  from  the  revolution  wrought  by  the  war  Knoxville  has  also  reaped 
her  full  measure  of  prosperity.  During  those  four  years  thousands  of 
troops  gathered  from  all  parts  of  the  country,  visited  her  historic  site, 
and,  like  the  pioneers  who  beheld  it  for  the  first  time  three-quarters 
of  a century  before,  were  charmed  with  the  fertility  of  the  soil,  the  salu- 
brity of  the  climate  and  the  magnificence  of  the  scenery.  The  valley  of 
East  Tennessee,  with  all  the  wealth  that  nature  had  lavished  upon  it,  was 
at  last  discovered  to  the  world,  and  when  peace  was  restored  many  of 
these  veterans  returned  to  make  it  their  home,  while  former  residents 
entered  with  spirit  upon  the  work  of  reconstruction  and  development. 
Since  that  time  the  growth  of  Knoxville,  in  both  population  and  wealth, 
has  been  remarkably  rapid.  In  1870  the  population  had  increased 
to  about  9,000;  during  the  next  decade  it  was  nearly  doubled,  and  now, 
on  January  1,  1887,  it  falls  little  short  of  30,000.  At  the  beginning  of 
1865  less  than  $20,000  of  manufacturing  capital  remained;  now  not  less 
than  $2,500,000  are  invested  in  the  various  industrial  enterprises  of  the 
city. 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


851 


In  commercial  operations  the  growth  has  been  even  more  rapid.  The 
following  carefully  prepared  statement  of  the  trade  of  Knoxville  was 
made  in  1886:  Iron  and  nail,  $500,000;  stoves  and  tinware,  $25,000; 
woolen  goods,  $140,000;  cotton  goods,  $125,000;  dry  goods,  $1,500,000; 
clothing,  $600,000;  boots,  shoes  and  hats,  $1,000,000;  groceries, 
$2,000,000;  queensware,  $200,000;  books  and  stationery,  $100,000; 
drugs  and  paints,  $400,000;  candy,  $50,000;  leather,  $100,000;  harness 
and  saddlery,  $300,000;  furniture,  $125,000;  agricultural  implements, 
$300,000;  timber  and  lumber,  $800,000;  sash,  doors  and  blinds,  $100,000; 
ax  and  hammer  handles,  $50,000;  wagons  and  buggies,  $25,000; 
engines  and  boilers,  $200,000;  cars  and  car-wheels,  $400,000;  foundry 
and  machine  works,  $50,000;  marble  and  coal,  $1,000,000;  zinc  spelter, 
$100,000;  a total  of  $11,285,000. 

It  is  universally  conceded  that  no  other  city  of  equal  size  in  America 
has  so  large  a wholesale  trade  as  Knoxville.  The  area  tributary  to  this 
city  embraces,  in  whole  or  in  part,  the  States  of  Tennessee,  Kentucky,. 
Virginia,  North  and  South  Carolina,  Georgia  and  Alabama,  while  in 
some  lines  it  includes  the  entire  South.  Nearly  all  the  firms  are  backed 
by  abundant  capital,  and  are  controlled  by  competent,  progressive  and 
practical  men. 

Among  the  wholesale  houses  of  the  present  time  that  of  Cowan,  Mc- 
Clung  & Co.,  which  has  previously  been  mentioned,  is  the  largest  as  well 
as  the  oldest.  Formerly  they  carried  a general  stock,  embracing  almost 
every  article  sold  by  the  country  dealer,  but  during  the  last  few  years, 
they  have  confined  themselves  to  dry  goods,  notions,  boots  and  shoes,  in 
which  they  have  a trade  of  many  hundred  thousand  dollars  annually. 
Their  present,  large,  four-story,  business  block  was  erected  in  1870,  and 
they  now  carry,  probably,  the  largest  stock  of  goods  in  the  country. 
The  individuals  comprising  the  firm  are  P.  Dickinson,  F.  H.  McClung, 
Matt  McClung,  C.  J.  McClung,  J.  D.  Cowan,  R.  M.  Rhea  and  J.  L. 
Thomas. 

The  house  of  Briscoes,  Swepson  & Co.  was  founded  by  George  & Bris- 
coe in  1882.  The  present  firm  is  composed  of  Daniel  Briscoe,  P.  J. 
Briscoe,  R.  R.  Swepson,  M.  D.  Arnold,  S.  C.  Roney.  They  employ  seven 
traveling  salesmen,  and  do  a business  approximating  $1,000,000  annually. 
Their  stock,  embracing  dry  goods,  notions,  boots  and  shoes,  is  very  large 
and  complete,  and  their  salesrooms  are  among  the  finest  in  the  city. 

McNulty  & Borches  carry  a stock  similar  to  the  above  firms  with  the 
addition  of  carpets  and  groceries  and  do  both  a wholesale  and  retail  bus- 
iness. They  occupy  a four-story  building,  85x100  feet,  and  give  employ- 
ment to  thirty-two  people.  Their  trade  reaches  half  a million  dollars 


852 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


annually.  The  individuals  composing  the  firm  are  F.  McNulty  and  J. 
W.  Borches. 

Since  June,  1886,  Knoxville  has  had  two  wholesale  firms  dealing 
exclusively  in  hats  and  caps.  They  are  S.  H.  George  & Co.  and  Davis  & 
Walker,  both  of  which  were  formed  upon  the  dissolution  of  the  firm  of 
George  & Davis.  The  former  consisted  of  S.  H.  George,  John  McMillan 
and  S.  C.  Dismukes,  and  the  latter,  J.  B.  Davis  and  M.  H.  Walker. 
Both  carry  large  stocks  of  goods,  and  do  a flourishing  business. 

Two  firms  also  deal  exclusively  in  boots  and  shoes.  Haynes,  Henson 
& Co.  began  business  in  1878,  and  until  recently  handled  hats  and  caps, 
They  occupy  a large,  three-story  building,  and  carry  a complete  stock  of 
goods,  embracing  all  grades  from  the  heaviest  to  the  finest. 

McMillan,  Hazen  & Co.  began  business  in  1884  as  the  successors  of 
R.  S.  Payne  & Co.,  a firm  established  in  1870.  The  individual  members 
are  E.  E.  McMillan,  Asa  Hazen,  M.  S.  McClellan  and  Lytton  Thomas. 
Five  men  are  constantly  on  the  road  selling  their  goods,  and  tlieir  annual 
transactions  amount  to  several  hundred  thousand  dollars. 

The  firm  of  McTeers,  Payne,  Burger  & Hood,  is  one  of  the  most  ex- 
tensive wholesale  clothing  and  gents’  furnishing  goods  houses  in  the 
South.  They  have  a trade  throughout  Kentucky,  Virginia,  Tennessee, 
Georgia,  Alabama,  the  Caroiinas  and  Mississippi,  amounting  to  over 
half  a million  dollars  annually.  The  business  was  established  by  J.  T. 
McTeer  in  1876.  The  present  firm  is  composed  of  J.  T.  and  C.  E. 
McTeer,  R.  S.  Payne,  C.  Burger  and  W.  H.  Hood. 

Sample,  Andes  & Co.  is  the  style  of  a firm  that  recently  engaged  in 
the  wholesale  notion  business.  They  occupy  one  of  the  finest  houses  in 
the  city,  and  carry  as  complete  a stock  as  can  be  found  in  any  similiar  es- 
tablishment in  the  country.  The  members  of  the  firm  are  J.  C.  Sample, 
George  S.  Andes,  I.  E.  Dooley  and  R.  Annan. 

The  wholesale  grocery  trade  is  greater  than  that  of  any  other  line. 
One  of  the  oldest  houses  in  this  business  is  that  of  Cone,  Shields  & Co., 
which  was  established  in  1867  by  Coffin,  Martin  & Co.  The  individual 
members  of  the  present  firm  are  C.  and  M.  A.  Cone,  J.  S.  Shields  and  J. 
T.  Shields,  Jr.  They  carry  a large  and  complete  stock  of  staple  and 
fancy  groceries,  and  have  extended  their  trade  throughout  a radius  of 
200  miles  from  Knoxville. 

H.  B.  Carhart  & Co.  do  an  annual  business  approximating  half  a 
million  dollars,  and  give  employment  to  fifteen  men,  of  whom  six  are 
traveling  salesmen.  The  business  was  founded  in  1877  by  Lewis  & Car- 
hart,  who  were  succeeded  in  January,  1884  by  the  present  firm,  consist- 
ing of  H.  B.,  W.  B.  and  W.  E.  Carhart.  They  also  conduct  a similar 
business  in  New  York  City,  under  the  style  of  Carhart  & Bro. 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


853 


The  house  now  conducted  by  Condon  Bros,  was  established  in  1870 
by  Williams  & Zimmerman,  who  were  succeeded  by  the  present  firm, 
consisting  of  Michael  J.,  Stephen  P.  and  Martin  J.  Condon,  in  1880. 
All  are  men  of  practical  experience  and  business  ability,  and  they  have 
built  up  a large  trade  throughout  East  Tennessee  and  contiguous 
territory. 

The  firm  of  W.  B.  Lockett  & Co.  was  formed  in  October,  1883,  and 
consists  of  W.  B.  Lockett,  Sr.,  W.  B.  Lockett,  Jr.,  R.  S.  Hazen  and  J. 
O.  Lotspeich.  They  employ  six  traveling  salesmen,  and  their  annual 
transactions  amount  to  nearly  half  a million  dollars. 

The  house  of  M.  L.  Ross  & Co.  was  established  in  1870  by  Carpenter, 
Ross  & Co.,  who  conducted  the  business  successfully  until  1879,  when 
they  were  succeeded  by  M.  L.  Ross  and  W.  B.  Lockett.  In  1883  W.  B. 
Lockett  was  succeeded  by  S.  B.  Dow.  They  do  a very  large  grocery 
business,  employing  five  traveling  salesmen,  and  also  run  a candy  factory, 
which  enjoys  a good  trade. 

Knatfl  & Locke  do  an  extensive  wholesale  business.  The  enterprise 
in  which  they  are  engaged  was  founded  in  1876  by  Anderson  & McNulty, 
who  were  succeeded  by  the  present  firm,  composed  of  Rudolph  Knafil 
and  E.  C.  Locke,  in  1881. 

Knoxville  contains  two  mammoth  wholesale  drug  houses  which 
would  be  a credit  to  any  city.  The  oldest  is  that  of  Sanford,  Chamber- 
lin & Albers,  which  was  established  by  E.  J.  Sanford  & Co.  in  1861. 
From  a small  beginning  they  have  constantly  extended  their  trade,  until 
now  they  employ  four  traveling  salesmen,  and  do  a business  amounting 
to  |300,000  annually.  They  are  also  extensively  engaged  in  the  prepa- 
ration of  proprietary  medicines.  The  present  firm,  consisting  of  E.  J. 
Sanford,  W.  P.  Chamberlin  and  R.  J.  Albers,  was  formed  in  1870. 

The  other  firm  is  that  of  Chapman,  White,  Lyons  & Co.,  which  was 
organized  in  January,  1882.  They  carry  a full  line  of  drugs  and  drug- 
gists’ sundries,  and  have  a large  trade  in  proprietary  medicines  which 
they  manufacture.  The  individual  members  of  the  firm  are  J.  E.  Chap- 
man, W.  O.  White,  W.  L.  Lyons  and  D.  K.  Young. 

Knoxville  also  contains  the  largest  queensware  house  in  America.  It 
was  established  by  its  present  proprietors,  Curtis,  Cullen  and  C.  S.  New- 
man, in  1872.  They  have  a trade  in  about  every  town  in  the  South,  and 
their  sales  amount  to  many  hundred  thousand  dollars  annually.  Besides 
their  main  office  and  warerooms  in  Knoxville,  they  have  branches  in  New 
York  and  Cincinnati,  from  which  they  ship  direct  to  their  customers. 

Of  the  wholesale  dealers  in  hardware  the  firm  of  W.  W.  Woodruff  & 
Co.,  does  the  most  extensive  business.  They  employ  about  twenty-five 


854 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


men,  four  of  whom  are  traveling  salesmen,  and  have  an  annual  trade  of 
from  $300,000  to  $400,000.  The  house  was  founded  by  Mr.  Woodruff  in 
1865,  and  from  a modest  beginning,  through  able  management,  has 
reached  its  present  proportions.  The  other  members  of  the  present  firm, 
which  was  formed  in  1882,  are  William  E.  Gibbons  and  C.  L.  Carpenter. 

The  next  oldest  house  is  that  of  George  Brown,  which  Avas  estab- 
lished in  1869.  Mr.  Brown  was  formerly  a prominent  lawyer,  and  served 
one  term  as  circuit  judge.  He  employs  several  traveling  salesmen,  and 
has  a large  trade  in  Tennessee,  Kentucky,  North  Carolina,  Virginia  and 
Georgia.  He  carries  a general  stock  of  hardware,  agricultural  imple- 
ments, and  mill  machinery. 

The  firm  of  S.  B.  Luttrell  & Co.,  consisting  of  S.  B.  and  James  C. 
Luttrell,  was  formed  in  1871, and  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  most  substantial 
and  reliable  firms  in  the  city.  As  an  evidence  of  their  high  standing  through- 
out the  territory  tributary  to  Knoxville  they  employ  no  traveling  sales- 
man and  yet  are  able  to  hold  their  trade  against  all  competition.  Their 
sales  to  regular  customers  aggregate  $225,000  per  annum,  in  addition  to 
which,  during  the  past  feAv  years,  they  have  furnished  an  immense  amount 
of  supplies  to  railroad  contractors. 

In  1880  the  firm  of  McClung,  Powell  & Co.,  consisting  of  C.  M.  Mc- 
Clung,  C.  Powell,  W.  J.  McNutt  and  A.  Gredig,  succeeded  in  the  hard- 
ware line  the  firm  of  Cowan,  McClung  & Co.  They  increased  the  stock, 
added  agricultural  implements,  and  continued  the  business  until  1884, 
whan  they  were  succeeded  by  C.  M.  McClung,  W.  P.  Smith  and  W.  B. 
Keener,  under  the  firm  name  of  C.  M.  McClnng  & Co.  They  occupy  one 
of  the  finest  business  houses  in  the  city,  and  carry  a large  stock  of  hard- 
ware, machinery,  and  implements  of  every  description.  Their  annual 
sales  amount  to  nearly  a quarter  of  a million  of  dollars  annually. 

In  addition  to  their  jobbing  trade  nearly  all  of  the  above  firms  sell  more 
or  less  goods  at  retail.  The  wholesale  trade  in  stoves,  tinware,  etc.,  is  ex- 
tensive. One  of  the  oldest  dealers  in  this  line  is  J.  R.  Butt,  who  began 
business  in  1871,  as  a member  of  the  firm  of  Hawkins,  Butt  & Co.  In 
1875  the  firm  was  changed  to  Butt,  De  Pue  & Co.,  and  so  continued  until 
18,84  when  the  partnership  was  dissolved.  Since  that  time  C.  W.  DePue 
and  John  Cruze  have  conducted  the  business  at  the  old  location,  while  J. 
R.  Butt,  with  J.  P.  Young  and  E.  L.  Jordan,  have  established  an  exten- 
sive business  under  the  name  of  J.  R.  Butt  & Co.  Both  are  enterprising 
firms,  and  sell  large  amounts  of  goods  throughout  the  Southern  States, 
east  of  the  Mississippi. 

The  firm  of  Rolen,  Seay  & Co.  was  established  in  1877  as  Harvey, 
Rolen  & Co.,  and  its  members  have  since  changed  somewhat,  several 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


855 


times.  They  now  are  T.  M.  Rolen,  T.  S.  Seay,  C.  C.  Hill,  and  J.  J. 
Loyd.  They  carry  a large  stock  of  stoves  and  house  furnishing  goods, 
and  have  a good  trade  at  both  wholesale  and  retail. 

J.  M.  Greer  & Co.  are  extensive  dealers  in  agricultural  implements, 
machinery,  buggies,  etc.  The  business  was  established  in  Maryville, 
Blount  County,  in  1865,  and  removed  to  Knoxville  about  two  years  ago. 

The  firm  of  H.  G.  Mead  & Co.  is  also  engaged  in  this  line  of  busi- 
ness. The  house  was  established  in  1865  by  H.  G.  Mead,  who  subse- 
quently formed  a copartnership  with  C.  R.  Love.  Although  Mr.  Mead 
died  in  1882,  the  old  style  of  the  firm  has  been  preserved,  and  Mrs. 
Mead  retains  an  interest  in  the  business. 

Three  firms  are  engaged  in  the  wholesale  liquor  business:  J.  F. 

Horne  & Co.  began  business  in  1870,  and  now  have  a trade  throughout 
the  country  tributary  to  Knoxville ; they  employ  two  travelling  sales- 
men, and  do  a $50,000  annual  business.  The  house  now  conducted  by 
W.  C.  Perry  was  established  in  1870  by  TV.  A.  B.  Hall,  who  continued 
the  business  until  1877;  he  carries  a large  stock  of  liquors  of  all  kinds 
and  does  a good  business.  Betterton  & Co.,  began  business  in  1879,  but 
the  house  was  originally  established  in  1868 ; they  occupy  three  entire 
floors  in  the  McGhee  Block  on  Gay  Street,  and  carry  a complete  line  of 
the  best  liquors.  The  individuals  composing  the  firm  are  J.  N.  Betterton 
and  J.  H.  Whitlow. 

The  retail  trade  of  Knoxville  will  compare  favorably  with  that  of  any 
other  city  of  its  size,  both  as  to  the  number  of  the  firms  and  the  extent 
of  their  business.  Of  the  many  enterprising  houses,  only  a few  of  the 
best  known  can  be  mentioned  in  these  pages.  They  are  H.  J.  Owens, 
Young,  Williams  & Co.,  Thornburgh  & Daniels,  Meek  & Biddle, 
McMillan  & Treadwell,  Mitchell  & Payne,  J.  S.  Hall,  S.  W.  Flenniken, 
P.  Hannifin,  and  A.  L.  Young,  dry  goods;  J.  B.  Minnis  & Co.,  C.  Ruth- 
erford, T.  P.  McDaniel  & Co.,  S.  P.  Condon,  J.  Lichtenwanger,  Cald- 
well & Selclen,  Caldwell  & Thornburgh,  James  Anderson,  Gammon  & 
Larue,  S.  W.  Hall  & Co.,  J.  L.  Hudiburgh,  Jett,  Gammon  & Co.,  D.  R. 
Mayo,  TV.  B.  Scarborough,  J.  C.  & TV.  A.  Schneider,  H.  A.  Kelly,  H.  E. 
Kelly,  Bearden  & Co.,  Blaufield  and  Bro.,  TV.  M.  Miller,  groceries;  Mc- 
Crum  & Yeager,  Gooding  & Sliughrue,  J.  W.  Slocum,  G.  TV.  Albers, 
Tompkins  Bros.,  J.  A.  McCampbell,  C.  J.  Moore  & Co.,  Spence  & Co., 
W.  M.  TVeber,  TV.  J.  Worsham,  J.  D.  West  and  D.  H.  Zbinden,  drugs; 
Brandau,  Kennedy  & Co.,  Huddleston,  Smith,  Powers  & Co.,  Ber- 
wanger  Bros.,  M.  Nelson  & Co.,  S.  & A.  Seaskind,  A.  Lobenstein  and  F. 
Hart,  clothiers;  Anderson,  Cooley  & Co.,  Brown  Bros.  & Co.,  Cruze  Bros, 
and  J.  T.  Rowntree  & Co.,*  hardware;  G.  W.  Adney  & Co.  and  G.  R. 

* While  many  of  these  firms  sell  more  or  less  goods  at  wholesale,  they  have  been  classed  in  the  department 
in  which  they  are  the  most  prominently  identified. 


856 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


Williams  and  Bro.,  stoves  and  tinware;  J.  C.  Cullen,  glass  and  queens- 
ware;  Brown,  Carter  & Huddleston,  Epps,  McMillan  & Co.,  H.  W.  Hall 
& Co.,  Haynes  & McCoy,  J.  E.  Lutz  & Co.  and  Atkins  & Brownlee  boots 
and  shoes,  hats  and  caps;  Ogden  Bros.  & Co.,  Ramage  & Co.  and  Will- 
iam & W.  E.  Williams,  books  and  stationery;  H.  W.  Curtis,  Hope  Bros. 
& Co.,  Moses  Greer,  Jr.,  & Co.,  J.  & L.  Wenning,  jewelry,  watches  etc.; 
Steen  & Marshall  and  J ohn  A.  Gilbert,  music  and  musical  instruments ; 
G.  AY.  Akin,  Mrs.  A.  N.  Hodge,  Mrs.  C.  F.  Rollings,  millinery;  F.  J. 
Callan,  N.  Cuquel,  G.  AY.  Hand,  D.  Moore  and  AY.  H.  Button,  merchant 
tailoring;  S.  P.  Angel,  AY.  Jenkins  & Co.,  C.  F.  Maskall  and  AY.  G. 
AVare,  sewing  machines;  P.  Ritter,  J.  Blaufield  and  C.  Kohlhase,  cigars 
and  tobacco ; P.  Kern,  Bell  Bros.,  I.  E.  Barry  & Co.  andM.  Taylor,  fruits 
and  confections;  V.  Burger  & Son,  A.  David  & Co.,  J.  AY.  Gaut  & Son, 
Smith  & Bondurant,  J.  Allen  Smith  & Co.,  L.  C.  Matthews  and  R.  Sam- 
mon,  produce  and  commission  merchants;  S.  & E.  S.  Barker,  Brooks  & 
Goodall,  Cruze  Bros.,  James  George,  Trent  & Toms,  T.  J.  Youmans  & 
Co.  and  T.  Johns,  coal;  Shepard,  Mann  & Johnson  and  S.  Newman, 
undertaking ; E.  W.  Eckardt,  A.  G.  Rhodes,  Boyd,  Allen  & Co.  and  S.  T, 
Atkin  & Co.,  furniture. 

Knoxville  is  well  supplied  with  first-class  hotels,  which  are  liberally 
patronized.  The  principal  ones  are  the  Hattie  House,  John  C.  Flanders, 
proprietor ; Schubert’s  Hotel,  H.  Schubert,  proprietor;  Atkin  House,  I. 
N.  Scott,  manager;  and  the  Lamar  House,  H.  P.  Truman  & Co.,  propri- 
etors. 

The  leading  livery  men  are  AY.  M.  Bell  & Co.,  Peyton  Carter,  J.  M. 
Shetterly  & Co.,  Daniel  Cawood,  P.  A.  & T.  J.  Roberts,  Bird  & Staub, 
P.  B.  Brown  and  J.  H.  Atkin. 

It  is  not  the  purpose  of  this  chapter  to  enter  into  an  elaborate  discus- 
sion of  the  advantages  of  Knoxville  as  a manufacturing  center.  The 
close  proximity  of  large  deposits  of  valuable  iron  ore,  and  the  best  coal, 
combined  with  a central  location,  render  it  one  of  the  most  desirable 
sites  in  the  United  States  for  the  manufacture  and  manipulation  of  iron 
in  all  its  forms,  while  an  abundance  of  all  kinds  of  timber  adds  another 
most  important  factor  in  many  branches  of  industrial  enterprise.  But 
an  incontestable  proof  of  the  advantages  of  this  city  for  the  investment 
of  capital  in  manufactories  is  the  uniform  success  of  those  already 
established. 

The  first  attempt  to  manufacture  iron  and  rolling  mill  products  in 
Knoxville  was  made  by  the  Confederate  authorities  during  the  war.  Some 
machinery  which  had  been  confiscated  at  Loudon,  Tenn.,  was  moved  to 
Knoxville  and  set  up,  but,  owing  to  the  absence  of  skilled  workmen,  its 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


857 


operation  was  not  a success.  After  tlie  Federal  occupation  of  tlie  town 
another  attempt  to  operate  the  mill  was  made  by  EL  S.  Chamberlain,  a 
quartermaster  in  the  army,  but  it,  too,  was  a partial  failure.  At  the 
close  of  hostilities,  John  H.  Jones,  one  of  the  former  owners  of  the 
machinery,  came  to  Knoxville,  and  a company  composed  of  S.  T.  Atkin, 
L.  C.  Shepard,  H.  S.  Chamberlain  and  John  H.  Junes  was  formed  to  put 
the  mill  into  operation.  At  about  that  time,  in  April  1866,  D.  and  J. 
Richards  and  D.  Thomas,  experienced  iron  men  from  Pennsylvania, 
purchased  the  interest  of  Messrs.  Atkin  and  Shepard.  Soon  after, 
Mr.  Jones  sold  out  to  W.  J.  Richards  and  T.  D.  Lewis,  also  men  of  ex- 
tensive experience  in  the  iron  business.  The  company  was  then  re- 
organized under  the  name  of  Chamberlain,  Richards  & Co.  They  at 
first  labored  under  many  disadvantages,  as  raw  material  was  obtained 
with  considerable  difficulty.  In  the  winter  season  coal  was  brought  by 
boat  from  Emory  Gap,  but  during  the  summer  it  was  hauled  by  wagons 
from  Winter’s  gap  at  a cost  of  50  cents  per  bushel.  In  1867,  under 
the  direction  of  D.  Thomas,  a mine  at  Coal  Creek  was  opened,  and  in  the 
fall  of  that  year  the  first  car-load  of  coal  was  shipped  over  the  Knoxville 
& Ohio  Railroad.  Soon  a foundry  was  added  to  the  rolling  mill,  and 
other  improvements  made.  At  this  time  the  present  president  of  the 
company  was  a bookkeeper  for  the  firm.  In  1869  the  company  was 
incorporated  under  the  name  of  the  Knoxville  Iron  Company,  with  a 
capital  stock  of  8300,000,  and  the  capacity  of  its  works  was  greatly  in- 
creased. The  plant  now  covers  an  area  of  about  three  acres,  and  consists 
of  three  mills;  an  eighteen-inch  nail-mill,  a ten-inch  bar-mill  and  an 
eight-inch  guide-mill,  containing  altogether  nine  single  puddling  furnaces, 
three  heating  furnaces,  forty  nail  machines  and  four  trains  of  rolls.  The 
product  consists  of  merchant  bar,  nails,  railroad,  car  and  miscellaneous 
forgings,  and  light  T and  street  rails,  the  annual  capacity  being  12,000 
tons,  with  a value  of  about  $500,000.  To  run  the  works,  thirteen  engines, 
with  an  aggregate  of  800  horse-power,  are  required,  and  constant  employ- 
ment is  given  to  about  300  men,  to  whom  about  $10,000  is  paid 
monthly.  The  company  are  also  largely  engaged  in  the  mining  of  coal, 
and  have  extensive  mines  at  Coal  Creek  on  the  Knoxville  & Ohio  Rail- 
road, about  thirty  miles  north  of  the  city.  They  have  a capacity  of  500 
tons  of  coal  daily,  and  besides  supplying  the  rolling  mills,  furnish  large 
quantities  to  railroads  and  gas  companies  in  Tennessee  and  adjoining 
States. 

The  officers  of  the  company  are  W.  R.  Tuttle,  president;  W.  S.  Mead, 
secretary  and  treasurer,  and  George  L.  Reis,  general  manager. 

In  1867  Clark,  Quaife  & Co.  erected  a small  foundry  for  the  manu- 


858 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


facture  of  stoves,  hollow  ware,  etc.  Later  they  began  making  car  wheels, 
and  this  branch  of  the  business  proving  a success,  an  incorporated  com- 
pany, with  a capital  stock  of  $47,000,  was  formed  in  1872,  with  A.  L. 
Maxwell  as  president,  and  Harvey  Clark,  secretary.  Thirty  thousand 
acres  of  iron  land  in  Carter  County  was  purchased,  upon  which  a cold 
blast  charcoal  furnace  was  erected  for  the  purpose  of  supplying  the  shops 
with  iron.  The  brown  hematite  ore  found  on  this  land  is  among  the  best 
in  the  country,  and  a furnace  which  is  still  standing  was  erected  there 
very  early  in  this  century.  Under  the  management  of  Mr.  Maxwell, 
which  continued  until  1881,  the  business  steadily  increased,  and  the 
Knoxville  Car  Wheel  Company  became  known  throughout  the  South  for 
the  excellence  of  its  products.  In  1881  the  company  was  reorganized 
with  a capital  stock  of  $107,000,  and  since  that  time  the  works  have  been 
considerably  enlarged.  A well  equipped  machine  shop,  boiler  shop,  and 
a foundry  for  making  all  kinds  of  soft  castings  have  been  added.  Fifty 
hands  are  employed  in  the  shops,  and  as  many  more  at  the  furnace.  The 
capacity  of  the  car  shops  is  125  wheels  and  of  the  furnace  ten  tons  daily. 
The  present  officers  of  the  company  are  C.  H.  Brown,  president,  and  D. 
A.  Carpenter,  secretary  and  treasurer. 

Another  successful  and  important  manufacturing  establishment  of 
Knoxville  is  operated  by  the  Southern  Car  Company,  which  was 
organized  June  1,  1881,  with  a capital  stock  of  $80,000.  Their  line 
of  operations  consists  of  the  manufacture  of  freight  and  mining  cars 
of  all  descriptions.  They  employ  from  125  to  150  men,  and  turn  out 
from  six  to  eight  cars  per  day.  The  works  are  located  just  west  of  the 
city  limits  on  the  E.  T.  V.  & G.  R.  R.,  and  cover  an  area  of  about  ten  acres. 

The  Knoxville  Foundry  and  Machine  Shops  were  established  in  1865 
by  J.  W.  North  & Co.,  who  continued  the  business  until  1870,  when  it 
was  transferred  to  the  firm  of  Rogan  & Co.,  composed  of  L.  H.  Rogan, 
William  McAfferty  and  William  De  Groat.  In  1874  J.  B.  Kelly  became 
a partner,  and  during  the  ensuing  years  the  business  was  conducted  under 
the  name  of  Rogan,  Kelly  & Co.  In  1878  a stock  company  with  a capi- 
tal of  $25,000  was  organized,  with  Peter  Staub  as  president,  J.  B.  Kelly, 
secretary,  and  L.  H.  Rogan,  manager.  The  shops  were  then  transferred 
from  Broad  Street  to  their  present  location,  where  new  buildings  were 
erected.  Since  that  time  the  business  has  steadily  increased,  until  now 
it  represents  an  invested  capital  of  $100,000.  The  present  officers  of 
the  company  are  Peter  Staub,  president;  J.  B.  Kelley,  general  manager 
and  secretary,  and  Charles  Fouche,  treasurer. 

The  Clark  Foundry  and  Machine  Company  was  organized  in  1881, 
with  H.  W.  Clark,  president,  and  Simpson  Cornick,  secretary  and  treas- 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


859 


urer.  The  enterprise  has  been  highly  successful,  and  has  been  increased 
each  year,  until  now  over  thirty  workmen  are  constantly  employed.  They 
make  a specialty  of  mill  machinery,  but  manufacture  all  kinds  of  cast- 
ings and  machines. 

The  Knoxville  Brass  and  Iron  Foundry,  owned  and  operated  by 
Stamps  & Mehaffy;  the  wrought  iron  fence  manufactory  of  H.  O.  Nelson, 
and  the  machine  shop  of  Dempster  & Co.  are  also  establishments  of  some 
importance,  employing  from  three  to  ten  men  each. 

The  milling  interests  of  Knoxville  have  recently  been  greatly  extended 
by  the  erection  of  a mammoth  mill,  with  a capacity  of  150  barrels  of  flour 
per  day.  It  is  owned  by  the  Knoxville  City  Mills  Company,  and  was 
completed  in  January,  1885.  It  is  equipped  with  the  latest  improved 
machinery  for  the  manufacture  of  the  finest  grade  of  flour,  and  its  products 
find  a ready  market  in  all  parts  of  Alabama,  Georgia,  Tennessee  and 
North  Carolina.  An  elevator  with  a capacity  of  50,000  bushels  was 
erected  with  the  mill,  but  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  June,  1886.  It  will 
soon  be  replaced  by  another  with  a capacity  of  75,000  bushels.  The 
company  was  incorporated  in  1881  with  a capital  stock  of  830,000,  which 
has  since  been  increased  to  850,000.  The  officers  are  J.  Allen  Smith, 
president,  and  Charlton  Karnes,  secretary  and  treasurer. 

Another  excellent  flouring-mill  has  been  built  on  First  Creek,  a short 
distance  below  the  site  of  Scott’s  old  mill.  It  is  owned  and  operated  by 
Peters,  Jones  & Co.  The  Trio  mills  owned  by  Scott,  Dempster  & Co.  are 
also  still  in  operation.  The  mill  at  the  crossing  of  Main  Street  on  First 
Creek  after  undergoing  several  transformations,  and  passing  through  the 
hands  of  many  successive  owners,  is  now  operated  by  the  Champion  Man- 
ufacturing Company  who  use  it  to  grind  meal  and  mill  feed.  Recently 
mills  of  this  character  have  been  erected  by  the  Knoxville  Cooked  Feed 
Company,  and  T.  P.  McDaniels  & Co. 

The  manufacture  of  furniture  forms  one  of  the  most  important 
industries  of  Knoxville,  but  it  is  still  in  its  infancy.  It  is  doubtful  if  any 
city  in  America  affords  greater  advantages  to  this  branch  of  industrial 
enterprise,  and  the  capital  now  employed  could  be  multiplied  many  times 
without  reaching  the  limit  of  profitable  investment.  Of  the  firms  now 
engaged  in  this  business,  that  of  Boyd  & Caswell  is  one  of  the  oldest. 
The  enterprise  was  established  in  1873  by  Howe  Bros.,  who  continued  it  for 
about  three  years,  when  they  were  succeeded  by  William  Caswell  & Co. 
In  1880  S.  B.  Boyd,  the  proprietor  of  a carpet  store,  consolidated  his 
business  with  that  of  the  company,  and  an  extensive  retail  house  furnish- 
ing store  was  established  in  connection  with  the  factory.  In  August, 
1886,  the  partnership  was  dissolved,  Mr.  Caswell  retaining  the  manufac- 


860 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


tory,  and  Mr.  Boyd  tlie  sales  department.  The  latter  has  associated 
with  himself  John  M.  Allen,  R.  J.  Stevenson  and  S.  B.  Boyd,  Jr.,  under 
the  firm  name  of  Boyd,  Allen  & Co.. 

Mr.  Caswell  employs  about  forty  men,  and  makes  a specialty  of  fine 
furniture,  parlor  suits,  and  bedroom  sets.  S.  T.  Atkins  & Co.  began 
business  in  1876,  and  now  employ  about  thirty-five  men  in  the  man- 
ufacture of  all  grades  of  furniture.  They  sell  their  goods  almost  exclu- 
sively at  retail  and  to  the  city  trade.  They  also  operate  a saw  mill  with 
a capacity  of  10,000  feet  per  day,  and  cut  all  of  their  own  lumber. 

In  1882  the  Knoxville  Furniture  Company  was  organized  with  a cap- 
ital stock  of  $50,000.  The  officers  are  T.  R.  Price,  president;  H.  S. 
Mizner,  treasurer,  and  A.  J.  Price,  superintendent.  They  obtain  their 
material  from  mills  on  the  Clinch  River,  and  manufacture  a medium 
grade  of  furniture  which  they  sell  at  wholesale  in  all  of  the  States  east 
of  the  Mississippi  and  south  of  the  Ohio.  Schaad  & Rotach  is  the  style 
of  a firm  which  began  business  in  June  1885,  they  make  a specialty  of 
the  finer  grades  of  furniture.  They  buy  their  lumber  from  mills  in  the 
vicinity  of  Knoxville,  but  the  marble  which  they  use  is  obtained  from 
their  own  quarry,  situated  about  five  miles  west  of  the  city,  on  the  Clinton 
pike. 

Of  the  other  wood-working  establishments,  that  of  the  Standard 
Handle  Company  is  one  of  the  most  extensive.  The  company  was  incor- 
porated in  1881  with  a capital  stock  of  $60,000.  The  officers  are 
Edward  Nicoll,  president ; F.  J.  Leland,  vice-president,  arid  C.  M.  Wood- 
bury, secretary  and  treasurer.  They  use  only  hickory  timber,  and  man- 
ufacture all  kinds  of  handles. 

The  Barker  Manufacturing  Company  are  extensively  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  wooden-ware  and  handles.  The  business  was  established 
in  June,  1883,  by  J.  H.  and  F.  Barker.  The  officers  of  the  present 
company  are  F.  Barker,  president;  H.  N.  Saxton,  Jr.,  secretray,  and  J. 
H.  Barker,  treasurer.  The  Knoxville  Box  and  Keg  Company  was  estab- 
lished in  1872  by  D.  R.  Samuel,  who,  in  1880,  admitted  his  son,  W.  B. 
Samuel,  into  partnership.  Their  line  of  manufacture  embraces  packing 
boxes  of  all  kinds,  kegs,  wagon  felloes  and  Avood  specialties  and  novelties. 

In  the  manufacture  of  saddlery  and  harness  Knoxville  rivals  any 
other  city  of  its  size  in  the  country.  The  firm  of  Oates,  White  & Co.,  con- 
sisting of  E.  T.  Oates,  J.  C.  White  and  Samuel  W.  Graves,  was  estab- 
lished in  1877.  They  have  a large  capital  invested  in  the  business,  and 
use  only  the  most  improved  machinery  and  appliances.  They  employ 
about  forty  Avorkmen  in  the  various  departments,  and  manufacture 
harness,  saddlery  and  collars.  Their  products,  together  with  a full  line 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


861 


of  saddlery  hardware,  they  sell  at  wholesale  throughout  the  Southern 
States. 

In  1867  Maj.  Thomas  O’Conner  and  James  O’Conner  established  the 
business  now  conducted  by  James  O’Conner  & Co.  It  was  on  a very 
small  scale  at  first,  but  it  has  grown  steadily  until  it  has  reached  its  present 
large  proportion.  They  now  employ  about  sixty-five  men  in  the  manu- 
factory, and  distribute  their  goods  throughout  the  Southern  States,  east 
of  the  Mississippi. 

Other  firms  and  individuals  engaged  in  this  line  of  manufacture,  but 
with  somewhat  limited  capital,  are  S.  Van  Gilder  & Co.,  D.  M.  Haynes  & 
Bro.,  J.  M.  McAffrey  and  H.  L.  Karnes. 

The  lumber  business  of  Knoxville  and  Knox  County  is  increasing 
more  rapidly  than  any  other  branch  of  industry,  but  its  development  is 
by  no  means  complete.  Large  tracts  of  the  finest  timber  line  the  banks 
of  the  Holston  and  French  Broad  and  their  tributaries,  and  these  streams 
with  the  Tennessee  River,  during  six  months  in  the  year,  afford  every 
facility  for  the  rafting  of  logs.  One  of  the  largest  mills  now  in  operation 
is  owned  by  D.  M.  Rose  & Co.  who  began  business  in  Sevier  County  in 
1876.  In  1880  they  removed  to  Knoxville,  and  erected  a small  mill 
on  the  south  side  of  the  river.  Since  that  time  their  business  has  con- 
stantly increased,  and  they  now  have  a capacity  of  50,000  feet  of  lumber 
per  day. 

The  Scottish  Carolina  Timber  & Land  Company,  with  a capital  stock 
of  $1,000,000,  has  recently  completed  a mill  with  a capacity  of  50,000 
feet  per  day.  It  is  located  on  the  river,  a short  distance  below  the  Knox- 
ville & Augusta  Railroad  bridge,  where  they  contemplate  building  a 
boom  at  a cost  of  $40,000.  They  own  large  tracts  of  timber  land  in 
upper  East  Tennessee. 

Mills  with  a capacity  of  5,000  to  10,000  feet  per  day  are  also  operated 
by  S.  T.  Atkin  & Co.,  L.  E.  Craig  and  Burr  & Terry,  while  many  small 
mills  are  distributed  throughout  the  county.  It  has  been  estimated  that 
during  1886  there  were  cut  in  Knox  County  5,000,000  feet  of  lumber, 
and  that  in  1887  this  amount  will  be  fully  doubled. 

Of  the  planing  mills  and  sash  and  door  factories,  the  most  exten- 
sive is  that  of  Burr  & Terry.  It  was  established  in  1867  by  Rich- 
ardson & Burr  who  were  succeeded  in  1869  by  the  firm  of  Richard- 
son, Burr  & Terry.  Mr.  Richardson  died  the  following  year  and  the 
business  has  since  been  conducted  by  the  pr-esent  firm.  They  have  a 
large  capital  invested,  and  employ  about  twenty-five  men. 

The  firm  of  Stephenson  & Getaz  began  business  in  1882.  Their  mill 
is  equipped  with  all  the  latest  improvements  in  machinery  and  appliances, 


54 


802 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


and  about  thirty  men  are  employed  in  the  manufacture  of  all  kinds  of 
building  material. 

L.  E.  Craig  engaged  in  this  line  of  manufacture  in  1879  at  the  mouth 
of  First  Creek,  where  he  has  since  continued.  He  employs  twelve  men, 
and  does  an  extensive  business.  His  mill  is  operated  by  water  power. 

The  manufacture  of  carriages,  buggies  and  other  vehicles,  is  becom- 
ing an  important  branch  of  industry  in  Knoxville.  The  firm  most  exten- 
sively engaged  in  this  business  is  that  of  Post,  Simmons  & Co.,  composed 
of  S.  T.  Post,  C.  N.  Simmons  and  F.  H.  Post.  The  enterprise  was  estab- 
lished in  1870  by  S.  T.  Post  & Son,  who  conducted  it  with  signal  success 
until  1882,  when  the  present  firm  was  formed.  They  employ  about 
twenty  men  and  make  a specialty  of  heavy  wagons.  They  are  now  erect- 
ing a new  factory  with  the  intention  of  doubling  their  capacity. 

The  Knoxville  Buggy  Works  were  established  in  March,  1885  by  C. 
Geiger  under  the  management  of  James  A.  Nisonger.  They  manufac- 
ture carriages,  buggies  and  light  wagons,  for  the  local  trade.  An 
extension  of  the  shops  is  now  being  made  and  when  completed  about 
twenty-five  men  will  be  employed.  The  present  proprietors  are  T.  T. 
Goodall  & Co. 

The  shops  now  owned  and  operated  by  T.  C.  Eldridge,  was  estab- 
lished in  1872  upon  a comparatively  small  scale,  but  during  the  past 
eight  years  under  the  present  management,  the  facilities  have  been 
greatly  increased.  From  ten  to  fifteen  workmen  are  constantly  employed, 
turning  out  about  100  vehicles  annually,  Sheridan  & Quincy,  former 
employes  of  Post,  Simmons  & Co.,  have  recently  engaged  in  this  line  of 
manufacture. 

After  the  disappearance  of  the  primitive  mills  no  attempt  was  made 
to  manufacture  cotton  or  woolen  goods  until  within  the  past  ten  years. 
In  1877  the  Knoxville  Woolen  Mills  Company  was  organized  with  a 
capital  stock  of  $180,000,  and  commenced  the  operations  of  a mill  at 
Sanfordville,  in  McMinn  County.  From  the  first  the  undertaking  proved 
a success,  and  in  1884  the  company  determined  to  increase  their  facil- 
ities by  erecting  new  buildings.  With  this  object  in  view  they  increased 
the  capital  stock  to  $200,000,  purchased  thirteen  acres  of  land  adjoining 
the  city  limits,  and  erected  one  of  the  most  convenient  and  best  appointed 
woolen-mills  in  the  country.  The  new  mill  was  completed  and  put  into 
operation  in  1885.  It  is  a substantial  brick  structure,  50x400  feet,  and 
three  stories  high,  and  is  equipped  with  seven  sets  of  cards  and  193 
looms.  It  employs  about  150  hands.  The  product  consists  exclusively 
of  all  wool  jeans.  The  officers  of  the  company  are  E.  J.  Sanford,  pres- 
ident, and  It.  P.  Gettys,  secretary,  treasurer  and  general  manager. 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


868 


In  November,  1885,  an  incorporated  company  with  a capital  stock  of 
$150,000  completed  the  erection  of  a large  cotton-mill  78x210  feet,  two 
stories  high,  and  in  March,  1886,  between  5,000  and  6,000  spindles  and 
176  looms  were  put  into  operation.  The  mill  is  fitted  up  with  the  best 
machinery  made,  and  in  the  spinning  department  a new  process  not  in 
use  in  any  other  mill  is  employed,  by  means  of  which  a great  saving  in 
time,  power  and  labor  is  effected.  The  product  of  this  mill  consists 
entirely  of  brown  sheetings  of  grade  siiited  to  both  the  domestic  and  for- 
eign trades.  At  present  about  twenty-five  bales  of  cotton  are  used  per 
week,  but  only  one-half  of  the  mill  is  occupied,  and  the  doubling  of  its 
capacity  is  now  under  contemplation.  The  mill  is  under  the  manage- 
ment of  Mr.  C.  J.  Sweet,  a man  of  long  experience  in  the  manufacture  of 
cotton,  having  acted  for  many  years  as  superintendent  and  agent  of  some 
of  the  largest  mills  in  New  England.  He  is  assisted  by  his  sons,  also 
experienced  cotton  manufacturers. 

The  Knoxville  Ice  Company  is  an  enterprise  of  great  importance  to 
the  city.  The  business  was  inaugurated  in  1876  by  J.  C.  Mustard,  on  a 
small  scale  as  an  experiment,  and  such  was  the  success  of  the  venture 
that  in  1881  the  present  company  was  formed  with  a capital  stock  of 
$40,000.  Extensive  improvements  were  at  once  made,  new  buildings 
erected  and  the  most  improved  machinery  supplied.  The  water  used  for 
the  manufacture  of  ice  is  obtained  from  a large  spring,  and  is  distilled 
before  freezing.  The  works  now  have  a capacity  of  thirty  tons  per  day, 
and  the  trade  of  the  company  extends  throughout  East  Tennessee.  The 
officers  of  the  corporation  are  Peter  Kern,  president;  Ignas  Fanz,  secre- 
tary and  treasurer,  and  T.  D.  Lewis,  manager. 

The  quarrying  and  manipulation  of  marble  has  become  one  of  the 
most  important  industries  of  Knoxville  and  Knox  County,  but  it  is 
of  such  recent  origin  that  it  may  be  said  to  be  in  a transition  state, 
and  to  give  a satisfactory  account  of  the  many  companies  which  have 
been  organized  for  the  prosecution  of  the  business  is  impossible.  Worked 
systematically  by  men  of  experience  and  sufficient  capital  quarries 
within  easy  reach  of  transportation  yield  rich  returns,  but  in  the  hands  of 
inexperienced  persons  with  small  capital,  the  business  affords  many  op- 
portunities for  failure. 

One  of  the  most  successful  firms  engaged  in  quarrying  marble  is  that 
of  J.  J.  Craig  & Co.  Their  business  was  established  in  1880  by  Col.  J. 
J.  Craig,  who  has  been  very  largely  instrumental  in  developing  the 
resources  of  the  county  in  this  especial  department  of  industry.  They 
now  operate  four  quarries,  five  miles  northwest  of  Knoxville,  furnishing 
employment  to  about  fifty  hands.  Recently  the  members  of  this  firm 


864 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


organized  the  Great  Southern  Marble  Company  with  the  following  officers; 
John  J.  Craig,  president;  John  J.  Craig,  Jr.,  secretary  and  treasurer;W. 
B.  McMullen,  general  manager,  and  J.  M.  Edington,  superintendent  of 
quarries. 

The  Knoxville  Marble  Company  is  the  oldest  company  now  in  the 
business,  having  been  organized  on  July  11,  1873.  The  members  of  the 
company  at  that  time  were  William  Patrick,  president;  George  W.  Ross, 
secretary  and  treasurer;  James  Patrick,  and  John  H.  Holman.  They  pur- 
chased the  old  government  quarry  at  the  forks  of  the  French  Broad  and 
Holston,  and  have  since  continued  to  operate  it.  The  marble  obtained 
from  their  quarries  is  conceded  to  be  the  soundest  in  East  Tennessee,  and 
for  building  purposes  it  is  unsurpassed.  When  polished  it  presents  a 
handsome  appearance,  and  it  is  used  largely  for  mantels  and  decorating 
purposes.  They  work  from  fifty  to  seventy-five  hands,  run  four  steam- 
drills  and  two  saw  mills  with  two  gangs  of  saws  each,  and  turn  out  prod- 
ucts to  the  value  of  over  $100,000  yearly.  They  own  sixty-five  acres  of 
land,  and  operate  three  quarries.  They  ship  to  all  the  large  cities  in  this 
country,  and  are  now  engaged  in  filling  an  order  for  a European  market. 
Since  January,  1886,  the  officers  of  the  company  and 'sole  proprietors  of 
the  business  have  been  John  M.  Ross,  president,  and  George  W.  Ross, 
secretary  and  treasurer. 

The  Phoenix  Marble  Company  was  incorporated  in  1885  with  a capital 
stock  of  $20,000.  They  operate  quarries  in  Hawkins  County,  and  have  a 
mill  with  three  gangs  of  saws  in  Knoxville.  The  officers  of  the  company 
are  John  P.  Beach,  president,  and  Charles  Pitman,  secretary  and  treas- 
urer. Mr.  Beach  is  also  the  senior  member  of  the  firm  of  Beach  & Co.,  who 
began  business  in  1880.  They  work  a quarry  two  and  one-lialf  miles  east 
of  Knoxville,  where  they  employ  about  twelve  hands.  They  also  operate 
a mill,  in  which  fifteen  hands  are  employed 'tin  cutting  and  polishing 
marble  for  furniture,  and  inside  decoration.  The  largest  mill  of  this 
kind  in  Tennessee  was  erected  in  1886  by  W.  H.  Evans  & Son,  who  are 
extensively  engaged  in  the  business  in  Baltimore,  and  who  built  a small 
mill  and  opened  a quarry  in  Hawkins  County  in  1881.  Their  mill  in 
Knoxville  contains  twelve  gangs  of  saws,  and  has  a capacity  of  1,800  feet 
of  finished  marble  per  day,  furnishing  employment  to  160  men.  During 
1887  the  capacity  of  the  mill  will  be  more  than  doubled. 

The  coal  business  in  so  far  as  Knoxville  is  concerned  has  been  devel- 
oped during  the  past  twenty  years,  although  a company  was  organized  for 
the  purpose  of  dealing  in  coal  as  early  as  1855.  It  was  known  as  the 
Knoxville  Coal  Company,  and  the  members  were  John  S.  Moffett,  John 
Shields,  M.  W.  Williams  and  A.  L.  Maxwell.  A small  steamboat  called 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


865 


the  “ Holston  ” was  purchased,  and  coal  was  brought  from  points  on  the 
river  below,  but  the  demand  for  it  was  so  limited  that  the  company  soon 
suspended  operations. 

In  May,  1858,  the  Cumberland  Mountain  Coal  & Land  Company  was 
organized  with  a capital  stock  of  $1,200,000.  The  officers  and  members  were 
G.  B.  Lamar,  president ; Thomas  H.  Calloway,  treasurer,  and  — Jackson, 
secretary;  Campbell  Wallace,  Thomas  C.  Lyons,  C.  M.  McGhee,  Robert 
Morrow,  Euclid  Waterhouse,  A.  L.  Maxwell,  M.  B.  Prichard  and  Samuel 
Congdon.  In  1867  the  company  was  reorganized  as  the  East  Tennessee 
Iron  & Coal  Company,  with  Charles  M.  McGhee,  president.  A large 
tract  of  land  in  Campbell,  Scott  and  Anderson  Counties,  had  been  previ- 
ously purchased,  but  owing  to  the  manner  in  which  grants  had  been  issued 
by  the  Government,  where  conflict  of  title  existed,  and  several  years  have 
been  spent  in  settling  these  claims.  The  company,  now  own  50,000  acres 
of  the  finest,  and  most  accessible  coal  land  in  East  Tennessee,  extending 
along  the  line  of  the  Knoxville  & Ohio  Railroad,  for  thirteen  miles,  and 
the  work  of  developing  mines  will  be  begun  during  1887.  Since  1882  A. 
L.  Maxwell  has  been  the  president  of  the  company. 

In  1868  the  Coal  Creek  Mining  & Manufacturing  Company  was  organ- 
ized, with  Henry  S.  Wiley  as  president,  and  Charles  H.  Berkley,  secre- 
tary. The  capital  stock  is  $2,500,000,  of  which  about  three-fourths  is 
held  in  New  York.  They  own  one  of  the  finest  bodies  of  mining  lands 
in  the  world.  The  tract  is  thirty  miles  in  extent,  and  embraces 
240,000  acres.  They  also  own  a large  interest  in  about  70,000  acres  more. 
They  operate  no  mines  themselves  but  lease  to  other  companies.  The 
following  are  the  present  officers:  E.  J.  Sanford,  president;  E.  R.  Chap- 
man, of  New  York,  secretary  and  assistant  treasurer;  and  W.  P.  Chamber- 
lin, treasurer  and  assistant  secretary.  The  Poplar  Creek  Coal  & Iron 
Company  with  a capital  stock  of  $1,000,000,  also  owns  a large  tract  of  land 
which  they  lease  to  other  companies.  The  officers  are  E.  R.  Chapman, 
president,  and  T.  H.  Heald,  secretary  and  treasurer.  The  Wheeler  Coal 
& Iron  Company,  with  a capital  stock  of  $375,000,  has  the  same  officers. 
It  was  organized  about  1870,  and  owns  4,400  acres  of  land,  on  the  Knox- 
ville & Ohio  Railroad,  about  thirty -five  miles  from  Knoxville.  A third 
company,  with  the  same  officers,  is  known  as  the  Wyley  Coal  Company. 
It  has  a capital  stock  of  $40,000 

The  Coal  Creek  Mining  Company  was  organized  in  1880,  with  a capi- 
tal stock  of  $150,000.  They  operate  four  mines  having  an  aggregate 
annual  out-pxxt  of  120,000  tons,  and  employing  400  men.  The  officers 
are  T.  H.  Heald,  president,  and  E.  F.  Wyley,  secretary  and  treasurer. 

The  Coal  Creek  Coal  Company  was  organized  in  1868,  by  M.  C.  and 


866 


HISTOEY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


C.  C.  Wilcox,  E.  A.  Reed,  P.  A.  Maniner,  S.  S.  Tuttle  and  E.  G.  Camp. 
They  own  land  on  Coal  Creek,  and  operate  a mine  having  an  out-put  of 
about  75,000  tons  yearly.  The  offcers  now  are  E.  C.  Camp,  president, 
and  Henry  Camp,  manager. 

The  Standard  Coal  Company,  organized  in  1882  with  capital  stock  of 
$100,000,  operates  a mine  at  Newcomb,  from  which  is  shipped  annually 
about  60,000  tons.  The  officers  of  the  company  are  W.  W.  Woodruff, 
president,  and  E.  E.  McCroskey,  secretary  and  treasurer. 

The  East  Tennessee  Coal  Company  was  incorporated  in  1876  and 
began  operations  at  Coal  Creek.  They  now  own  900  acres  of  land  at  Jel- 
lico  upon  which  their  mines  are  located.  They  have  a capacity  of  400 
tons  per  day,  and  ship  large  quantities  to  Alabama,  North  and  South 
Carolina,  Georgia,  Kentucky  and  throughout  Tennessee.  The  officers 
are  E.  J.  Davis,  president,  and  B.  A.  Jenkins,  secretary  and  treasurer. 

After  coal,  iron  and  marble,  zinc  is  the  next  most  abundant  and  valu- 
able mineral  found  in  East  Tennessee.  The  first  works  for  the  manu- 
facture of  zinc  oxide  were  erected  at  Mossy  Creek  in  1872.  Four  years 
later  mines  were  opened  and  operations  begun  on  an  extensile  scale  in 
Union  County,  and  in  1881  spelter  works  were  completed  at  Clinton.  In 
1883  these  works  were  purchased  by  the  Edes,  Mixter  & Heald  Zinc 
Company,  who  have  since  continued  to  operate  them.  The  ore  is  obtained 
from  mines  on  Straight  Creek,  and  from  Mossy  Creek.  The  company 
has  a capital  stock  of  $100,000  and  ships  annually  about  1,250,000  pounds 
of  spelter.  The  secretary  and  manager  is  Maj.  T.  H.  Heald,  of  Knox- 
ville. The  other  members  of  the  firm  reside  at  Plymouth,  Mass. 

Of  the  present  banking  institutions  of  Knoxville  the  People’s  Bank 
is  the  oldest.  It  was  established  in  1865  by  C.  M.  McGhee,  John  R. 
Branner,  Thomas  H.  Calloway  and  J.  R.  Mitchell  under  the  firm  name 
of  J.  R.  Mitchell  & Co.  In  May,  1866,  it  was  incorporated  under  its 
present  name  with  a capital  stock  of  $35,000,  C.  M.  McGhee  becoming 
president  and  J.  R.  Mitchell,  cashier.  This  bank,  controlled  as  it  lias 
been  by  some  of  the  wealthiest  and  most  prominent  business  men  of  the 
city,  has  always  enjoyed  the  confidence  of  commercial  circles.  The 
present  officers  are  J.  R.  Mitchell,  president,  and  F.  A.  Moses,  cashier. 

In  1873  the  East  Tennessee  National  Bank  was  organized  as  the  suc- 
cessor of  the  First  National  Bank,  of  Knoxville,  established  soon  after 
the  war.  The  capital  stock  is  $100,000,  while  the  surplus  and  individ- 
ual profits  amount  to  nearly  $90,000.  The  annual  discounts  exceed 
$500,000,  and  the  deposits  average  over  $600,000.  Its  directors  are  R. 
C.  Jackson,  C.  M.  McGhee,  R.  S.  Payne,  W.  W.  Woodroff,  E.  J.  San- 
ford, S.  B.  Boyd,  C.  M.  McClung,  Daniel  Briscoe  and  James  M.  Meek, 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


867 


The  president  is  R.  S.  Payne ; vice-president,  E.  J.  Sanford,  and  cashier, 
F.  L.  Fisher. 

The  Mechanics  National  Bank,  organized  in  March,  1882,  also  has  a 
capital  stock  of  $100,000.  It  is  under  able  management  and  has  been 
remarkably  successful.  Its  surplus  now  amounts  to  $51,000  and  its 
deposits  average  over  $400,000,  while  its  exchange  account  with  its  bank 
in  New  York  in  1886  amounted  to  $2,500,000.  The  directors  are  W.  P. 
Washburn,  S.  T.  Harris,  M.  L.  Ross,  H.  H.  Ingersoll,  S.  B.  Luttrell,  S. 
P.  Evans,  J.  W.  Borches,  J.  C.  Luttrell  and  J.  T.  McTeer.  S.  B.  Lut- 
trell is  president;  M.  L.  Ross,  vice-president  and  Sam  House,  cashier. 

The  Merchants  Bank  is  a private  institution  of  high  standing,  owned 
by  John  S.  Yan  Gilder,  who  has  been  engaged  in  the  business  for  over 
twenty  years. 

Probably  no  city  of  its  size  is  better  represented  in  the  line  of  fire 
insurance  companies  than  Knoxville.  The  oldest  is  known  as  the  Knox- 
ville Fire  Insurance  Company;  it  was  organized  in  1879  with  a capital 
stock  of  $100,000.  It  is  under  able  management  and  has  been  success- 
ful from  the  beginning.  On  January  1,  1886,  the  reserve  fund  amounted 
to  $26,674.98,  and  the  net  surplus  to  $26,993.10,  a gain  in  the  net  sur- 
plus, during  1885,  of  $5,798.80.  The  company  does  a general  fire  insur- 
ance business  throughout  the  State,  and  has  reliable  agents  in  the  lead- 
ing commercial  centers.  The  directors  of  the  company  are  as  substan- 
tial a body  of  men  as  could  be  selected  from  the  successful  business  men 
of  the  city.  They  are  D.  A.  Carpenter,  S.  B.  Luttrell,  C.  M.  McGhee, 
Joseph  T.  McTeer,  F.  W.  Taylor,  Sr.,  R.  C.  Jackson,  W.  P.  Washburn, 
W.  AY.  Woodruff,  James  M.  Meek,  C.  M.  McClung  and  M.  L.  Ross. 
The  president  of  the  company  is  D.  A.  Carpenter;  vice-president,  AY.  AY. 
Woodruff,  and  secretary  and  treasurer,  W.  H.  Simmonds. 

A new  company,  known  as  the  Protection  Fire  Insurance  Company, 
was  incorporated  under  the  same  management  in  1885,  and  now  has  assets 
amounting  to  $108,093.84. 

The  East  Tennessee  Insurance  Company  began  business  on  May  1, 
1885,  with  a capital  stock  of  $150,000,  and  already  has  a surplus  fund 
amounting  to  about  $35,000.  The  company  is  ably  and  conservatively 
managed,  and  commands  the  entire  confidence  of  the  public.  The 
members  of  the  company  are  C.  J.  McClung,  president;  B.  R.  Strong, 
vice-president;  C.  Powell,  secretary;  P.  Dickinson,  F.  L.  Fisher  and  C. 
E.  Luckey. 

The  Island  Home  Insurance  Company  was  recently  organized,  with 
the  same  officers  and  directors,  and  incorporated  with  a capital  stock  of 
$200,000. 


868 


HISTOEY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


At  what  time  the  first  Masonic  lodge  in  Knoxville  was  organized 
could  not  be  ascertained,  as  all  old  records  pertaining  to  it  had  been 
destroyed.  It  was  known  as  Mount  Labanus  Lodge,  and  was  established 
at  a very  early  period  in  the  history  of  the  town.  Of  the  lodges  now  in 
existence,  the  oldest  is  Master’s  Lodge,  No.  214,  the  records  of  which 
have  also  been  destroyed. 

Maxwell  Lodge,  No.  433,  was  organized  in  November,  1871,  with  L. 
H.  Kogan  as  W.  M.  It  has  since  been  fairly  prosperous  and  now  has 
a membership  of  about  forty. 

Oriental  Lodge,  No.  453,  was  organized  under  a dispensation  granted 
November  10,  1873,  with  N.  S.  Woodward  as  W.  M.,  J.  Y.  Fulkerson,  S. 
W.  and  A.  Caldwell,  J.  W.  It  contains  some  of  the  best  members  of 
the  fraternity  in  the  State,  and  is  in  a highly  prosperous  condition. 

Pearl  Chapter,  No.  24,  R.  A.  M.,  Avas  organized  in  1841,  with  the  Most 
Eminent  James  W.  Paxton,  as  H.  P.  It  has  worked  continuously  to  the 
present  time  with  the  exception  of  a few  months  during  the  civil  war. 
The  present  H.  P.  is  Arch.  Ferguson.  The  present  membership  is 
fifty-six. 

Couer  de  Leon  Commandery,  No.  9,  K.  T.,  was  organized  on  May  5, 
1868,  under  a dispensation  granted  by  E.  E.  Sir  John  Frizzell,  Grand 
Commander  of  Tennessee,  with  the  following  officers:  John  W.  Paxton, 
E.  C. ; William  Morrow,  G. ; A.  N.  MaxAvell,  C.  G. ; W.  H.  Lillard,  P. ; H. 
M.  Aiken,  S.  W. ; S.  B.  Dow,  J . W. ; Spencer  Munson,  Rec. ; J.  A. 
Mabry,  Treas. ; U.  A.  Rouser,  Standard  Bearer;  William  Rule,  Sword 
Bearer;  H.  C.  Hawkins,  W.  and  John  W.  Cruze,  S.  At  the  burning  of 
the  Masonic  Hall,  the  Commandry  lost  about  $2,000  worth  of  property. 
It  now  has  a membership  of  seventy,  Avith  S.  B.  Dow  as  E.  C. 

Knoxville  Consistory,  No.  10,  S.  P.  R.  S.,  under  the  Peckham  Cer- 
neau  jurisdiction,  was  instituted  on  July  7,  1884,  Avith  H.  H.  Ingersoll, 
Thirty-third  degree,  as  C.  C.  Among  the  other  officers  are  A.  J.  Albers, 
Thirty-second  degree;  R.  H.  Sansom,  Thirty-second  degree;  A.  Gredig, 
Thirty-second  degree;  J.  H.  Keeling,  Thirty-second  degree ; J.  L.  Curtis, 
Thirty-second  degree ; G.  W.  Albers,  Thirty -third  degree ; W.  A.  Galbraith, 
Thirty-second  degree;  E.  E.  McCroskey,  Thirty-second  degree;  John  E. 
Clyman,  Thirty-second  degree;  S.  G.  Bowman,  Thirty-second  degree;  J. 
H.  Doughty.  Thirty-second  degree,  and  J.  W.  Cruze,  Thirty-second  de- 
gree. 

Tennessee  Lodge,  No.  4,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  was  organized  on  March  20. 
1848,  Avith  the  following  charter  members:  A.  A.  Barnes,  A.  R.  Crozier, 
P.  M.  McClung,  William  M.  Churchwell,  and  James  Rodgers.  The 
lodge  has  since  been  successfully  maintained  and  now  has  a membership 
of  sixty-three  Avith  J.  R.  McBatli  as  Noble  Grand. 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


869 


Knoxville  Lodge,  No.  138,  was  organized  on  November  23,  1869. 
The  charter  members  were  Janies  M.  McAffry,  L.  C.  Shepard,  E.  G. 
McClanahan,  J.  D.  J.  Lewis,  W.  H.  Parker  and  J.  C.  Ristine.  The 
present  membership  is  twenty-three.  J.  L.  Culverhouse  is  Noble  Grand. 

Golden  Rule  Lodge,  No.  177,  was  instituted  on  July  2,  1871,  with 
R.  Y.  Hayes,  G.  B.  Burlson,  J.  B.  Campbell,  J.  E.  Newman,  W.  R. 
Stephenson,  AV.  C.  Putnam,  George  IV.  Roth,  P.  F.  Jenkins  and  E.  B. 
Mann  as  charter  members.  The  present  membership  is  fifty -three. 

Knoxville  Encampment,  No.  11,  was  organized  soon  after  the  insti- 
tution of  Tennessee  Lodge,  with  the  following  members:  James  A. 
Beery,  A.  A.  Barnes,  W.  M.  Church  well.  William  Hunt,  Daniel  Lyons, 
William  Lyons  and  M.  D.  Bearden. 

Teutonia  Lodge,  No.  Ill,  K.  of  H.,  was  organized  August  20,  1875, 
with  about  eighteen  members.  It  is  now  in  a prosperous  condition, 
and  has  a membership  of  119,  with  J.  AV.  Benziger  as  Dictator.  L.  A. 
Gratz,  a member  of  this  lodge  is  the  present  Supreme  Dictator. 

Relief  Lodge  was  organized  in  1876,  and  now  has  but  a small  mem- 
bership. 

Fidelity  Lodge,  No.  9,  A.  O.  U.  AAh,  was  organized  in  August,  1876, 
with  John  Burks  as  Past  Master  Workman,  and  Fred  Esperandieu, 
Master  Workman.  Soon  after  the  organization  of  this  lodge  Phoenix 
Lodge,  No.  11,  was  instituted  with  a membership  of  about  fifty-three. 
A few  months  later  Peabody  Lodge,  No.  11,  was  established.  These  two 
lodges  existed  as  separate  bodies  until  December,  1886,  when  they  were 
united  under  the  name  of  the  former. 

Pioneer  Council,  No.  31,  A.  L.  of  H.,  was  organized  September  10, 
1879,  with  a small  membership  which  rapidly  increased,  and  has  since 
averaged  about  one  hundred  and  twenty-five. 

Knoxville  Council,  No.  110,  R.  A.,  was  instituted  in  June,  1878,  with 
L.  A.  Gratz  as  Past  Regent,  A.  L.  Maxwell,  Regent,  and  Julius  Ochs, 
secretary.  Its  original  membership  of  twenty-five  has  increased  to 
sixty-eight. 

Peace  Commandery,  No.  1.  U.  O.  of  G.  C.,  was  organized  on  July  11, 
1876,*  a short  time  after  the  incorporation  of  the  Supreme  Comman- 
dery. Hope  Commandery,  No  2 was  instituted  August  16,  1876, 
but  did  not  receive  its  charter  until  the  following  November,  at  which 
time  the  members  numbered  forty-one. 

Ed.  Maynard  Post,  No.  11,  G.  A.  R.,  was  organized  December  23, 1883, 
with  the  following  members:  A.  S.  Prosser,  L.  A.  Gratz,  AY.  R.  Carter, 
AV.  J.  Ramage,  W.  AV.  Dunn,  W.  C.  Brandon,  Ignaz  Fanz,  C.  H.  Brown, 


*See  page  308. 


870 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


W.  R.  Tuttle,  P.  D.  Roady,  S.  J.  Todd,  B.  Goodhart,  and  George 
L.  Maloney.  The  first  Commander  was  A.  S.  Prosser  ivho  was  succeeded 
by  L.  A.  Gratz.  The  present  officers  are  W.  J.  Ramage,  C. ; W.  W. 
Dunn,  S.  Y.  C. ; Ignaz  Fanz,  J.  V.  C. ; L.  Harvey,  Adjt. ; W.  A.  Gage,  O. 
D. ; J.  R.  Galyon,  O.  G. ; Thomas  D.  Lewis,  Chaplain;  J.  W.  Stewart, 
Surgeon;  L.  W.  Schirman,  Q.  M. 

Felix  K.  Zollicoffer  Camp,  Confederate  Veterans,  was  organized 
December  10,  1885,  with  one  hundred  and  thirty-five  members,  and  for 
the  following  admirable  purposes;  “The  object  shall  be  to  perpetuate  the 
memories  of  our  fallen  comrades,  and  to  minister  so  far  as  practicable  to 
the  wants  of  those  who  were  permanently  disabled  in  the  service,  to 
preserve  and  maintain  that  sentiment  of  fraternity  born  of  the  hardships 
and  dangers  shared  in  the  march,  the  bivouac  and  the  battle  ground.  It 
is  proposed  not  to  prolong  the  animosities  engendered  by  the  war,  but  to 
extend  to  our  late  adversaries  on  every  fitting  occasion,  courtesies  which,  in 
our  case,  a common  citizenship  demands  at  our  hands.  We  propose  to 
avoid  everything  which  partakes  of  partisanship  in  religion  and  politics, 
but  at  the  same  time  we  will  lend  our  aid  to  the  maintenance  of  law  and 
the  preservation  of  order.”  The  present  membership  of  the  camp  is 
about  one  hundred  and  sixty-five.  Alexander  Allison  is  Commander  and 
P.  B.  Shepherd,  First  Lieutenant  Commander. 

The  medical  profession  has  always  been  ably  represented  in  Knox- 
ville. In  the  Gazette  of  April  20,  1794,  Dr.  Thomas  McCombs  informs 
the  public  that  he  intends  to  remove  and  locate  in  Knoxville  about  May 
15,  where  lie  proposes  to  enter  upon  the  practice  of  medicine.  He  hopes  his 
long  studies  and  experience  under  the  most  eminent  physicians  in  the  At- 
lantic States,  and  his  attention  to  his  profession  will  insure  him  the  patron- 
age of  the  public.  During  the  same  year  Dr.  Robert  Johnson,  also  ad- 
vertises that  he  has  located  in  Knoxville.  Of  those  now  remembered  Dr. 
Joseph  C.  Strong  was  the  earliest.  He  was  fiuely  educated,  and  was  an 
excellent  physician.  He  continued  to  practice  until  his  death,  which 
occured  about  1844.  Dr.  James  King,  who  died  in  1838,  was  a contem- 
porary of  Dr.  Strong.  Dr.  Donald  McIntosh  began  practice  at  a littlo 
later  date.  Others  who  were  prominent  previous  to  the  war  were  Francis 
A.  Ramsey,  William  J.  and  Leonidas  Baker,  Joseph  W.  and  John  Paxton, 
R.  O.  Currey,  P.  Fatio,  J.  Woodward,  James  Rodgers  and  John  M.  Boyd, 
the  last  two  of  whom  are  still  living.  Dr.  J.  G.  M.  Ramsey,  who  had 
been  a pupil  of  Dr.  Strong,  opened  an  office  in  Knoxville  in  1820,  but  two 
years  later  removed  to  the  Forks,  where  he  continued  until  the  war.  On 
May  7,  1845,  a number  of  medical  practitioners  met  in  convention  at 
Knoxville,  and  organized  the  Medical  Society  of  East  Tennessee.  Only 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


871 


six  counties  were  represented  at  this  time,  but  the  society  increased,  annual 
meetings  were  held,  and  branches  were  organized  in  several  counties. 
The  Knox  County  society  was  incorporated  in  185(3  with  the  following 
members:  William  J.  Baker,  James  Rodgers,  William  Rodgers,  J.  Mor- 
man,  Joseph  W.  Paxton,  John  Paxton,  Richard  O.  Currey,  C.  W.  Crozier, 
James  Sawyers  and  others.  This  section  has  been  maintained  up  to  the 
present  time,  although  the  East  Tennessee  society  was  recently  disbanded. 
In  April,  1852,  the  first  members  of  a quarterly,  called  the  “ East  Ten- 
nessee Record  of  Medicine  and  Surgery,”  edited  by  Frank  A.  Ramsey, 
appeared.  It  was  continued  but  one  year.  In  January,  1855,  “ The 
Southern  Journal  of  the  Medical  and  Physical  Sciences,”  a monthly  edited 
by  R.  O.  Currey,  was  removed  from  Nashville  to  Knoxville,  and  for  a 
time  was  published  by  Kinsloe  & Rice.  It  was  subsequently  returned 
to  Nashville. 

The  history  of  the  press  in  Knoxville  previous  to  the  civil  war  is  given 
in  another  chapter.  The  two  leading  dailies  of  the  present  time,  the  Tri- 
bune and  Journal  are  the  lineal  descendants  of  the  Knoxville  Register 
and  Knoxville  Whig , respectively.  At  the  close  of  the  war  the  Register 
was  revived  under  the  name  of  the  Messenger  of  Peace,  by  M.  J.  Hughes, 
and  was  the  first  Democratic  newspaper  published  in  East  Tennessee,  af- 
ter the  close  of  hostilities.  On  June  29,  1867,  the  initial  number  of  the 
Knoxville  Daily  Free  Press,  a six-column  morning  paper,  was  issued  by 
John  M.  Fleming  & Co.  Four  months  later,  Ramage  & Co.  founded  the 
Knoxville  Daily  Herald,  also  a morning  paper,  the  same  size  as  the  Free 
Press.  Ramage  & Co.  then  purchased  the  Messenger  of  Peace,  and  pub- 
lished it  under  the  name  of  the  Knoxville  Messenger , as  the  weekly 
edition  of  the  Herald.  January  7,  1868,  the  Daily  Free  Press  and  Her- 
ald, were  consolidated  as  the  Daily  Press  and  Herald,  and  the  weekly 
Free  Press  and  the  Messenger  as  the  Press  and  Messenger.  These 
papers  were  then  published  by  Ramage  & Co.,  and  edited  by  John  M. 
Fleming.  On  March  18,  1876,  Mr.  Fleming  having  severed  his  con- 
nection with  the  Press  and  Herald,  formed  a partnership  with  Sam- 
uel McKinney,  and  established  the  Knoxville  Daily  Tribune,  of  which 
the  former  became  editor-in-chief.  One  week  later  they  purchased  the 
Press  and  Herald  and  merged  it  into  the  Tribune , while  at  the  same 
time  the  Weekly  Tribune  took  the  place  of  the  Press  and  Messenger.  On 
March  14,  1877,  the  Tribune  was  sold  to  the  Tribune  Publishing  Com- 
pany, composed  of  Nashville  and  Knoxville  capitalists.  At  about  the  same 
time  the  Evening  Age , which  had  been  established  a short  time  before 
by  C.  W.  Charlton,  was  purchased,  and  on  the  31st  of  March  the  paper 
opened  as  the  Tribune  and  Age.  Soon  after  the  old  name  of  the  Tribune 


872 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


was  resumed,  and  John  M.  Fleming  again  became  the  editor.  On  Feb- 
ruary 2,  1878,  the  paper  was  purchased  by  F.  M.  Paul,  who  contin- 
ued its  publication  until  October  13,  1879,  when  he  sold  it  to  Moses 
White  and  Frank  A.  Moses,  the  former  being  the  editor  and  the  latter 
business  manager.  On  August  27,  1880,  it  was  purchased  by  Bean, 
Summers  & Wallace.  James  W.  Wallace  and  Alexander  Summers 
became  the  editors  and  Joseph  H.  Bean,  business  manager.  In  Febru 
ary,  1880,  Wallace  received  a government  appointment,  and  since  that 
time  Summers  has  had  entire  editorial  control.  When  the  present  pro- 
prietors purchased  the  Tr  ibune , it  was  a seven -column  folio,  and  the  office 
was  poorly  equipped.  They  at  once  began  to  improve  it,  and  it  is  said 
to  have  been  the  first  newspaper  in  Tennesse  to  banish  advertisements 
from  its  first  page.  They  then  purchased  the  Evening  Dispatch , and 
enlarged  the  Sunday  edition  of  the  Tribune  to  thirty-two  columns.  The 
next  improvement  was  to  enlarge  the  regular  daily  edition  to  the  same 
size.  In  1884  a costly  new  press  was  bought,  and  the  weekly  Tribune 
enlarged  to  an  eight-page,  fifty-six  column  paper.  In  1886  additional 
printing  machinery  and  appliances  were  purchased,  and  the  Sunday 
edition  was  enlarged  to  the  same  size  as  the  weekly.  The  Tribune  is 
under  the  management  of  enterprising  and  progressive  men,  and  is  ably 
edited.  The  weekly  edition  is  probably  the  most  widely  circulated  and 
influential  newspaper  in  East  Tennessee. 

In  November,  1863,  W.  G.  Brownlow  resumed  the  publication  of  the 
Knoxville  Whig,  adding  to  its  title  and  Rebel  Ventilator.  It  repre- 
sented the  extreme  faction  of  the  Republican  party  of  Tennessee  as  it 
existed  for  the  first  few  years  after  the  war.  Although  Gov.  Brownlow’s 
immediate  supervision  of  the  paper  ceased  upon  his  election  to  office,  he 
continued  to  direct  its  policy.  In  1870  the  Chronicle , daily  and  weekly, 
was  established  by  William  Rule  and  H.  C.  Tarwater,  and  in  1875  the 
Whig  and  the  weekly  Chronicle  were  consolidated  under  the  name  of 
the  Whig  and  Chronicle.  In  1879  L.  C.  Honk  and  H.  R.  Gibson 
founded  the  Weekly  Republican,  which  continued  until  1882,  when  an 
incorporated  company  purchased  the  Chronicle  and  the  Republican , 
changing  the  name  of  the  weekly  edition  to  the  Republican  Chronicle. 

In  1885  William  Rule  and -Marfield  established  the  Journal , daily 

and  weekly,  and  in  1886  they  purchased  the  Chronicle,  and  merged  it  into 
the  Journal.  This  paper  represents  the  best  and  most  liberal  element  of 
the  Republican  party,  and  Mr.  Rule,  the  editor,  is  recognized  as  one  of  the 
ablest  journalists  in  the  South. 

In  December,  1886,  the  Sentinel , an  evening  daily,  was  established 
by  the  Sentinel  Publishing  Company.  It  is  Democratic  in  politics,  and 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


873 


lias  a large  and  increasing  circulation.  This  completes  the  list  of  daily 
papers.  In  1885  J.  H.  Atkins  began  the  publication  of  a Sunday  paper, 
a lively  Republican  sheet  called  the  Topic,  which  has  since  been  changed 
to  the  Times. 

Knoxville  was  incorporated  by  an  act  of  the  Legislature  passed  Oc- 
tober 27,  1815,  and  the  first  meeting  of  the  board  of  aldermen  was  held 
at  the  courthouse  on  the  13th  of  the  following  January.  The  mem- 
bers were  Thomas  McCorry,  Rufus  Morgan,  James  Park,  Thomas 
Hames,  James  Dardis  and  John  McCullen.  Anderson  Hutchinson  was 
appointed  recorder,  David  Nelson,  high  constable,  and  John  McCullen, 
treasurer.  Thomas  Emmerson  was  the  mayor.  A tax  of  25  cents  on 
|100,  $1  on  each  poll,  and  85  on  merchants  was  levied  for  corpo- 
ration purposes.  At  the  next  meeting  Thomas  Humes,  Rufus  Morgan 
and  John  McCullen  were  appointed  to  build  a market-house  on  Market 
Square,  between  Prince  and  Crooked  Streets.  In  June,  1817,  8340  was 
appropriated  for  the  improvement  of  the  streets,  8120  to  be  expended  on 
Cumberland,  880  on  State,  and  860  on  Water  Streets.  In  February, 
1822,  a fire  company  was  organized  with  Calvin  Morgan  as  captain  and 
John  Boyd,  Carey  Thatcher,  David  Campbell  and  William  Park,  lieu- 
tenants. An  ordinance  passed  at  the  same  time  required  every  owner  of 
a dwelling,  store  or  office  to  provide  a leather  bucket.  At  the  next  meet- 
ing Thomas  Aiken  and  James  Hickey  were  appointed  night  watchmen, 
whose  duty  it  was  to  patrol  the  streets  and  to  call  the  hour  and  the  state 
of  the  weather  at  the  end  of  each  hour.  In  January,  1826,  the  town  was 
divided  into  three  wards,  the  First  Ward  to  embrace  all  east  "of  State 
Street,  the  Second  all  between  State  and  Prince  Streets,  and  the  Third 
all  west  of  Prince  Street. 

Nothing  occurred  of  any  especial  interest  in  the  transactions  of  the 
board  until  in  April,  1852,  when  it  was  decided  to  submit  to  a vote  of  the 
people  a proposition  to  subscribe  850,000  to  the  East  Tennessee  & Vir- 
ginia Railroad.  The  proposition  was  carried  by  a vote  of  fifty-nine  to 
twenty-six,  but,  on  account  of  the  conditions  upon  which  the  subscrip- 
tion was  tendered,  the  railroad  company  refused  to  accept  it.  On  the 
26th  of  March,  1853,  a proposition  to  subscribe  850,000  to  the  Knox- 
ville & Lexington  Railroad  (now  the  Knoxville  & Ohio)  was  carried 
by  a vote  of  ninety-two  to  one,  and  on  October  4,  1856,  it  was  voted 
to  increase  the  amount  to  8100,000.  In  1853  the  market-house  was 
erected,  and  in  1867  the  city  hall  was  added.  In  1856  the  Knoxville 
Gas  Light  Company  was  organized  and  chartered  for  a period  of  forty 
years.  R.  R.  Simpson  is  the  present  president,  and  R.  C.  Jackson,  sec- 
retary and  treasurer.  The  corporate  limits  of  the  town  have  been 


874 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


enlarged  several  times.  In  1856  they  Avere  extended  to  include  the 
depot,  and  in  1868  East  Knoxville,  Avhicli  had  previously  existed  as  a 
separate  corporation,  was  added.  On  January  1,  1888,  Mechanicsville, 
uoav  known  as  the  Ninth  Ward,  was  admitted. 

The  first  street  railroad  company  was  incorporated  January  5,  1876, 
Avith  a capital  stock  of  $40,000.  It  is  known  as  the  Knoxville  Street 
Railway  Company. 

The  Market  Square  Street  Railway  Company  was  incorporated  in  Au- 
gust, 1882,  with  a capital  stock  of  $20,000.  The  officers  are  Dr.  A.  B.  Tad- 
lock,  president,  and  W.  H.  Simmonds,  secretary  and  treasurer.  The 
Mabry,  Bell  Avenue  & Hardie  Street  Railway  Avas  incorporated  in  1885 
Avith  a capital  stock  of  $20,000.  The  officers  are  R.  N.  Hood,  president; 
R.  H.  Edington,  vice-president,  and  B.  L.  Smith,  secretary  and  treasurer. 
The  combined  length  of  the  three  lines  is  about  six  miles. 

In  January,  1882,  the  Knoxville  Water  Company  Avas  incorporated 
with  a capital  of  $250,000.  A reservoir  was  constructed  on  the  highest 
hill  in  the  city,  and  a system  of  mains  and  pipes  was  laid.  The  Avater 
is  obtained  from  the  river  just  above  the  city.  R.  N.  Hood  is  president 
of  the  company,  and  J.  M.  Brooks,  secretary. 

In  January,  1886,  the  old  charter  of  Knoxville,  after  having  been 
amended  several  times,  was  superseded  by  a new  one.  Under  its  pro- 
visions the  city  government  is  vested  in  a mayor  and  nine  aldermen,  who 
constitute  the  legislative  branch,  and  a board  of  public  works  of  three 
members,  who  constitute  the  executive  branch  of  the  municipal  govern- 
ment. The  mayor  and  aldermen  are  elected  for  a term  of  two  years,  and 
the  chairman  of  the  board  of  public  Avorks  for  four  years.  The  last 
named  officer  and  the  mayor  are  chosen  by  the  qualified  voters  of  the 
city,  and  the  aldermen  by  the  voters  of  their  respective  wards.  The 
associate  members  of  the  board  of  public  Avorks  are  nominated  by  the 
mayor  and  confirmed  by  six  votes  of  the  board  of  aldermen. 

The  following  is  a list  of  the  mayors  of  Knoxville,  with  the  date  of 
election:  Thomas  Emmerson,  1816;  James  Park,  1818;  W.  C.  Mynatt, 
1822;  James  Park,  1824;  W.  C.  Mynatt,  1827;  Joseph  C.  Strong,  1828; 
Donald  McIntosh,  1832;  S.  D.  Jacobs,  1834;  W.  C.  Mynatt,  1835;  James 
King,  1837;  W.  B.  A.  Ramsey,  1838;  Samuel  Bell,  1840;  G.  M.  Hazen, 
1842;  M.  M.  Gaines,  1843;  Samuel  Bell,  1844;  Joseph  L.  King,  1846; 
Samuel  B.  Boyd,  1847;  George  M.  White,  1852;  James  C.  Luttrell, 
1859;  William  G.  Swan,  1855;  James  H.  CoAvan,  1856;  Samuel  A. 
White,  1856;  Thos.  J.  PoAvell,  1857;  James  White,  1858;  Joseph 
Jacques,  1858;  A.  M.  Piper,  1858;  J.  C.  Luttrell,  1859;  M.  D.  Bearden, 
1868;  John  S.  Van  Gilder,  1870;  William  Rule,  1873;  Peter  Staub, 


KNOX  COUNTY.  875 

1874;  D.  A.  Carpenter,  1876;  Joseph  Jacques,  1878;  S.  B.  Luttrell, 
1878;  H.  B.  Branner,  1880;  Peter  Staub,  1881;  R.  S.  Payne,  1882;  W. 
C.  Fulcher,  1883,  and  James  C.  Luttrell,  1885. 

In  1869  the  erection  of  a United  States  building  was  begun  at  Knox- 
ville  under  the  superintendency  of  J.  H.  Holman,  with  A.  B.  Mullet  as 
supervising  architect,  and  George  W.  Ross,  disbursing  agent.  The  build- 
ing is  constructed  entirely  of  marble,  and  is  one  of  the  most  substantial 
structures  in  the  country.  It  was  completed  in  1873  at  a cost  of 
$392,000.  It  is  three  stories  high.  The  lower  door  is  occupied  by  the 
postoffice;  the  second  floor  by  the  office  of  the  pension  agent,  revenue 
collector,  district  attorney  and  the  clerks  of  the  distinct  and  circuit  court, 
and  the  third  floor  by  the  courtroom  and  rooms  for  juries,  judges  and 
the  United  States  signal  office. 

The  subject  of  education  early  engaged  the  attention  of  the  citizens 
of  Knoxville,  as  is  evidenced  by  the  establishment  of  Blount  College  in 
1794,  but  as  a history  of  this  institution,  together  with  that  of  East 
Tennessee  College  and  the  succeeding  university,  is  given  in  another 
chapter  of  this  work,  no  mention  will  be  made  of  them  here.*  Under 
the  act  of  1806,  providing  for  county  academies,  Hampden  Sidney 
Academy  was  incorporated  with  the  following  trustees:  Nathaniel  Cowan, 
John  Crozier,  Thomas  Humes,  John  Adair  and  George  McNott,  to  whom 
were  added  the  next  year  Isaac  Anderson,  Samuel  G.  Ramsey,  Robert 
Houston,  Francis  H.  Ramsey  and  John  Sawyers.  The  number  was  still 
further  increased  by  an  act  of  1811,  appointing  Thomas  McCorry, 
George  Wilson,  James  Park,  Thomas  Emmerson,  Hon.  L.  White  and 
John  Hillsman.  No  organization  was  effected  until  April  4,  1812,  when 
Hon.  L.  White  was  chosen  president,  George  Wilson,  secretary,  and 
Thomas  Emmerson,  treasurer.  At  this  meeting  it  was  decided  to  put 
the  academy  into  operation,  and  steps  were  taken  to  procure  suitable 
teachers.  William  Park,  who  was  about  to  go  to  Philadelphia,  was 
requested  to  select  a principal  and  an  assistant  teacher.  The  following 
description  was  furnished  to  aid  him  in  making  a selection:  “A  pres- 

ident of  the  academy  is  wanted,  who  must  be  a good  scholar,  capable  of 
teaching  the  Latin  and  Greek  languages,  and  the  sciences.  He  must, 
moreover,  be  a man  of  genteel  deportment  and  unexceptional  moral 
character.  A minister  of  talent  and  a considerable  show*  of  eloquence 
would  be  greatly  preferred,  and  especially  one  who  has  heretofore  taught 
with  success.  To  an  able  teacher  the  trustees  propose  to  give  a salary 
of  $800  per  annum.”  The  assistant,  it  was  asserted,  “ must  be  a man  of 
good  moral  character,  capable  of  teaching  reading,  writing,  English 


*See  pages  416  and  447. 


870 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 

grammar  and  arithmetic.  One  who  understands  surveying  and  book- 
keeping, also,  would  be  preferred.  To  such  a man  the  trustees  will  engage 
to  pay  a salary  of  $500  per  annum.”  To  this  it  was  added:  “ The  salu- 
brity of  the  climate  and  the  cheapness  of  living  render  the  proposed 
salaries  here  equal  to  much  larger  ones  in  most  places  to  the  eastward.” 

Notwithstanding  these  preliminaries  the  academy  was  not  opened, 
and  no  further  attempt  was  made  until  four  years  later,  when  David  A. 
Sherman,  a graduate  of  Yale  College,  was  employed  as  principal.  Under 
his  direction  the  academy  was  opened  on  January  1,  1817,  in  the  build- 
ing formerly  occupied  by  the  East  Tennessee  College,  which  had  sus- 
pended in  1800.  Among  the  original  subscribers  to  the  support  of  the 
institution,  the  largest  contributors  were  John  Crozier,  Thomas  Humes, 
Hon.  L.  White,  Joseph  C.  Strong,  Pleasant  M.  Miller  and  Calvin  Mor- 
gan, each  of  whom  gave  $100. 

In  October,  1820,  the  trustees  of  East  Tennessee  College  decided  to 
put  that  institution  into  operation  again,  and  an  agreement  was  entered 
into  whereby  the  college  aiid  academy  were  united,  D.  A.  Sherman,  the 
principal  of  the  academy,  becoming  president  of  the  college.  From  that 
time  until  1830  the  academy  had  no  separate  existence.  In  October  of 
that  year  the  trustees  held  a meeting,  and  reorganized  under  a new  char- 
ter, granted  by  the  preceding  Legislature.  Dr.  Joseph  Strong  was 
chosen  president,  H.  Brown,  secretary,  and  James  H.  Cowan,  treasurer. 
The  services  of  Perez  Dickinson,  a young  man  recently  arrived  from 
Massachusetts,  were  secured  as  teacher,  and  the  academy  was  once  more 
opened  in  the  old  college  building.  Mr.  Dickinson  continued  in  charge 
of  the  academy  until  the  spring  of  1832,  when,  to  the  regret  of  the  trus- 
tees, he  resigned.  During  the  following  summer  a frame  building,  two 
stories  high,  was  erected  for  the  use  of  the  institution  upon  a lot  pur- 
chased from  Hugh  L.  McClung,  situated  on  Locust  Street.  For  some 
reason,  however,  the  academy  did  not  prosper,  and  after  several  changes 
of  teachers  it  was  suspended  in  1834.  By  an  act  of  the  General  Assem- 
bly, passed  in  1838,  $18,000  was  appropriated  annually  for  the  use  of 
county  academies,  and  the  trustees  determined  to  reopen  Hampden  Sid- 
ney Academy.  The  building  was  repaired,  and  the  school  put  into 
operation  in  November,  1839,  under  the  care  of  Rev.  N.  A.  Penland. 
He  continued  for  nearly  two  years,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  William 
D.  Carnes,  who  resigned  in  October,  1842.  During  the  next  four  years 
W.  S.  Williams,  J.  H.  Lawrence  and  M.  Rowley  were  successively 
employed  as  teachers.  In  May,  1846,  the  academy  was  consolidated 
with  a public  school  which  had  been  established  in  Knoxville,  but  this 
arrangement  did  not  prove  satisfactory,  and  at  the  end  of  one  year  it 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


877 


was  terminated.  In  October,  1847,  Rev.  Mr.  Elwell  was  installed  as 
teacher,  and  so  continued  until  March,  1850,  when  he  resigned,  and  was 
succeeded  by  John  B.  Mitchell.  In  1850  a new  charter  was  obtained, 
and  the  board  of  trustees  was  reorganized,  with  William  Swan  as  pres- 
ident, Joseph  L.  King,  secretary,  and  James  H.  Cowan,  treasurer.  In 
1852  Mr.  Mitchell  accepted  a position  as  teacher  in  the  East  Tennessee 
University,  and  from  that  time  until  the  beginning  of  the  war  the  acad- 
emy was  in  session  but  a few  months.  At  the  close  of  the  war  Prof. 
J.  K.  Payne  opened  a school  in  the  building,  but  he  soon  after  trans- 
ferred his  services  to  the  university.  On  March  22,  1866,  three  or  four 
of  the  old  trustees  met  and  reorganized  by  electing  William  Heiskell 
president,  and  James  Roberts  secretary  and  treasurer.  On  September  3, 
following,  M.  C.  Wilcox  opened  the  academy,  and  continued  in  charge 
until  January,  1868.  Soon  after  the  property  was  leased  to  the  univer- 
sitv,  to  be  used  for  a preparatory  department,  but  after  one  year  this 
lease  was  terminated.  About  two  years  later  the  building  and  lot  were 
sold,  and  a new  lot,  at  the  corner  of  State  and  Reservoir  Streets,  was 
purchased  at  a cost  of  $2,500.  In  1876  the  erection  of  the  present 
excellent  three-story  brick  building  was  begun,  and  completed  the  fol- 
lowing year.  It  was  then  leased  to  the  corporation  at  a nominal  rent 
for  the  use  of  the  public  schools. 

In  1827  the  Knoxville  Female  Academy  was  established.  On  April 
26,  of  that  year,  a number  of  euterprising  citizens  met  in  the  office  of 
Robert  King  and  effected  an  organization  by  electing  Joseph  C.  Strong, 
chairman,  and  F.  S.  Heiskell,  secretary.  Committees  were  then  appointed 
to  secure  teachers  and  procure  a suitable  building.  These  preliminaries 
having  been  duly  arranged  the  school  went  into  operation  the  September 
following,  with  John  Davis  as  principal,  and  Mrs.  Davis,  Miss  Morse  and 
Miss  Littleford,  as  assistants. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Legislature  in  October,  the  academy  was  incor- 
porated with  the  following  board  of  trustees:  F.  S.  Heiskell,  William  C. 
Mynatt,  William  S.  Howell,  S.  D.  Jacobs,  A.  McMillan,  Dr.  Joseph  C. 
Strong,  Hugh  L.  White,  Robert  King,  Robert  Houston,  Matthew  McClung, 
Calvin  Morgan,  William  B.  Reese,  M.  Nelson,  James  King,  James  Mc- 
Nutt. James  Park  and  Donald  McIntosh.  Steps  were  at  once  taken 
toward  the  erection  of  a building.  Two  lots  adjoining  each  other  on  Main 
Street  were  donated  as  a site  by  Dr.  Strong  and  Matthew  McClung.  The 
new  building  was  completed  in  January,  1829,  at  a cost  of  nearly  $3,000. 
The  largest  contributors  were  John  Crozier  and  Charles  McClung,  each 
of  whom  gave  $200.  Several  others  gave  $100  or  more.  John  Davis 
did  not  prove  a satisfactory  principal,  and  he  was  soon  called  upon  to 


55 


878 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


resign.  His  successor  was  Joseph  Estabrook,  a graduate  of  Dartmouth 
College,  and  an  excellent  teacher,  and  under  his  management  the  academy 
was  more  prosperous  than  for  many  years  after  his  resignation.  In  1831 
he  was  elected  to  the  presidency  of  East  Tennessee  College,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Henry  Herrick,  who  continued  in  charge  of  the  academy  until 
1838.  The  next  year  Rev.  J.  B.  Townsend  was  installed  as  principal. 

In  September,  1841,  a meeting  of  the  trustees  was  held  to  consider 
a proposition  from  the  Holston  Conference  of  the  Methodist  Church,  to 
give  their  patronage  to  the  institution,  provided  they  could  share  in  its 
control.  It  was  proposed  to  increase  the  number  of  trustees  to  thirteen, 
and  to  permit  the  conference  to  appoint  a board  of  nine  visitors,  the  two 
bodies  to  constitute  a joint  board  for  the  election  of  teachers,  etc.  It  was 
further  stipulated  that  four  of  the  trustees  should  be  appointed  by  the  con- 
ference. This  proposition  was  agreed  to,  and  the  academy  was  thus,  in 
effect,  transferred  to  the  conference.  Rev.  J.  E.  Douglass,  of  Alabama, 
was  elected  principal, and  the  institution,  under  the  new  management,  was 
reopened  September  1,  1842.  At  the  end  of  one  year  Mr.  Douglass 
resigned,  and  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  D.  R.  McAnally,  under  whose 
administration  the  academy  was  placed  in  a flourishing  condition.  In 
1846  the  charter  was  amended  to  permit  the  conferring  of  degrees,  and 
the  name  was  changed  to  the  East  Tennessee  Female  Institute.  The 
transfer  of  the  academy  to  the  control  of  the  Holston  Conference  had  not 
been  satisfactory  to  many  of  the  original  subscribers,  and  in  1847  a move- 
ment was  inaugurated  to  sever  its  connection  with  that  body.  It  was 
asserted  that  the  members  of  the  conference  had  not  fulfilled  their 
promise  to  support  the  school,  and  that  the  trustees  had  transcended  their 
authority  in  consenting  to  the  change  in  management.  This  opposition 
finally  prevailed,  and  the  old  board  of  trustees  again  assumed  exclusive  con- 
trol. The  first  graduates  from  the  institute  were  Margaret  H.  White  and 
Isabella  M.  White,  Theodosia  A.  Findley  and  Harriet  A.  Parker,  who  in 
1850  received  the  degree  of  mistress  of  polite  literature.  The  next 
year  Mr.  McAnally  resigned  the  principalship,  and  the  trustees  experi- 
enced considerable  difficulty  in  securing  a satisfactory  successor.  At 
last  J.  R.  Dean  was  elected,  and  continued  for  three  or  four  years.  In 
1856  he  was  succeeded  by  R.  L.  Kirkpatrick,  who  remained  until  the 
beginning  of  the  war,  when  the  building  was  taken  for  a hospital.  In 
January,  1865,  three  trustees,  Thomas  W.  Humes,  Horace  Maynard  and 
George  M.  White  met  and  accepted  a proposition  from  John  F.  Spence, 
to  open  a school,  provided  the  provost-marshal  would  restore  the  building. 
This  he  did,  and  during  the  following  spring  Mr.  Spence  opened  the 
school.  He  continued  about  two  years.  From  that  time  until  1881 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


879 


many  attempts  were  made  to  establish  a school,  but  all  proved  unsuccess- 
ful. In  September,  1881,  the  building  was  leased  by  the  board  of  edu- 
cation for  a girls’  high  school,  for  which  purpose  it  was  used  until  1885. 
Since  that  time  it  has  been  occupied  by  Mrs.  Lizzie  C.  French,  who  is 
conducting  a very  flourishing  female  seminary. 

The  system  of  public  schools  in  operation  in  Knoxville  had  its  origin 
in  the  board  of  mayor  and  aldermen,  by  whom,  on  December  16,  1870, 
a committee,  consisting  of  W.  A.  Henderson,  J.  A.  Rayl  and  J.  R. 
Mitchell,  was  appointed  “ to  take  into  consideration  the  propriety  of 
establishing  a system  of  free  schools.”  The  committee,  at  the  next 
meeting,  presented  a favorable  report,  and  on  the  21st  of  January,  1871, 
the  matter  was  submitted  to  the  decision  of  the  people,  and  carried  by  a 
vote  of  433  to  162.  Accordingly,  a tax  of  one  mill  on  the  dollar  was 
levied  for  the  support  of  schools,  and  a board,  consisting  of  J.  A.  Rayl, 
chairman,  W.  A.  Henderson  and  Dr.  John  M.  Boyd,  was  appointed  to 
inaugurate  the  new  system.  These  gentlemen,  although  much  pressed 
by  the  duties  attendant  upon  their  business  and  professions,  gave  the 
subject  thorough  study,  and  met  in  frequent  consultation.  They  were 
assisted  in  their  work  by  John  K.  Payne,  professor  of  mathematics  in 
East  Tenneseee  University,  a teacher  of  large  experience,  who  freely 
offered  his  services  in  the  interest  of  education.  Through  the  influence 
of  Rev.  Dr.  Thomas  W.  Humes,  the  committee  procured  aid  from 
the  Peabody  Fund  to  the  amount  of  $2,000,  which  was  of  great  assist- 
ance in  the  prosecution  of  the  work  only  just  begun.  As  few  suitable 
buildings  could  be  obtained,  the  committee  rented  the  basements  of 
churches  and  such  other  rooms  as  they  could,  and  on  September  4,  1871, 
the  schools  were  opened  in  nine  houses  situated  in  various  parts  of  the 
city,  with  aboiit  1,000  children  in  attendance. 

It  was  the  desire  of  the  committee  to  have  a system  of  graded  schools, 
but  owing  to  the  nature  of  the  buildings,  as  well  as  to  many  other  diffi- 
culties to  be  encountered  in  establishing  such  schools  where  they  have 
never  before  existed,  could  be  only  imperfectly  effected  the  first  year. 
However,  what  was  possible  under  the  circumstances  was  done,  and  the 
schools  were  continued  ten  months,  employing  fifteen  teachers.  In  the 
summer  of  1872  the  school  committee  advised  the  city  council  to  pur- 
chase for  a sclioolhouse  the  building  known  as  the  Bell  House,  origi- 
nally erected  and  used  as  a hotel.  The  advice  of  the  committee  was 
favorably  considered,  and  the  building  was  secured  at  a cost  of  $5,500. 
The  needed  repairs  and  alterations  having  been  made,  the  school  opened 
in  September  with  greatly  improved  facilities  for  grading,  which  ren- 
dered necessary  the  employment  of  more  teachers.  Accordingly  twenty 


880 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


teachers  were  employed,  several  of  whom  had  taught  in  the  schools  in 
1871,  and  all  entered  upon  their  duties  with  an  earnest  desire  for  the 
prosperity  and  ultimate  success  of  the  schools.  Until  December,  1873, 
the  schools  were  under  the  management  of  a committee  appointed  by  the 
mayor,  consisting  of  members  of  the  city  council  holding  their  office  but 
one  year.  On  the  12th  of  December  the  city  council  passed  an  ordi- 
nance creating  a board  of  education,  consisting  of  five  persons,  to  be 
elected  by  the  city  council,  for  a term  of  five  years,  one  member  retiring 
each  year.  The  first  board  consisted  of  J.  A.  Rayl,  chairman;  C.  D. 
McGoffey,  secretary;  J.  W.  Gaut,  treasurer;  F.  A.  Reeve  and  W.  W. 
W oodruff. 

In  1874  a new  house  was  erected  on  Morgan  Street  at  a cost  of 
$6,000,  and  a school  known  as  the  Peabody  School  was  established.  In 
1877  the  trustees  of  Hampden  Sidney  Academy  erected  a new  building 
on  State  Street,  and  tendered  it  to  the  board  of  education  for  the  use  of 
the  public  schools.  The  offer  was  accepted,  and  the  nest  year  a school 
for  girls  was  opened  in  it.  In  1881  the  schools  had  again  become 
crowded,  and  through  the  courtesy  of  the  trustees  of  that  property  the 
Female  Institute  on  Main  Street  was  obtained  for  the  use  of  a girls’  high 
school.  This  building  was  occupied  until  1885,  when  the  school  was 
transferred  to  the  Barton  Block  at  the  corner  of  Church  and  Gay 
Streets:  In  1886,  at  a cost  of  $35,000,  one  of  the  finest  public  school 

buildings  in  the  South  was  erected  for  the  accommodation  of  girls  from 
the  third  to  the  tenth  grades,  inclusive.  It  is  a three-story  brick,  and  is 
fitted  up  and  furnished  with  all  the  modern  conveniences. 

On  January  1,  1883,  that  portion  of  Knoxville  known  as  the  Ninth 
Ward  was  admitted  into  the  corporation,  and  in  February  following 
graded  schools  wrere  organized  in  a building  which  had  been  previously 
erected,  and  which  has  since  come  into  the  possession  of  the  city. 

From  the  first,  colored  schools  have  been  maintained  upon  an  equal 
footing  with  the  white  schools.  Since  1881  these  schools  have  been  in 
charge  of  colored  teachers  exclusively,  and  have  been  admirably  well  man- 
aged by  them. 

In  1864,  before  the  close  of  the  war,  the  United  Presbyterian  Board 
of  Freedmen’s  Missions  opened  a school  in  Knoxville  for  the  colored 
children,  and  continued  it  until  the  opening  of  the  public  school.  One 
of  the  teachers  in  this  school,  Miss  Emily  L.  Austin,  of  Philadelphia, 
afterward  erected  a small  house  in  the  Third  Ward,  and  there  taught  a 
small  private  school  for  several  years.  In  1880,  the  accommodations  for 
the  colored  pupils  of  the  public  school  having  become  insufficient,  a new 
building  known  as  the  Austin  School  was  rented.  For  this  purpose  the 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


881 


city  furnished  a lot  and  $2,000,  and  Miss  Austin  procured  the  remaining 
$8,000  required  to  complete  the  work,  from  voluntary  subscription,  in 
the  Northern  cities.  In  the  new  building,  one  room  was  reserved  for  an 
industrial  school,  which  was  established,  and  opened  under  the  direction 
of  Miss  Austin.  Work  was  begun  with  a sewing  school  and  kitchen 
garden  school  for  girls,  and  later  a carpenter  shop  was  built  for  the  boys, 
although  many  difficulties  were  met  with  the  new  feature  proved  a suc- 
cess, and  larger  rooms  and  better  facilities  soon  became  a necessity. 

In  1885  the  Slater  Training  School  for  the  manual  training  of  colored 
children  was  incorporated  with  the  following  board  of  trustees:  Rev.  Dr. 
Thomas  W.  Humes,  president;  E.  E.  McCroskey,  vice-president;  Miss 
Isa  E.  Gray,  of  Boston,  treasurer;  Miss  E.  L.  Austin,  secretary;  W.  S. 
Mead,  C.  Seymour,  A.  S.  Jones  (of  Washington,  D.  C. ) and  R.  B. 
Hayes  (of  Fremont,  Ohio),  and  the  work  of  raising  funds  for  the  erec- 
tion of  a new  building  was  begun.  By  the  citizens  of  Knoxville  $1,000 
was  contributed,  and  nearly  $5,000  was  obtained  from  friends  of  the 
cause  in  the  North.  In  1886  a house  three  stories  high,  with  a brick 
basement,  was  erected,  and  furnished  with  all  modern  improvements.  In 
September  the  school  was  opened  with  an  attendance  of  over  200.  Three 
grades  of  the  city  schools  are  taught  in  the  building,  and  these  pupils 
are  required  to  take  a course  in  the  industrial  department.  For  the  boys 
a carpenter  shop  and  a printing  office  have  been  fitted  up,  and  each 
placed  in  the  hands  of  a competent  teacher.  The  girls  receive  instruction 
in  sewing,  cooking  and  housekeeping.  In  connection  with  the  school  a 
Young  Men’s  Christian  Association  and  a Shakespeare  Club,  composed 
of  the  teachers  of  the  colored  school,  are  maintained,  and  nothing  that 
tends  to  the  elevation  of  the  colored  race,  morally,  intellectually  and 
physically,  is  neglected. 

The  following  is  a list  of  the  superintendents  of  the  Knoxville  city 
schools  since  their  establishment:  Alexander  Baird,  Jr.,  1872-75;  Rev. 

H.  T.  Horton,  1875-78 ; R.  D’S.  Robertson,  1878-81;  Albert  Ruth,  1881. 


882 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


COMPARATIVE  STATISTICS. 


Year. 

Number 

of 

Pupils 

Enrolled. 

Average 

Attend- 

ance. 

Number 
of  Teachers 
Employed. 

Cost  per  Pupil 
Enrolled. 

Expenditures. 

Scholastic 

Population. 

1874 

1,102 

780 

20 

$11  24 

$ 7,522  11 

1,829 

1875 

840 

609 

20 

13  81 

11,600  00 

1,992 

1876 

1,500 

849 

20 

11  84 

12,916  76 

1,992 

+1877 

20 

12,178  21 



+ 1878 

23 

8 12 

12,420  22 



1870 

1,509 

930 

24 

9 05 

13,659  83 

2,100 

1880 

1,759 

1,253 

8 48 

14,913  44 

*2,748 

1881 

1,984 

1,512 

26 

7 91 

15,690  05 

3,044 

1882 

2,137 

1,558 

30 

7 55 

16,086  20 

3,044 

1883 

2,265 

1,519 

34 

8 18 

19,920  69 

3,196 

1884 

2,737 

1,955 

44 

8 92 

24,421  30 

4,315 

1885 

2,781 

2,142 

50 

9 98 

27,753  97 

4,817 

* Before  1880  the  scholastic  population  included  only  those  between  the  ages  of  six  and  eighteen, 
f No  report  made. 


Intimately  connected  with  the  colored  public  schools  is  the  Knox- 
ville College,  a normal  and  training  school  for  colored  teachers.  It  is 
controlled  and  supported  by  the  United  Presbyterian  Board  of  Missions, 
but  receives  the  colored  students  appointed  to  cadetships  in  the  Univer- 
sity of  Tennessee,  and  also  a portion  of  those  receiving  State  normal 
scholarship.  The  work  was  begun  in  September,  1875,  when  a normal 
school  was  opened  in  East  Knoxville,  under  the  superintendency  of  Rev. 
J.  P.  Wright,  and  a new  building  was  begun  on  an  eminence  northwest 
of  the  city.  This  building  was  completed  in  1876.  It  is  a brick,  64x84 
feet,  four  stories  high,  and  contains  seven  large  class  rooms,  and 
a chapel  capable  of  seating  400  students,  besides  several  rooms  for 
teachers. 

In  1877  two  small  buildings  were  erected  for  the  use  of  pupils  who 
wished  to  board  themselves,  and  the  following  year  a cottage  was  built 
for  the  use  of  the  president  and  his  family.  In  1881  a large  dormitory 
find  boarding  house  45x110  feet,  four  stories  high,  was  added  to  the  main 
building. 

The  school  opened  in  1875  with  three  instructors.  The  next  year 
there  were  four,  and  since  that  time  the  number  has  increased  to  twelve. 
The  students  in  attendance  have  increased  in  the  same  proportion,  and 
the  capacity  of  the  institution  is  now  taxed  to  the  utmost.  In  addition  to 
instruction  in  all  the  branches  of  education,  the  girls  are  given  lessons 
in  sewing  and  cooking.  All  of  the  work  connected  with  the  institution  is 
performed  by  students,  and  thus  expenses  are  reduced  to  a minimum. 
The  present  president  of  the  college  is  Rev.  Dr.  J.  S.  McCulloch. 

Outside  of  Knoxville,  the  only  town  in  the  county  of  any  considerable 
importance  is  Concord,  situated  on  the  East  Tennessee,  Virginia  & Georgia 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


883 


Railroad,  and  also  on  the  Tennessee  River  about miles  below  the  city. 

It  was  laid  off  in  1854  upon  land  owned  by  James  M.  Rodgers.  The  first 
store  was  opened  by  George  Gilbert,  and  the  first  dwelling  was  erected 
by  S.  Calloway.  Among  the  other  merchants  before  the  war  were  Pate 
& Russell,  William  Boggle  and  William  King.  Those  of  the  present 
time  are  Cox  & McNutt,  Russell  A Boyd  and  Pepper  & Galbraith,  dry 
goods  and  groceries;  C.  B.  Newhouse,  groceries  and  provisions,  and 
Joseph  Doak,  drugs.  Within  the  past  five  years  Concord  has  become 
the  center  of  a large  marble  business.  It  is  surrounded  by  quarries  pro- 
ducing the  finest  varieties  of  marble  in  East  Tennessee,  and  is  the  ship- 
ping pointfor  them.  In  1881  forty-one  carloads  were  shipped, in  1882,113, 
in  1883,  238.  Since  that  time  the  increase  has  been  even  more  rapid. 
The  following  quarrying  companies  are  situated  in  the  territory  tributary 
to  Concord:  Lima  & East  Tennessee,  organized  in  1882;  Stamps,  Wood 
& Co.,  1884;  Buckeye,  Gem,  Concord,  Bond,  Kincaid  and  Great  Bend, 
organized  in  1884;  Steinert,  organized  in  1885,  and  the  Republic  organ- 
ized in  1886. 

In  1883  a mill  for  the  sawing  and  polishing  of  marble  was  erected  at 
Concord  by  the  Juanito  Company,  and  run  by  them  until  January,  1886, 
when  it  was  purchased  by  the  Enterprise  Marble  Company.  They  at 
once  made  extensive  improvements,  and  are  now  doing  a large  business. 
As  they  purchase  all  their  marble  they  are  enabled  to  obtain  stone  to 
suit  their  customers,  and  as  they  keep  a large  stock  of  slabs  on  hand, 
they  can  always  fill  orders  upon  short  notice. 

Besides  Concord,  the  stations  upon  the  East  Tennessee,  Virginia  & 
Georgia  Railroad  in  Knox  County  are  Lenoirs,  Bearden,  Ebenezer,  Cas- 
well and  McMillan.  Those  on  the  Knoxville  & Ohio  Railroad  are 
Powell  Station  and  Bull  Run. 

To  assign  to  any  one  of  the  three  denominations — Presbyterians, 
Methodists  or  Baptists — the  honor  of  priority  in  the  work  of  bringing 
the  gospel  into  the  frontier  settlement  of  Knox  County,  is  impossible. 
It  is  certain,  however,  that  one  did  not  precede  another  more  than  a few 
months.  Brave  and  hardy  ministers  of  each  denomination  kept  pace 
with  the  vanguard  of  civilization,  and  as  soon  as  a few  settlers  had  estab- 
lished themselves  in  a neighborhood,  those  “ambassadors  of  the  Lord” 
sought  them  out  and  their  coming  was  always  hailed  with  delight.  The 
simple  announcement  that  there  would  be  preaching  at  a station  on  a 
certain  day  was  sufficient  to  bring  together  the  entire  population  for 
miles  around.  Nor  did  it  matter  to  what  denomination  the  minister 
belonged.  To  these  pioneers,  destitute  of  all  those  means  of  entertain- 
ment common  to  older  communities,  a meeting  served  to  satisfy  the  inher- 


884 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


ent  desire  for  some  kind  of  social  excitement.  Besides  as  a class  they 
were  eminently  a godly  people,  and  no  opportunity  of  renewing  their 
spiritual  strength  was  neglected. 

The  denominations  mentioned,  however,  were  at  that  time  more 
widely  different  in  their  doctrines  and  methods  than  at  the  present  day, 
and  it  was  not  long  until  religious  controversies  sprang  up.  The  Pres- 
byterians and  Baptists  were  both  Calvinists  of  the  strictest  sect,  yet  in 
almost  every  other  respect  they  were  antagonistic.  The  Methodists,  being 
Armenians  in  belief,  were  in  opposition  to  both.  The  Presbyterians 
included  in  their  membership  the  more  cultivated  portion  of  the  com- 
munity, and,  having  an  educated  ministry,  they  naturally  established  and 
controlled  nearly  all  the  schools,  especially  those  of  a higher  grade.  The 
strength  of  the  Baptists  lay  among  the  poorer,  and,  as  a rule,  the  uned- 
ucated people.  The  Methodists  occupied  a middle  ground.  In  the  fol- 
lowing pages  the  growth  of  each  denomination  will  be  traced  separately, 
beginning  with  the  Methodists. 

In  the  fall  of  1787  the  elder  of  the  Nollicliucky  Circuit  received  letters 
from  persons  low  down  on  the  Holston  and  French  Broad  Kivers,  inform- 
ing him  of  their  destitute  condition.  It  was  decided,  after  consultation, 
that  Thomas  Ware,  one  of  the  ministers  of  that  circuit,  should  visit  them 
and  attempt  to  form  a circuit.  He  went  in  the  autumn  of  1788,  and  after 
a winter  of  toil  and  exposure  succeeded  in  forming  the  French  Broad 
Circuit.  But  little  is  known  of  this  circuit,  except  that  it  was  probably 
south  and  west  of  the  French  Broad  Biver,  and  included  what  is  now 
Cocke,  a part  of  Jefferson,  Sevier,  Blount  and  Knox  Counties.  The  next 
year  Daniel  Asbury  was  assigned  to  this  circuit,  but  as  it  does  not  again 
appear  upon  the  records  of  the  general  conference  until  after  the  cessa- 
tion of  the  Indian  wars,  it  is  probable  that  Asbury  failed  of  success,  and 
a portion  of  the  circuit  Avas  attached  to  Holston. 

It  is  scarcely  probable  that  either  of  these  men  organized  societies  in 
Knox  County,  but  if  they  did  they  were  south  of  the  Holston  and  French 
Broad.  One  of  the  oldest  societies  in  the  county  was  organized  in  the 
southeast  part  on  the  French  Broad  Biver,  near  the  Seven  Islands,  among 
the  Cunnynghams,  Huffakers  and  Greens.  Two  of  the  early  pioneer 
Methodist  preachers  went  out  from  that  region,  Jesse  Cunnyngham  and 
Jesse  Green.  James  Green,  a brother  of  the  latter,  Avas  for  many  years 
a local  preacher. 

Another  society  was  organized  at  about  the  same  time  near  where 
Logan’s  Chapel  and  camp-ground  were  afterward  built,  and  perhaps  one 
was  established  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Frenches,  Buies  and  God- 
dards, six  or  seven  miles  south  of  Knoxville.  The  first  church  organized 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


885 


north,  of  the  river  was  at  Macedonia,  four  miles  east  of  Knoxville,  where 
the  Aults,  Wagoners,  Haynies  and  Luttrells  lived.  This  became  a great 
rallying  point  for  the  Methodists  early  in  the  present  century,  and  was 
one  of  the  first  places  at  which  camp-meetings  were  held. 

But  little  is  definitely  known  of  the  early  work  in  Knox  County. 
On  November  1,  1800,  Bishop  Asbury,  while  on  his  way  from  the 
Cumberland  settlements  to  North  Carolina,  accompanied  by  Bishop 
Whatcoat  and  William  McKendree,  visited  Knoxville,  and  were  enter- 
tained by  Joseph  Greer,  an  old  friend  of  Asbury’s.  The  Bishop  preached 
in  the  “ State  House”  to  a congregation  of  about  700  people,  only  a por- 
tion of  whom  could  gain  entrance  to  the  house.  Asbury,  in  speaking  of 
this  day  in  his  journal,  says,  “ We  came  off  in  haste,  intending  to  make 
twenty  miles  that  evening,  but  Francis  A.  Ramsey  pursued  us  to 
the  ferry,  ferried  us  over,  and  took  us  to  his  excellent  mansion.”  In  the 
autumn  of  1802  Bishop  Asbury  visited  Knoxville  twice,  and  on  both  occa- 
sions was  entertained  by  Col.  Ramsey  and  Mr.  Greer.  At  neither  time, 
however,  did  he  hold  religious  services  in  the  town.  November  25  he 
preached  at  the  home  of  Justus  Huffaker,  a local  preacher,  living  near 
Seven  Islands  in  the  French  Broad.  This  year  had  been  one  of  great 
prosperity  to  the  church  in  the  Holston  country,  and  two  new  circuits 
were  formed.  The  French  Broad,  the  one  containing  Knox  County, 
extended  westward  from  the  west  line  of  Greene  County,  on  both  sides  of 
the  French  Broad  and  Holston  Rivers.  To  this  circuit  during  the  next 
ten  years  the  following  assignments  were  made:  In  1802,  Luther  Taylor; 
1803,  John  Johnson;  1801,  E.  W.  Bowman  and  Joshua  Oglesby;  1805, 
Ralph  Lotspeich;  1806,  James  Axely;  1807,  Benjamin  Edge;  1808, 
Nathan  Barnes  and  Isaac  Lindsey;  1809,  James  Trower;  1810,  William 
Pattison;  1811,  George  Elkin  and  Josiah  Crawford. 

In  November,  1812,  Bishop  Asbury,  accompanied  by  William  McKen- 
dree, made  his  last  visit  to  Knoxville.  This  time  he  was  the  guest  of 
Father  Wagoner,  “one  of  Otterbine’s  men,”  whose  son  afterward  became 
a local  preacher.  There  had  been  great  interest  manifested  in  religion 
during  the  previous  year,  which  is  remembered  for  the  large  number  of 
accessions  to  the  church,  and  the  conference  from  which  Bishop  Asbury 
was  returning  had  established  a Knoxville  Circuit,  to  which  Samuel  H. 
Thompson  was  assigned.  He  was  succeeded  the  following  year  by 
Richard  Richards,  a man  of  strong  mind  and  of  great  popularity.  He 
afterward  became  addicted  to  strong  drink,  and  was  expelled  from  the 
church.  Later  he  reformed,  and  was  again  received  into  member- 
ship. In  1814  James  Dixon  was  assigned  to  the  Knoxville  Circuit.  He 
was  a man  of  remarkably  strong  intellect,  and  defended  the  doctrines  of 


886 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


his  church  with  signal  ability.  He  carried  on  a protracted  controversy 
in  the  papers  with  Dr.  Isaac  Anderson,  the  founder  of  Maryville  College, 
and  acquitted  himself  to  the  satisfaction  of  his  church.  In  1819  he  was 
again  sent  to  Knoxville,  and  the  following  year  had  the  care  of  the  church 
at  Greenville,  in  addition  to  his  Knoxville  charge.  During  that  time  he 
became  afflicted  with  epilepsy,  and  suffered  in  a most  remarkable  manner. 
He  was  helpless  and  almost  unconscious  for  several  weeks,  and  when  his 
consciousness  did  return  he  had  forgotten  everything  he  had  before 
known.  He  could  not  read,  and  was  compelled  to  learn  his  letters  a 
second  time. 

In  1815  John  Henninger  was  assigned  to  the  Knoxville  Circuit. 
He  was  succeeded  by  Nicholas  Norwood  in  1816,  Josiah  B.  Daughtry  in 
1817,  and  George  Atkin  in  1818.  The  next  year  Knoxville  was  made  a 
station,  and  Knox  Circuit,  to  which  Robert  Hooper  was  assigned,  was 
formed.  Meanwhile  several  new  churches  had  been  organized  in  Knox 
County.  One  of  these  was  a few  miles  west  of  Knoxville,  when  a building 
known  as  Manifee’s  Meeting-house  was  erected.  Another  church  and 
camp-ground  was  established  three  miles  northwest  from  the  town,  and 
was  called  Lonas1  Camp-ground.  About  1833  the  camp-ground  was 
removed  to  Fountain  Head  Springs,  six  miles  north  of  Knoxville,  where  a 
log  church  was  built  at  a very  early  day.  A church  and  camp-ground 
were  also  early  established  at  Hopewell,  thirteen  miles  east  of  Knoxville, 
and  another  at  Mount  Pleasant,  seventeen  miles  northeast.  April  7, 
1810,  John  Manifee  made  a deed  to  two  acres  of  land  lying  north  of 
Beaver  Creek  to  John  Childress,  Solomon  McCain pbell,  Jeremiah  Tindall, 
George  Lucas,  Daniel  Yarnell,  Michael  Yarnell  and  Thomas  Wilson 
trustees,  for  the  purpose  of  building  a meeting-house  and  camp-ground 
to  be  free  to  all  denominations.  This  was  known  as  Bell’s  Camp-ground, 
and  was  frequently  used  by  the  Methodists. 

At  precisely  what  time  a Methodist  congregation  was  organized  at 
Knoxville  is  not  known,  but  it  occurred  about  1816  or  1817.  The  prin- 
cipal mover  in  its  organization  was  Rev.  John  Haynie,  who  had  united 
with  the  church  at  Wagoner’s  in  1809,  and  who  had  now  removed  to 
Knoxville  to  labor  for  the  cause  of  Methodism.  He  at  once  began  prep- 
arations for  building  a house  of  worship,  and  through  his  friend,  a Mr. 
Nelson,  he  obtained  as  a site  a lot  on  the  hill,  in  East  Knoxville,  from 
Hugh  L.  White.  A small  frame  structure  was  erected,  and  on  account  of 
the  liberal  donation  received  from  Judge  AVhite  it  was  named  in  his 
honor.  Among  the  most  prominent  of  the  early  members  of  this  church 
were  John  Haney,  Frederick  Ault,  Henry  Graves,  J.  Roberts,  William 
Seay,  Mr.  Hudiburgh,  Mr.  Formwalt  and  Joseph  Bell.  A Sunday-school 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


887 


was  organized  previous  to  1822,  and  was  probably  the  first  in  the 
county.  Henry  Graves  was  the  first  superintendent. 

In  1824  the  Holston  Conference  was  organized  in  a small  red  house 
on  the  south  side  of  Main  Street,  not  far  from  the  church. 

From  1820  to  1840  Knoxville  constituted  a station  only  a portion  of 
the  time.  For  short  periods  it  was  at  two  or  three  different  times 
included  in  Knox  Circuit  to  which  were  then  assigned  two  ministers.  In 
1886  a brick  church  was  erected  upon  a lot  on  Church  Street,  donated  by 
Dr.  James  King.  It  cost  about  $5,000  and  was  first  occupied  by  the 
Southern  Commercial  Convention.  The  old  church  on  Methodist  Hill 
was  then  given  to  the  colored  members,  who  continued  to  occupy  it  until 
the  beginning  of  the  war.  Previous  to  that  time  the  colored  members,  of 
whom  there  was  a considerable  number,  had  worshiped  in  the  same 
house  with  the  white  members.  Later,  a minister  was  assigned  to  East 
Knoxville,  who  gave  one-lialf  his  time  to  the  colored  congregation,  and 
the  other  half  to  a white  congregation  which  assembled  at  Temperance 
Hall.  During  the  war  the  house  on  Methodist  Hill  was  destroyed  by 
the  Federal  troops,  who  also  occupied  the  brick  church. 

At  the  close  of  hostilities  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  South 
began  the  work  of  collecting  its  scattered  members  and  reorganizing 
congregations.  In  Knoxville  they  found  themselves  extremely  weak. 
Only  one  of  the  old  board  of  trustees,  Samuel  T.  Atkin,  remained,  and 
their  property  was  in  the  hands  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Not 
discouraged,  however,  they  obtained  a lot,  erected  upon  it  a new  church, 
and  brought  suit  to  recover  their  former  property.  Meanwhile  they  held 
services  in  the  First  Presbyterian  Church.  After  considerable  litigation, 
a favorable  decision  of  the  courts  was  obtained,  and  the*  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  was  ordered  to  restore  the  property  to  the  trustees  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  South. 

In  1877  the  erection  of  the  present  excellent  brick  building  standing 
upon  the  site  of  the  old  church  was  begun,  and  on  February  3,  1878,  it 
was  dedicated  by  Bishop  Wightman.  The  members  of  this  church  now 
number  over  600.  In  1870  a congregation  was  organized  in  North 
Knoxville  with  about  sixty  members.  A plain  and  unpretentious  frame 
building  was  erected  on  Broad  Street  and  dedicated  on  June  25,  1871. 
The  congregation  and  membership  grew  very  rapidly,  and  soon  became 
one  of  the  most  popular  churches  of  the  city.  Nine  years  ago,  under 
the  ministry  of  Rev.  W.  W.  Bays,  it  became  necessary  to  enlarge  the 
house  and  render  it  more  commodious.  The  pastors  who  have  served 
this  church  are  George  D.  French,  B.  O.  Davis,  J.  L.  M.  French,  W.  W. 
Bays,  J.  H.  Keith,  J.  T.  Frazier,  R.  H.  Parker  and  H.  W.  Bays,  who  is 


888 


HISTOKY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


serving  his  third  year.  The  church  has  very  recently  erected  an  ele- 
gant brick  building  on  the  corner  of  Broad  Street  and  Fifth  Avenue, 
which,  when  completed  will  be  one  of  the  most  imposing  church  edifices 
in  the  State.  It  will  cost  about  $20,000.  During  the  past  two  years 
the  membership  has  increased  255  and  now  numbers  about  500.  In 
some  respects  this  church  has  no  equal  in  the  Holston  Conference.  The 
official  board  is  aggressive,  plucky  and  determined,  while  the  ladies  of 
the  communion  are  one  of  the  chief  sources  of  power. 

In  1885  a second  church  in  North  Knoxville  was  built  by  the  co-op- 
eration of  the  two  older  congregations,  and  is  known  as  Centenary 
Church.  It  has  a membership  of  114. 

In  1886  a neat  frame  house  was  erected  on  the  old  site  on  Methodist 
Hill,  and  a congregation  now  worships  there  under  the  ministration  of 
Bev.  W.  H.  Bates. 

Among  the  other  congregations  in  the  county  belonging  to  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  South  are  Concord,  Geitzentanner,  Lyon’s 
Bend,  Erin,  Ebenezer,  Pleasant  Hill,  Asbury,  Cedar  Grove,  Riverdale, 
Brookside,  Macedonia,  Bethlehem,  Wood’s  Springs,  Stony  Point  aid 
Hopewell.. 

At  two  or  three  different  times  a periodical,  under  the  auspices  of 
the  Holston  Conference,  has  been  published  at  Knoxville.  The  first 
was  the  Holston  Messenger , established  in  1824  by  Bev.  Thomas  String- 
field.  It  had  formerly  been  published  at  Huntsville,  Ala.,  as  the  West- 
ern Armenian  and  Christian  Instructor.  It  was  continued  at  Knox- 
ville but  a short  time.  On  May  5,  1846,  the  first  number  of  a weekly 
paper,  the  Methodist  Episcopalian , appeared,  and  continued  as  such  about 
four  years,  when  it  was  changed  to  the  Holston  Christian  Advocate, 
which  was  also  published  about  four  years.  In  December,  1862,  a relig- 
ious weekly  called  the  Holston  Journal  was  established  under  the  man- 
agement of  C.  W.  Charlton,  but  upon  the  evacuation  of  Knoxville,  the 
following  September jj  it  suspended.  Since  1884  the  Holston  Methodist, 
originally  established  in  Bristol,  was  removed  to  Knoxville,  where  it  is 
now  issued  by  the  Holston  Publishing  Company,  of  which  W.  H.  Val- 
entine is  business  manager.  The  editor  is  Rev.  R.  N.  Price.  The 
Methodist  is  a large  eight-column  folio  weekly,  and  is  one  of  the  best 
church  papers  in  the  country. 

On  May  27,  1864,  a call  for  a convention  of  members  and  preachers 
of  the  Holston  Conference,  loyal  to  the  United  States  Government,  to 
be  held  in  Knoxville  on  the  first  Thursday  in  July,  was  issued  by 
William  G.  Brownlow,  J.  A.  Hyden,  E.  E.  Gillenwater,  William  T. 
Dowell,  James  Cumming,  Thomas  Russell,  William  H.  Rogers  and 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


889 


David  Fleming.  At  the  appointed  time  fifty-four  delegates  assembled 
in  the  Episcopal  Church,  and  organized  by  electing  E.  E.  Gillenwater 
chairman,  and  Robert  G.  Blackburn  secretary.  The  most  important 
action  of  this  assemblage  was  the  adoption  of  the  report  of  a general  com- 
mittee favoring  a return  to  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  subject  to 
the  approval  of  its  general  conference.  This  action  was  ratified  by  that 

I body  at  its  next  meeting,  and  under  its  authority  the  Holston  Conference 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  organized  at  Athens  on  June  1, 
1865.  During  this  year  the  First  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  at  Knox- 
ville was  established  under  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Dr,  John  F.  Spence. 

I The  officers  elected  were  W.  G.  Brownlow,  R.  D.  Jaurolman,  E.  N. 
Parham  and  C.  W.  De  Pue,  trustees,  and  S.  P.  Angel,  William  Rule,  H. 
C.  Tarwater,  F.  M.  Wheeler  and  J.  F.  Ambrose,  stewards.  For  three 
years  services  were  held  in  the  courthouse  and  the  First  Baptist  Church. 
In  1867  the  erection  of  the  present  church  on  Clinch  Street  was  begun, 
and  completed  in  1869.  It  is  a large  and  commodious  brick  structure, 
having  a seating  capacity  of  600.  The  congregation  is  a large  and  growing 
one,  numbering  at  present  over  300  members.  A Sunday-school  is  also 
maintained  with  a membership  of  over  200.  In  1872  a second  church 
was  organized  by  Thomas  H.  Russell  with  about  thirty  members,  and 
soon  after  a house  of  worship  was  erected  in  Asylum  Street.  It  is  a 
brick  structure  and  cost  about  $4,000.  The  members  now  number  about 
120.  A Sunday-school,  of  which  Charles  McGlotlien  is  superintendent, 
is  maintained  with  a membership  of  over  200.  There  are  now  in  Knox 
County  thirty-five  congregations  under  the  care  of  the  Holston  Con- 
ference of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  with  an  aggregate  member- 
ship of  1,931  in  full  connection,  and  207  probationers.  The  circuits  and 
congregations  are  as  follows:  Knoxville,  Clinch  Street,  I.  A.  Pierce, 
pastor ; Asylum  Street,  J.  W.  Holden,  pastor ; Knox  Circuit,  W.  C.  Daily, 
pastor;  Rocky  Dale,  Antioch,  Fountain  Head,  Corinth,  Clapp’s  Chapel, 
Copper  Ridge  and  Macedonia;  New  Salem  Circuit,  M.  A.  Rule,  pastor; 
Jones’  Chapel,  New  Salem,  Oak  Grove,  Hendron’s  Chapel;  Little 
River  Circuit,  P.  H.  Henry,  pastor;  Logan’s  Chapel,  Cox’s,  Bethlehem 
and  Walker’s;  Thorn  Grove  Circuit,  R.  O.  Ayres,  pastor;  Pleasant  Hill, 
Thorn  Grove,  Cedar  Ridge,  Oak  Grove,  Underwood,  Huckleberry 
Springs,  Asbury,  Union  and  Sunny  View;  Loveville  Circuit,  J.  M.  Dur- 
ham, pastor;  Ebenezer,  Scott’s  Chapel,  Beaver  Ridge,  Bell’s,  Palestine, 
Boyd’s  Chapel,  Pleasant  Hill,  Grigsby’s  Chapel  and  Valley  Grove. 

To  the  Presbyterians  is  due  the  honor  of  having  established  the  first 
regularly  organized  congregation  of  which  there  is  any  record.  The  fol- 
lowing account  of  the  first  religious  service,  and  subsequent  organization 


890 


HISTORY  OR  TENNESSEE. 


of  a church,  is  condensed  from  a manuscript  prepared  by  the  late  Dr.  J. 
G.  M.  Ramsey  in  1875.  “Tradition  says  that  in  the  early  autumn  of 
1789  or  1790  a surveying  party  composed  of  land  explorers,  adventurers, 
hunters  and  farmers  had  met  at  the  junction  of  the  French  Broad  and 
Holston,  and  that  while  thus  assembled,  they  Avere  approached  by  a cleri- 
cal looking  individual  on  horseback,  who  informed  them  that  he  was  on 
his  Avay  to  Houston’s  Station  beyond  Little  River,  where  some  of  his 
old  acquaintances  from  Virginia  had  settled,  and  that  his  mission  was  to 
organize  the  Presbyterians  of  this  region  into  congregations.  In 
the  party  Avhom  he  addressed  Avere  many  avIio  had  belonged  to  Presbyter- 
ian congregations  in  their  native  States,  and  he  was  eagerly  besought  to 
make  an  appointment  to  preach  upon  his  return,  at  Gilliam’s  Station.  To 
this  he  consented,  and  upon  the  appointed  day  an  immense  crowd  assem- 
bled, including  nearly  all  the  settlers  for  miles  around.  They  came  from 
Baker’s  Creek,  Pistol  Creek,  Little  River,  Elijah  Creek,  Stock  Creek, 
all  the  country  south  of  the  French  Broad,  and  in  the  north  from  House 
Mountain  to  Grassy  Valley.  The  place  chosen  for  the  meeting  was  a 
large  Indian  mound,  which,  until  recently,  stood  at  the  fork  of  the  French 
Broad  and  Holston,  immediately  back  of  where  afterward  was  erected 
the  house  of  the  late  Dr.  Ramsey.  From  this  mound  the  canebrake  was 
removed  and  seats  were  arranged  upon  it.  The  text,  chosen  by  the 
speaker  was  2 Corinthians  v,  20,  from  which  he  preached  an  eloquent  ser- 
mon. At  its  conclusion  he  announced  that  any  parents  avIio  wished  to 
offer  their  children  in  holy  baptism  to  the  Lord,  would  be  allowed  that 
privilege.  Many  embraced  the  opportunity,  and  some  of  nearly  adult 
age,  who  had  been  born  in  the  wilderness,  were  admitted  to  the  ordi- 
nance. While  these  services  were  going  on  another  minister  came  upon 
the  ground,  and  having  been  introduced,  Avas  invited  to  preach  a second 
sermon.  He  stated  that  he  had  been  circulating  among  the  forts  and 
stations,  and  that,  hearing  of  the  appointment,  he  had  come  to  the  meet- 
ing. He  commended  the  sermon  which  he  had  heard,  but  said  that  the 
subject  had  not  been  exhausted,  and  proceeded  to  preach  from  the  same 
text.  He  was  Rev.  Hezekiah  Balcli,  and  the  first  speaker  Rev.  Samuel 
Carrick.  It  Avas  arranged  that  there  should  be  a second  service  at  an 
early  date,  which  Avas  accordingly  held,  and  resulted  in  the  organization 
of  a Presbyterian  Church  near  Gilliam’s  Station.  It  Avas  named  “Leb- 
anon-in-the-Fork,”  afterward  abbreviated  to  Lebanon.  Among  the  first 
members  of  this  church  were  the  families  of  James  White,  James  Cozby, 
John  Adair,  James  Armstrong,  Deveraux  Gilliam,  Archibald  Rhea,  Sr., 
Archibald  Rhea,  Jr.,  James  and  Alexander  Campbell,  Jeremiah  Jack, 
George  McNutt,  Col.  Francis  A.  Ramsey,  Thomas  Gillespie,  Robert 


KNOX  COUNTY.  891 

Craighead,  Robert  Brooks,  Joseph  Love,  Jacob  Patton  and  Robert  Hous- 
ton. Rev.  Samuel  Carrick  was  installed  as  minister,  and  located  with 
his  family  near  what  has  since  been  known  as  Carrick’s  or  Boyd’s  Ford 
on  the  Holston.  Mr.  Carrick  was  very  popular,  and  Lebanon  soon 
became  the  center  of  a very  large  congregation.  A church  about  eighteen 
feet  square  without  windows  or  floor  was  erected.  It  was  not  large 
enough  to  contain  the  worshipers,  and  in  good  weather  and  always  on 
communion  days  the  services  were  held  in  a grove  of  cedars  near  by. 
In  1793  it  became  necessary  to  build  a house  on  a larger  scale  and  of  a 
more  imposing  appearance.  Col.  Ramsey  donated  nine  acres  as  a site, 
and  upon  an  eminence  in  the  center  of  a grove  of  cedars,  a house 
40x60  feet,  of  logs,  straight  and  well  hewed,  was  erected.  The  ground 
around  had  long  been  used  as  a cemetery  by  trappers,  traders,  and 
later  by  the  soldiery  and  settlers  within  reach,  and  was  consequently 
the  first  burial  ground  in  this  region.  Among  the  first  Christian  inter- 
ments was  that  of  Mr.  Carrick’s  wife.  It  occurred  on  the  day  of  the 
expected  Indian  attack  upon  Knoxville  in  1793,  when  all  the'  male 
inhabitants  had  gone  out  for  the  protection  of  the  town.  The  burial  of 
Mrs.  Carrick’s  body,  therefore,  devolved  upon  the  women,  and  by  them 
alone,  it  was  brought  in  a canoe,  and  deposited  in  the  churchyard. 
About  1803  Mr.  Carrick  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Isaac  Anderson, 
who  divided  his  time  between  Lebanon  and  the  Washington  congrega- 
tion which  had  been  organized  on  Roseberry  Creek.  He  continued 
in  charge  of  these  churches  until  1813,  when  he  removed  to  Maryville. 
During  his  pastorate  in  1810,  a new  church  of  stone  was  erected  upon 
the  site  of  the  old  church  at  Lebanon.  This  was  used  until  some  time  in 
the  forties,  when  the  present  frame  house  was  erected. 

Almost  from  its  organization  the  Lebanon  congregation  maintained  a 
school  in  connection  with  the  church.  The  first  school  was  taught  in 
1791,  in  a shanty  standing  near  the  church.  It  had  been  a hunter’s 
lodge  for  years  before.  The  teacher’s  name  was  Thompson,  an  English- 
man, who  continued  to  enlighten  the  youth  of  the  neighborhood  for  many 
years.  A new  house  was  soon  built  on  the  Dandridge  road.  It  was 
somewhat  more  comfortable  than  the  first  but  still  rude  in  the  extreme. 
It  had  neither  floor  nor  windows,  and  the  seats  were  made  from  rough 
puncheons,  supported  upon  round  pins  driven  into  them.  The  teacher 
was  a strict  disciplinarian,  and  brought  with  him  the  old  English  customs 
of  using  the  dunce  block  and  fool’s  cap.  The  former  was  improvised 
from  the  stump  of  a small  sapling  which  had  been  left  standing  about 
two  feet  high  in  the  middle  of  the  room.  The  fool’s  cap  was  made  from 
an  old  copy-book  twisted  into  the  proper  shape.  The  chief  text  book  was 


892 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


Dil worth’s  spelling  book.  The  Bible  and  the  catechism  were  also  taught, 
and  the  deacons  of  the  church  were  regular  in  their  visits  to  the  school 
to  see  that  the  latter  subjects  were  not  neglected. 

Other  houses  and  teachers  followed,  and  about  1828  a building  was 
erected  on  the  line  between  the  farms  of  Dr.  Ramsey  and  James  Jack. 
This  became  quite  a high  school,  in  which  the  classics  were  taught.  In 
1835  an  association  was  formed  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  an 
academy.  The  trustees  were  Maj.  Aaron  Armstrong,  Dr.  J.  G.  M. 
Ramsey,  James  Jack,  John  Naill  and  Isaac  Patton.  A building,  18x36 
feet  was  erected,  and  Noble  A.  Penland,  then  pastor  of  the  Lebanon 
church  was  installed  as  teacher.  This  institution  was  known  as 
Mecklenburg  Academy. 

Meanwhile  other  congregations  had  been  organized  and  other  schools 
established.  The  church  at  Knoxville  was  organized  by  Mr.  Carrick, 
soon  after  he  became  pastor  of  the  Lebanon  Church,  but  nearly  all 
of  its  members  had  previously  been  enrolled  with  the  latter  congrega- 
tion. Its  first  ruling  elders  were  James  White,  George  McNutt,  John 
Adair,  Archibald  Rhea,  Sr.,  Dr.  James  Cozby  and  Thomas  Gillespie, 
the  first  three  making  the  original  bench.  In  September,  1794,  the 
Territorial  Legislature  incorporated  Blount  College,  with  Mr.  Carrick  as 
president,*  and  he  was  continued  in  that  capacity  and  also  as  pastor  of 
the  church  until  his  death  in  1809.  The  church  was  then  without  a 
regular  pastor  until  1812,  when  Rev.  Thomas  H.  Nelson  was  installed. 
Up  to  this  time  no  house  of  worship  had  been  erected,  religious  services 
having  been  held  in  the  courthouse  and  at  the  barracks.  During  the 
year  previous,  however,  under  the  inspiration  of  a sermon  preached  by 
Rev.  Samuel  G.  Ramsey,  three  commissioners:  John  Crozier,  Joseph  C. 
Strong  and  James  Park,  had  been  appointed  to  contract  for  the  building 
of  a house.  This  duty  they  accordingly  performed,  and  late  in  the 
autumn  of  1812  the  work  upon  the  brick  meeting-house  had  suffi- 
ciently advanced  to  allow  of  its  occupancy,  although  it  was  not  entirely 
completed  and  furnished  until  1816. 

At  this  time  there  was  a debt  of  $529.17,  which  was  assumed  by  the 
three  commissioners  mentioned  above.  The  sight  consisting  of  one  acre 
was  donated  by  James  White. 

Soon  after  the  completion  of  this  house,  a portion  of  the  members 
became  disaffected,  and  in  1818  sent  up  a petition  to  Union  Presby- 
tery for  permission  to  organize  a new  congregation,  alleging  as  a reason, 
the  insufficient  accommodation  of  the  old  church.  This  was  considered, 
however,  by  the  other  members  as  but  the  pretext  of  the  “Hopkinsian” 


♦See  page  416. 


KNOXC 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


898 


party  for  withdrawing  from  the  old  organization,  and  when  the  petition, 
having  been  refused  by  the  presbytery,  went  upon  appeal  to  the  synod  of 
Tennessee,  a remonstrance  was  sent  up.  The  synod  nevertheless  disre- 
garded the  remonstrance,  overruled  the  decision  of  the  presbytery,  and 
ordered  the  petitioners  to  organize  the  Second  Presbyterian  Church  of 
Knoxville.* 

An  appeal  was  then  taken  by  the  session  of  the  First  Church  to  the 
General  Assembly  of  1820,  but  the  decision  was  allowed  to  stand. 

Mr.  Nelson  continued  in  charge  of  the  church  until  his  death  in 
September,  1838  and  under  his  pastorate  204  names  were  added  to  the 
communion  roll.  During  this  time  also  the  following  elders  had  been 
elected:  Thomas  Humes,  James  Campbell,  John  Craighead,  Moses 

White,  Robert  Lindsey,  James  Craig,  Dr.  Joseph  C.  Strong,  James 
Park  and  William  Park. 

After  the  death  of  Mr.  Nelson,  the  pulpit  of  the  First  Church  was  sup- 
plied successively  by  Samuel  Y.  Wyley,  Joseph  I.  Foot,  Charles  D. 
Pigeon  and  Rev.  Reese  Happersett,  none  of  whom  continued  more  than 
a few  months.  In  1841  Robert  B.  McMullen,  then  a professor  in  the  East 
Tennessee  University,  was  installed  as  pastor,  and  continued  as  such  until 
the  latter  part  of  1858,  when  he  became  president  of  Stewart  College 
at  Clarksville.  The  following  year  W.  A.  Gallatin  was  elected  pastor. 
He  continued  until  February,  1864,  when  he  was  sent  South  by  the  Federal 
military  authorities.  In  March,  1855,  a new  house  of  worship,  which 
had  been  begun  in  1852  upon  the  sight  of  the  old  house,  was  dedicated. 
This  building,  from  November,  1863  to  May  1,  1866,  was  used  by  the 
United  States  authorities,  first  as  a hospital,  then  as  barracks,  after- 
ward as  quarters  for  refugees  from  upper  East  Tennessee,  and  finally 
was  turned  over  to  the  Freedman’s  Bureau,  and  was  used  by  them  as  a 
colored  schoolliouse. 

In  February,  1866,  Rev.  James  Park,  who  had  recently  returned  to 
Knoxville  from  Georgia,  was  requested  by  several  members  to  preach. 
Having  no  house  he,  upon  his  own  responsibility,  rented  the  Baptist 
Church,  which  was  then  vacant,  and  there  continued  to  hold  services 
until  the  following  May,  when  the  First  Church  Avas  restored  to  the  con- 
gregation. At  this  time  there  Avere  but  thirty-nine  members,  of  Avhorn 
David  A.  Deaderick,  William  S.  Kennedy  and  George  M.  AVhite  Avere  the 
elders.  Under  the  care  of  Dr.  Park  the  church  prospered,  and  many 
accessions  were  received.  In  1869  the  church  building  Avas  repaired 
and  refurnished,  and  the  lot  improved  at  a cost  of  more  than  $5,000.  On 
May  21,  1876,  Dr.  Park  Avas  again  elected  pastor,  and  has  since  con- 


*Historical  Discourse  by  James  Park,  D.  D. 


56 


894 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


tinned  in  charge  of  the  church.  During  his  pastorate,  a period  of  a 
little  more  than  twenty  years,  about  600  members  have  been  added  to  the 
church  which  now  has  a membership  of  about  300. 

At  a pro  re  nata  meeting  of  the  Presbytery  of  Knoxville,  held  at 
Sweetwater,  December,  18,  1873,  the  petition  of  several  members  of  the 
First  Church,  and  a few  other  persons  to  be  organized  as  the  Third 
Presbyterian  Church  of  Knoxville,  was  granted,  and  a committee,  of  whom 
Dr.  Park  was  , chairman,  was  appointed  to  attend  at  Knoxville  on  the 
Friday  night  before  the  third  Sabbath  in  January,-  1874,  hold  a meet- 
ing to  embrace  the  Sabbath,  and  organize  the  new  congregation.  This 
duty  was  discharged,  and  in  January,  1874,  the  church  was  constituted 
embracing  twenty-nine  communicants,  four  ruling  elders  and  four  dea- 
cons. Until  a house  of  worship  could  be  erected,  services  were  held  in 
the  Caldwell  Schoolhouse.  In  1876  the  present  fine  brick  structure, 
situated  on  Fifth  Avenue,  was  dedicated. 

For  the  first  eighteen  months  this  church  was  served  with  efficiency 
by  Kev.  J.  P.  Gammon,  during  which  time  the  number  of  communicants 
was  about  tripled.  Mr.  Gammon  was  succeeded  by  Kev.  Dr.  W.  A. 
Harrison,  who  has  since  had  pastoral  charge  of  the  church,  and  under 
his  care  the  membership  has  increased  to  nearly  500.  The  present 
elders  are  Dr.  Benjamin  Frazier,  Dr.  J.  D.  Carter,  W.  H.  Simmonds, 
Dr.  John  M.  Kennedy,  James  L.  Cooley,  Lewis  Roth,  A.  McDonald, 
Joseph  A.  Porter  and  Samuel  A.  Caldwell.  The  deacons  are  F.  A.  R. 
Scott,  Thomas  E.  Oldham,  J.  C.  J.  Williams,  Joseph  L.  Bauman,  James 
P.  McMullen  and  George  McCully. 

Near  the  close  of  the  last  century,  and  at  about  the  time  of  the  organ- 
ization of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  at  Knoxville,  two  other  Presbyte- 
rian Churches  were  established  in  Knox  County  by  Rev.  Samuel  G. 
Ramsey,  a brother  of  Col.  Francis  A.  Ramsey.  They  were  Pleasant 
Forest,  situated  about  two  miles  north  from  Concord  Station,  and  Eben- 
ezer,  situated  upon  the  site  of  the  present  Ebenezer  Station,  near  the 
latter  place.  Mr.  Ramsey  established  a sort  of  preparatory  school  for 
young  men,  which  was  known  as  Ebenezer  Academy,  and  for  a few  years 
this  was  the  leading  educational  institution  in  the  county.  Here 
attended  Dr.  J.  G.  M.  Ramsey,  W.  B.  A.  Ramsey,  Richard  G.  Dunlap, 
and  his  brothers  Hugh  G.  and  William  C.,  John  and  Robert  Singleton, 
Joshua  Armstrong,  William  Moore,  Charles  McClung,  also  Matthew  and 
James  McClung,  and  the  sons  of  Gov.  Blount.  Mr.  Ramsey  had  for  an 
assistant  a portion  of  the  time  a young  man,  John  Bain,  who  had  been 
educated  under  Rev.  Samuel  Doak,  and  who  was  preparing  for  the 
ministry. 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


895 


While  Mr.  Ramsey  was  thus  educating  the  young  men,  Mrs.  Ramsey 
conducted  a school  for  girls,  and  so  excellent  was  the  instruction  given 
that  she  received  several  pupils  from  Knoxville.  For  some  time  before 
his  death  Mr.  Ramsey  became  enfeebled  by  disease,  and  was  finally  com- 
pelled to  resign  his  pastoral  charges.  He  was  succeeded  by  Richard 
King.  Mr.  King  was  a man  of  fine  intellect,  and  an  excellent  speaker. 
Physically  he  was  very  large  and  corpulent,  so  much  so  that  in  his 
later  years  he  sat  in  a chair  while  preaching.  About  1825  Mr.  King  was 
succeeded  by  William  Higgleton,  who  continued  until  1830,  when  Will- 
iam A.  McCampbell  was  chosen  pastor. 

Until  1833  the  two  churches,  Ebenezer  and  Pleasant  Forest,  were 
united  in  one  congregation  known  as  the  Grassy  V alley  congregation. 
In  that  year  the  members  in  the  vicinity  of  Pleasant  Forest  formed  a 
separate  organization  with  seventy-three  members,  and  installed  Samuel 
H.  Doak  as  pastor,  while  McCampbell  continued  at  Ebenezer.  Mr. 
Doak  was  succeeded  in  1838  by  Samuel  G.  Willis,  and  he  in  turn  the 
next  year  by  A.  A.  Matties.  In  1848  Rev.  Dr.  James  Park  became  pas- 
tor of  both  churches,  and  so  continued  until  1853.  After  the  completion 
of  the  railroad  Pleasant  Forest  was  reorganized  as  Concord  and  erected  a 
church  at  that  station,  while  the  congregation  at  Ebenezer  removed  two 
miles  north  of  its  old  location  and  organized  as  Cedar  Springs  Church. 
In  1859  Dr.  Park  again  became  their  pastor,  and  so  continued  with  a 
short  interval  during  the  war  until  1866.  He  also  supplied  their 
pulpit  on  Sunday  afternoons  for  two  years  longer. 

These  churches  have  always  been  old  school,  and  nowr  form  a 
part  of  the  presbytery  of  Knoxville,  the  origin  of  which  is  as  follows : 
In  April,  1839,  the  general  'assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  by 
its  famous  “ excision  act,”  having  cut  off  the  presbytery  of  Union, 
the  few  members  including  only  about  eight  ministers  still  adhering 
to  the  old  school  doctrines,  met  near  Greenville,  Tenn.,  and  organ- 
ized Holston  Presbytery.  In  October,  1846,  this  presbytery  was  divided 
by  a right  line  running  fro'in  Cumberland  Gap  to  the  southeast  corner  of 
Blount  County,  and  the  portion  to  the  west  of  that  line  was  erected  into 
the  presbytery  of  Knoxville. 

Two  periodicals  have  at  different  times  been  published  at  Knoxville 
in  the  interests  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  The  first  was  the  Western 
Monitor , established  about  1819,  and  the  other  the  Presbyterian  Witness, 
established  some  time  in  the  forties  and  published  by  Kinsloe  & Rice. 

Contemporaneously  with  the  founding  of  Ebenezer  and  Mount  Pleas- 
ant Forest  by  Mr.  Ramsey,  Washington  Church  situated  on  Rosebury 
Creek,  was  organized  by  Rev.  Dr.  Isaac  Anderson,  one  of  the  ablest  men 


89G 


HISTORY  OF  TENFfFSSEE. 


who  ever  occupied  the  pulpit  in  East  Tennessee.  He  also  established 
there  a school  known  as  Union  Academy.  In  1803  Mr.  Carrick  resigned 
his  charge  of  Lebanon  Church,  and  from  that  time  until  1813  Dr.  Ander- 
son divided  his  time  and  attention  between  Washington  and  Lebanon. 

He  had  adopted  the  peculiar  doctrine  known  as  “ Hopkinsianism,”  and 
under  his  teaching,  many  not  only  among  his  own  congregation  but 
among  members  of  neighboring  churches  had  been  converted  to  his 
belief.  After  he  removed  to  Maryville  his  old  admirers  did  not  forsret 
him,  and  in  1818  he  was  invited  by  some  of  the  members  of  the  First 
Presbyterian  Church  at  Knoxville,  to  return  and  preach  to  them.  This 
he  did,  and  the  result  was  the  organization  of  the  Second  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Knoxville,  which  took  place  on  October  24,  1818.  The  elders 
chosen  at  this  time  were  Archibald  Rhea,  John  McCampbell,  Thomas 
Craighead,  Joseph  Brown  and  John  Taylor.  An  acre  lot  was  purchased 
from  Gideon  Morgan,  and  the  work  of  erecting  a house  of  worship  was 
immediately  begun.  By  April,  1820,  this  work  had  so  far  advanced,  that 
the  building  was  dedicated  by  Dr.  Anderson.  It  was  not  entirely  com- 
pleted, however,  and  for  nearly  ten  years  the  walls  remained  unplastered. 

Dr.  Anderson  continued  to  preach  in  the  church  until  1829,  during 
which  time  153  members  were  added.  The  next  regular  pastor  was  Rev. 
Jefferson  E.  Montgomery,  who  began  his  labors  in  1831,  and  remained 
until  1838.  In  October,  1840,  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  William  Mack, 
who  resigned  three  years  later.  Under  the  ministry  of  these  two  men,  1 
225  names  were  added  to  the  communion  roll.  In  February,  1845,  John 
W.  Cunningham  was  installed  as  pastor,  but  was  succeeded  in  about  a year  | 
by  Rev.  J.  H.  Meyers,  who  continued  until  April,  1857.  The  sixth  I 
minister  was  J.  H.  Martin,  who  served  the  congregation  from  July,  1857, 
to  October,  1863.  During  his  pastorate  the  presefit  church  building  was 
erected,  at  a cost  of  $14,236.84.  It  was  begun  in  the  fall  of  1859,  and 
dedicated  November  11,  1860.  During  the  latter  year,  a chapel  for 
Sunday-school,  prayer  meetings,  etc.,  was  built  from  the  materials  of  the 
old  church,  at  a cost  of  $2,219.  wj 

For  two  years  durrtig  the  war  the  church  was  without  a pastor,  after  j 
which  Rev.  R.  P.  Wells  preached  for  a few  months.  In  October  Rev. 
Nathan  Bachman  began  his  labors,  which  continued  for  several  years. 

He  was  succeeded  by  F.  E.  Sturgis.  The  present  pastor  is  T.  S.  Scott, 
who  was  called  from  Rockford,  111.,  in  1885.  The  present  membership 
of  the  church  is  nearly  500.  A Sunday-school  has  been  successfully 
maintained  since,  some  time  prior  to  1832,  and  its  pupils  now  number  over 
500.  Among  those  who  have  served  as  superintendents  may  be  mentioned 
Hugh  A.  M.  White,  J.  H.  Cowan,  Campbell  Wallace,  John  R.  Henry 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


897 


On  April  24,  1886,  a new  congregation  was  organized  in  North  Knox- 
ville, and  known  as  the  Fourth  Presbyterian  Church;  Rev.  E.  A. 
Elmore  is  the  pastor. 

The  churches  mentioned,  together  with  Spring  Place,  six  miles  east  of 
Knoxville,  organized  several  years  before  the  war,  and  New  Prospect  in 
the  Fourteenth  District,  organized  in  1871,  constitute  what  was  once 
the  new  school  element,  and  now  belong  to  a Union  Presbytery  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church.  Shannon  Dale,  a church  recently  organized  on 
the  Tazewell  Pike,  is  also  a member  of  this  body. 

This  Presbytery  in  common  with  the  others  in  the  synod  withdrew 
from  the  general  assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  1858,  but  at  a 
meeting  held  at  New  Market  in  1863,  a resolution  not  to  license  or 
receive  a member  who  svmpatized  with  the  Southern  Confederacy,  was 
adopted,  and  at  the  next  meeting  which  was  held  at  Spring  Place  Church 
on  September  2,  1864,  a resolution  was  adopted  favoring  a return  to  the 
general  assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

On  August  23.  1866,  the  members  of  KnoxAulle  Presbytery  who  had 
remained  loyal  to  the  United  States,  met  at  Baker  Creek  Church  in  Blount 
County  and  organized  Holston  Presbytery.  This  continued  as  a separate 
body  until  the  union  of  the  old  and  new  school  presbytery  was  formed, 
when  it  was  consolidated  with  other  presbyteries  in  the  synod  of  Ten- 
nesssee.  The  only  congregation  organized  in  Knox  County  under  the 
Holston  Presbytery  was  Pleasant  Forest,  now  in  Kingston  Presbytery. 

The  first  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church  in  Knox  County  was 
organized  in  the  year  1824,  near  the  place  known  as  Low’s  ferry,  the 
residence  of  the  late  Glen.  S.  D.  W.  Low,  about  two  miles  from  the 
present  village  of  Concord,  which  took  its  name  from  this  church.  Andrew 
Russell,  William  Rodgers,  William  Gounds,  J.  W.  Craig,  Thomas  Boyd 
and  S.  D.  W.  Low  were  among  the  first  ruling  elders  and  deacons.  James 
Guthrie,  George  Russell,  George  Donnell,  James  Blair,  Samuel  B.  West, 
Hiram  Douglass  and  A.  Templeton  were  early  ministers.  A camp-ground 
was  also  established  at  this  church,  where  for  many  years  meetings  were 
held  annually  in  July  or  August.  The  congregation,  numbering  about 
eighty  members,  is  now  worshiping  in  its  fifth  house,  which  is  located  in 
the  village  of  Concord.  The  present  pastor  is  Rev.  J.  S.  Porter. 

A second  church,  known  as  Marietta,  was  organized  soon  after  Concord 
at  the  mouth  of  Hickory  Creek  in  the  Ninth  Civil  Distict,  and  a third, 
Beaver  Creek,  was  established  in  the  Eighth  District,  near  the  present  site 
of  Powell’s  Station.  Union  Church  in  the  Tenth  District,  two  miles  west 
of  Campbell’s  Station,  was  organized  about  1863,  and  West  Emory,  two 
miles  southwest  of  Ebenezer,  in  1879. 


898 


HISTOBY  OB  TENNESSEE. 


In  the  spring  of  1883  a commission,  composed  of  Rev.  E.  J.  McCroskey, 
J.  R.  Butt  and  T.  W.  Kellar,  was  appointed  by  the  presbytery  to  take 
steps  for  the  establishment  of  a church  in  Knoxville.  Mr.  McCroskey 
entered  upon  the  work  of  soliciting  subscriptions, and  as  soon  as  a sufficient 
amount  had  been  obtained  a lot  was  purchased,  and  the  erection  of  a house 
begun.  In  the  spring  of  1885  the  work  had  progressed  sufficiently  to  allow 
of  the  occupancy  of  the  building,  but  it  is  not  yet  entirely  completed.  In 
March,  1885,  the  congregation  was  organized  with  J.  R.  Butt  and  T.  W. 
Kellar,  elders;  J.  B.  Malcolm  and  T.  W. Carter,  deacons.  IV.  H.  Baugh  was 
installed  as  pastor,  and  so  continued  until  June,  1886,  when  he  was 
siicceededby  J.  V.  Stephens.  The  present  membership  of  this  church  is 
110,  and  of  the  entire  county  about  600. 

Previous  to  1837  the  churches  in  Knox  County  belonged  to  Knoxville 
Presbytery,  but  on  March  15  of  that  year,  by  authority  of  the  synod, 
Hiwassee  Presbytery  was  organized  at  Lebanon  Meeting-house,  in 
Monroe  County.  It  embraces  all  of  East  Tennessee  from  the  upper  line  of 
Knox  County  to  the  Hiwassee  River.  The  first  moderator  was  John 
Tate,  and  the  first  stated  clerk,  Floyd  McGonegal. 

The  Baptists  began  preaching  and  organizing  churches  in  Knox 
County  about  1790.  It  may  have  been  a year  or  so  earlier  than  that,  as 
a church  was  organized  at  the  mouth  of  Richland  Creek,  in  Grainger 
County,  in  1788.  The  oldest  church  in  the  county,  still  in  existence,  is 
Little  Flat  Creek,  which  was  organized  in  1796.  Among  the  earliest 
ministers  may  be  mentioned  William  Johnson,  Isaac  Barton,  Richard 
Wood,  Elijah  Rogers,  Thomas  Hudiburgh,  Duke  Kimbrough,  Robert 
Fristoe,  Thomas  Hall,  Richard  Newport  and  West  Walker.  Nearly  all 
were  men  of  limited  education,  and  received  no  pay  for  their  services,  but 
they  possessed  a rude  and  fervid  eloquence,  well  suited  to  the  mass  of 
their  hearers,  and  their  congregations  grew.  It  was  not  long  until  the 
Baptists  had  outnumbered  both  the  Presbyterian's  and  Methodists,  and 
they  have  ever  since  maintained  that  position.  As  the  history  of  the 
denomination  in  Knox  County  is  largely  the  history  of  the  Tennessee 
Association,  it  will  be  traced  in  connection  with  that  body. 

On  the  25tli  of  December,  1802,  delegates  from  nineteen  Baptist 
Churches,  formerly  belonging  to  the  Holston  Association,  assembled  at 
Beaver  Creek  Meeting-house,  in  Knox  County,  aiid  organized  the  Ten- 
nessee Association.  William  Johnson  was  chosen  moderator  and  Fran- 
cis Hamilton,  clerk.  A plan  of  association  and  statement  of  religious 
principles  was  adopted,  embracing,  with  some  slight  alterations,  an 
extract  from  “ Asplund’s  Register.” 

Of  the  nineteen  churches  represented  at  this  meeting  five  were  located 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


899 


in  Knox  County.  They  were  Beaver  Ridge,  represented  by  Aquila 
Low,  Thomas  Hudiburgh  and  Jesse  Council! ; Hickory  Creek,  represented 
by  William  Helms  and  John  Finley;  Fork  of  Holston  and  French  Broad, 
represented  by  Alexander  Bleakley;  Little  Flat  Creek,  represented  by 
Richard  Newport,  Eli  Scaggs  and  George  Halmark,  and  Beaver  Creek, 
represented  by  Francis  Hamilton.  John  and  Hezekiah  Boyles.  These 
churches,  as  reported  the  following  year,  embraced  an  aggregate  mem- 
bership of  172. 

The  first  annual  session  of  the  association  was  held  at  Big  Spring 
Church,  in  Grainger  County,  with  the  same  officers  as  at  the  preceding 
meeting.  Elder  Richard  Wood  preached  the  introductory  sermon  from 
Acts  xx,  28.  Letters  from  twenty-three  churches  were  received,  showing 
a total  membership  in  the  association  of  1.615.  In  1806  Stock  Creek 
Church  with  twenty-four  members  was  organized,  and  its  delegates, 
Aaron  Smith  and  Abraham  Reid,  were  admitted  to  seats  in  the  associa- 
tion. During  the  next  two  or  three  years  the  association  did  not  prosper, 
and  the  membership  in  1809  aggregated  only  1,466.  Accordingly, 
November  4,  of  this  year,  was  appointed  a day  of  fasting  and  prayer  .for 
the  revival  of  religion.  In  1815  the  subject  of  foreign  missions  was  first 
introduced  to  the  association.  At  the  next  session  Luther  Rice,  the  agent 
of  the  Baptist  Board  of  Foreign  Missions,  was  present,  and  a consti- 
tution for  a local  missionary  society  was  adopted,  with  the  reservation, 
however,  that  the  churches  were  not  to  be  bound  by  the  action  of  their 
delegates.  In  1817  twelve  churches,  situated  in  the  counties  north  and 
northwest  of  Knox  County,  withdrew  and  formed  Powell  Valley  Asso- 
ciation, leaving  seventeen  congregations  in  the  Tennessee  Association. 
At  the  next  session  the  churches  in  Knox  County  were  represented  as  fol- 
lows: Hickory  Creek,  John  Courtney,  Henry  Loward,  Arnold  Moss, 
Sterling  Kemp,  John  Freeman  and  Rowland  Childs;  Stock  Creek,  Joseph 
Johnson,  James  Trice  and  James  Childers;  Little  Ffat  Creek,  Peter 
Graves;  Forks  of  French  Broad  and  Holston,  Randall  Davenport;  Beaver 
Ridge,  Thomas  Hudiburgh,  Obed  Patty  and  Eli  Cleveland,  and  Beaver 
Creek,  Willis  Hammons.  The  last  named  church  had  not  been  repre- 
sented for  ten  years  previous.  At  this  session  a meeting  of  the  mission- 
ary society  was  appointed  to  be  held  at  Robert  Tunnell’s,  in  Knox 
County  in  May,  1820.  At  the  session  in  1822  the  number  of  churches 
in  the  association  had  increased  to  twenty-eight,  and  it  was  agreed  to 
divide  it  by  a line  running  from  Chilhowee  Mountain  with  the  Little 
Tennessee  River,  to  the  Holston ; thence  northwest  so  as  to  include  the 
east  fork  of  Poplar  Creek  and  Hickory  Creek  in  the  upper  end.  A com- 
mittee was  then  appointed  to  meet  at  Pisgah  on  the  fourth  Saturday  in 


900 


HISTORY  OF  TENNESSEE. 


May,  1823,  to  form  a constitution  for  the  lower  association  which  was 
known  thereafter  as  the  Hiwassee  Association.  This  left  eighteen 
churches  in  the  Tennessee  Association,  but  other  congregations  were 
soon  after  formed  and  admitted.  In  1830  the  number  had  increased  to 
twenty-six,  and  in  1835  to  thirty.  In  1836  Beaver  Creek  Church 
changed  its  name  to  Beaver  Dam  Creek.  It  afterward  became  simply 
Beaver  Dam. 

In  1829  a congregation  was  organized  at  Union  Meeting-house,  and 
its  delegate,  Thomas  Hunt,  was  admitted  to  the  association.  From  this 
time  until  1843,  however,  it  was  not  again  represented.  At  that  session 
J.  S.  Waters  and  Z.  Feeder  were  its  delegates.  In  1830  a church  known 
as  Third  Creek  was  organized  in  Knox  County,  and  in  1833  its  dele- 
gates, J.  Hillsman  and  Samuel  Love,  were  admitted  to  the  association. 
In  1835  Hickory  Creek  Church  withdrew.  At  about  this  time  the 
schism  in  the  church  between  the  mission  and  anti-mission  factions 
began  to  threaten  serious  damage  to  the  cause.  Queries  from  individual 
churches  with  reference  to  tests  of  fellowship,  were  received  each  year 
by  the  association,  but  the  danger  of  expressing  a decided  opinion  was 
apparent,  and  it  was  avoided  as  long  as  possible.  In  1837,  however,  the 
query  was  received  from  Zion  Church — “Is  it  right  to  fellowship  the 
Baptist  State  Convention  or  home  missionary  and  temperance  societies?” 
The  reply  was,  “We  advise  our  churches  not  to  make  the  joining  or  not 
joining  of  institutions  any  test  of  fellowship.”  This  resulted  in  the  with- 
drawal of  two  churches  and  serious  divisions  in  others.  The  anti-mission 
party,  however,  were  very  largely  in  the  minority,  and  the  Tennessee 
Association  stood  unshaken.  In  an  address  issued  by  the  association  in 
1843  to  the  Baptists  of  the  State,  urging  the  importance  of  a general  asso- 
ciation, is  the  following:  “We  rejoice  that  so  much  union  seems  to  exist 
on  the  subject,  and  cannot  help  looking  back  to  the  origin  of  this  conven- 
tion, when  it  was  followed  by  an  opposition  fierce  and  clamorous;  we 
rejoice  that  whilst  the  anti-mission  spirit  has  been  prowling  around  our 
association  and  convention,  we  have  been  so  far  preserved  from  its  with- 
ering and  destructive  influence,  and  instead  of  being  annihilated  by  its 
insults  and  torpedo  touch,  our  churches,  under  the  blessings  of  the  God 
of  missions,  have  been  greatly  increased  and  built  up  in  their  strength.” 

During  these  troublous  times  new  churches  continued  to  be  estab- 
lished. Those  in  Knox  County  were  Mount  of  Olives,  in  1837;  New 
Hopewell,  1840,  and  Knoxville,  1843. 

As  has  been  stated  in  the  early  history  of  the  Baptist  churches  in 
East  Tennessee  its  greatest  numerical  strength  lay  in  the  country  and 
remote  from  towns,  therefore  it  is  not  strange  that  the  organization  of  a 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


901 


church  at  Knoxville  occurred  at  so  late  a date,  and  that  when  it  did  occur 
the  membership  was  so  small,  numbering  as  it  did  only  twenty-six  white 
persons,  and  twenty  colored.  It  is  remarkable,  however,  that  its  organi- 
zation was  suggested  by  a man  not  a member  of  any  church,  and  was 
effected  chiefly  through  his  instrumentality.  That  man  was  James  C. 
Moses,  who,  with  his  brother  John  L.  Moses,  had  then  recently  arrived  at 
Knoxville.  He  afterward  was  the  first  person  baptized  into  the  fellow- 
ship of  this  church,  was  its  first  clerk,  a member  of  its  first  board  of 
deacons  and  trustees  and  the  first  superintendent  of  its  Sabbath-scliool. 

On  the  15th  of  January,  1843,  a sort  of  mass  meeting,  composed 
mainly  of  Baptists  from  the  surrounding  country,  met  in  the  upper  room 
of  the  courthouse,  at  which  time  arrangements  were  made  for  completing 
the  organization  of  a congregation  on  the  following  Sabbath.  The 
ministers  present  upon  this  occassion  were  Rev.  Messrs.  Kennon,  Kim- 
brough, Milliken,  Bellue,  Coram  and  Ray.  During  the  next  few  months 
the  church  grew  rapidly,  and  by  August  the  enrollment  reached  eighty- 
five.  Thirty  having  been  added  by  experience  and  seventeen  by  letter, 
while  seven  had  been  dismissed  and  one  excommunicated.  This  large 
increase  was  due  to  two  revivals,  which  were  held  during  the  spring  and 
summer.  The  first  was  conducted  in  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  by 
Rev.  Dr.  Baker,  of  Texas,  and  the  other  by  Rev.  Israel  Robards,  a man 
of  great  power,  who  drew  large  crowds  to  hear  him.  He  continued  for 
several  successive  days  and  nights,  and  awakened  a deep  interest. 

The  first  pastor  of  the  church  was  Rev.  Joseph  A.  Bullard,  who 
remained  but  one  year.  Prominent  among  his  successors  may  be  men- 
tioned G.  W.  Griffin,  L.  B.  Woolf  oik,  J.  L.  Lloyd,  J.  F.  B.  Mays, 
George  B.  Eager,  C.  H.  Strickland,  and  the  present  pastor,  E.  A.  Taylor. 

In  1844  the  erection  of  a church  on  Gay  Street  was  begun,  and  com- 
pleted about  two  years  later.  This  served  the  congregation  as  a place  of 
worship  until  1886,  when  one  of  the  finest  churches  in  the  South  was 
erected  upon  the  site  of  the  old  church.  It  will  cost  when  completed 
$30,000.  Of  this  sum,  one  member,  Capt.  W.  W.  Woodruff,  contributed 
one-half. 

This  church  now  lias  a membership  of  640,  and  maintains  a Sunday- 
school  with  over  500  scholars. 

In  November,  1873,  a second  congregation  was  organized  in  Knoxville, 
and  a house  of  worship  was  erected  on  McGhee  Street.  The  location  was 
found  to  be  unsuitable,  however,  and  in  November,  1880,  the  congrega- 
tion was  disbanded.  A short  time  after  a mission  was  established  in  the 
northern  portion  of  the  city,  and  there  in  November,  1885,  Calvary 
Church  was  organized  with  Rev.  O.  L.  Hailey  as  pastor,  and  L.  Huddle- 


902 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 


ston,  W.  C.  McCoy,  W.  A.  J.  Moore,  G.  W.  Peters,  J.  J.  Martin,  J.  R. 
Dew  and  J.  A.  Galyon  as  trustees.  It  has  since  been  highly  prosperous, 
and  in  one  year  the  membership  has  increased  from  58  to  115.  But  to 
return  to  the  association. 

In  1811  the  “ New  Hampshire  Confession  of  Faith  ” Avas  adopted.  The 
radical  difference  between  these  articles  and  those  adopted  at  the  first 
session  in  1802  is  conclusive  evidence  of  the  great  revolution  which  had 
taken  place  in  the  church.  From  this  time  until  the  beginning  of  the 
civil  Avar,  the  association  continued  to  prosper.  In  1862  there  were  within 
its  bounds  thirty-nine  'churches,  having  an  aggregate  membership  of 
1,119,  of  whom  125  were  colored.  Six  new  churches  have  been  estab- 
lished in  Knox  County.  They  were,  Adair  Creek,  1845;  Brick  Chapel, 
Lyon  Creek,  Mount  Pisgali  and  Mars’  Hill,  iioav  Gallaher’s  VieAV,  1855, 
and  Sinking  Creek,  1859. 

During  the  Avar  nearly  all  the  churches  suffered  more  or  less  from 
loss  of  both  members  and  property,  and  some  were  entirely  destroyed.  But 
the  work  of  reviving  old  churches  and  establishing  new  ones  was  entered 
upon  Avith  zeal  and  energy,  and  in  1870  there  were  forty-five  churches  and 
1,705  members  within  the  bounds  of  the  association.  Of  this  number 
fifteen  churches  and  1,755  members  Avere  included  in  Knox  County. 

In  1873  Little  River  Association  was  formed,  and  the  folloAving  year, 
seven  churches,  including  all  of  those  in  Knox  County  south  of  the 
Tennessee  River,  except  Stock  Creek,  withdrew  from  the  Tennessee 
Association  to  join  Little  River,  iioav  ChilhoAvee  Association. 

Since  January,  1870,  new  churches  have  been  constituted  in  Knox 
County  as  follows:  Stock  Creek,  1870;  Sharon,  1871;  Pleasant  Gap,  1871; 
Meridian,  1871;  Pleasant  Hill,  1875;  Mount  Harmony,  1875 ; Fair  View, 
1877 ; Guesses  Creek,  1877 ; Hill’s  Chapel,  1879,  and  Calvary,  1885. 
There  are  now  in  the  county  twenty  churches  belonging  to  the  Tennessee 
Association  having  a combined  membership  of  2,434,  and  four  belonging 
to  the  Chilhowee  Association,  Avith  an  aggregate  membership  of  642, 
making  a total  of  twenty-four  churches,  and  3,076  members. 

At  three  different  times  periodicals  have  been  published  at  Knoxville, 
under  the  auspices  of  the  Tennessee  Association.  The  first  Avas  estab- 
lished in  1855,  and  Avas  known  as  the  Baptist  Watchman,  a weekly, 
edited  by  M.  Hillsman.  It  continued  only  a few  years.  In  1868  D. 
M.  Braeker  began  the  publication  of  the  East  Tennessee  Baptist , which 
in  1870  was  consolidated  with  the  Christian  Herald.  In  1880  the  Beacon 
Avas  established  by  Rev.  J.  B.  Jones.  After  about  two  years  it  was  con- 
solidated with  the  Reflector,  of  Nashville,  and  has  since  been  published 
in  Chattanooga  as  the  Baptist  Reflector. 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


903 


Until  1844.  ten  years  after  the  first  bishop  of  the  diocese  of  Tennes- 
see was  consecrated  to  his  office,  no  Episcopal  Church  had  been  organized 
in  East  Tennessee.  Several  attempts  had  been  made  to  establish  a 
church  at  Knoxville,  but  each  had  resulted  in  a discouraging  failure. 
In  March,  1844.  Thomas  W.  Humes,  who  was  a candidate  for  the  minis- 
try, began  to  serve  as  a lay  reader  on  the  morning  of  each  Lord’s  day. 
but,  owing  to  the  deep  prejudice  existing  in  the  community  against  the 
Episcopal  Church,  the  movement  met  with  strong  disfavor,  and  the  con- 
gregations were  small.  On  the  9th  of  June,  Rev.  Charles  Tomes,  of 
New  York,  by  appointment  of  the  bishop,  took  charge  of  the  parish,  and 
entered  upon  his  work  with  energy  and  zeal.  The  services  were  at  first 
conducted  at  a dwelling-house,  but  were  soon  transferred  to  a small 
building  at  the  northeast  corner  of  Gay  and  Church  Streets,  which  was 
donated  for  that  purpose  by  Andrew  R.  Humes.  This  building  was 
neatly  fitted  up  as  a chapel,  and  was  occupied  for  over  two  years.  On 
July  22,  1845,  the  corner-stone  of  St.  John's  Church  was  laid  with 
appropriate  exercises  by  the  bishop  of  the  diocese.  At  about  this  time 
T.  W.  Humes,  having  been  ordained  a deacon  at  Columbia  the  preceding 
March,  became  an  assistant  to  the  rector.  On  September  21,  of  the 
following  year,  Mr.  Tomes  resigned  the  rectorship,  and  was  succeeded  by 
Rev.  Mr.  Humes,  who  continued  in  that  position,  with  the  exception  of 
about  two  years  in  the  early  part  of  the  war,  until  1869,  when  he  also 
resigned.  During  the  two  years  previous  to  September,  1863,  the  rector- 
ship was  occupied  by  Rev.  William  Vaux,  of  Loudon. 

In  the  year  1844  the  communicants  of  St.  John’s  Church  numbered 
twenty-one.  Upon  the  resignation  of  Mr.  Tomes  in  September,  1846, 
they  had  increased  to  forty-one.  During  the  next  fifteen  years  of  Mr. 
Humes’  first  incumbency  about  154  wrere  added,  and  about  132  were  lost 
by  death  and  removal,  leaving  in  September,  1861,  a membership  of 
sixty-two.  During  the  next  two  years  this  number  was  diminished  so 
that,  upon  Mr.  Humes  resuming  the  rectorship  in  September,  1863, 
he  found  only  thirty-six  communicants;  they  were  increased  during  the 
next  five  years  to  ninety.  Rev.  William  Graham  succeeded  to  the  rector- 
ship in  January,  1869,  and  served  until  the  autumn  of  1870.  He  was 
followed  by  Rev.  John  H.  Smith,  who  resigned  at  the  end  of  nearly  four 
years,  and  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Thomas  Duncan.  Mr.  Duncan  min- 
istered to  the  congregation  very  satisfactorily  for  nearly  six  years. 

In  1867  Dr.  Humes,  the  rector  of  St.  John’s  Church,  and  his  assistant, 
William  Mowbray,  laid  the  foundation  of  the  church  of  the  Epiphany  in 
North  Knoxville.  The  first  services  were  held  in  the  cemetery.  The 
next  Sunday  the  basement  of  a steam  mill  was  procured,  and  this 


904 


HISTOBY  OB  TENNESSEE. 


was  used  for  a time.  Through  the  instrumentality  of  Charles  McGhee 
a lot  was  soon  after  obtained,  and  during  the  next  year  the  present 
church,  located  on  Broad  Street,  was  completed.  Mr.  Mowbray  served 
the  church  as  rector  for  about  two  years,  when,  after  an  interval,  he  was 
succeeded  by  Rev.  Everard  Meade,  who  continued  in  charge  of  the  church 
for  several  years.  The  next  rector  was  A.  A.  McDonaugh,  who  also 
remained  about  ten  years.®  The  present  rector  is  Rev.  A.  Buchanan. 
The  church  now  numbers  over  100  communicants,  and  is  in  a highly 
prosperous  condition. 

The  Church  of  Christ,  or  Disciple’s  Church  as  it  is  some  times  denomi- 
nated, had  its  beginning  in  1870;  a few  of  that  faith  meeting  in  hired 
rooms  and  from  house  to  house  for  prayer  and  Bible  study.  Gradually 
growing  stronger  they,  on  the  first  Lord’s  day  of  September,  1874,  under 
the  direction  of  L.  H.  Stine,  a young  minister,  then  just  from  school  at 
Bethany,  AV.  Y a.,  united  in  a covenant  to  worship  God  according  to  the 
Holy  Scripture,  and  became  a regularly  organized  congregation  with  A. 
C.  Bruce  as  elder  and  N.  R.  Hall  and  George  T.  Rhoades  as  deacons. 
Their  number  at  this  time  was  eighteen,  all  poor.  They  have  gradually 
increased  until  now  they  count  seventy-six  on  the  roll  of  membership. 
The  present  officers  are  N.  R.  Hall  and  Lewis  Tillman,  elders;  T.  P. 
McDaniel,  George  T.  Rhoades  and  M.  O.  Cooley,  deacons.  During 
the  more  than  twelve  years  elapsing  since  their  organization  they  have 
had  only  about  two  years  of  preaching.  The  other  while  the  elders  have 
conducted  the  worship,  and  but  few  Lord’s  days  have  passed  without  the 
meeting  of  the  Sunday-school  and  the  congregation  in  their  regular 
service.  The  ministers  who  served  the  congregation  at  different  times 
are  E.  F.  Taylor,  A.  S.  Johnson  and  N.  G.  Jacks.  For  a number  of 
years  the  congregation  met  at  the  corner  of  Depot  and  Broad  Streets, 
then  at  their  church  house  on  McGhee  Street.  Recently  they  have  built 
a house  of  worship  on  Park  Street,  a very  neat  frame  with  round  tower 
and  cathedral  windows  in  front,  and  having  a seating  capacity  of  500,  and 
there  they  now  regularly  meet  on  Lord’s  day.  The  church  is  now  with- 
out a pastor,  but  efforts  are  being  made  to  have  the  pulpit  filled  for  the 
coming  year. 

The  Church  of  the  Immaculate  Conception,  Roman  Catholic,  was 
established  at  Knoxville  in  1851,  and  from  that  time  until  1855  was 
under  the  care  of  Rev.  Father  H.  Y.  Brown.  The  first  church  building 
was  erected  soon  after  the  organization,  on  AYalnut  Street  near  \rine. 
It  was  used  until  1886,  when  the  present  fine  brick  was  completed.  The 
congregation  now  numbers  over  1,000  members,  and  a Sunday-school  is 
maintained  with  an  attendance  of  about  300.  The  successors  of  Father 


KNOl  COUNTY. 


905 


Brown  have  been  J.  L.  Biemans,  March,  1855,  to  October  24,  1857; 
J.  Bergrath,  October,  1857  to  May,  1865;  A.  J.  Ryan,  May,  1865  to 
June,  1867 ; Joseph  S.  Keane  for  one  year  from  June,  1867,  and  M.  J. 
Finnegan  from  June,  1867  to  July,  1872;  since  the  latter  date  the  church 
has  been  under  the  care  of  Rev.  Francis  Thomas  Marron. 

The  first  Evangelical  Lutheran  congregation  organized  in  Knox 
County  was  Zion,  established  on  May  18,  1823,  seven  and  one-half  miles 
south  of  Knoxville  on  the  “Picken’s  Gap  Road,”  by  Rev.  George 
Easterly.  The  original  members  were  George  Houser,  Peter  Long  and 
Henry  Long,  together  with  their  wives,  to  whom  were  added  upon  the 
day  of  organization  by  confirmation : J acob  and  Frank  Long,  Sarah  and 
Lydia  Hoiiser,  Joseph  Sane,  and  William  Baker  and  wife,  the  latter  of 
whom  is  still  living. 

The  first  building  erected  was  a log  structure,  which  was  occupied 
until  1859,  when  the  present  frame  was  completed  at  a cost  of  $1,200. 
The  pastors  of  this  church  have  been  George  Easterly,  Jacob  M. 
Schaffer,  J.  K.  Hancher,  J.  C.  Bart,  J.  Cloninger  and  George  H.  Cox. 

A second  congregation  was  organized  about  seven  miles  northeast  of 
Knoxville,  about  1829,  by  Rev.  Adam  Miller,  who  became  its  first  pastor. 
Since  his  incumbency,  this  church  has  been  supplied  by  the  same  pastors 
as  Zion  Church.  In  August,  1873,  a congregation,  known  as  Bethel, 
was  organized  about  four  miles  southwest  of  Knoxville  on  the  Maryville 
road,  by  Rev.  George  H Cox,  who  has  since  continued  as  its  pastor. 
The  original  members  were  L.  E.  Williams  and  wife,  A.  A.  Rudder  and 
wife,  Alexander  Henson  and  wife,  Mrs.  S.  Maxey  and  N.  B.  Williams. 

In  1869,  at  the  request  of  Dr.  Passavant,  a benevolent  gentleman  of 
Philadelphia,  Rev.  John  Heckle  came  to  Knoxville  and  organized  an 
Evangelical  Lutheran  Church,  among  the  incorporators  of  which  were 
Peter  Kern,  C.  Sturn  and  John  Aurin.  A frame  house,  31x50  feet,  was 

soon  after  erected  and  dedicated.  At  that  time  there  was  a debt  outstand- 

4 

ing  and  held  by  members  amounting  to  $2,700.  This  was  promptly  and 
generously  canceled  by  the  creditors.  Mr.  Heckle  continued  in  charge 
of  the  church  over  four  years,  and  after  an  interval  of  about  eighteen 
months  was  succeeded  by  the  present  pastor,  J.  George  Schaidt,  a grad- 
uate of  the  Philadelphia  Theological  Seminary.  Under  his  pas- 
torate the  church  has  ereatlv  prospered,  and  now  has  a membership  of 
about  180. 

The  Welsh  Congregational  Church,  of  Knoxville,  was  the  first  church 
of  the  kind  organized  in  the  county.  Many  Welsh  people  came  to  the 
city  from  Pennsylvania  in  April,  1866,  and  were  the  leading  managers 
and  workmen  in  the  rolling  mill.  Many  of  them  were  pious  and  faithful 


900 


HISTORY  OR  TENNESSEE. 


Christians,  and  for  about  three  years  united  themselves  with  the  Second 
Presbyterian  Church,  assembling  for  Divine  worship  in  their  lecture 
room,  but  in  June  they  resolved  to  organize  a congregation  of  their  own, 
and  to  build  a church  edifice  on  Atkin  Street,  in  Mechanicsville,  now  the 
Ninth  Ward.  Accordingly,  a neat  frame  house,  capable  of  seating  about 
250  persons,  was  erected  at  a cost  of  $3,000,  to  which  $1,000  for  improve- 
ments and  repairs  have  since  been  added.  These  amounts  were  paid  by 
the  free  contributions  of  the  Welsh  people,  assisted  by  the  liberal  dona- 
tions of  the  citizens  of  Knoxville  and  other  places.  The  first  trustees 
and  deacons  were  Joseph  Richards,  John  Jones  and  Thomas  Davis. 
On  February  12,  1870,  Rev.  Thomas  Thomas  was  installed  as  pastor, 
and  continued  until  the  close  of  1871.  In  September,  1872,  Rev.  Robert 
D.  Thomas  (Lorthryn  Gwynedd)  commenced  his  ministry,  and  labored 
successfully  for  three  years.  In  July,  1877,  he  returned,  and  continued, 
as  pastor  until  June,  1882,  when  he  resigned,  and  in  November,  1883, 
was  succeeded  by  Rev.  D.  D.  Davis.  The  latter  remained  until  December, 
1885,  since  which  time  Mr.  Thomas  has  served  the  congregation.  A 
good  Sabbath-school,  a Band  of  Hope  and  a temperance  society  are  also 
maintained.  The  present  officers  are  Robert  D.  Thomas,  pastor ; David 
Richards  and  David  C.  Richards,  deacons;  E.  J.  Davis,  treasurer;  David 
J.  Richards,  secretary,  and  E.  J.  Davis,  superintendent  of  the  Sabbath- 
school. 

A preliminary  organization  of  the  Pilgrim  Congregational  Church 
was  made  in  June,  1886,  by  Supt.  C.  C.  Creeg.  In  September 
following  E.  Lyman  Hood  was  called  to  the  pastorate,  and  on  Decem- 
ber 19  the  organization  was  completed  with  twenty-three  members. 
No  house  of  worship  has  yet  been  erected,  but  services  are  held  in  the 
Young  Men’s  Christian  Association  rooms. 

Previous  to  the  war  the  colored  members  of  all  denominations  in 
most  instances  worshiped  with  the  white  congregations,  but  since  that 
time  they  have  maintained  separate  organizations. 

The  First  Baptist  Church  known  as  Mount  Zion  was  organized  in 
March,  1866, by  Rev.  Talton  Emory  with  thirteen  members.  A house  which 
has  since  been  remodeled  and  enlarged  was  erected  in  1869,  and  is  now 
valued  at  $6,000.  The  present  membership  is  nearly  1,000.  Two 
other  Baptist  Churches  have  since  been  organized. 

The  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Zion  Church  was  organized  about 
1866,  and  worshiped  for  a time  in  a house  on  Clinch  Street.  They 
are  now  occupying  their  third  house,  an  excellent  frame  building  erected 
in  1883.  The  membership  of  this  church  is  very  large. 

The  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  organized  in  1884  by 


KNOX  COUNTY.  907 

J.  W.  Grigsby,  and  in  1886  they  erected  a neat  frame  house  on  Cro- 
zier  Street. 

Shiloh  Presbyterian  Church  was  organized  about  1869,  and  is  now 
a member  of  Union  Presbytery.  Its  house  of  worship  is  situated  on 
Clinch  near  Henley.  The  membership  is  about  135. 

The  Second  Congregational  Church  was  organized  April  21,  1883, 
by  S.  P.  Smith,  the  present  pastor,  with  eighteen  members.  Under  the 
auspices  of  the  American  Missionary  Association,  the  Methodist 
Church  on  Mabry  Street  was  purchased,  and  has  since  been  organized. 
The  congregation  numbering  about  sixty  members  includes  some  of  the 
best  colored  citizens  of  the  city. 

Attempts  to  establish  common  schools  in  Knox  County  were  made  as 
early  as  1830,  but,  as  in  other  sections  of  the  State,  little  of  value  was 
accomplished.  Under  the  system  inaugurated  in  1839,  somewhat  more 
benefit  "was  derived  from  them,  but  the  funds  for  their  support  were 
inadequate  and  the  instruction  afforded  by  them  was  of  very  inferior 
character.  Under  the  law  of  1867  an  attempt  was  made  to  put  a sys- 
tem of  public  schools  in  operation,  and  for  a brief  period  considerable 
progress  was  made  in  that  direction.  The  first  school  was  opened  in  the 
Thirteenth  Civil  District  on  May  14,  1865,  and  on  September  13,  1869, 
the  one  hundred  and  twenty-sixth  school  was  opened.  Of  this  number 
twenty-three  were  for  colored  children.  The  lack  of  sufficient  funds  and 
the  irregularity  of  their  payment,  the  absence  of  suitable  hours  and  a 
not  inconsiderable  hostility  on  the  part  of  the  public,  conspired  to 
render  the  system  unsuccessful.  No  tax  was  levied  by  the  county 
court,  and  although  a tax  of  three  mills  on  the  dollar  was  voted  by  the 
citizens  of  Knoxville,  no  levy  was  made  by  the  board  of  aldermen. 
With  the  funds  received  from  the  State,  amounting  to  $2,225.47,  a few 
schools  were  opened  in  the  city,  but  these  ceased,  as  did  those  in  the 
country,  upon  the  repeal  of  the  law  in  December,  1869.  Under  the  law 
of  July,  1870,  the  county  court  levied  a tax  sufficient  to  run  the  schools 
for  four  or  five  months  in  the  year,  but  as  no  county  superintendent  was 
elected,  there  was  a general  lack  of  discipline  and  thoroughness.  The 
county  board  of  education,  composed  of  district  commissioners,  was  too 
unwieldy  and  consequently  inefficient  for  almost  all  practical  purposes. 
In  1873  the  present  school  law  went  into  effect,  and  in  April  of  that  year 
Mr.  T.  C.  Karns  was  elected  county  superintendent.  In  August  the 
boards  of  directors  were  chosen,  and  soon  after  schools  were  organized  in 
every  district.  For  1873  the  rates  of  county  tax  for  school  purposes 
were  10  cents  on  each  $100  worth  of  property,  $1  on  each  poll  and 
ten  per  cent  of  the  privilege  tax.  The  same  rates  were  maintained 


908 


HISTORY  OP  TENNESSEE. 

in  1874  ancl  1875.  The  total  amount  of  money  received  daring  the 
latter  year  from  both  State  and  county  tax  was  $23,698.31,  while  the 
aggregate  expenditures  was  $37,877.72.  The  total  scholastic  population 
was  9,689,  of  whom  5,603  were  enrolled  in  the  schools.  The  number  of 
schools  opened  was  100  white  and  twenty-one  colored. 

Since  that  time  there  has  been  a steady  improvement  in  the  schools 
of  the  county.  Better  houses  have  been  erected,  numerous  institutes 
have  been  held,  thereby  increasing  the  efficiency  of  the  teachers,  the 
schools  have  been  better  graded,  and  the  length  of  the  session  has  been 
increased.  The  county  superintendent  in  his  report  for  1886  says:  “Our 
schools  in  Knox  County  were  in  a very  prosperous  condition  during  the 
past  year.  The  increase  in  scholastic  population,  enrollment  average, 
daily  attendance  and  uniform  grading  show  that  we  have  made  greater 
progress  than  in  any  previous  year.  There  were  in  operation  127  schools, 
the  most  of  which  continued  five  months.  There  were  erected  during  the 
year  five  handsome  school  buildings,  furnished  with  neat  desks  and  com- 
fortable seats,  at  a total  cost  of  $3,700.  The  amount  of  funds  received 
from  the  State  and  county  amounted  to  $34,544,39.  The  expenditures 
aggregated  $35,769,94.  The  scholastic  population  excluding  Knoxville 
was  11,149,  and  the  enrollment  8,749.” 

The  following  named  persons  have  held  the  office  of  county  superinten- 
dent: M.  C.  Wilcox,  T.  C.  Karris,  H.  M.  Brother,  H.  C.  Hamstead, 
W.  C.  Gibbs,  Frank  M.  Smith,  J.  B.  Shipe  and  John  W.  Saylor. 


Biographical  Appendix. 


KNOX  COUNTY. 

H.  M.  Aiken,  president  and  sole  owner  of  the  Tennessee  & Ohio 
Railroad,  was  born  in  Morgan  County,  Ohio,  March  4,  1844,  and  in  early 
boyhood  was  taken  to  Virginia.  He  graduated  at  Washington  and 
Jefferson  College  in  1863,  and  in  the  law  department  of  the  University 
of  Pennsylvania.  A year  later  he  came  to  Knoxville,  and  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  in  1865.  He  practiced  his  profession  five  years,  then  became 
clerk  of  the  United  States  Courts  eight  years,  since  which  time  he  has 
devoted  his  attention  to  railroading  and  steamboating.  The  Tennessee 
V Ohio  Railroad  connects  Rogersville  with  the  East  Tennessee,  Vir- 
ginia & Georgia  Railroad,  and  is  sixteen  miles  in  length;  the  bridge 
over  the  Holston  River  is  said  to  be  the  highest  in  the  State.  This  road 
was  constructed  in  1858,  and  purchased  by  Mr.  Aiken  in  1879.  He  also 
owns  a line  of  steamers,  which  ply  the  St.  John’s  River,  Florida.  In 
1867  he  married  Mary,  daughter  of  Gov.  Brownlow,  to  whom  six 
children  have  been  born,  all  now  living.  William  A.,  the  father,  was 
born  at  Hamburg,  Penn. ; was  a minister  in  the  Presbyterian  Church, 
and  filled  one  charge  in  Virginia  twenty-five  years.  In  1866  he  came 
to  Knoxville,  and  resided  here  until  his  death,  May,  1886.  The  mother, 
Martha  Osborn,  is  a native  of  Ohio,  and  now  resides  in  Knoxville.  Oui 
subject  is  one  of  a family  of  five  children,  two  of  whom  are  deceased. 

Capt.  Samuel  P.  Angel,  now  a prominent  and  influential  citizen  and 
merchant  of  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  is  a son  of  Samuel  and  Martha  G.  (Bur- 
row) Angel.  He  was  born  in  Carter  County,  Tenn.,  in  1840.  His 
father  was  born  in  1807  and  died  in  1872.  His  mother  was  born  in  1813 
and  died  in  1864.  Capt.  Angel  was  reared  in  Elizabetliton,-  Tenn., 
by  parents  who  were  strict  Methodists  in  faith  and  practice,  and  acquired 
an  excellent  education  at  Duifield  Academy  of  that  town.  In  1863  he 
enlisted  in  the  Federal  Army,  joining  Company  G,  Thirteenth  Regiment 
Tennessee  Cavalry,  as  a private,  but  was  soon  promoted  to  orderly  sergeant 
of  that  company,  to  sergeant-major  of  the  regiment  in  1864,  to  adjutant 
of  the  regiment  in  1865,  and  to  captain  of  Company  H in  the  same 
year.  At  the  battle  of  Saulsbury,  N.  C.,  he  was  wounded  in  the  right 


57 


910  BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 

• 

hand,  and  had  a horse  shot  from  under  him.  At  the  close  of  the  war  the 
brigade  to  which  Capt.  Angel’s  company  belonged,  having  been 
ordered  South  in  pursuit  of  Jefferson  Davis,  the  fleeing  ex-President  of 
the  Southern  Confederacy,  he  passed  through  Lexington,  Ga.,  and  was 
the  first  Federal  soldier  to  enter  the  residence  of  Hon.  Alexander  H. 
Stephens  in  a rather  social  call,  and  received  the  kind  hospitalities  of  that 
distinguished  gentleman.  Mr.  Stephens  received  them  most  cordially, 
and  entertained  them  elegantly  at  “ tea,”  and  said  he  supposed  that 
they  had  come  to  arrest  him.  To  his  great  ease  and  comfort  he  was 
informed  that  they  had  neither  instructions  nor  authority  to  do  so.  After 
peace  was  declared  and  the  armies  were  disbanded,  Capt.  Angel  located 
in  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  and  engaged  in  his  present  business  in  October, 
1805,  leading  dealer  in  guns,  sporting  goods,  sewing  machines,  etc.  Tn 
the  same  year  he  married  Miss  Julia  E.  Piper,  then  a member  of  a 
family  of  social  prominence  in  Roger sville,  Tenn.  She  was  the  daughter 
of  William  and  Lucinda  (Real)  Piper,  the  former  a native  of  Virginia, 
and  the  latter  of  Tennessee,  and  was  born  in  1848.  There  were  born 
unto  them  five  children,  three  of  whom  are  living  as  follows:  Blanch, 
Samuel  P.,  Jr.,  and  William  P.  Capt.  Angel  joined  the  Edward 
Maynard  Post,  No.  14,  G.  A.  R.,  of  Knoxville,  the  same  year  of  its 
organization,  and  is  still  an  honored  member  of  the  same.  In  religion 
Capt.  Angel  is  a Methodist,  and  is  an  active,  zealous  and  efficient 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  In  1884  he  was  elected  by 
the  annual  session  of  the  Holston  Conference  a lay  delegate  to  the  gen- 
eral conference  of  that  church,  held  in  Philadelphia,  Penn.,  and  attended 
its  sessions.  For  a number  of  years  he  has  been  prominently  identified 
with  the  Sunday-school  work  of  his  church,  and  the  union  work  of  the 
county,  and  is  at  present  not  only  president  of  the  Knox  County  Sunday- 
school  Convention  for  the  second  time,  but  is  president  of  the  East 
Tennessee  Sunday-school  Convention  for  the  present  year.  Capt. 
Angel  has  an  honorable  record  of  patriotic  and  useful  labor,  and  is  a 
valuable  citizen  of  the  community  in  which  he  lives. 

D.  F.  De  Armond,  an  old  and  prominent  farmer,  was  born  in  Knox 
County  July  17,  1807.  He  is  the  son  of  Richard  I.  and  Rhoda  (Hindi) 
De  Armond,  natives  of  North  Carolina  and  Virginia.  The  father  was 
one  of  the  early  settlers  of  East  Tennessee.  Our  subject  was  educated 
in  tlie  subscription  schools  of  his  native  county,  and  has  never  attended 
a free  school.  His  education  was  very  limited,  but,  notwithstanding  this, 
he  has  acquired,  by  study  and  observation,  sufficient  knowledge  to  enable 
him  to  transact  all  ordinary  business.  In  1831  he  married  Miss  Sarah 
Hines,  a native  of  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  born  December  28,  1812,  and 


KNOX  COUNTY.  911 

died  September  13,  1883.  Slie  was  the  daughter  of  Robert  Hines.  To 
our  subject  and  wife  were  born  twelve  children — ten  sons  and  two  daugh- 
ters. Rive  of  these  children  are  deceased — four  sons  and  a daughter. 
The  daughter  died  when  but  five  years  of  age.  Of  the  four  sons 
deceased  two  lost  their  lives  in  the  Federal  Army  and  one  in  the  Con- 
federate Army.  The  fourth  was  a Federal  soldier,  and  died  of  lung 
disease  a few  years  after  the  close  of  the  war.  The  children  now  living 
are  Columbus.  James,  Dowe,  David,  Marian  and  William.  Our  subject 
was  justice  of  the  peace  for  a number  of  years,  and  was  postmaster  at 
Gap  Creek  for  thirty  years.  He  is  the  owner  of  more  than  800  acres  of 
Knox  County  land,  and  is  a Democrat  in  politics. 

Moses  A.  M.  Armstrong,  register  of  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  was  born 
in  the  year  18,61,  and  is  the  son  of  Thomas  N.  and  Ann  Eliza  (Love) 
Armstrong,  both  natives  of  Knox  County,  Tenn.  The  father  is  a suc- 
cessful farmer,  and  is  now  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  in  this  county. 
Our  subject,  five  brothers  and  one  sister  are  the  surviving  members  of  a 
family  of  eight  children  born  to  the  union  of  their  parents.  Moses 
Armstrong  grew  to  manhood  on  the  farm,  and  secured  a good  education 
at  Asbury,  this  county.  He  is  a charter  member  of  the  land  improve- 
ment company,  of  Knoxville,  which  was  organized  in  December,  1886, 
and  he  was  elected  to  his  present  office  August  5,  1886.  He  is  a young 
man  of  energy  and  push,  and  the  future  is  bright  before  him. 

J.  K.  Ault,  a farmer,  and  a native  of  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  was  born 
December  1,  1834.  He  is  the  son  of  Michael  and  Mary  (Brown)  Ault, 
both  natives  of  Tennessee,  and  of  German  and  Scotch  lineage  respect- 
ively. The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  reared  on  a farm,  and  educated 
in  the  common  schools.  In  1858  he  chose  for  his  companion  in  life 
Miss  Margaret  Karns,  a native  of  Tennessee,  who  bore  him  six  children, 
two  of  whom  are  deceased.  Those  living  are  Charles  L .,  William  G. 
and  James  W.  Charles  L.  was  born  September  18,  1859,  and  is  a con- 
tracting carpenter.  He  married  Miss  Rachel  Rutherford  in  1879,  and 
their  children  are  Lizzie  and  Margaret.  The  next  is  James  W.,  a grocer, 
at  192  Mabry  Street,  Knoxville,  who  was  born  July  26,  1865,  and  who 
married  Miss  Cyntha  J.  Bounds  in  1883.  Two  children,  Bettie  Lee 
and  Lena  May,  have  blessed  this  union.  Our  subject  owns  a farm  of 
seventy-five  acres  of  land  in  the  Second  District  of  Knox  County,  and 
300  acres  in  Loudon  County.  In  1874  his  wife  died,  and  in  1875  he 
married  Miss  Martha  Rutherford,  who  bore  him  four  sons  and  three 
daughters,  one  son  and  one  daughter  being  deceased.  Those  living  are 
Albert  H.,  Henry  A.,  Margaret  D.,  Cyntha  C.  and  Robert  B.  Mr.  Ault 
and  his  sons  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  South, 
and  are  Democrats. 


912 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


R.  D.  Badgett,  farmer,  ivas  born  July  13,  1820,  within  a mile  of 
where  he  now  resides.  He  is  the  sixth  of  eight  children  born  to  Bur- 
well  F.  and  Lucy  (Faulkner)  Badgett.  (For  further  particulars  of  par- 
ents see  sketch  of  B.  F.  Badgett.)  Our  subject  attended  school  several 
years  at  the  East  Tennessee  University,  and  taught  school  during  the 
year  1851.  At  the  age  of  twenty-four  he  engaged  in  business  for  him- 
self and  was  in  only  moderate  circumstances.  Besides  $40,000  which 
was  destroyed  and  stolen  during  the  late  war,  he  owned  a fine  farm  of  1G0 
acres  under  a splendid  state  of  cultivation,  and  located  on  the  Tennessee 
River  nine  miles  southwest  of  Knoxville.  In  March,  1855,  previous  to 
the  war,  he  married  Miss  Eliza  Jane  Reeder,  a native  of  Blount  County, 
born  in  1833  and  the  daughter  of  Maj.  Reeder.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Maj. 
Reeder  were  born  and  reared  in  Virginia.  He  immigrated  to  Tennessee, 
a poor  man,  at  quite  an  early  day,  but  by  industry  has  accumulated 
quite  a fortune.  To  our  subject  and  wife  were  born  these  children: 
Susie  R.,  Barckley  Majors  (deceased),  Susan  Reeder,  Charles,  Nannie  V., 
Cassandria  E.  (Mrs.  C.  N.  Martin),  Elizabeth  Wallace,  Rebecca  J.  and 
Roberta  C.  Mr.  Badgett  is  a Democrat  in  politics,  casting  his  first  pres- 
idential vote  for  James  K.  Polk,  and  he  and  his  family  are  members  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  He  is  a Master  Mason,  and  served  his 
district  as  school  commissioner  two  years. 

B.  F.  Badgett,  a successful  agriculturist  of  the  Eleventh  District, 
was  born  May  4,  1833,  near  the  mouth  of  Little  River.  He  is  one  of 
nine  children  born  to  B.  F.  and  Lucy  (Faulkner)  Badgett,  natives  of 
Buncombe  County,  N.  C.,  where  they  were  reared  and  married.  About 
1813  they  immigrated  to  Tennessee,  settling  near  Stock  Creek  in  Knox 
County.  B.  F.  Badgett,  Sr.,  took  quite  an  interest  in  the  political  affairs 
of  his  county  and  State  and  was  a very  successful  farmer.  He  and  his 
wife  were  of  purely  Irish  descent.  Our  subject  had  excellent  educational 
advantages,  and  lacked  only  six  months  of  graduating  in  the  classical 
course  at  the  East  Tennessee  University.  When  twenty-two  years  of  age 
he  married  Miss  Clementine  Gillespie,  a daughter  of  Cowin  Gillespie,  of 
Blount  County,  Tenn.  The  result  of  this  marriage  was  the  birth  of  six 
children:  William  C.,Lucy  A.  (deceased),  Eglentine  (Mrs.  S.  L.  Tillery), 
Mary  (deceased),  Ransome  N.  and  Florence  C.  Mrs.  Badgett  died 
August  16,  1874,  and  October  23,  1877,  Mr.  Badgett  married  Miss 
Josephine  M.  Cottrell,  a native  of  Knox  County,  and  the  daughter  of 
Samuel  and  Louisa  T.  (Sommers)  Cottrell.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Badgett 
was  born  one  child  named  Rebecca.  Mr.  Badgett  is  a Democrat  in  poli- 
tics and  cast  his  first  presidential  vote  for  James  Buchanan.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  and  his  wife  is  a member  of 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


913 


the  Missionary  Baptist  Church.  He  is  a Master  Mason  and  a prominent 
citizen  of  the  county.  He  has  been  quite  successful  as  a farm  manager 
and  had  accumulated  considerable  property  before  the  war  but  lost  a 
great  deal  of  it  during  that  event.  He  now  owns  418  acres  of  land,  nine 
miles  southwest  of  Knoxville.  He  has  some  rich  deposits  of  very  valua-  ■ 
ble  marble  and  ore  on  his  farm. 

S.  E.  Badgett,  a successful  tiller  of  the  soil,  was  born  February  7, 
1834,  on  a farm,  where  he  has  since  resided.  He  is  the  third  of  nine 
children  born  to  Ransome  and  Sophira  (Hunter)  Badgett.  Ransome 
Badgett  was  born  and  reared  in  Surry  County,  N.  C.,  on  the  Yadkin  River. 
He  came  to  Tennessee  in  1812,  settling  on  the  farm  where  his  son  now 
resides.  He  organized  a company  for  the  war  of  1812,  and  equipped  it  at 
his  own  expense.  He  was  a very  enthusiastic  and  successful  farmer,  and 
accumulated  considerable  property.  He  was  one  of  the  men  who  ran  the 
State  line  between  Georgia  and  Tennessee.  He  died  in  1862,  aged 
about  ninety  years.  He  was  a very  prominent  civil  engineer,  and 
assisted  considerably  in  establishing  the  boundary  lines  of  the  different 
counties  of  his  part  of  the  State,  and  also  made  quite  an  extensive  study 
of  medicine,  his  books  being  purchased  in  England  by  his  father.  His 
father,  James  Badgett,  was  born  and  reared  in  North  Carolina,  where  he 
died.  Ransome  Badgett’s  wife  died  in  1865,  aged  about  seventy-one 
years.  Our  subject  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  Knox  County, 
and  after  reaching  his  majority  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Drucilla 
Sharp,  a native  of  Union  County,  a member  of  the  Missionary  Baptist 
Church,  and  the  daughter  of  Andrew  and  Sinai  (Zackery)  Sharp.  Mr. 
Badgett  inherited  some  property  from  his  father,  but  by  his  success  as  a 
farmer,  manager  and  practical  business  man,  has  added  considerable  to 
what  he  then  received.  He  owns  125  acres  of  splendid  land  well 
improved  and  well  cultivated,  situated  nine  miles  southwest  of  Knoxville. 
He  is  a Democrat  in  politics,  and  cast  his  first  presidential  vote  for  the 
Whig  candidate  of  1856. 

J.  H.  Ballard,  dairyman,  was  born  in  Albemarle  County,  Va.,  August 
17,  1838.  He  received  a common-school  education,  and  grew  to  manhood 
on  the  farm.  He  began  for  himself  by  collecting  for  people  in  Char- 
lottsville,  Ya.  In  1861  he  joined  the  Confederate  Army  as  a private  in 
Company  K,  Second  Virginia  Calvary.  This  corps,  before  it  was  known 
as  Company  K,  was  called  “Albemarle  Light  Horse.”  He  reached  the 
rank  of  captain,  and  was  in  many  of  the  principal  battles  and  skirmishes. 
He  served  fourteen  years  of  his  life  as  deputy  collector,  deputy  marshal 
and  United  States  Gauger  in  Virginia.  In  1863  he  married  Miss  Sallie 
A.  Whitehead,  of  Nelson  County,  Va.,  who  is  the  daughter  of  Floyd  L. 


914 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


Whitehead,  of  Virginia.  To  this  union  were  born  eight  sons  and  one 
daughter,  two  of  the  sons  being  deceased.  Mr.  Ballard  came  to  Knox- 
ville, Tenn.,  in  1886,  purchased  a tract  of  ninety  acres  of  land  situated 
near  Knoxville  and  in  the  Second  District.  On  this  tract  he  is  farming1 
and  dairying.  He  is  not  a political  schemer,  but  is  a faithful  Repub- 
lican. He  is  the  son  of  Thomas  and  Lucy  B.  (Duke)  Ballard. 

A.  A.  Barnes,  a retired  lawyer,  at  present  engaged  in  farming,  was 
born  in  Chelsea,  Vt.,  in  1821,  and  is  the  second  of  four  children 
born  to  Henry  and  Hannah  (Rolfe)  Barnes,  both  born  and  reared 
in  Massachusetts.  His  grandfathers  were  both  soldiers  in  the  Revo- 
lutionary war.  Our  subject  graduated  at  the  University  of  Vermont 
in  1845,  and  studied  law  at  Knoxville  under  Horace  Maynard.  He 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1849,  and  then  practiced  law  with  Mr. 
Maynard,  afterward  with  Maj.  Thomas  C.  Lyon.  He  married  Miss 
Louisa  T.  Lyon,  the  daughter  of  William  and  Mary  Payne  (Clark) 
Lyon,  natives  of  Maryland  and  Virginia  respectively.  Mr.  Lyon 
came  to  Tennessee  when  eighteen  years  old,  and  shortly  after  his 
marriage  moved  to  Knox  County,  where  he  remained  until  his  death. 
He  was  appointed  marshal  of  East  Tennessee  by  Gen.  Jackson  in  1828. 
Mrs.  Barnes  is  the  youngest  of  eight  children.  Her  brother,  Maj.  Lyon, 
was  an  aid-de-camp  under  Gen.  Wool  in  removing  the  Indians  from  Ten- 
nessee to  Indian  Territory,  was  quite  a prominent  and  successful  lawyer 
at  Knoxville,  and  was  appointed  supreme  judge  of  Tennessee  to  fill  the 
unexpired  term  of  the  judge  deceased.  Capt.  William  Lyon,  great 
grandfather  of  Mrs.  A.  A.  Barnes,  donated  the  land  and  built  the  first 
Presbyterian  Church  in  Baltimore,  Md.  Mrs.  Barnes  has  a gold  watch 
which  was  brought  to  America  by  Capt.  William  Lyon,  Sr.,  and  is  about 
one  hundred  and  fifty  years  old,  a relic  of  a past  age.  To  our  subject 
and  wife  were  born  three  children:  Susan  Wallace  (deceased),  Mary 
Rolfe  and  Lou  Lyon  (now Mrs.  Rev.  F.  E.  Sturgis,  D.  D. ).  Mr.  Barnes 
was  formerly  a Whig,  but  now  votes  with  the  Democratic  party.  He  and 
wife  and  family  are  members  of  the  Second  Presbyterian  Church  in 
Knoxville.  During  the  late  war  he  was  general  ticket  and  freight  agent 
on  the  East  Tennessee,  Virginia  & Georgia  Railroad.  After  the  war  he 
was  appointed  general  ticket  and  freight  agent  on  the  Memphis  & 
Charleston  Railroad  for  seven  years.  He  originated  and  signed  the  first 
bill  of  lading  of  cotton  from  Memphis  to  Liverpool.  He  is  a prominent 
member  of  the  I.  O.  0.  F.,  and  is  Past  Grand  Master  of  Tennessee,  and 
is  also  Past  Grand  Representative  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  the  United 
States.  He  is  a ruling  elder  of  his  church,  and  was  twice  appointed 
commissioner  to  the  general  assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church, 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


915 


•J.  F.  Baumann,  senior  member  of  the  firm  of  Baumann  Bros.,  and 
the  leading  architect  of  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  was  born  in  Monroe  County, 
Tenn.,  January  1(3,  1844,  and  is  a son  of  William  and  Catherine  (Snyder) 
Baumann,  both  natives  of  Germany.  They  came  to  America  when  young, 
and  were  married  in  New  York.  Later  they  found  their  way  to  Monroe 
County.  Tenn.  The  father  was  an  architect  and  builder.”  In  1854  they 
moved  to  Knoxville  where  the  mother  is  still  living.  Our  subject  was 
educated  in  that  city,  and  in  early  life  learned  the  carpenter’s  trade,  as 
he  progressed  he  also  commenced  taking  contracts.  Since  1876  he  has 
devoted  his  energies  to  architecture.  Among  the  prominent  buildings 
for  which  he  has  furnished  plans  are  the  First  Baptist  Church,  Broad- 
street  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  Catholic  Church.  Third  Presbyterian 
Church,  Staubs’  Theatre,  the  Girls  High  School  building  and  nearly  all 
of  the  ward  school  buildings  in  the  city.  Besides  he  has  planned  some  of 
the  finest  residences  and  business  blocks  in  the  city.  In  1878  he  mar- 
ried Miss  Ella  K.  McCafferty  of  Alexandria,  Ya.,  and  they  have  now 
three  children — one  son  and  two  daughters.  Mr.  Baumann  is  a member  of 
the  Third  Presbyterian  Church,  having  been  deacon  for  several  years. 
He  is  also  a member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity;  a member  of  the 
Western  Association  of  Architects,  and  he  is  also  vice-president  of  the 
State  association  of  architects.  He  is  thoroughly  identified  with  the 
progress  and  advancement  of  the  city,  and  enjoys  the  respect  and  confi- 
dence of  the  entire  community.  Mrs.  Baumann  is  a member  of  the 
Baptist  Church. 

William  M.  Baxter,  general  solicitor  for  the  East  Tennessee  Rail- 
road system,  was  born  August  30,  1850,  in  Alexander,  N.  C.  He  is  the 
eldest  son  of  Hon.  John  Baxter,  who  appears  in  the  State  department 
of  this  work.  William  was  brought  to  Knoxville  when  six  years  of  age, 
and  here  received  his  primary  education.  He  finished  his  education  at 
Earlham  College,  Richmond,  Ind. ; at  Kenyon  College,  Gambier,  Ohio, 
and  at  Hobart  College,  Geneva,  N.  Y.,  graduating  from  the  last  named 
institution  in  1870  as  fourth  in  a large  class.  He  then  began  read- 
ing law  under  his  father,  and  two  years  later  was  admitted  to  the  bar, 
becoming  a partner  of  his  father.  In  1875  he  moved  to  Chattanooga  in 
order  to  practice  his  profession,  but  three  years  later,  his  father  having 
been  appointed  United  States  circuit  judge,  he  returned  to  Knoxville 
and  took  up  the  large  practice  of  his  father.  In  1880  he  married  Mary, 
daughter  of  John  Kirkman,  of  Nashville,  and  to  them  were  born  two 
children:  John  K.  and  William  M.  In  1882  Mr.  Baxter  was  chosen  to 
his  present  position  and  in  1886  he  was  nominated  Republican  candidate 
for  supreme  judge  of  the  State,  and  though  defeated  he  had  the  satisfac- 


916 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


tion  of  running  over  1,000  votes  ahead  of  his  ticket.  Mr.  Baxter,  like  his 
father,  has  shown  himself  to  be  a very  able  man  before  a jury.  Both 
he  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Episcopal  Church. 

Herman  G.  Bayless,  M.  I).,  a successful  practioner  of  Knoxville, 
Term.,  was  born  in  Covington,  Ky.,  March,  25,  1854,  and  is  the  son  of 
John  C.  and  Bosa  (Lewis)  Bayless.  The  father  was  born  in  Louisville, 
Ky.,  and  was  a prominent  minister  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  Pre- 
vious to  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1875,  he  was  minister  in  charge  of 
the  First  Presbyterian  Church,  of  Covington  and  Ashland  Ky.  The 
mother  was  a native  of  South  Carolina,  born  in  1826  and  died  in  1858. 
Our  subject  was  reared  in  Covington  and  Ashland  Ky.,  and  acquired  his 
literary  education  at  Center  College,  situated  at  Danville,  Ky.  In  1873 
he  entered  the  Ohio  Medical  College,  at  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  where  he 
graduated  in  1878.  He  then  passed  a year  at  the  Good  Samaritan  Hos- 
pital of  Cincinnati,  after  which  he  began  the  practice  of  medicine  at 
Augusta,  Ky.,  where  he  remained  until  1883.  He  then  went  to  Europe, 
and  spent  two  years  in  the  hospitals  of  Vierna,  Austria,  and  London, 
England.  He  returned  to  America,  and  in  January,  1886,  located  in 
Knoxville,  where  he  has  since  resided  practicing  his  profession.  June 
25,  1879,  he  married  Miss  Mary  Armstrong,  of  Augusta,  Ky.,  who  is  the 
daughter  of  Hon.  A.  C.  Armstrong  (deceased).  To  them  has  been  born 
one  child,  Herman  A.  Dr.  Bayless  is  a member  of  the  Masonic,  A.  L. 
of  H.,  and  other  benovelent  associations  of  Knoxville.  He  and  wife 
are  members  of  the  Second  Presbyterian  Church. 

Capt.  F.  C.  Beaman  is  a native  of  Malone,  N.  Y.,  born  Dec.  25,  1836. 
He  received  a collegiate  education  at  Middleberry  College,  Vt.,  and 
upon  him  was  conferred  the  honorary  degree  of  A.  M.,  but  his  joining 
the  United  States  Army  precluded  his  receiving  the  degree  of  A.  B.  He 
enlisted  as  a private  in  Company  G,  Ninety-eighth  New  York  Volunteers, 
and  was  promoted  through  the  successive  ranks  of  his  company  until  he 
became  captain.  He  received  the  last  promotion  for  gallantry  displayed 
at  the  battle  of  Cold  Harbor.  After  the  war  he  located  in  Knox  County, 
Tenn.,  and  in  1866  engaged  in  teaching  school.  In  1868  he  married 
Miss  Mary  J.  Sherrod,  daughter  of  Jonathan  Sherrod:  She  was  born 

in  Tennessee,  June  13,  1850,  and  to  her  marriage  were  born  four  sons 
and  three  daughters:  Orin  C.,  Ruth,  Blanche,  Clarence,  Maggie,  Ernest 

Andrew  and  James  Garfield.  After  teaching  in  the  graded  schools 
of  Knox  and  Sevier  Counties  for  ten  years  Mr.  Beaman  received  the 
chair  of  ancient  languages  in  the  Grant  Memorial  University  at  Athens, 
Tenn.,  where  he  remained  for  four  years,  and  then  resigned  on  account 
of  ill  health.  He  removed  to  Knox  County  and  began  farming,  having 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


917 


purchased  land  near  Knoxville,  on  which  he  has  carried  on  farming  and 
dairying  until  recently.  He  is  now  engaged  in  building  and  arranging 
a pleasure  park,  which  consists  of  forty-five  acres,  in  which  is  a lake  con- 
taining ten  acres  and  a school  of  springs  which  are  noted  for  their  medi- 
cinal properties.  He  has  selected  a healthful  and  beautiful  spot,  which 
promises  to  be  a favorite  resort  for  pleasure  and  health.  The  park  is 
situated  two  and  a half  miles  from  the  center  of  the  city,  and  one  mile 
beyond  the  terminus  of  the  Bell  Avenue  and  Mabry  Street  Railroad  line. 
Mr.  Beaman  is  a Republican  iu  politics,  and  he,  wife  and  eldest  three 
children  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  He  is  an 
excellent  citizen,  and  is  well  liked  by  all  wdio  know  him.  He  is  the  son 
of  Timothy  and  Rebecca  (Allen)  Beaman.  The  father  was  a native  of 
Vermont  and  was  elected  representative  to  the  New  York  Legislature. 
He  was  the  brother  of  F.  C.  Beaman,  of  Adrain,  Mich.,  who  served 
twelve  years  in  the  United  States  Congress.  The  mother  was  a native 
of  New  York,  and  was  related  to  the  Allens  of  Revolutionary  fame. 

J.  N.  Betterton,  of  the  firm  of  Betterton  & Co.,  wholesale  liquor 
dealers  of  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  is  a native  of  Campbell  County,  Va.,  born 
August  22,  1843,  and  the  son  of  Thomas  and  Charlotte  (Callaway)  Bet- 
terton, both  natives  of  Virginia.  The  father  was  born  in  1807,  was  a 
merchant  farmer  and  died  in  1861.  The  mother  was  born  in  1811  and 
died  in  1872.  Our  subject  was  reared  in  the  county  of  his  birth,  and 
educated  at  Bristol,  Tenn.  In  August,  1861,  he  enlisted  in  the  Confed- 
erate Army,  joining  Staunton  Hill  Artillery, with  which  he  served  through- 
out the  war.  He  removed  to  Tennessee  in  1868,  and  located  at  Knoxville, 
where  he  engaged  in  the  wholesale  liquor  business  as  a member  of  the 
firm  of  W.  J.  Betterton  & Bros.  In  1870  he  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Mrs.  Zephana  Steptoe,  of  Virginia,  who  was  born  in  1843,  and  who  is 
the  daughter  of  J.  H.  Whitlow,  a member  of  the  firm  of  Betterton  & Co. 
She  is  a member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  In  1880  our  sub- 
ject became  a member  of  the  present  firm.  He  is  a member  of  the  Felix 
K.,  Zollicoffer  Camp,  No.  3,  Confederate  Veterans,  and  also  of  the  Chil- 
liowee  Club,  of  Knoxville. 

Adam  B.  Blake,  farmer  and  one  of  the  oldest  living  citizens  of  Knox 
County,  Tenn.,  was  born  in  South  Carolina  September  4,  1800,  and  is  the 
son  of  John  Blake,  a native  of  Ireland,  who  was  born  April  14,  1766,  and 
died  April  3, 1850.  The  mother  was  a native  of  Ireland,  born  December 
15,  1773,  and  died  November  13,  1837.  Her  father  was  a native  of  Ire- 
land, born  December  2,  1768,  and  completed  his  education  in  Glasgow, 
Scotland;  came  to  Pennsylvania,  and  here  married  Miss  Mary  Smith ; 
came  to  Tennessee  and  settled  in  Knox  County,  rearing  ten  children ; was 


918 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


a beloved  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  died  August  30,  1826. 
His  wife  was  born  in  Pennsylvania  April  10,  1777,  and  died  October  11, 
1853.  Our  subject  received  a very  limited  education  in  the  common 
schools,  and  in  1824  came  to  Tennessee,  settled  in  the  Seventeenth  Dis- 
trict of  Knox  County,  where  in  the  same  year  he  wedded  Miss  Jane  M.  I. 
Kennedy,  daughter  of  Rev.  James  Kennedy.  She  was  born  in  Knox 
County  February  14,  1806,  and  from  her  girlhood  has  been  a member  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church.  Air.  Blake  has  also  been  a member  of  the 
same  church  from  early  youth.  Nine  children  were  the  result  of  our 
subject’s  marriage,  one,  James  K.,  died  when  forty-two  years  of  age,  he 
was  the  eldest  of  the  family.  The  remainder  of  the  family  who  are  mar- 
ried and  living  in  Knox  County,  are  Mary  Jane,  John  T.,  Emily  W., 
Willi  am  H.,  Nancy  E.,  Eliza  A.,  Adam  B.  and  Samuel  M.  Our  subject 
is  a successful,  enterprising  farmer,  and  has  accumulated  considerable 
wealth.  He  is  the  owner  of  600  acres  of  land  in  Knox  County,  which 
are  well  improved.  He  has  not  been  much  of  a politician,  but  inclines 
toward  the  Democratic  party. 

John  T.  Blake,  farmer,  was  born  in  Knox 'County,  Tenn.,  January  23, 
1833.  He  is  the  son  of  Adam  B.  and  Jane  M.  I.  (Kennedy)  Blake, 
natives  of  South  Carolina  and  Tennessee  respectively.  Our  subject  was 
educated  in  the  common  schools  of  his  native  county,  and  early  in  life 
turned  his  attention  to  farming,  which  occupation  he  has  followed  succes- 
fully  ever  since.  In  1861  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Martha  E. 
Cobb,  a native  of  Knox  County,  born  March  5,  1845.  Two  sons  and  four 
daughters  have  blessed  this  union.  One  son,  Samuel  A.,  an  done  daugh- 
ter Martha  J.,  are  married.  The  son,  a farmer,  married  Miss  Mary 
Hodges,  and  the  daughter  married  Robert  Kennedy,  a farmer.  Our  sub- 
ject is  the  owner  of  412  acres  of  tine  land  in  the  Sixteenth,  Seventeenth 
and  Twenty-third  Districts  of  Knox  County,  and  is  considered  one  of  the 
wide-a-wake,  thorough -going  farmers  of  the  county.  He  is  a Democrat 
in  politics,  and  for  more  than  thirty  years  has  been  a zealous  member  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church. 

William  PI.  Blake,  farmer,  was  born  in  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  January 
23,  1838.  He  is  the  son  of  Adam  B.  and  Jane  M.  J.  (Kennedy)  Blake, 
natives  of  North  Carolina  and  Tennessee,  born  in  1800  and  1806  respect- 
ively. Our  subject  secured  his  primary  education  in  the  common  country 
schools,  and  later  attended  Holston  College  in  Blount  County.  After 
leaving  the  latter  institution  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  A. 
Cobb,  who  presented  him  with  five  children:  Margaret  J.,  born  February 
13,  1866;  James  K.,  born  December  25,  1866;  Alice  E.,  born  December 
27,  1872;  Robert  B.,  born  February  26,  1877,  and  Anna  Porter,  born 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


919 


May  14,  1879.  Mr.  Blake  owns  over  250  acres  of  land  in  the  Sixteenth 
District  and  100  acres  in  the  Twenty-third  District  of  Knox  County, 
Tenn.  This  land  is  well  improved,  and  our  subject  has  a comfortable 
home.  He  takes  a great  interest  in  farming  and  stock  raising,  in  which 
he  is  quite  successful.  He  is  a stanch  Democrat  in  politics,  and  he  and 
wife  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

George  Bond,  farmer,  was  born  October  21,  1796,  in  Virginia,  and 
with  his  father  moved  to  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  December  25,  1802,  set- 
tling in  the  neighborhood  where  Mr.  George  Bond  has  since  resided. 
He  is  the  eldest  of  thirteen  children  born  to  Isaac  and  Sarah  (Fryar) 
Bond.  Isaac  Bond  was  a very  successful  farmer  and  highly  respected 
citizen.  Mrs.  Bond  was  born  and  reared  in  Ireland.  Her  father.  Will- 
iam Fryar,  immigrated  to  America  about  the  time  of  the  Revolutionary 
war,  settling  in  Knox  County  within  three  miles  of  where  Mr.  Bond  now 
resides.  George  Bond,  grandfather  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was 
born  and  reared  in  England  as  wTas  also  his  wife,  Elizabeth  Bond.  The 
latter  was  disinherited  on  account  of  her  marriage,  and  she  and  her  hus- 
band immigrated  to  Virginia,  where  they  reared  a family  of  seven  chil- 
dren of  which  number  Isaac  Bond,  father  of  subject,  was  the  third  child. 
Our  subject  received  his  education  after  he  was  twenty-one  years  of  age, 
while  on  a trip  down  the  river  on  a flatboat  in  Alabama.  He  remained  three 
months  to  dispose  of  his  boat  load  of  produce,  and  while  there  attended 
school.  When  twenty-five  years  of  age  he  married  Miss  Eliza  Swan, 
daughter  of  James  and  Catherine  Swan.  Nine  children  were  the  result 
of  our  subject’s  marriage:  James  A.,  a prominent  physician  for  many 
years;  Sarah  L.  ( Mrs.  J.  N.  Seaton)  ; Hugh  M.  (deceased)  ; Isaac  hi.,  a 
successful  merchant  in  McMinn  County,  Tenn. ; Catherine  J.  ( Mrs.  H. 
Teclford,  deceased) ; Isabella  C.  (Mrs.  H.  Tedford)  ; Stephen  F.,  a promi- 
nent farmer  of  Limestone  County,  Texas;  Mary  Eliza,  and  Martha 
(deceased).  Mrs.  Bond  died  in  1868,  and  Mr.  Bond  took  for  his  second 
wife  June  11,  1872,  Mrs.  Mary  Rhea  formerly  Miss  Mary  Rockhold. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bond  are  members  of  the  Southern  General  Assembly  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church.  Mr.  Bond  has  been  a member  of  the  church 
sixty-three  years,  and  has  been  a ruling  elder  in  the  same  for  sixty  years. 
He  has  resided  in  the  locality  where  he  now  lives  eiglity-four  years,  and 
has  reared  a family  of  eight  children,  who  are  among  the  most  intelligent 
and  respected  citizens  of  the  different  localities  where  they  live.  Mr. 
Bond  has  left  the  impress  of  his  most  excellent  influence,  not  only  upon 
his  children  but  upon  all  with  whom  he  comes  in  contact.  In  politics 
Mr.  Bond  is  Democratic,  casting  his  first  presidential  vote  for  the  Whig 
candidate  of  1820.  He  has  been  a remarkably,  energetic  and  successful 


920 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


farmer.  He  owns  500  acres  of  excellent  land  twelve  miles  west  of  Knox- 
ville, 225  of  which  are  well  improved  and  well  cultivated.  On  this  farm 
are  very  rich  deposits  of  marble,  the  finest  to  be  found  in  Tennessee.  Mrs. 
Bond  was  a daughter  of  William  and  Harriet  (Netherland)  Bnckliold, 
natives  of  Maryland  and  Virginia,  and  were  of  English  and  German 
descent  respectively.  Mr.  Rockhold  was  magistrate  of  his  district  for 
about  twenty-five  years.  Mr.  John  Netherland,  uncle  of  Mrs.  Bond,  was 
for  many  years  a prominent  attorney  at  Roger ville,  and  was  a candidate 
for  governor  against  Isam  G.  Harris. 

James  W.  Bowman,  farmer  and  hunter,  was  born  in  Knox  County, 
Tenn.,  July  10,  1823,  and  is  the  son  of  Samuel  and  Elizabeth  (Green) 
Bowman.  The  father  was  born  in  Virginia,  June  8,  1783,  was  a success- 
ful farmer,  and  was  brevetted  captain  in  the  war  of  1812.  He  died  at  his 
home  in  1874,  having  lived  eighty-nine  years  within  five  miles  of  that 
place.  Our  subject  received  a fair  education,  and  soon  began  cultivating 
the  soil.  In  1845  he  married  Miss  Mary  Goddard,  a native  of  Knox 
County,  Tenn.,  born  January  14,  1827,  and  the  daughter  of  John  and 
Ann  Goddard.  To  this  union  were  born  eight  children  of  whom  four  sons 
and  one  daughter  are  now  living.  These  are  Dr.  S.  G. ; Joseph  S.,  a 
farmer;  Isabella  (Mrs.  J.  D.  Winkle),  and  W.  P.  and  John  C.  who  are 
farming  with  their  father.  Our  subject  is  the  owner  of  1,000  acres  of 
land,  all  in  one  body,  situated  on  the  French  Broad  River.  The  land  is 
well  improved  and  contains  fine  marble.  Mr.  Bowman  is  an  energetic 
farmer  and  is  quite  comfortably  situated.  He  frequents  the  Cumberland 
and  Smoky  Mountains,  and  often  has  the  good  fortune  to  bring  down 
deer  or  other  game.  For  the  last  few  years  he  has  been  going  to  the 
Smoky  Mountains  to  spend  the  fall  of  the  year,  and  with  his  fine  pack  of 
hounds,  killed  thirteen  deer  at  one  time.  Mr.  Bowman  is  a strong 
Democrat,  and  has  served  as  justice  of  the  peace  and  also  as  deputy  sheriff. 
He  is  at  present  taking  much  interest  in  the  raising  of  live  stock,  espe- 
cially Shorthorn  cattle. 

Samuel  B.  Boyd,  of  the  firm  of  Boyd  & Caswell  furniture  dealers, 
was  born  in  Virginia  in  1828,  and  received  his  education  in  his  native 
State.  In  1851  he  came  to  Knoxville,  and  in  1853  married  Isabella  R. 
Boyd,  a native  of  Knoxville,  Tenn. ; the  fruits  of  this  union  were 
eight  children,  seven  now  living.  In  1857  Mr.  Boyd  embarked  in  the 
dry  goods  trade,  in  the  firm  of  Piper  & Boyd,  which  firm  existed  only 
about  one  year,  after  which  our  subject  continued  the  business  alone  until 
1861,  when  he  entered  the  Confederate  service,  serving  in  the  ordnance 
department  until  captured  at  Bristol  and  taken  to  Camp  Chase,  where  he 
was  held  prisoner  until  the  close  of  the  war.  He  then  returned  to  Knox- 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


921 


ville  and  became  a member  of  the  dry  goods  firm  of  Rayl  & Boyd,  where 
he  remained  until  1871,  after  which  he  handled  carpets  and  house  furnish- 
ing goods  alone  until  1880;  the  present  firm  was  formed  in  August,  1880. 
He  is  a director  in  the  East  Tennessee  Insurance  Company,  also  director 
of  Gray  Cemetery  for  the  last  twenty-eight  years.  He  has  been  treas- 
urer of  the  State  Deaf  and  Dumb  Asylum  for  twelve  years,  and  trustee  of 
the  same  for  twenty-eight  years.  For  fifteen  years  he  was  secretary  of 
the  board  of  East  Tennessee  National  Bank  and  has  been  director  ever 
since  its  organization.  He  was  a member  of  the  executive  committee 
for  eighteen  years.  He  was  the  second  of  a family  of  five  children  ( two 
now  living)  born  to  James  S.  and  Elizabeth  (King)  Boyd,  natives  of 
Martinsburg,  Va.,  where  the  mother  died  in  1833.  The  father  then 
moved  to  Illinois  four  years  later,  and  engaged  in  merchandising  for 
many  years  in  Carmi,  White  County.  His  death  occurred  in  1883. 

Samuel  B.  Boyd.  M.  D.,  junior  member  of  the  well  known  firm  of  physi- 
cians, J.  M.  and  S.  B.  Boyd,  of  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  was  born  in  that  city 
March  24,  1853,  and  is  the  son  of  Samuel  B.  and  Susan  H.  (Mason) 
Boyd,  natives  of  Virginia.  The  father  was  a prominent  member  of  the 
Knoxville  bar,  and  occupied  a position  on  the  chancery  court  bench ; 
he  died  in  1855.  The  mother  died  in  1885.  Our  subject  was  reared  in 
Knoxville,  and  finished  his  literary  education  at  the  University  of  Ten- 
nessee, entering  the  preparatory  department  of  that  institution  in  1866, 
and  graduating  in  1873.  He  at  once  began  the  study  of  medicine  with  his 
brother,  Dr.  John  M.  Boyd,  in  Knoxville,  and  during  the  years  1873-75, 
attended  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  at  Philadelphia,  where  he 
graduated  in  1875.  He  then  returned  to  Knoxville,  and  at  once  began 
practicing  his  profession  which  he  has  continued  up  to  the  present  with 
evident  success.  He  is  a member  of  the  Knox  County  Medical  Society, 
of  which  he  has  served  as  president,  secretary  and  treasurer,  and  is  the 
present  secretary  of  the  city  board  of  health.  In  1876  he  married  Miss 
Maggie  A.  Baker,  a native  of  Tennessee,  born  at  Sinking  Creek  in  1857, 
and  the  daughter  of  Dr.  Harvey  Baker.  Two  children  were  the  fruits  of 
this  union,  one,  D.  W.  Boyd,  is  living.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Boyd  are 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  South. 

John  Wilson  Boyd,  agent  of  the  Eastern  Tennessee,  Virginia  & 
Georgia  Railroad  Company  at  Concord,  Tenn.,  was  born  March  7,  1833, 
in  Knox  County,  and  within  four  miles  of  where  he  now  resides.  He  is 
one  of  seven  children  (two  now  living)  born  to  Thomas  and  Anna  (Wil- 
son) Boyd.  The  father  was  born  January  8,  1781,  in  Knox  County, 
and  died  in  1876.  He  was  well  educated,  and  was  nominated  for  repre- 
sentative of  Knox  County,  but  declined  the  nomination,  although  urged 


922 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


strongly  by  bis  friends  to  accept.  He  was  greatly  interested  in  the 
advancement  of  all  religious  and  educational  enterprises,  and  was  also 
very  active  in  effecting  the  construction  and  building  of  the  East  Ten- 
nessee & Georgia  Railroad.  He  was  an  elder  in  the  church  to  which  he 
belonged  for  many  years.  Mrs.  Boyd  was  born  in  Anderson  County, 
Tenn.,  in  1799,  and  died  in  1853.  She  was  a devoted  Christian  worker,  and 
an  excellent  woman.  J.  W.  Boyd  received  his  education  principally  at 
Cumberland  University,  where  he  graduated  in  1856,  the  first  literary 
graduate  who  attended  that  institution  from  East  Tennessee.  He  ranked 
with  the  best  students  in  mathematics,  and  was  a good  student  in  the 
other  branches.  After  graduating  he  taught  school,  and  shortly  after- 
ward was  offered,  and  accepted,  the  presidency  of  Ewing  and  Jefferson 
College,  in  Blount  County,  which  position  he  held  until  the  close  of  the 
war.  He  then  moved  to  his  farm  near  Concord,  and  taught  school  and 
farmed  for  the  following  two  years.  In  1866  he  was  offered  (unsolicited, 
by  Mr.  Boyd),  and  accepted,  the  position  he  now  occupies.  He  is  a mem- 
ber of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church,  having  been  elder  and 
clerk  of  the  session  for  many  years.  He  is  a member  of  the  Masonic 
fraternity,  of  which  he  was  Worshipful  Master  for  several  years.  Previ- 
ous to  the  war  he  was  a Whig  in  politics,  but  later  voted  the  Democratic 
ticket,  and  at  present  votes  with  the  Prohibition  party,  and  takes  a great 
interest  in  the  advancement  of  the  temperance  interests.  He  has  been 
solicited  by  his  friends  many  times  to  accept  the  nomination  of  repre- 
sentative from  Knox  County.  In  1856  he  married  Miss  Mahulda  J. 
Lester,  who  was  born  in  1835,  and  who  is  the  daughter  of  Henry  D.  and 
Mai  inda  Lester,  of  Lebanon,  Tenn.  Mr.  Lester  was  high  sheriff  of  Wil- 
son County  for  many  years,  and  was  a prominent  citizen  of  that  county. 
Ten  children  were  the  result  of  our  subject’s  marriage:  Alice E.,  John  L. 
(now  clerk  in  the  East  Tennessee  National  Bank,  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  and 
was  train  dispatcher  for  some  time),  Henry  D.  (a  merchant  of  Concord, 
Tenn.  ),  Thomas  A.  (Western  Union  Telegraph  operator  at  Nashville), 
William  J.  (telegraph  operator  at  Concord),  Minnie  A.,  Lavinia  J. 
(deceased),  Edwin  T.,  Mamie  E.  and  Freddie  M.  (deceased).  Mrs. 
Boyd  was  reared  in  the  Baptist  Church,  but  after  her  marriage  attached 
herself  to  the  church  of  her  husband’s  choice,  and  with  him  has  ever 
since  been  a devoted  member. 

H.  L.  Bradley,  dealer  in  wall  paper  and  shades,  was  born  in  Knox 
County  April  27,  1827.  He  was  reared  on  a farm  and  educated  in  the 
common  schools.  He  came  to  Knoxville  in  1848,  and  here  learned  the 
carpenter’s  trade,  at  which  he  worked  until  1855,  and  then  went  in  the 
car  shops,  being  boss  of  the  wood  work  of  the  East  Tennessee,  Virginia 


KNOX  COUNTY.  923 

& Georgia  Railroad.  He  continued  at  this  business  until  1864,  when  he 
began  merchandising  in  a general  way,  continuing  until  1876,  when  he 
changed  his  line  of  business  to  the  present.  In  1852  he  married  Miss 
Margaret  C.  York,  of  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  and  the  fruits  of  this  union 
were  eight  children,  fixe  living — one  son  and  four  daughters.  He  is  a 
Republican  in  politics,  and  for  twenty-three  years  has  been  in  business 
in  Knoxville.  By  his  own  efforts  and  industry  he  has  accumulated  con- 
siderable property,  and  is  now  in  comfortable  circumstances.  He  was 
one  of  seven  children,  six  now  living,  born  to  John  and  Malinda  (Dowell ) 
Bradley,  both  natives  of  Virginia.  The  father  was  born  about  1772.  He 
was  a soldier  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  a farmer  by  occupation.  The 
mother  came  with  her  parents  to  Tennessee  at  an  early  day. 

T.  J.  Bradley,  a miller  of  the  firm  of  Peters  & Bradley,  was  born 
January  1,  1834,  in  Knox  County.  He  is  one  of  the  eleven  children  born 
to  Archlers  and  Nancy  (Bradley)  Bradley,  natives  of  Virginia.  They 
came  to  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  and  here  passed  the  remainder  of  their 
days.  Our  subject  received  a good  common-school  education,  and  was 
thrown  upon  his  own  resources  when  twenty-one  years  of  age.  He  first 
engaged  in  farming,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-two  chose  for  his  companion 
during  life  Miss  Evaline  Ledgerwood,  a daughter  of  William  and  Ailcy 
Ledgerwood.  This  union  resulted  in  the  birth  of  six  children:  Charlton 
W.,  Ailcy  (widow  of  John  Thompson),  George,  Maynard,  Marshall 
(deceased)  and  Clarence.  After  following  agricultural  pursuits  for 
about  twenty  years  he  then  engaged  in  merchandising  with  his  son,  the 
style  of  the  firm  being  Bradley  & Son.  At  the  end  of  six  years  he  became 
a member  of  the  firm  of  Peters  •&  Marston,  the  style  of  the  firm  being 
Peters,  Marston  & Co.  This  partnership  continued  six  months,  when  Mr. 
Marston  died  and  the  firm  name  then  became  Peters  & Bradley.  From 
a small  beginning  they  have  increased  their  business  to  its  very  pros- 
perous and  extensive  condition.  Although  commencing  life  with  very 
little  capital,  Mr.  Bradley,  by  great  industry  and' careful  financiering,  has 
become  quite  comfortably  fixed.  Air.  and  Mrs.  Bradley  are  members  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Mr.  Bradley  is  a Republican  in  politics. 

Daniel  Briscoe,  of  the  wholesale  dry  goods  firm  of  Briscoe,  Sweepson 
& Co.,  is  a native  of  Alississippi,  and  was  reared  and  educated  at  Oxford, 
Aliss.  He  graduated  there  in  1861  and  soon  after  enlisted  in  the  Eight- 
eenth  Mississippi  Infantry,  but  was  afterward  assigned  to  the  quarter- 
master department,  and  located  at  Knoxville,  Greeneville  and  Bristol, 
Tenn.,  until  the  close  of  the  war,  after  which  he  embarked  in  the  dry 
goods  trade  at  Morristown,  Tenn.,  until  1882.  In  "March,  1864,  he  led 
to  the  hymenial  altar  Miss  Kate  C.  Ernest,  a native  of  Greene  County, 


924 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


Term.,  and  to  tliem  were  born  eight  children,  six  now  living.  The  mother 
of  these  children  died  in  December,  1883.  In  1886  Mr.  Briscoe  came 
to  Knoxville  and  established  the  firm  of  which  he  is  a member.  He  is 
one  of  the  directors  of  the  East  Tennessee  National  Bank,  and  a stock- 
holder in  the  East  Tennessee  and  Island  Home  Insurance  Companies. 
P.  J.  and  Martha  (Allen)  Briscoe,  parents  of  our  subject,  were  natives  of 
Mississippi  and  East  Tennessee,  and  died  at  Canton,  Miss:,  in  1869  and 
1871  respectively.  Our  subject  is  a member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity. 

Lewis  E.  Brooks,  farmer,  was  born  June  7,  1821,  in  Bockbridge 
County,  Y a.,  where  he  was  partly  reared.  He  is  the  eldest  of  five  chil- 
dren born  to  Lawson  S.  and  Catherine  (Myer)  Brooks.  The  father  was 
born  and  reared  in  Albemarle  County,  Ya.,  and  was  a soldier  in  the  war  of 
1812  under  Gen.  Scott.  He  was  wounded  at  the  battle  of  Lundy’s  Lane. 
His  father,  Lawson  Brooks,  was  a lieutenant  under  Gen.  Green  in  the 
Revolutionary  war,  and  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  Camden,  S.  C.  In  May, 
1845,  our  subject  married  Miss  Minerva  J.  Wesson,  a daughter  of  Isaac 
and  Tobitha  Wesson,  and  this  marriage  resulted  in  the  birth  of  nine 
children:  C.  A.,  Gertrude  (Mrs.  A.  W.  Trout),  Frances  I.  (Mrs.  Ira  J. 
Weeks),  Harriet  O.  (Mrs.  C.  R.  Summers),  Paulina  T.  (Mrs.  James  A. 
Walkinshaw),  LeliaW.,  Isaac  J.  (a  physician  and  a graduate  of  the  Ohio 
Medical  College  of  Cincinnati,  Ohio),  Lawson  L.  and  Robert  N.  Mrs. 
Brooks  died  August  18,  1873,  and  Mr.  Brooks  took  for  his  second  wife 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  Spencer,  formerly  Miss  Wilson,  a daughter  of  James  P. 
and  Elizabeth  (Peed)  Wilson.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brooks  are  members  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  South.  He  is  a Democrat  in  politics, 
and  cast  his  first  presidential  vote  for  James  K.  Polk.  He  moved  to 
Mason  County,  Ky.,  in  1868,  and  lived  there  until  1884,  when  he  moved 
to  his  present  location  where  he  has  since  resided.  Mr.  Brooks  owns 
ninety-three  and  a half  acres  on  the  Kingston  Pike  about  three  miles 
Avest  of  Knoxville.  He  is  of  Scotch  descent,  his  grandmother  being 
a native  of  Perthshire,  Scotland. 

J.  L.  Brown,  a practical  engineer  and  farmer  of  the  Seventh  District, 
Avas  born  in  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  December  13,  1828,  and  is  the  fourth 
of  eight  children  born  to  Joshua  and  Frances  (Blakeley)  Brown.  The 
father  was  born  and  reared  in  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  and  served  tAvo  cam- 
paigns as  a soldier  in  the  Creek  Indian  war  under  Gen.  Jackson.  He 
followed  the  occupation  of  a farmer,  in  which  he  was  very  successful; 
died  December  31,  1841,  and  Avas  buried  January  1,  1842,  being  forty- 
nine  years  of  age.  Mrs.  Brown  was  a native  of  North  Carolina,  and 
when  only  a girl  came  to  Knox  County.  She  died  in  March,  1883, 
aged  eighty-five  years.  Our  subject  received  unfavorable  advantages  for 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


925 


an  education,  but  made  the  best  of  those  advantages.  December  18, 
1850,  he  married  Miss  Martha  J.  Hall,  a daughter  of  William  and 
Nancy  (Nelson)  Hall.  She  bore  him  one  child,  Pink  Lawson,  who  is 
now  a music  teacher.  From  1851  Mr.  Brown  taught  school,  more  or  less, 
each  year  for  ten  years,  and  for  fifteen  years  after  he  had  abandoned 
teaching  was  engaged  in  surveying.  In  connection  with  this  he  has 
superintended  the  management  of  his  farm.  He  owns  210  acres  of  land 
well  cultivated  and  well  improved,  situated  ten  miles  north  of  Knox- 
ville. Mrs.  Brown  and  daughter  are  members  of  the  Missionary 
Baptist  Church.  Mr.  Brown  is  - conservative  in  politics,  voting  for 
principle,  not  for  party.  He  cast  his  first  presidential  vote  for  Gen. 
Winfield  Scott. 

Alfred  Buffat,  farmer  and  miller,  was  born  in  Switzerland  December 
8,  1840,  son  of  P.  F.  and  Sylvia  (Tauxe)  Buffat,  both  natives  of  Switzer- 
land. They  came  from  that  country  to  the  United  States  in  1849. 
Their  mode  of  travel,  illustrative  of  the  means  of  that  day,  was  from 
Aigle  (Switzerland)  to  Paris  (France)  by  stage,  from  Paris  to  Havre  by 
rail,  from  that  city  to  New  York  by  sail  (being  more  than  forty  days  at 
sea),  from  New  York  to  Charleston,  S.  C.,  by  steamer,  from  the  last 
named  city  to  Dalton,  Ga.,  by  rail,  thence'  to  Chattanooga  by  stage,  and 
from  that  city  to  Knoxville  by  steamer.  They  remained  in  the  vicinity 
of  that  city  a few  months,  after  which  they  purchased  a farm  of  800 
acres  in  the  Second  District  of  Knox  County.  Here  the  father  followed 
farming.  He  built  a flouring-mill  in  1860,  and  formed  a partnership 
with  his  son,  Alfred,  in  1865,  for  milling.  He  was  born  November  7,  1809, 
and  died  on  his  farm  in  1874,  aged  nearly  sixty-five  years.  The  mother 
was  born  in  1819,  and  is  now  sixty-seven  year’s  of  age.  She  succeeded 
her  husband  in  the  business  partnership  with  her  son.  Alfred  Buffat, 
the  eldest  of  nine  children,  received  only  a limited  edhcation  when  young. 
A few  years  in  a primary  school  in  Switzerland,  then  a few  months  of 
attendance  to  school  in  a slab-seated  old  log  schoolhouse  in  this  country, 
constituted  the  school  advantages  that  he  enjoyed;  but  he  made  amends 
for  this  lack  of  opportunities,  by  applying  himself  closely  to  study  during 
all  his  spare  moments.  On  September  14,  1865,  he  married  Miss  Eliza 
Bolli,  who  was  born  in  Paris  (France)  on  the  18th  of  May,  1842.  Her 
father,  Edward  Bolli,  was  a native  of  France,  and  her  mother,  Eliza 
(Porta)  Bolli,  was  a native  of  Switzerland.  She  removed  with  her 
parents  to  Brazil,  her  father  being  Swiss  consul  at  Pernambuco  for 
several  years.  On  account  of  ill  health  he  removed  to  the  United  States, 
and  settled  in  Knox  County,  where  he  died  in  1854.  To  our  subject  and 
wife  were  born  six  sons  and  two  daughters:  Edward  F.,  Charles  A., 


58 


926 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


Ernest  (deceased),  William  E.,  Flora  F.,  Samuel  T.,  Elise  B.  and  Walter 
1).  Mr.  Buffat  was  elected  school  director  for  his  district  in  1882. 
After  one  year’s  experience  in  that  capacity,  he  became  convinced  that 
the  interests  of  the  schools  of  his  district  required  the  establishment  of  a 
system  for  their  management  and  of  rules  for  their  government.  After 
a proper  study  of  the  matter,  in  the  autumn  of  1883,  he  proposed  to  the 
board  of  his  district  a plan  for  grading  the  schools  of  the  district  and 
rules'  for  the  government  of  these  schools.  This  was  met  with  approval 
by  the  board  who  appointed  a committee  to  select  text  books  and  to  fix 
the  limits,  of  the  different  grades.  The  plan  was  put  in  operation  in  the 
Second  District  at  once.  County  Superintendent  J.  B.  Shipe  approving 
the  plan,  urged  the  directors  of  other  districts  to  adopt  it  also.  Through 
his  efforts  and  those  of  his  successor,  J.  W.  Saylor,  this  system  and  rules 
were  adopted  throughout  Knox  County.  Mr.  Buffat  is  also  the  author  of 
a set  of  grammar  charts,  and  takes  a great  interest  in  educational 
matters.  He  took  no  active  part  in  the  late  war,  and  is  not  a politician. 
He  is  a member  of  the  Christian  Church. 

George  H.  Burr,  one  of  the  firm  of  manufacturers  of  doors,  sash, 
blinds,  etc.,  and  general  lumber  dealers  of  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  is  a na- 
tive of  Connecticut,  born  in  1829,  and  a direct  descendant  of  Aaron 
Burr,  the  great  American  politician  and  Vice-President  of  the  United 
States,  he  having  been  elected  by  Congress  as  such  with  President 
Thomas  Jefferson  in  1800.  He  is  the  son  of  Moses  and  Harriet  B. 
(Banks)  Burr,  both  natives  of  Connecticut.  The  father  was  born  in 
Greenfield,  Fairfield  Co.,  Conn.,  in  1806.  The  mother  was  born  in 
1809.  She  was  the  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Abigail  (Murwin)  Banks, 
both  natives  of  Connecticut.  He  was  a member  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church.  Our  subject  was  reared  in  Weston,  Conn.,  and  acquired  his 
education  at  the  public  schools  of  that  place.  He  began  life  as  a coach- 
maker,  but  that  business  was  too  slow  for  a man  of  his  energy  and  ambi- 
tion. At  the  close  of  the  civil  war  he  saw  great  opportunities  in  the  new 
South,  and  came  to  Tennessee  in  1867,  locating  in  Knoxville,  and 
engaged  in  saw  milling  and  general  lumber  business.  He  was  married, 
October  19,  1854,  to  Amelia  Andrews,  who  was  born  in  Connecticut  in 
November,  1830,  and  is  the  daughter  of  Jonathan  and  Abigail  (Murwin) 
Andrews,  both  natives  of  Connecticut.  The  father  was  born  in  April, 
1802,  was  a farmer,  and  died  in  1849.  The  mother  was  born  in  1804, 
and  died  in  1854.  Both  our  subject  and  wife  are  members  of  St.  John’s 
Episcopal  Church. 

J.  R.  Butt  is  a son  of  J.  R.  Butt,  Sr.,  and  Leanali  T.  (Coffman) 
Butt,  both  natives  of  Virginia.  The  father  was  a farmer  by  occupation, 


KttOX  COUNTY.  927 

and  both  he  and  the  mother  are  now  deceased.  Our  subject  was  a native 
Virginian,  born  February  26,  1845.  He  lived  on  the  farm  until  fourteen 
years  of  age,  and  while  growing  up  received  a very  limited  education. 
But  notwithstanding  this  he  has  by  reading  and  observation  acquired  a 
good  practical  education.  In  1859  he  came  to  Tennessee,  aud  at  the  age 
of  sixteen  learned  the  tinner’s  trade.  During  most  of  the  late  war  he 
made  supplies  for  the  Confederate  Government.  In  1865  he  chose  for 
his  companion  Miss  Laura  Vickars,  of  St.  Albans,  W.  Va.,  and  two  chil- 
dren: Will  L.  and  Frank  M.,  were  the  fruits  of  this  union.  Mr.  Butt  is 
a Democrat  in  politics,  and  he  aud  Mrs.  Butt  are  members  of  the  Cum- 
berland Presbyterian  Church.  He  took  an  active  part  in  making  up  the 
stock  for  the  Scates  Warm  Air  Furuace  Company,  of  which  lie  is  a 
director.  He  has  also  held  the  position  of  alderman  of  the  citv. 

Rev.  Henry  E.  Byerley,  pastor  of  Little  Flat  Creek,  Graveston,  Beaver 
Dam  and  Sharon  Baptist  Churches,  of  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  was  born  in 
Grainger  County,  Tenn.,  August  29,  1819,  and  is  the  son  of  James  and 
Elizabeth  (Skaggs)  Byerley.  The  father  -was  born  in  Knox  County 
June  12,  1807,  was  a farmer  and  died  July  13,  1881.  Though  of  limited 
education  he  was  a most  successful  man,  and  was  highly  respected 
by  all  who  knew  him.  The  mother  was  born  in  Knox  County  (now 
Union)  October  15,  1805,  and  died  January  18,  1877.  Both  parents 
were  members  of  the  Baptist  Church.  Our  subject  came  with  Lis  parents 
from  Grainger  to  Knox  County,  when  about  a year  and  a half  old,  and 
has  lived  in  the  latter  county  ever  since.  He  attended  the  common  dis- 
trict schools  in  youth,  and  finished  his  education  at  Walnut  Grove 
Academy,  and  the  University  of  Tennessee.  He  then  engaged  in  farm- 
ing, which  occupation  he,  has  followed  successfully.  He  professed 
religion  at  Murphey’s  Chapel  (Methodist  Episcopal)  in  August,  1865, 
and  was  baptized  the  second  Sabbath  in  November  following.  June  7, 
1879,  lie  was  ordained  a minister  of  the  Baptist  Church  by  Revs.  H.  C. 
Hamsted,  P.  A.  Morton  and  J.  A.  Robinson.  He  has  filled  the  pulpit 
almost  all  the  time  since  his  ordination,  and  is  considered  one  of  the  most 
successful  ministers  of  the  county,  his  qualifications  and  work  in  the 
Church  being  highly  appreciated.  He  was  married,  January  30,  1873, 
to  Martha  A.  Luttrell,  of  Knox  County,  who  was  born  February  27,  1853, 
and  who  is  the  daughter  of  Joseph  W.  and  L.  E.  (Carter)  Luttrell,  both 
of  Knox  Countjx  To  this  union  seven  children  have  been  born,  only 
three  now  living,  viz.:  a son  (unnamed)  born  January  10,  1871,  died  at 
birth;  son  (unnamed)  born  February  1,  1875,  died  at  birth;  Luo  L., 
born  March  1,  1879;  Charles  S.,  born  September  29,  1881;  son 
(unnamed)  born  October  3,  1883,  died  at  birth;  James  W.,  born 


928 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


July  26,  1884,  and  died  September  8,  1885,  and  Mattie  Pearl,  born 
May  29,  1886.  Mrs.  Byerley  is  also  a member  of  the  Baptist  Church. 
By  a previous  marriage  James  Byerley,  father  of  subject,  became  the 
father  of  five  sons,  one  of  whom  died.  The  other  four  enlisted  in  the 
Federal  Army  during  the  late  war.  One  was  wounded  at  Resaca  and  died 
later  at  Knoxville.  The  other  three  are  now  living'  in  Grainger  County. 
The  mother  of  our  subject  was  also  married  previous  to  her  union  to 
James  Byerley  and  had  one  son,  who  also  enlisted  in  the  Federal  Army, 
was  captured,  .and  died  in  a Confederate  prison.  The  five  sons  were 
members  of  the  same  company.  Our  subject  was  one  of  two  children 
born  to  the  union  of  his  parents  and  the  only  survivor  of  that  marriage. 

T.  R.  C.  Campbell,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born  August  18, 
1833,  in  that  section  of  country  lying  on  the  north  bank  of  French 
Broad  River,  known  as  Riverdale.  It  was  here  that  Knox  County  was 
first  settled,  and  among  the  early  settlers  of  this  region  was  William  A. 
Campbell,  who  came  from  Virginia  about  1790  and  settled  on  the  present 
homestead  of  our  subject.  Here  the  father  of  our  subject,  James  Camp- 
bell, was  born.  He  served  under  Gen.  Jackson  in  the  campaign  against 
the  Creek  Indians.  Our  subject  received  a finished  education  at  Mary- 
ville College,  Blount  County.  In  1865  he  married  Miss  Anna  E.  Davis, 
of  Sevier  County,  a graduate  of  a Moravian  school  at  Salem,  N.  C.  This 
union  resulted  in  the  birth  of  five  children:  James  R.,  who  is  a graduate 
of  the  State  University,  Thomas  B.,  M.  Linda,  John  and  Lucy.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Campbell  are  deeply  interested  in  all  subjects  pertaining  to 
educational  advancements,  and  their  children  are  reaping  the  benefit  of 
this  interest.  Mr.  Campbell  owns  a very  productive  farm  of  500  acres, 
called  “the  Riverdale  Farm,”  and  on  this,  besides  his  own  commodious 
dwelling,  is  situated  Riverdale  schoolhouse  and  also  a mill  for  flouring 
and  lumbering.  Formerly  Riverdale  postoffice  was  kept  here.  Mr. 
Campbell  is  an  excellent  citizen  and  neighbor  as  his  many  friends  can 
testify. 

D.  A.  Carpenter,  president  of  the  Knoxville  Fire  Insurance  Company, 
and  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  Knoxville  Car  Wheel  Company,  of 
Knoxville,  Tenn.,  is  a native  of  Rock  Castle,  Ky.,  and  was  born  March 
24,  1837.  He  is  the  son  of  William  S.  and  Malinda  E.  (Merryman) 
Carpenter,  both  natives  of  Kentucky.  The  father  was  born  in  1818;  was 
a machinist  by  occupation,  and  died  in  1886.  The  mother  was  born  in 
1819,  and  died  in  1847.  Both  were  members  of  the  Baptist  Church. 
Our  subject  was  reared  in  the  town  of  his  birth,  and  came  to  Tennessee 
in  1857,  locating  and  engaging  in  merchandising  in  Anderson  County, 
where  he  remained  until  the  breaking  out  of  the  Rebellion.  In  July, 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


929 


1861,  he  went  to  Kentucky,  going  to  that  State  at  the  suggestion  of 
prominent  Union  Tennesseans  to  meet  Col.  James  Carter,  and  ascertain  / 
when  the  Union  Tennessee  Yolunteers  would  be  supplied  with  arms, 
Col.  Carter  having  previously  gone  to  Washington  City  in  company 
with  Andrew  Johnson.  Consequently  our  subject  was  the  first  man  to 
refugee  from  East  Tennessee  to  Kentucky.  The  trip  was  made  on  horse- 
back, and  was  fraught  with  danger  and  hardships,  the  whole  country 
being  overrun  with  and  in  the  possession  of  the  Confederates.  Securing 
the  desired  information  he  returned  to  Clinton,  Tenn.,  and  reported  the 
same.  In  the  latter  part  of  July  he  returned  to  Kentucky,  and  August 
10,  1861,  enlisted  in  the  Federal  Army,  joining  Company  C,  Second  Reg- 
iment of  Union  Tennessee  Volunteer  Infantry,  the  name  of  which  was 
subsequently  changed  to  that  of  Tennessee  Mounted  Infantry.  He  was 
mustered  in  as  a private,  and  upon  organization  of  the  company  was 
elected  first  lieutenant,  and  at  the  organization  of  the  regiment  was  made 
adjutant  of  the  same.  In  August,  1862,  he  was  promoted  over  ten  cap- 
tains to  a majorship  of  the  Second  Regiment,  Tennessee  Union  Mounted 
Infantry.  A large  portion  of  the  regiment,  also  including  himself,  was 
captured  at  Rogersville,  Tenn.,  and  imprisoned,  first  at  Libby  prison  for 
six  months,  then  one  month  at  Macon,  Ga.,  and  then  two  months  at 
Charleston,  S.  C.  While  in  prison  our  subject  was  commissioned  colonel 
by  Gov.  Johnson.  He  was  mustered  out  of  service  at  Knoxville  October 
8,  1864,  and  went  at  once  to  Clinton,  .Anderson  Co.,  Tenn.,  and  engaged 
in  merchandising.  Previous  to  this  he  was  married,  June  23,  1863,  to 
Sophia  A.  Berry,  a native  of  Kentucky,  who  was  born  in  1842.  To 
them  have  been  born  six  children.  Our  subject  and  wife  are  members 
of  the  Broad  Street  Southern  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  In  March, 
1865,  he  was  elected  sheriff  of  Anderson  County,  and  August  17,  1865, 
was  appointed  by  President  Johnson  assessor  of  internal  revenue  for  the 
Second  District.  In  1869  he  removed  to  Beaver  Creek,  Knox  County, 
and  engaged  in  farming,  and  two  years  later  removed  to  Knoxville,  where 
he  engaged  in  the  wholesale  grocery  business,  being  a member  first  of 
the  firm  of  Carpenter  & Ross,  next  of  Carpenter,  Ross  & Co.,  next  of 
Carpenter,  Ross  & Lockett,  and  last  of  Carpenter,  Ross  & Co.,  remaining 
in  business  until  1878.  In  1876-77  he  was  elected  mayor  of  Knoxville. 
He  organized  the  Knoxville  Fire  Insurance  Company  in  1878,  of  which 
he  is  president,  and  has  been  since  its  organization,  and  in  1881-82  was 
elected  president  of  the  Knoxville  Car  Wheel  Company,  of  which  he  is 
at  present  secretary  and  treasurer.  He  has  also  served  as  vice-president 
and  general  manager  of  both  the  Oak  Dale  Iron,  Coal  & Transportation 
Company  and  Walden  Ridge  Railway  Company. 


930 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


John  H.  Carriger,  M.  D..  was  born  in  Carter  County,  Tenn.,  August 
18,  1825,  and  is  the  son  of  John  and  Margaret  (Elliott)  Carriger.  The 
father  was  born  in  Pennsylvania  in  1776,  and  immigrated  to  Tennessee 
about  1779.  located  in  Carter  County,  where  he  farmed  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  1848.  Two  of  his  elder  brothers  were  soldiers  in  the 
Revolutionary  war  and  participated  in  the  battle  of  King’s  Mountain. 
They  were  both  killed  at  St.  Clair’s  defeat  in  the  Indian  war  in  1791  in 
the  Miami  country.  The  mother  was  a native  of  Ireland,  born  in  1786, 
and  came  to  America  when  three  years  of  age.  Her  parents  located  near 
Jonesboro,  Washington  Co.,  Tenn.  She  died  in  1854.  Both  parents 
were  members  of  the  Baptist  Church,  although  Mrs.  Carriger  was  bap- 
tized in  the  Episcopal  Church.  Our  subject  was  reared  in  Carter  County, 
and  attended  school  first  in  the  immediate  neighborhood,  next  at  Eliza- 
beth ton,  then  at  Jonesboro,  and  finally  at  Washington  College  in  Wash- 
ington County.  April  3,  1846,  he  began  the  study  of  medicine  under 
Dr.  Michael  Carriger  at  Tazewell,  Tenn.  In  1848  he  attended  lectures 
at  Transylvania  University  at  Lexington,  Ky.,  and  later  graduated  from 
Jefferson  Medical  College  at  Philadelphia  in  the  class  of  1850  and  1851. 
He  then  began  the  practice  of  medicine  at  Tazewell,  Tenn.,  where  he 
remained  until  the  fall  of  1852,  when  he  removed  to  Columbus,  Ga., 
remaining  at  the  latter  place  until  1874.  He  next  spent  several  months 
visiting  in  New  York  City,  and  in  December,  1874,  located  in  Knoxville, 
where  he  has  practiced  medicine  up  to  the  present.  He  is  a member  of 
the  Knox  County  Medical  Society  and  the  State  Medical  Association.  In 
October,  1853,  Dr.  Carriger  married  Musidora  Cocke,  a native  of  Hawkins 
County,  born  August  10,  1826.  She  died  March  30,  1883,  leaving  one 
child,  Dr.  J.  Sterling  Carriger,  who  is  now  associated  with  his  father  in 
the  practice  of  medicine.  J.  Sterling  Carriger  began  the  study  of  med- 
icine in  1882  with  his  father,  and  during  1883-86  attended  medical  lect- 
ures at  Bellevue  Hospital  Medical  College,  New  York.  After  graduat- 
ing he  returned  to  Knoxville  and  began  the  practice  of  his  profession. 
Our  subject  was  married  a second  time,  October  22,  1883,  to  Vandalee 
Durham,  a native  of  Knox  County,  and  one  child  was  the  result  of  this 
union,  named  Arthur  Lee.  The  Doctor  is  a member  of  the  K.  T.  Com- 
mandery  of  Knoxville. 

William  W.  Carson,  professor  of  mathematics  in  the  University  of 
Tennessee,  was  born  in  Adams  County,  Miss.,  June  2,  1845.  His  father’s 
parents  were  Col.  Joseph  Carson,  a lawyer  of  St.  Stephens,  Ala.  (then 
a part  of  Mississippi  Territory ) , who  commanded  the  regiment  of  Missis- 
sippi Volunteers  in  the  Creek  war,  and  Caroline  C.  Green,  of  Adams 
County,  Miss.  His  mother’s  parents  were  William  S.  Waller  (cashier  of 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


931 


the  old  Bank  of  Kentucky  from  *1809  to  1835,  located  at  Frankfort,  and 
from  1835  to  1852  of  the  Lexington  branch  of  the  present  Bank  of  Ken- 
tucky) and  Catherine  S.  Breckinridge,  natives  of  Kentucky.  His  parents, 
James  Green  Carson  and  Catharine  Waller,  married  when  quite  young, 
and  had  four  sons  and  one  daughter.  They  lived  (he  being  a cotton 
planter)  for  ten  years  on  the  plantation  inherited  from  his  mother  in  Adams 
County,  Miss.,  and  then  moved  to  the  richer  alluvial  lands  of  North  Lou- 
isiana, spending  most  of  their  summers  until  the  war,  however,  with  her 
family  in  Kentucky.  The  father  died  in  1863  at  the  age  of  forty-eight. 
The  mother,  now  seventy-two  years  old,  makes  her  home  with  her  son, 
the  subject  of  this  sketch.  Prof.  Carson  was  the  second  son.  In  1863 
he  enlisted  as  a private  in  Company  B,  Fourth  Louisiana  Cavalry,  Con- 
federate Army,  and  served  with  that  regiment  until  the  close  of  the 
war,  having  been  promoted  a few  months  before  the  end  to  sergeant- 
major.  He  was  instructed  by  tutors  at  home  until  1863.  In  1866  he 
entered  Washington  College  (now  Washington  and  Lee  University),  Va., 
as  a student.  Two  years  later  he  received  the  civil  engineer’s  diploma, 
and  won  the  prize  medal  awarded  for  the  best  examinations  in  practical 
mathematics,  natural  philosophy  and  chemistry.  Continuing  at  Wash- 
ington College  another  year  he  serwed  as  instructor  in  engineering  and 
at  its  close  received  the  mining  engineer’s  diploma.  In  1873-74  he  took 
a further  course  in  chemistry  at  the  school  of  mines  in  New  York  City. 
Before  and  after  this  last  he  was  engaged  as  a civil  engineer  in  different 
kinds  of  city  and  railroad  work  and  hydrographic  surveys.  In  1877  he 
was  elected  to  the  chair  of  mathematics  in  Davidson  College,  N.  C.,  which 
he  filled  for  six  years.  Wishing  then  for  more  lucrative  employment  he 
resigned  and  engaged  in  mercantile  life  in  Memphis.  This  proving 
unsuccessful,  he  returned  to  teaching,  and  in  1885  was  elected  to  his 
present  position.  In  1880  he  married  Miss  Rachel  Finnie,  of  Memphis, 
who  was  born,  however,  in  Caseyville,  Ky.  They  have  three  children: 
Katie  W.,  James  F.  and  Emma  F.  Both  Professor  and  wife  are  members 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

M.  B.  Carter,  an  influential  farmer  of  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  was  born 
in  that  county  November  10,  1840,  son  of  James  M.  and  Rebecca  (John- 
son) Carter.  The  father  was  a native  of  Knox  County,  born  August  17, 
1812,  and  died  July  5,  1885.  The  mother  was  a native  of  North  Caro- 
lina, and  died  in  her  thirty-fifth  year.  Our  subject  received  a fair 
education,  and  in  boyhood  assisted  his  father  on  the  farm.  After  his 
marriage  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Leeper,  in  1866,  he  began  farming  for  him- 
self. Mrs.  Carter  was  born  in  Bradley  County,  Tenn.,  September  29, 
1847,  is  the  daughter  of  James  M.  and  N.  E.  (Prater)  Leeper,  and  to 


932 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


her  marriage  have  been  born  two  sons  And  nine  daughters,  all  living  but 
one  daughter,  Nannie,  who  died  when  quite  young.  The  children  living 
are,  Mary  Alice,  Julia,  Elizabeth,  James  Madison,  Margaret  Ann,  Aurelia 
A.,  Jennie  Minnie,  Gertrude,  Robert  Lee  and  Jodie  Cleveland.  Our 
subject  began  life  with  nothing  but  a pair  of  willing  hands.  He  is 
now  the  owner  of  450  acres  of  good  land  in  the  Eighteenth  District  of 
Knox  County,  Temi.,  and  on  this  land  are  quantities  of  zinc  which  are 
being  taken  out  in  abundance.  There  is  also  pink  marble  on  the  farm, 
and  as  the  soil  is  fertile  the  farm  ranks  among  the  best  of  the  county. 
Mr.  C arter  is  an  ardent  Democrat,  and  he  and  wife  are  both  members  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  South. 

W.  R.  Carter,  of  the  firm  of  Goodheart  & Carter,  bookbinders  and 
stationers  of  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  is  a native  of  Knox  County,  of  that  State, 
born  November  14,  18.44,  and  is  a son  of  W.  H.  and  Mary  (Chandler) 
Carter,  natives  of  Tennessee.  The  father  was  born  in  March,  1814,  was 
a farmer  by  occupation,  and  died  July  16,  1882.  The  mother  was  born 
in  1822,  and  is  now  a resident  of  Knox  County.  She  is  a member  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  of  which  her  husband  was  also  a mem- 
ber. Our  subject  was  reared  on  a farm,  and  acquired  his  early  education 
in  the  common  schools,  but  subsequently  attended  Walnut  Grove 
Academy  in  Knox  County.  April  1,  1862,  he  enlisted  in  the  Federal 
Army,  joining  Company  C,  First  Regiment  of  Tennessee  Cavalry,  was 
elected  corporal  of  the  company  at  its  organization,  and  was  afterward 
promoted  to  sergeant,  which  position  he  held  until  the  close  of  the  war. 
his  regiment  passing  through  some  of  the  hardest  battles  of  the  war. 
After  that  event  he  returned  to  his  home  in  Knox  County,  and,  at  the 
end  of  two  years  spent  in  school,  learned  the  carpenter’s  trade,  which  he 
followed  for  twelve  years.  During  this  time  he  had  removed  to  Knox- 
ville, where  he  continued  his  occupation.  October  29,  1868,  he  wedded 
Miss  S.  J.  Harris,  a native  of  Knox  County,  born  January  12,  1847,  and 
the  daughter  of  J.  J.  Harris,  a native  of  the  above  county.  By  this 
union  our  subject  became  the  father  of  two  boys:  E.  E.  and  E.  R.  In 
1882  our  subject  was  elected  recorder  of  deeds  for  Knox  County  by  a 
majority  of  1,300,  and  served  in  this  capacity  for  four  years,  making  one 
of  the  best  recorders  the  county  ever  had,  as  his  work  will  show.  He 
systematized  the  recorder’s  office  thoroughly,  for  which  he  received  the 
hearty  and  warm  endorsement  of  the  bar,  as  well  as  the  citizens  of  his 
county.  “A  place  for  everything  and  everything  in  its  place”  was  and 
is  his  motto.  After  leaving  that  office  he  formed  a copartnership  with 
Briscoe  Goodheart,  and  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  blank  books, 
blanks  and  bookbinding,  and  also  dealing  in  stationery,  which  business 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


933 


he  is  engaged  in  at  present.  He  is  a member  of  Ed  Maynard  Post,  No. 
14,  G.  A.  R.,  of  Knoxville,  of  which  organization  he  is  a charter  mem- 
ber, and  has  served  as  Officer  of  the  Guard,  Adjutant,  and  is  at  present 
a member  of  the  Department  Council  of  Administration  and  Aid  to  the 
Commander-in-Chief,  and  now  Junior  Vice- Commander  of  his  post.  He 
and  wife  are  members  of  the  Fourth  Presbyterian  Church  of  Knoxville. 
He  is  a man  of  sober  and  steady  habits,  sticking  to  whatever  lie  under- 
takes, has  a host  of  warm  personal  friends,  and  is  well  posted  on  most  all 
leading  questions  of  the  day.  Nothing  he  delights  in  more  than  relating 
war  stories  and  hair-breadth  escapes. 

Peyton  Carter,  a liveryman  and  farmer  of  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  was 
born  in  that  county  March  13,  1845,  and  is  the  son  of  Peyton  (Sr.)  and 
Lucinda  Carter,  both  natives  of  Virginia.  They  came  to  Tennessee 
about  1827  and  settled  in  Knox  County.  Our  subject  received  a com- 
mon-school education,  and  in  1868  married  Miss  Martha  M.  Shipe, 
daughter  of  Alexander  Shipe,  a farmer  and  tanner.  She  was  born  in 
Knox  County,  Tenn.,  October  11,  1847,  and  by  her  marriage  became  the 
mother  of  two  children:  Walter  H.  and  Charles  B.  The  former  was 
born  August  5,  1869,  and  the  latter  February  18,  1873.  Mr.  Carter  is 
the  owner  of  325  acres  of  well  improved  land  in  District  No.  16,  Knox 
County,  and  is  also  the  owner  of  the  largest  livery  and  feed  stables  in 
Knoxville.  They  are  situated  at  282  Crozier  Street,  16  and  18  Hardee 
Street,  and  13  and  15  Sullivan  Street.  He  is  the  sole  proprietor  of  the 
stable,  and  in  it  he  has  a capacity  for  100  wagons  and  200  horses.  It 
covers  20,350  feet  of  ground,  and  is  provided  with  rooms  for  gentlemen 
and  families.  He  has  connected  with  it  free  scales  for  the  use  of 
farmers.  Mr.  Carter  is  a Republican  in  politics,  and  a stirring,  ener- 
getic business  man. 

W.  P.  Chamberlain,  of  the  firm  of  Sanford,  Chamberlain  & Albers, 
was  born  in  Cuyahoga  County,  Ohio,  December  2,  1840,  and  is  the  son 
of  Leander  and  Susannah  (Willey)  Chamberlain.  The  father  was  born 
in  Connecticut,  and  when  young  went  to  New  York,  where  he  met  and 
married  Miss  Willey.  In  1840  they  moved  to  Cuyahoga  County,  Ohio, 
and  there  passed  the  remainder  of  their  days  on  the  farm.  He  died  in 
1884,  being  in  his  eightieth  year,  and  she  in  1887,  being  in  her  eighty- 
fourth  year.  Both  were  zealous  workers  in  the  Christian  Church.  Our 
subject  was  reared  on  a farm,  and  educated  in  the  common  schools  and 
at  Hiram  Institute.  In  1861  he  volunteered  in  Company  A,  Twenty- 
third  Ohio  Infantry,  Federal  Army,  being  among  the  first  to  offer  his 
services.  Having  served  as  a private  a short  time  he  was  promoted  to 
second  lieutenant,  and  later  to  first  lieutenant.  In  1864,  his  term  of 


934 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


enlistment  having  expired,  he  came  to  Knoxville  and  took  charge  of  the 
government  corrall  and  workshop.  The  following  year  he  engaged  in 
the  drug  business,  and  has  carried  it  on  successfully  ever  since.  In 
1873  he  married  Miss  Kate  E.  Harper,  of  Hamilton,  Ohio,  and  to  them 
were  born  three  sons  and  a daughter.  Harper  L.  and  Frederick  W.  are 
the  only  ones  now  living,  one  son  and  the  daughter  having  died  in  infancy. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Chamberlain  are  members  of  the  Second  Presbyterian 
Church.  For  about  two  years  he  was  president  of  the  Knoxville  Street 
Kail  road  Company;  is  president  of  Mozart  Club  and  a member  of  the 
Loyal  Legion.  He  is  of  English  descent  on  both  the  paternal  and 
maternal  sides. 

Charles  B.  Christian,  farmer  of  the  Ninth  District,  was  born  January 
31,  1838,  near  where  he  has  since  resided.  He  is  the  third  of  six  chil- 
dren born  to  Walter  L.  and  Jane  (Hope)  Christian.  Walter  L.  Chris- 
tian was  born  March  22,  1806,  in  Amherst  County,  Va.,  and  immigrated 
to  North  Carolina  after  he  was  grown.  After  living  there  a few  years  he 
came  to  Tennessee  where  he  remained  until  the  close  of  the  late  war, 
when  he  went  to  Dalton,  Ga.,  for  a short  time.  He  then  moved  to  Knox 
County,  from  there  to  the  old  home  place,  and  finally  went  to  Rush 
County,  Kas.  He  died  October  19,  1883.  His  first  wife  was  born  in 
1800,  and  died  July  12,  1852.  May  30,  1855,  he  married  his  second  wife, 
Lorinda  Galbreath,  who  bore  him  two  children.  She  was  born  January 
25,  1821,  and  died  December  3,1879.  Walter  L.  Christian  was  an  elder 
in  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church  for  forty  years,  and  was  a highly 
respected  citizen.  His  father,  Henry  Christian,  was  a soldier  in  the  war 
of  1812,  and  his  father  was  a soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  war.  Our 
subject,  Charles  B.  Christian,  received  his  education  in  the  common 
schools  of  Knox  County,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  enlisted  in  Com- 
pany B,  Sixty-third  Tennessee  Infantry,  August  8,  1861,  and  served 
until  the  close  of  the  war.  He  was  captured  in  April,  1865,  and  carried 
to  Fort  Delaware  from  which  he  was  released  June  10,  1865.  September 
25,  1870,  he  married  Miss  Ann  E.  Hardin,  who  was  born  September  20, 
1846,  and  who  is  the  daughter  of  John  G.  and  Sallie  R.  (Gallaher) 
Hardin.  John  G.  Hardin  was  major  of  the  State  militia,  and  took  a 
great  interest  in  the  affairs  of  the  county.  He  was  a practical  business 
man  and  accumulated  a vast  amount  of  property.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Christian  were  born  six  children:  William  T.,  John  W.,  Carrie  V., 
Frank  H.  (deceased),  Katie  and  Mary  H.  Mrs.  Christian  is  a member 
of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church,  and  Mr.  Christian,  although 
not  a member  of  any  church,  supports  all  churches  as  well  as  all  other 
worthy  enterprises.  He  is  a Democrat  and  a Master  Mason. 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


935 


Nicholas  Clapp,  farmer,  was  born  in  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  July  22, 
1816,  son  of  Solomon  and  Pherba  (Smith)  Clapp,  both  natives  of  North 
Carolina.  Our  subject  received  meager  advantages  for  an  education,  but 
by  observation  and  study  has  become  a well  read  man.  He  was  reared 
on  a farm  and  has  followed  agricultural  pursuits  all  his  life.  He  started 
in  life  with  little  or  no  capital  and  is  now  the  owner  of  250  acres  of  land 
in  the  Fifth  District  of  Knox  County,  and  is  considered  one  of  the  prom- 
nent  and  enterprising  citizens  of  Knox  County.  He  was  married  when 
twenty-four  years  of  age,  to  Miss  Lucinda  Gibbs,  daughter  of  Daniel 
Gibbs,  and  a native  of  Knox  County,  born  December  25,  1812.  To  this 
union  were  born  two  sons  and  six  daughters.  The  two  sons  and  three  of 
the  daughters  are  deceased,  viz. : Rachael  Minerva,  died  when  six  years 
of  age;  Martha  Elizabeth,  died  August  13,  1855,  aged  fourteen;  Rufus 
Solomon,  died  at  the  age  of  five;  William  R.,  died  aged  thirty-one,  and 
Sarah  Jane  (wife  of  William  Miller),  died  aged  forty.  The  names  of 
the  daughters  now  living  are  Alvira  Cornelia  (Mrs.  A.  P.  Farmer), 
Orlen a M.  (Mrs.  R.  J.  Gibbs)  and  Pherba  E.  (Mrs.  W.  R.  Kerns). 
The  mother  of  these  children  died  November  28,  1871,  and  the  father 
married  Miss  Mary  A.  Gibbs  in  1872.  She  is  a native  of  Knox  County, 
born  June  16,  1836.  Mr.  Clapp  has  been  a member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  from  early  boyhood ; he  was  a Whig  in  politics  before 
the  war,  a strong  Union  man  during  the  war,  and  since  that  event  has 
been  a stanch  Republican.  He  is  a member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity. 

Henderson  Clapp,  farmer,  was  born  in  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  June  1, 
1820.  He  is  the  son  of  Solomon  and  Pherba  (Smith)  Clapp,  natives  of 

I North  Carolina  and  of  Dutch  and  English  extraction  respectively.  Our 
subject  received  poor  educational  advantages,  but,  by  his  own  exertions, 
has  obtained  sufficient  knowledge  to  enable  him  to  transact  all  ordinary 
business.  He  was  reared  on  a farm,  and  although  he  learned  blacksmith- 
ing  and  worked  at  the  trade  much  of  the  time  until  he  was  twenty-four 
years  of  age,  he  has,  since  that  time,  devoted  most  of  his  life  to  the  inde- 
pendent occupation  of  farming.  In  1845  he  married  Miss  R.  Shell, 
daughter  of  William  Shell.  She  was  born  August  16,  1824,  and  died 
October  19,  1885.  To  this  union  were  born  seven  sons  and  two  daugh- 
ters— two  of  the  sons,  Richard  R.  and  R.  LaFayette,  are  deceased.  The 
names  of  the  living  children  are  Lurina  E.,  James  S.,  Linwill  Foyd, 
William  Joseph,  Mary  E.,  H.  M.  Brownlow  and  Solomon  Conrad.  Mr. 
Clapp  has  been  one  of  the  largest  real  estate  owners  of  Knox  County,  but 
he  has  distributed  land  among  his  children  and  at  present  owns  seventy-five 
acres  of  land  in  the  Fourth  District.  He  is  also  one  of  the  real  estate 
owners  of  Knoxville.  He  has  served  as  justice  of  the  peace  for  a num- 


936 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


ber  of  years,  and  although  he  lias  never  been  a strong  politician  he  has 
voted  the  Republican  ticket  on  all  State  and  National  questions. 

Walter  M.  Cocke,  attorney  at  law,  is  a native  of  Knoxville,  where  he 
was  reared.  He  graduated  at  the  University  of  Tennessee  in  1879,  after 
which  he  read  law  with  Judge  H.  H.  Ingersoll,  and  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  in  1881.  He  then  associated  himself  with  his  preceptor  in  the  prac- 
tice of  his  profession  until  June,  1886,  since  which  time  he  has  practiced 
alone.  The  Cocke  family  has  figured  prominently  in  the  early  history 
of  Tennessee.  We  find  by  referring  to  other  portions  of  the  work  that 
the  great-great-grandfather  of  our  subject,  William  Cocke,  was  one  of 
the  representatives  from  Sullivan  County,  who  met  with  repre- 
sentatives from  Washington  and  Greene  Counties  at  Jonesboro, 
August  23,  1783,  for  the  purpose  of  forming  an  independent  associa- 
tion, the  plan  of  which  was  drawn  by  Messrs.  Cocke  and  Hardin.  At 
the  convention,  which  met  at  Greeneville  November  14,  1784,  he  was 
chosen  brigadier-general  of  the  militia  for  the  new  State  of  Franklin, 
and  also  counsel  of  State.  He  was  a member  of  the  House  of  Represent- 
atives, which  met  at  Knoxville  August  25,  1794,  and  of  the  convention 
which  met  at  the  above  place  January  11,  1796.  He  was  also  on  the 
committee  to  draft  the  consolidation  for  the  State  of  Tennessee.  He  and 
William  Blount  were  elected  the  first  United  States  senators  from  Ten- 
nessee. Gen.  John  E.  Cocke,  the  son  of  William  Cocke,  was  a member 
of  the  House  of  Representatives  which  met  at  Knoxville  March  28,  1797, 
and  afterward  distinguished  himself  in  the  war  of  1812.  The  grand- 
father of  our  subject,  William  E.  Cocke,  was  born  in  Grainger  County, 
and  practiced  law  and  medicine  there  until  his  death.  Our  subject’s 
father  was  a native  of  Grainger  County,  and  came  to  Knox  County  in 
1852.  He  graduated  at  Cumberland  University,  and  was  of  the  law  firm 
of  Cocke  & Henderson  at  the  time  of  his  death. 

M.  B.  Collier,  a successful  agriculturist  of  the  Eighth  District,  was 
born  March  21,  1847,  in  Knox  County,  and  is  the  son  of  Thomas  and 
Jane  (Brown)  Collier.  Thomas  Collier  was  born  and  reared  in  Wash- 
ington County,  and  came  to  Knox  County  with  his  mother  when 
eighteen  years  old,  his  father  having  died  some  time  before.  He  was 
born  in  1821,  and  has  been  clerk  and  elder  in  the  Cumberland  Pres- 
byterian Church  over  forty  years,  and  was  the  leader  in  organizing 
the  first  Masonic  lodge  in  Beaver  Creek  Valley.  In  his  younger  days 
he  was  quite  an  able  and  promising  singing  school  teacher.  He  is 
now  living  with  his  third  wife.  His  children  are  prominent  and  pros- 
perous citizens  of  the  different  localities  in  which  they  reside.  Our 
subject  received  his  education  in  the  common  schools  of  Knox  County, 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


937 


and  at  tlie  academy  of  Oak  Grove.  He  assisted  bis  father  on  the 
farm  until  twenty-four  years  of  age,  when  he  married  Miss  Alice 
McBath,  who  was  born  July  26,  1852,  and  who  is  the  daughter  of 
Robert  and  Sallie  McBath.  The  result  of  this  union  was  the  birth 
of  four  children:  Robert  Hoyal,  Ivy  McBath,  Thomas  Carl  (deceased) 

and  Clio  Brown.  Mr.  Collier  is  a Republican  in  politics,  casting  his  first 
presidential  vote  for  Horatio  Seymour.  He  is  a member  of  the  Cumber- 
land Presbyterian  Church,  and  is  a Master  Mason.  He  owns  125  acres 
of  land  one  mile  northeast  of  Powell’s  Station.  Mr.  Robert  McBath  was 
born  in  Scotland,  and  was  brought  to  America  when  only  six  years  old. 
Here  he  married  Mrs.  McBath,  who  was  also  a native  of  Scotland.  One 
of  their  daughters,  Caroline,  was  a graduate  of  the  Female  Institute  at 
Knoxville.  Two  of  his  sons  were  majors  in  the  Federal  Army,  and  all 
are  prominent  citizens.  William  McBath  was  elected  circuit  court  clerk 
immediately  after  the  close  of  the  war,  and  served  three  terms.  He  also 
represented  Knox  and  Sevier  Counties  in  the  Legislature  one  term.  He 
was  cpuite  a frequent  correspondent  for  several  papers,  notably  the  Nash- 
ville Union  and  Cincinnati  Enquirer. 

Sampson  D.  Cole  (deceased),  one  of  the  leading  farmers  during  his 
life  of  the  Third  Civil  District,  of  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  was  born  in 
Anderson  County,  Tenn.,  May  11,  1817,  and  was  the  son  of  Alexander 
Cole,  a native  of  Tennessee,  born  of  Virginia  parents.  The  father  died 
when  our  subject  was  but  ten  years  of  age.  He  made  his  home 
with  an  uncle,  at  New  Market,  Tenn.,  after  his  father’s  death,  and  learned 
the  saddler’s  trade.  Later  in  life  he  removed  to  Jacksboro,  Tenn., 
where  he  worked  at  his  trade.  He  next  removed  to  the  Third  District 
of  Knox  County,  where  he  followed  farming  and  worked  at  his  trade 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  April  20,  1874.  He  served  as  justice 
of  the  peace,  at  Jacksboro,  and  also  of  the  Third  District  of  Knox 
County.  He  was  an  elder  of  Washington  Presbyterian  Church,  and  was 
universally  respected  and  esteemed  by  all  who  knew  him,  he  being  an 
industrious,  energetic  and  enterprising  citizen.  He  was  married  August 
8,  1839,  to  Eliza  Anderson,  who  died,  October  20,  1850.  To  this  union 
three  children  were  born,  one  of  whom  is  living.  He  was  married  the  sec- 
ond time  to  Martha  J.  Crawford,  March  23,  1852,  who  died  August  12, 
1860.  To  this  union  five  children  were  born,  three  of  whom  are  living.  He 
married  Nancy  J.  Crawford,  May,  2,  1861,  who  is  a native  of  Tennessee, 
and  -was  born  November  2,  1831,  and  is  the  daughter  of  Anderson  and 
Sarah  (Meek)  Crawford,  both  natives  of  Tennessee.  To  this  union  five 
children  were  born,  as  follows:  Samuel,  March  7,  1863;  James,  Novem- 

ber 5,  1864;  Thomas,  November  19,  1866;  Laura,  August  13,  1868; 


938  BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 

Eva,  August  7,  1870.  The  mother  is  a member  of  the  Washington 
Presbyterian  Church. 

Martin  J.  Condon,  a member  of  the  board  of  education  of  Knoxville, 
is  a son  of  John  and  Bridget  (Gray)  Condon,  both  natives  of  Ireland, 
where  they  grew  up  and  were  married.  After  living  for  some  time  in 
the  old  country  they  came  to  America,  and  soon  found  their  way  to  Ten- 
nessee. The  father  was  a railroad  conductor  by  occupation.  The 
immediate  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  October  29,  1857,  in  Hawkins 
County.  His  early  education  was  obtained  in  the  country  schools,  and 
his  subsequent  education  at  Georgetown  College.  Soon  after  he  engaged 
as  porter  in  a wholesale  grocery  house,  and  by  industry  and  close  atten- 
tion to  business,  gradually  rose  to  one  of  the  highest  positions.  In  1880 
he  and  his  brothers,  Mike  J.  and  S.  P.,  bought  out  his  employers,  Will- 
iams & Zimmerman,  and  have  carried  on  a successful  and  extensive  busi- 
ness since.  In  1885  our  subject  was  elected  to  his  present  position,  and 
the  same  year  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Margaret  M.  McMillan, 
by  whom  he  has  two  sons:  Martin  J.  and  Paul  A.  Mr.  Condon  is  a 

good  business  man,  and  an  active  member  of  the  Catholic  Church. 

Mike  J.  Condon,  senior  member  of  the  firm  of  Condon  Bros., 
wholesale  grocers,  of  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  is  a native  of  Massachusetts, 
born  in  Springfield,  September  29,  1846,  and  the  son  of  John  and 
Bridget  (Grey)  Condon,  natives  of  County  Clare,  Ireland.  The  fattier 
was  born  October  24,  1824.  The  mother  was  born  September  8,  1818. 
They  were  married  in  July,  1844,  and  immigrated  to  America  in  June, 
1846,  locating  in  Springfield,  Mass.  They  subsequently  removed  to 
Hartford  and  New  Haven,  Conn.,  residing  in  the  latter  place  until  1856, 
when  the  father  was  employed  on  the  construction  of  the  Virginia  Mid- 
land Railway,  and  in  1857  removed  to  Rogersville,  Tenn.,  and  was 
employed  in  building  the  masonry  of  the  bridge  on  the  Rogersville  & 
Jefferson  Railway.  In  1861  he  entered  the  Third  Regiment  of  Confed- 
erate Engineer  Troops,  and  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year,  while  blockading 
Big  C reek  Gap  with  a detachment  of  men,  was  wounded  and  captured. 
He  was  in  prison  at  Camp  Chase,  Ohio,  ten  months,  and  then  exchanged. 
He  served  in  the  army  until  the  surrender  in  1865.  He  walked  from 
Virginia,  where  they  surrendered,  below  Lynchburg,  to  Rogersville,  and 
in  1865  removed  to  Knoxville,  where  he  died  in  April,  1885.  The 
mother  still  lives  and  is  now  a resident  of  Knoxville.  Our  subject  was 
reared  principally  in  Hawkins  County,  Tenn.,  and  acquired  only  a lim- 
ited education,  at  Arnott’s  schoolliouse,  in  that  county.  He  commenced 
working  on  the  railroad  at  the  age  of  thirteen.  Until  1861  he  worked 
on  a farm;  then  till  1864  he  went  with  his  father  in  the  Confederate 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


939 


Army.  After  the  war  he  served  an  apprenticeship  at  stone  cutting 
with  his  father,  until  1868,  when  he  became  associated  with  his  father 
in  contracting.  In  1869  he  married  Miss  Kate  E.  Moore,  a native  of 
Martins,  Va.,  of  Irish  parentage,  born  in  1849,  and  who  was  educated  in 
a convent  at  Washington,  D.  C.  This  marriage  resulted  in  the  birth  of 
ten  children.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Condon  are  members  of  the  Catholic 
Church,  and  he  is  a member  of  the  Catholic  Knights  of  America,  and 
of  the  Irish  Catholic  Benevolent  Union  of  America.  Mr.  Condon 
was  connected  with  the  building  of  twenty-five  miles  of  the  Cincin- 
nati Southern  Railway;  the  East  Tennessee,  Virginia  & Georgia, 
from  Atlanta  to  Macon;  the  Bed  Clay  Cut  Off;  the  Knoxville  & 
Ohio;  the  extension  of  the  Knoxville  branch  of  the  Louisville  & Nash- 
ville Railway,  and  is  now  engaged  on  a contract  for  the  building  of 
forty-four  miles  of  the  Memphis  & Birmingham  Railway,  in  Alabama 
and  Mississippi.  In  1876  he  established  the  wholesale  grocery  house, 
of  which  he  is  senior  partner.  In  politics  Mr.  Condon  is  a Republican; 
served  as  alderman  in  the  city  council  of  Knoxville  two  terms,  and  was  a 
candidate  for  railroad  commissioner,  on  the  Republican  ticket,  in  1884, 
being  elected  by  nearly  9,000  majority. 

Martin  J.  Condon,  member  of  the  board  of  education  of  Knoxville,  is 
the  son  of  John  and  Bridget  (Gray)  Condon,  both  natives  of  the  “Ever- 
green Isle,”  where  they  grew  up  and  were  married.  After  living  some 
time  in  the  old  country  they  came  to  America,  and  found  their  way  to 
Tennessee.  The  father  was  a railroad  contractor  by  occupation.  The 
immediate  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  October  29,  1857,  in  Hawkins 
County.  He  received  his  primary  education  in  the  common  schools,  and 
subsequently  attended  Georgetown  College,  where  he  completed  his  edu- 
cation. Soon  after  he  engaged  as  porter  in  a wholesale  ’grocery  house. 
By  industry  and  close  attention  to  business  he  gradually  arose  to  one  of 
the  highest  positions  in  the  house.  In  1880,  he  and  his  brothers,  Mike 
J.  and  S.  P.,  bought  out  his  employers  Williams  & Zimmerman,  and  have 
carried  on  a successful  and  extensive  business  since.  In  1885  Mr.  Con- 
don was  elected  to  his  present  position.  The  same  year  he  married  Miss 
Margaret  M.  McMillan,  by  whom  two  children,  Martin  J.  and  Paul  A. 
were  born.  Mr.  Condon  is  a good  citizen,  and  a member  of  the  Catholic 
Church. 

S.  Y.  Conner,  one  of  the  successful  and  enterprising  farmers  of  the 
Sixth  District,  was  born  December  2,  1822,  in  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  and 
is  the  tenth  of  twelve  children  born  to  William  and  Sallie  (Cox)  Con- 
ner, both  native  Virginians,  and  both  of  whom  were  reared  in  their  native 
State.  They  came  to  Tennessee  at  a very  early  day.  William  Conner 


940 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


was  a soldier  in  tlie  Creek  Indian  war.  He  was  lieutenant  of  his  com- 
pany, to  which  position  he  was  promoted  owing  to  the  signal  bravery  he 
displayed,  and  his  efficiency  as  a soldier.  Both  he  and  wife  were  of 
German-Irish  descent.  When  our  subject  was  twenty-three  years 
of  age,  he  married  Miss  Mary  Tindell,  a daughter  of  Charles  and 
Mary  (McLain)  Tindell,  prominent  and  highly  respected  citizens  of 
their  locality.  Mr.  Tindell  was  elected  to  the  office  of  constable,  which 
position  he  filled  successfully  one  term.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Conner  were 
born  eleven  children:  John  Tate,  Mary  S.  (Mrs.  Webber),  George  W., 
James,  Joseph,  Sarah  A.,  Louisa  (Mrs.  Williams),  Susan,  Almeda  N., 
William  P.  (deceased),  and  one  who  died  in  infancy.  Mr.  Conner  is  a 
Democrat  in  politics,  casting  his  first  presidential  vote  for  Henry  Clay, 
and  he  and  Mrs.  Conner  are  members  of  the  Missionary  Baptist  Church. 
Mr.  Conner  owns  300  acres  of  land  all  nicely  improved,  and  located  on 
Bull  Creek,  twelve  miles  northwest  of  Knoxville. 

W.  A.  A.  Conner,  a prominent  farmer  of  the  Second  District,  was 
born  in  Knox  County  November  4,  1823,  and  remained  under  the 
parental  roof  until  twenty-six  years  of  age.  He  then  married  Emily  A., 
daughter  of  John  Smith  (one  of  the  pioneers  of  the  county),  and  located 
at  his  present  home  place.  He  began  life  with  very  limited  means,  but 
by  industry  and  frugality  has  gained  a very  comfortable  home.  He 
resided  seventeen  years  in  a log  cabin,  after  which  he  built  his  present 
commodious  residence.  November  2,  18C2,  he  was  conscripted  by  Con- 
federate officers,  but  escaped  the  same  night,  and  made  his  way  to  Ken- 
tucky, where  he  remained  until  the  Federal  troops  occupied  Knoxville, 
after  which  he  returned  to  his  home.  He  served  as  justice  of  the  peace, 
from  1864  to  1884,  and  was  chairman  of  the  county  court  from  1875  to 
1877.  At  the  organization  of  the  Knoxville,  Tazewell  Jacksboro 
Pike  Company  he  became  a stockholder,  and  soon  after  filled  the  various 
offices  of  director,  secretary  and  treasurer.  To  his  marriage  referred  to 
in  the  beginning  of  this  sketch,  ten  children  have  been  born — four  deceased. 
He  and  his  family  are  members  of  the  Baptist  Church,  and  he  has  filled 
two  terms  of  one  year  each,  as  moderator  for  the  State  of  Tennessee.  He 
and  nine  sisters  constitute  a family,  of  which  but  two  survive.  The 
parents, Thomas  and  Margaret  (Alldredge)  Conner,  were  natives  of  Virginia 
and  North  Carolina  respectively,  and  came  to  this  county  in  early  child- 
hood. The  former  was  born  in  1794  and  died  in  1875,  and  the  latter’s 
death  occurred  about  1877. 

John  W.  Conner,  county  court  clerk,  of  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  is  a 
native  of  that  county.  He  was  born  September  2,  1862,  and  educated  in 
the  common  schools  of  the  county.  At  the  age  of  seventeen  (1879)  he 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


941 


received  an  appointment  through  the  influence  of  Congressman  L.  C. 
Honk,  under  John  Sherman,  then  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  as  messenger 
at  Washington,  from  which  he  was  promoted  through  a competitive 
examination  to  a $1,200  clerkship  in  the  same  office  which  he  resigned 
in  1883  to  accept  a clerkship  under  Col.  Henry  It.  Gibson  in  the  pension 
office  at  Knoxville.  This  position  he  held  until  relieved  by  President 
Cleveland  in  1885.  In  August.  1886,  he  was  elected  to  his  present 
office  as  a Republican,  defeating  J.  F.  J.  Lewis,  a Democrat,  by  700  votes, 
and  who  had  held  the  office  for  twelve  years.  Though  the  youngest 
county  official  in  the  State,  he  tills  the  office  with  credit  and  efficiency. 
He  was  married  May  6,  1884,  to  Miss  Katie  R.  Nichols,  of  Washington. 
D.  C.,  to  whom  one  son  has  been  born.  His  parents,  Joseph  Wesley  and 
Zerada  E.  Conner,  were  both  natives  of  Knox  County,  Tenn.  The  father 
followed  agricultural  persuits  until  the  commencement  of  the  civil  war, 
when  he  enlisted  in  the  Sixth  Tennessee  Infantry,  Union  Volunteers,  and 
served  as  a private  until  his  deatli  at  the  battle  of  Resaca,  Ga.  The 
mother  is  still  living,  and  is  a resident  of  Knox  County.  The  parents 
were  both  of  Irish  descent. 

J.  L.  Cooley,  contractor  and  builder,  is  a native  of  Rogersville,  Tenn., 

born  in  February,  1845.  He  was  reared  and  educated  at  Rogersville,  and 

during  the  war  served  in  the  Third  Regiment  of  Confederate  Engineer 
© © © 

Troops.  After  the  war,  in  January,  1867,  he  married  Miss  Laura  A. 
Johnson,  a native  of  Carroll  County,  Va.,  to  whom  eight  children  have 
been  born,  one  deceased.  Mr.  Cooley  engaged  in  general  merchandising 
in  Grayson  County,  Va.,  until  August,  1869,  when  he  located  at  Morris- 
town, Tenn.,  and  followed  contracting  and  house  building  until  May, 
1871.  He  then  came  to  Knoxville,  and  has  since  continued  the  contract- 
ing business  in  partnership  with  his  bi’otlier,  F.  B.  Cooley  (whose  sketch 
appears  below.  Among  the  many  fine  residences  of  Knoxville  erected 
by  them  may  be  mentioned  those  of  James  Cowan,  Capt.  Chamberlain, 
Judge  Meek,  F.  H.  McClung,  etc.  Their  annual  amount  of  business 
ranges  from  $50,000  to  $75,000. 

Fleming  B.  Cooley,  one  of  the  stirring  business  men  of  Knoxville,  is 
the  son  of  Andrew  J.  and  Lucy  (Evans)  Cooley.  The  father  was  a native 
of  Virginia,  and  when  young  went  to  Abingdon,  that  State,  to  learn  the 
carpenter’s  trade.  Soon  after  he  moved  to  Rogersville,  Tenn.,  a good 
portion  of  which  he  built.  While  there  he  married  Miss  Evans,  and  to 
them  were  born  ten  children — three  sons  and  three  daughters  now  living. 
During  the  war  he  moved  to  Virginia  to  escape  the  persecutions  of 
political  enemies,  but  after  the  war  returned  to  Tennessee  and  located  in 
Knoxville,  where  he  followed  his  trade.  He  was  an  energetic,  industri- 


59 


942 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


ous  man,  and  in  his  business  employed  many  workmen.  When  his  sons 
were  but  five  or  six  years  of  age  he  provided  them  with  little  benches  and 
put  a skillful  workman  over  them.  Fleming,  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
was  born  in  Hawkins  County,  Tenn.,  January  8,  1848.  Owing  to  the 
interruption  caused  by  the  late  war  his  education  was  limited  to  the  com- 
mon schools.  In  1869  he  came  to  Knoxville  and  worked  at  the  bench  about 
two  years,  when  he  and  his  brother,  J.  L.,  commenced  contracting  on  a 
small  scale.  Since  then  they  have  gradually  increased  their  business 
until  now  they  are  ranked  among  the  first  contractors  of  the  city.  In 
addition  they  run  a sash  and  blind  factory,  and  are  partners  in  a hard- 
ware store.  In  1872  our  subject  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Tarr,  of 
Grainger  County,  Tenn.,  and  a member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 
After  her  death  he  wedded  Miss  Betlie  Carmichael,  of  Alabama.  By  the 
first  marriage  he  has  one  daughter,  and  by  the  second,  three  sons  and 
two  daughters.  Mr.  Cooley  is  a Democrat  in  politics  and  he  and  wife 
are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  The  Cooley  Bros,  have  built 
some  of  the  best  buildings  of  the  city. 

W.  R>.  Cooper,  Supreme  Keeper  of  Records  of  the  Supreme  Corn- 
mandery  U.  O.  G.  C.,  and  vice-president  of  the  Central  Guarantee 
Life  Association  of  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  a native  of  Campbell  County, 
Tenn.,  was  born  near  Jacksboro,  February  13,  1847,  and  is  the  eldest 
son  of  Gen.  Joseph  A.  Cooper,  who  was  known  among  his  troops 
(Union)  during  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  as  “ Fighting  Joe.”  During 
the  war  he  visited  his  father  several  times  while  in  the  field,  and  at  one 
time  clandestinely  left  home  to  enlist  in  the  Union  Army,  but  was  caught 
by  his  uncle  and  brought  back,  after  a tramp  of  one  day  and  night. 
During  the  last  two  years  of  the  war  he  attended  school  in  Cincinnati, 
Ohio.  He  came  to  Knoxville  in  1866.  On  the  22d  of  June,  1869,  he 
entered  the  internal  revenue  service,  as  a - deputy  collector,  under  his 
father,  holding  that  position  until  July  10,  1879.  This  period  of  service 
was  largely  confined  to  the  planning,  ordering  and  leading  raids  against 
illicit  distilleries  in  the  mountains  of  East  Tennessee.  He  was  one  of 
the  charter  members  of  the  U.  O.  G.  C.,  and  was  appointed  to  his  present 
position  in  the  order  by  the  late  Dr.  John  H.  Morgan,  the  “ founder,” 
and  at  that  time  its  Supreme  Commander. 

John  J.  Craig,  Jr.,  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  Tennessee  Marble 
Association  and  the  Great  Southern  Marble  Company,  is  of  the  firm  of 
John  J.  Craig  & Co.,  of  this  city.  He  was  born  in  Knox  County,  Tenn., 
September  20,  1860,  and  after  attending  the  State  University,  graduated 
at  the  Queen  City  commercial  college  in  1879.  He  then  accepted  a posi- 
tion with  the  Canton  Banking  & Insurance  Company  of  Canton,  Miss., 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


943 


until  December  9,  1880,  and  then  with  the  banking  house  of  John  S. 
Hornor  & Son  of  Helena,  Ark.,  as  bookkeeper  until  June,  1886,  at  which 
date  he  came  to  Knoxville  and  has  since  been  actively  engaged  in  the 
marble  trade.  In  1883  he  married  Miss  Lucy  Cage,  a native  of  Canton, 
Miss.,  and  to  them  was  born  one  child.  John  J.  (father  of  our  subject) 
was  born  in  Lauderdale  County,  Ala.,  in  1820,  came  to  Knoxville  in  1839, 
and  clerked  for  McClung,  Wallace  & Co.  until  1844,  after  which  he 
returned  to  Alabama,  and  in  1847  married  a Miss  Lyon,  of  Knox  County. 
He  remained  at  his  home  in  Alabama  until  1852,  when  he  was  elected 
cashier  of  the  Knoxville  branch  of  the  Union  Bank,  which  position  he 
tilled  until  the  bank  was  closed  by  the  war.  He  then  resided  with  his 
family  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  two  years,  after  which  he  engaged  in  the  bank- 
ing business  in  New  York  City  until  1869.  He  then  returned  to  Knox 
County,  and  resided  on  the  old  homestead  until  the  same  was  sold  to  the 
State  for  the  location  of  the  present  insane  asylum  live  miles  below 
Knoxville.  Mr.  Craig  is  a pioneer  in  the  East  Tennessee  marble  trade 
and  the  introducer  of  the  fine  variegated  varieties. 

Samuel  B.  Crawford,  M.  A.,  chairman  of  the  faculty,  professor  of 
military  science  and  commandant  of  cadets  of  the  University  of  Tennes- 
see, was  born  in  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  November  13,  1850.  His  father, 
Barnes  Crawford,  was  born  in  the  State  of  New  Jersey,  and  when  young 
came  to  Knoxville,  being  among  the  early  settlers.  He  was  a manufact- 
urer of  carriages.  The  mother,  Amanda  Lones,  was  born  in  Knoxville. 
Their  family  consisted  of  five  children,  four  now  living.  The  only  son, 
our  subject,  had  to  depend  principally  upon  his  own  exertions  for  an  edu- 
cation. After  attending  the  public  schools  of  this  city  he  entered  the 
University  of  Tennesee,  from  which  he  graduated  in  1873.  The  same 
year  he  married  Miss  Mattie  Eckle,  a native  of  Knoxville,  by  whom  he 
had  four  children,  two  uoav  living:  Jean  B.  and  Saxton.  The  two 
deceased  were  named  Bessie  and  Lennis.  Soon  after  marriage  Prof. 
Crawford  was  chosen  commandant  of  cadets,  holding  that  position  two 
years.  For  about  three  years  he  taught  in  the  preparatory  department,  but 
soon  after  was  made  professor  of  military  science  and  tactics  and  com- 
mandant of  cadets,  also  adjutant  professor  of  mathematics.  In  June, 
1886,  he  was  elected  chairman  of  the  faculty.  Prof.  Crawford  is  one 
of  Knox  County’s  boys  who  began  life’s  work  under  adverse  circum- 
stances, but  by  persistent  effort  has  accomplished  much  toward  making 
life  a success.  He  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  South. 

Capt.  John  H.  Cross,  a farmer  of  the  Tenth  District,  was  born  Novem- 
ber 3,  1843  in  Anderson  County,  Tenn.,  where  he  grew  to  manhood.  He 


944 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


came  to  Knox  County  in  1805  and  settled  near  his  present  residence. 
He  is  the  second  of  seven  children  born  to  William  and  Jane  (Black) 
Cross,  both  natives  of  Anderson  County,  Tenn.  William  Cross  is  a 
very  prominent  citizen  of  the  county  where  he  lives.  He  represented 
Anderson  County  in  the  State  Legislature  three  terms,  and  is  the  only 
Democrat  who  has  ever  represented  Anderson  County  in  the  Legislature 
since  the  war.  Although  seventy-five  years  old  he  is  hale  and  active  for 
that  age.  His  father,  Britton  Cross,  came  from  Virginia  and  settled  in 
Middle  Tennessee.  He  afterward  located  in  Anderson  County,  where  he 
continued  to  reside  until  his  death.  Mrs.  William  Cross,  mother  of  our 
subject,  was  born  in  Anderson  County,  where  she  spent  her  whole  life. 
She  died  April  2,  1885.  Our  subject  received  his  education  in  the  com- 
mon schools  of  Anderson  County.  August  13,  1861  he  enlisted  in  Com- 
pany H,  First  Tennessee  Infantry,  and  after  eight  months’  service  was 
transferred  to  Company  C,  Third  Tennessee  Infantry,  was  commis- 
sioned first  lieutenant  and  afterward  promoted  to  the  captaincy  of  his 
company.  He  served  three  years  and  eight  months,  and  was  mustered 
out  of  service  in  March,  1865,  at  Nashville,  Tenn.  He  participated  in  the 
battles  of  Kesaca,  Kenesaw  Mountain,  Atlanta,  Nashville,  Jonesboro, 
Fishing  Creek,  Chickamauga  and  in  numerous  other  lesser  battles  and 
severe  skirmishes.  On  one  occasion  he  was  given  100  men  and  sent 
nine  miles  northeast  of  Mossy  Creek,  Jefferson  Co.,  Tenn.,  where  he 
was  attacked  by  three  regiments  of  rebel  cavalry,  was  surrounded  once  or 
twice  and  cut  his  way  through  each  time.  He  fought  the  three  regi- 
ments over  the  nine  miles  back  to  camp,  and  forty-four  of  his  men  were 
captured,  killed  and  wounded.  But  his  men  killed  twenty-seven  men  of 
the  enemy.  He  was  a brave  soldier,  an  efficient  officer,  and  enjoyed  the 
highest  esteem  and  confidence  of  his  superior  officers,  by  whom  he  was 
placed  in  positions  of  great  trust.  May  28,  1868,  he  married  Miss  Ann 
A.  Pate,  daughter  of  John  F.  and  Margaret  (Marley)  Pate,  both  natives 
of  Knox  County.  The  latter  died  about  1856.  To  Mr.  and  Mi’s.  Cross 
were  born  three  children:  Mary  (deceased),  William  (deceased)  add 
Frank.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cross  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  of 
which  he  is  deacon.  He  is  a Democrat  in  politics,  and  cast  his  first  pres- 
idential vote  for  George  B.  McClellan.  He  is  also  a Master  Mason.  He 
owns  a fine  farm  of  256  acres,  and  is  in  excellent  circumstances. 

W.  W.  Cruse,  one  of  the  stirring,  enterprising  farmers  of  Knox 
County,  Tenn.,  and  a native  of  that  county,  was  born  August  22,  1839. 
He  is  the  son  of  A.  B.  and  Margaret  (Brown)  Cruse,  both  natives  of 
Tennessee.  Our  subject  received  his  education  in  the  common  district 
schools,  and  began  tilling  Ihe  soil  while  still  quite  young.  In  1862  he 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


945 


chose  for  his  companion  through  life  Miss  Chari otta  E.  Payne,  who  bore 
him  three  children — two  sons  and  one  daughter.  The  sons’  names  are 
Jacob  A.  and  John  M.,  and  the  daughter’s  name  is  Lucy  Jane.  The 
mother’s  death  occurred  March  10,  1874,  and  in  September  of  the  same 
year  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Nancy  E.  Hines,  and  by  this 
union  became  the  father  of  two  sons  and  two  daughters,  viz. : Arthur 
Temple,  Chester  Ellis,  Margaret  E.  and  Sarah  E valine.  Mr.  Cruse  owns 
three  different  tracts  of  land,  containing  respectively  150,  110  and  50 
acres.  He  is  a Republican  in  politics,  and  is  at  present  superintendent 
of  the  workhouse  in  Knox  County. 

J.  W.  Cruze,  Sr.,  one  of  the  deacons  of  the  First  Baptist  Church,  of 
Knoxville,  Tenn.,  is  a native  of  Blount  County,  Tenn.,  born  December 
19,  1824,  and  is  the  son  of  James  and  Lennes  (Childress)  Cruze,  both 
natives  of  Virginia.  The  father  was  born  in  Prince  Edward  County  in 
1797,  and  immigrated  to  Tennessee  about  1808,  settling  in  Knox  County, 
where  he  farmed  until  his  death  in  1852.  He  was  a soldier  in  the  war 
of  1812.  The  mother  was  born  in  Buckingham  County  in  1807,  and 
died  in  1863.  Both  were  members  of  the  Baptist  Church.  James  Cruze, 
grandfather  of  our  subject,  served  seven  years  as  a soldier  in  the  Revo- 
lutionary war.  Our  subject  was  reared  in  Blount  and  Knox  Counties, 
and  attended  the  common  schools.  In  1849  he  married  Margaret  Sher- 
rell,  a native  of  Blount  County,  born  in  1826,  and  the  daughter  of  John 
and  Annie  Brakeville,  both  natives  of  Tennessee.  To  this  union  have 
been  born  nine  children,  five  of  whom  are  living:  James  H.,  Rachel  M., 
Elizabeth,  John  W.,  Jr.,  and  C.  C.  Our  subject  followed  agricultural 
pursuits  until  1852,  after  which  he  engaged  in  merchandising,  and  this 
continued  until  the  panic  of  1873,  when  he  met  with  reverses  and  retired 
from  business.  He  retained  his  property,  however,  and  at  present  is  in 
comfortable  circumstances.  In  1847  he  enlisted  in  the  war  between  the 
United  States  and  Mexico,  joining  the  Thirteenth  Regiment  of  Alabama 
Infantry,  United  States,  under  Capt.  Egbert  Jones.  He  became  a mem- 
ber of  the  First  Baptist  Church,  of  Knoxville,  in  1849,  and  is  now  and 
has  been  a deacon  in  the  same  since  1860.  His  wife  is  also  a member 
of  the  same  church. 

J.  H.  Cruze,  member  of  the  board  of  education  of  Knoxville,  and  son 
of  J.  W.,  Sr.,  and  Margaret  (Sherrell)  Cruze,  was  born  in  Knoxville 
March  6,  1852,  and  after  passing  through  the  public  schools  completed 
his  education  at  the  University  of  Tennessee.  At  the  age  of  nineteen  he 
began  his  business  career  as  a salesman  foT  the  firm  of  Woodruff  & Co. 
In  1875  he  engaged  in  the  hardware  business  in  partnership  with  a Mr. 
Gredig.  Soon  after  he  purchased  his  partner’s  interest  and  has  continued 


946 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


alone  until  July  1,  1887,  when  be  entered  into  partnership  with  Mr.  E. 
Buffat  under  the  firm  name  of  Craze  <fc  Buffat.  In  connection  with  that 
he  is  a member  of  the  firm  of  Craze  Bros.,  dealers  in  coal  and  coke,  and  has 
been  dealing  quite  successfully  in  real  estate.  In  1876  he  married  Miss 
Lucy  Knaffl,  daughter  of  Dr.  Knaffl,  of  Nashville,  by  whom  he  has  two 
children:  Clifford  and  Edna.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cruze  are  members  of 
the  First  Baptist  Church.  Politically  Mr.  Cruze  is  a Democrat,  and  he 
was  for  several  years  a member  of  the  board  of  mayor  and  aldermen,  and 
as  such  gained  the  reputation  of  fearlessly  expressing  and  voting  his  con- 
victions. He  has  been  very  successful,  and  now  takes  rank  among  the  first 
business  men  of  Knoxville. 

J.  W.  Cruze,  Jr.,  junior  member  of  the  firm  of  Cruze  Bros.,  dealers 
in  coal  and  coke,  and  son  of  J.  W.,  Sr.,  and  Margaret  (Sherrell)  Cruze, 
was  born  March  18,  1864,  in  the  city  of  Knoxville.  His  educational 
advantages  were  confined  to  the  public  schools  of  the  city.  Upon  reach- 
ing his  majority  he  did  business  for  a coal  firm  until  1886  when  he  and 
his  brother  J.  H.  Cruze  opened  their  yard  at  55  Hardee  Street.  Since 
that  time  he  has  done  an  extensive  business,  handling  about  16.000  tons 
yearly.  In  1886  Mr.  Cruze  married  Miss  Esther,  daughter  of  Joseph 
Post,  of  Knoxville.  Mr.  Cruze  is  a member  of  the  First  Baptist  Church, 
and  in  politics  is  a Democrat.  Although  young  as  a business  man  he 
is  rapidly  coming  to  the  front. 

John  Cruze,  one  of  the  substantial  merchants  of  Knoxville,  is  a son 
of  James  and  Catherine  (Brakebill)  Cruze,  both  natives  of  East  Tennes- 
see. The  father’s  people  came  from  Virginia  and  the  mother’s  from 
Pennsylvania,  being  among  the  early  settlers  of  this  part  of  the  State. 
The  father  was  a farmer  by  occupation.  Of  their  family  of  nine  children 
seven  are  now  living.  Our  subject  was  born  in  Knox  County  October  27, 
1838.  He  was  reared  on  the  farm,  and  at  the  age  of  seventeen  came  to 
Knoxville  to  learn  the  tinner’s  trade.  Having  worked  as  journeyman 
until  after  the  war  he  began  business  for  himself  on  a small  scale,  and 
has  been  increasing  the  same  ever  since.  He  has  been  associated  with 
several  different  firms,  and  is  now  a member  of  the  firm  of  DePue,  Cruze 
& Co.,  having  one  of  the  largest  stove  and  tinware  establishments  in  the 
city.  In  1860  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Isabella  Henry,  of 
Knoxville,  and  the  fruits  of  this  union  were  six  children,  four  now  living 
— one  son  and  three  daughters.  Mr.  Cruze  is  a Mason,  and  he  and 
wife  are  members  of  the  First  Baptist  Church.  He  has  been  intimately 
connected  with  the  business  interests  of  Knoxville  for  thirty-four  years. 

Albert  Davis,  farmer,  was  born  November  21,  1825,  in  Grainger 
County,  Tenn.  In  1853  he  moved  to  Knox  County,  where  he  has  since 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


947 


resided.  He  is  the  third  of  twelve  children  born  to  the  union  of  James 
and  Lavicy  ( Cockrum)  Davis,  both  natives  of  South  Carolina,  and  both 
were  brought  to  Tennessee  by  their  parents  when  children.  James 
Davis  was  a minister  of  the  gospel  in  the  Baptist  Church.  He  died  in 
1872,  aged  seventy-one  years.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Davis  were  of  German  and 
English  descent  and  Mr.  Davis’  great-grandfather  was  a native  of  Ireland. 
Our  subject  acquired  his  education  mostly  at  home  and  by  his  own  exer- 
tions. When  twenty-one  years  of  age  he  began  life  for  himself  and  has 
made  the  principal  part  of  what  he  now  owns  by  his  own  exertions.  In 
1848  he  married  Miss  Deborah  Ann  Cate,  a daughter  of  Charles  and 
Elizabeth  (Lloyd)  Cate,  natives  of  North  Carolina,  where  they  were 
reared  and  educated.  They  came  to  Tennessee  in  1816  and  settled  in 
Grainger  County.  To  them  were  born  eight  children:  Marian  (deceased), 
Jasper,  Taylor  (deceased),  Elizabeth  (deceased)  and  four  who  died  in 
infancy.  Mr.  Davis  is  a Democrat  in  politics,  casting  his  first  presi- 
dential vote  for  Z.  Taylor.  He  was  a stanch  Union  man  during  the  late 
war.  He  and  wife  have  been  members  of  the  Missionary  Baptist  Church 
for  forty  years  and  he  has  been  deacon  in  the  same  for  thirty  years.  He 
was  also  for  many  years  clerk  of  the  church.  Mr.  Davis  has  a fine  farm 
of  200  acres  and  is  a successful  and  enterprising  farmer. 

C.  Deaderick,  M.  D.,  one  of  the  most  prominent  physicians  of  Knox- 
ville. Tenn.,  was  born  in  that  city  August  22,  1847,  and  is  the  son  of 
David  and  Elizabeth  J.  (Crozier)  Deaderick,  both  natives  of  Tennessee. 
The  father  was  born  in  the  year  1797  and  filled  various  public  positions, 
the  last  of  which  was  that  of  clerk  and  master  of  the  chancery  court  at 
Knoxville.  His  death  occurred  in  1873.  The  mother  was  born  in  the 
year  1804  and  died  April  14,  1887.  aged  eighty-three  years.  She  was  a 
member  of  the  Third  Presbyterian  Church,  of  which  her  husband  was 
also  a member.  Our  subject  was  reared  in  the  city  of  his  birth,  and 
attended  the  University  of  East  Tennessee,  finishing  his  education  at  the 
Washington  and  Lee  University  at  Lexington,  Ya.  He  entered  that 
institution  in  his  seventeenth  year  and  graduated  in  1869.  He  began 
the  study  of  medicine  in  that  year  under  Dr.  John  M.  Boyd  at  Knox- 
ville, and  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year  entered  the  University  of  Pennsyl- 
vania at  Philadelphia,  graduating  in  1871.  He  at  once  returned  to  his 
native  city  and  began  the  practice  of  medicine,  which  he  has  continued 
up  to  the  present,  having  established  one  of  the  largest  practices  in  the 
city.  He  is  a member  of  the  Knox  County  and  the  State  Medical  Societies 
and  a member  of  the  American  Medical  Association.  He  was  recently 
appointed  examining  surgeon  of  the  United  States  Pension  Office  at 
Knoxville.  Dr.  Deaderick  was  married  in  1875  to  Bebecca  Williams, 


948 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


a native  of  Warren  County,  N.  C.,  born  in  1852,  and  the  daughter  of  John 
T.  and  Mary  (Somerville)  Williams,  natives  of  North  Carolina.  Mrs. 
Deaderick  is  a member  of  the  Episcopal  Church. 

Hon.  James  A.  Doughty  was  born  in  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  July  1, 
1823,  in  what  was  then  called  Lyon’s  Bend,  on  a farm  now  owned  by 
Robert  Budget,  seven  miles  from  the  city,  and  is  the  son  of  Benjamin 
and  Mary  W.  (Camp)  Doughty,  natives  of  Tennessee  and  Virginia 
respectively.  Our  subject  was  reared  in  Knox  County,  and  educated  at 
Maryville  College,  Blount  County,  Tenn.  Previous  to  coming  to  college 
he  had  learned  the  saddler’s  trade  in  Knoxville,  and  this  occupation, 
together  with  teaching,  assisted  him  in  working  his  way  through  college. 

In  May,  1849,  he  wedded  Miss  Sarah  A.  Martin,  a native  of  Blount 
County,  Tenn.,  born  in  1821,  and  to  this  union  three  children  were  born — 
one  son  and  two  daughters.  Mrs.  Doughty  died  in  1855,  and  in  1857 
Mr.  Doughty  married  Elizabeth  Taylor,  of  Anderson  County,  Tenn.,  who 
bore  him  one  child,  a daughter.  In  1877  he  married  Adelia  Murphy,  , 
daughter  of  the  late  Maj.  James  A.  Murphy,  of  Knox  County.  After  his 
first  marriage  our  subject  engaged  in  farming  and  merchandising  in 
Anderson  and  Blount  Counties,  and  studied  law  up  to  the  breaking  out 
of  the  late  war.  At  that  time  he  allied  himself  with  the  Union  people  of 
East  Tennessee,  and  in  August,  1861,  he,  with  about  300  other  Tennes- 
see Unionists,  went  to  Kentucky,  and  was  mustered  into  the  First  Reg- 
iment of  Union  Tennessee  Infantry,  at  Camp  Dick  Robinson,  Ky.,  he 
having  been  elected  captain  of  Company  K before  reaching  that  point. 
In  December,  1862,  he  was  commissioned  by  Andrew  Johnson,  military 
governor  of  Tennessee,  to  raise  a regiment  of  cavalry,  and  after  spending 
$1,000  of  his  own  private  funds,  and  after  losing  his  companies  for  want 
of  supplies  before  October,  1863,  succeeded  in  raising  about  500  men, 
who  were  designated  the  Seventeenth  Tennessee  Cavalry  by  Gen.  A.  E. 
Burnside.  This  regiment  participated  in  the  siege  of  Knoxville,  and 
was  instrumental  in  saving  the  Federal  Army  from  starvation  or  surren- 
der, a fact  noticed  in  the  official  report  by  Gen.  Burnside.  In  January, 
1864,  this  regiment  was  consolidated  with  the  Twelfth  Regiment,  and 
became  the  Thirteenth  Regiment,  of  which  his  cousin,  George  W. 
Doughty,  was  made  major.  After  the  consolidation  of  the  regiment  our 
subject  was  commissioned  to  raise  artillery  batteries,  of  which  he  was 
promised  the  lieutenant-colonelcy,  but  was  denied  the  promised  reward 
to  make  way  for  the  advancement  of  individuals  who  stood  more  in  favor 
with  those  in  authority.  He  served  throughout  the  war,  and  returned 
home  greatly  damaged  and  injured  in  health,  but  was  not  long  idle  at 
home  until  he  was  called  to  serve  his  State  in  another  capacity.  In 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


949 


1865  he  was  elected  to  the  House  of  Representatives  of  Tennessee,  to 
represent  Anderson  and  Campbell  Counties.  He  was  re-elected  in  1867, 
and  served  four  years  with  honor  and  distinction.  He  was  sometimes 
called  the  leader,  and  sometimes  the  father  of  the  Radical  party,  and  so 
he  was  on  some  subjects,  especially  in  reference  to  the  status  of  the 
negro.  He  was  the  first  man  to  vote  on  the  constitutional  amendment 
which  gave  the  negro  the  privilege  of  testifying  in  court,  and  the  right 
of  suffrage.  He  attended  the  border  State  convention  at  Philadelphia, 
in  1866,  as  a delegate,  and  took  a deep  interest  in  the  resolution  to  give 
the  negro  the  right  of  suffrage.  The  report  of  the  committee  having  the 
resolution  in  hand  was  adverse  to  its  passage  on  the  grounds  of  inex- 
pediency. There  was  but  the  majority  report,  which  was  received  by  the 
convention.  Seeing  how  matters  stood,  and  that  the  question  was  about 
to  be  solved,  our  subject  gathered  a few  prominent  friends  of  the 
measure  together,  among  whom  were  United  States  Senators  Fowler, 
of  Tennessee;  Hamilton,  of  Texas,  and  Moss,  of  Missouri,  who  con- 
stituted themselves  a committee,  and  prevailed  on  the  convention 
to  permit  them  to  make  a minority  report  for  the  sake  of  argument. 
So  well  did  the  friends  of  the  measure  improve  their  time  and 
opportunity  that  the  resolution  was  adopted,  and  to  our  subject 
is  largely  due  the  honor  and  credit  of  its  passage  at  that  time. 
During  his  legislative  career  Col.  Doughtv  was  one  of  the  leaders  of  all 
impoi’tant  movements,  and  earnestly  worked  for  the  advancement  of  the 
vital  interests  of  the  State.  He  was  ever  the  champion  of  the  negro,  the 
railroads  and  educational  interests,  and  was  the  author  of  the  present 
school  law  of  Tennessee,  which  has  since  been  amended.  He  was  chair- 
man of  the  committee  on  agricultural  funds,  and  aided  as  such  in  secur- 
ing the  congressional  appropriation  to  be  deposited  in  the  University  of 
Knoxville  for  the  use  of  the  people  of  the  State.  In  1867  he  began  the 
practice  of  law  at  Clinton,  Tenn.,  and  continued  the  same  until  1873, 
when  he  removed  to  Sneedville.  Tenn.,  and  here  practiced  until  1883, 
after  which  he  removed  to  Knoxville.  He  is  a member  of  Ed  Maynard 
Post,  No.  14,  G.  A.  R.,  and  an  excellent  citizen. 

Dr.  Charles  M.  Drake,  physician  of  Knoxville.  Tenn.,  was  born  in 
Greene  County  of  that  State,  December  20,  1854,  and  is  the  son  of  Dr. 
W.  W.  and  Amanda  (Evans)  Drake.  The  father  was  born  in  Rock- 
bridge County,  Va.,  in  1818,  and  attended  Tusculum  Literary  College  in 
Greene  County  and  graduated  from  Jefferson  Medical  College  at  Phila- 
delphia, Penn.  At  his  death,  which  occurred  February  10,  1871.  he  was 
considered  one  of  the  most  prominent  physicians  of  East  Tennessee. 
The  mother  was  born  near  Russellville,  Tenn.,  in  1824,  and  was  the 


950 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


daughter  of  Walter  Evans,  one  of  the  pioneers  and  large  land  owners  of 
Jefferson  County,  Tenn.  Our  subject  was  reared  in  Greene  County  and 
attended  school  at  Tusculum  College.  In  1872  he  began  the  study  of 
medicine,  and  the  same  year  entered  Jefferson  Medical  College  at  Phila- 
delphia, where  he  graduated  in  1875.  He  was  elected  assistant  surgeon 
of  the  Philadelphia  Charity  Hospital,  which  position  he  resigned  to  come 
to  Knoxville,  where  he  practiced  medicine  two  years.  He  then  returned 
to  Philadelphia  and  became  assistant  to  Profs.  Joseph  and  William  H. 
Pancoast.  Six  years  were  spent  in  the  above  position,  during  which 
time  he  visited  Europe  and  the  various  city  hospitals.  From  1877  to 
1880  he  was  assistant  demonstrator  of  anatomy  at  Jefferson  Medical 
College.  In  1882  he  married  at  St.  Paul,  Minn.,  Miss  Nellie  Averill,  a 
native  of  Minnesota,  born  in  1856,  and  the  daughter  of  Gen.  John  T. 
Averill.  Dr.  Drake  removed  to  Knoxville  in  1883,  on  account  of  his 
wife’s  health,  but  her  death  occurred  there  in  April,  1887.  Dr.  Drake  is 
a member  of  the  Knox  County  and  State  Medical  Societies,  and  has  con- 
tributed a number  of  articles  to  medical  journals. 

J.  C.  Duncan,  manager  of  the  Western  Union  Telegraph  Company, 
and  also  manager  of  the  East  Tennessee  Telephone  Company  of 
Knoxville,  was  born  in  Cumberland  County,  Va.,  in  1840.  When 
eighteen  years  of  age  he  began  to  learn  telegraphy.  During  the  war  he 
was  with  the  Army  of  Tennessee  as  an  operator.  In  the  year  1866  he 
came  to  Knoxville  and  took  charge  of  the  Western  Union  Telegraph 
office,  which  position  he  has  held  ever  since.  He  has  been  a student  and 
experimenter  of  electrical  and  phonetic  science,  and  since  1880  Mr. 
Duncan  has  been  manager  for  the  East  Tennessee  Telephone  Company 
at  Knoxville.  For  a companion  through  life  he  chose  Miss  Fannie  J., 
daughter  of  Gen.  Joseph  A.  Brooks,  and  this  union  was  blessed  by  the 
birth  of  two  sons.  Mr.  Duncan  is  an  honest,  straightforward  business 
man,  and  as  such  is  appreciated  by  his  many  friends.  He  has  been  in 
the  telegraph  service  twenty-nine  years. 

East  Tennessee  Coal  Company.  Among  the  largest  enterprises  in 
the  mining  of  coal  in  this  State  is  the  above  named  company,  which  was 
organized  in’  1871  and  incorporated  July  24,  1883,  with  a paid  up 
capital  of  $40,000;  since  then  it  has  increased  its  stock  to  $50,000.  This 
firm  is  the  owner  of  over  3,000  acres  of  th’e  celebrated  Jellico  coal  fields. 
While  only  capitalized  at  $50,000  the  cost  value  of  their  property  is 
$115,000;  $65,000  being  carried  as  a surplus.  The  mines  are  located 
at  Jellico,  Tenn.,  at  the  junction  of  the  Louisville  & Nashville  Railroad 
and  East  Tennessee,  Virginia  & Georgia  Railroad.  The  location  is 
superior  to  any  in  East  Tennessee,  giving  shipping  facilities  north  to 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


951 


the  Ohio  River  and  south  in  all  the  Southern  States  as  far  as  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico.  The  following  gentlemen  constitute  the  board  of  directors, 
viz.:  S.  B.  Luttrell  (president  Mechanics  National  Bank),  D.  C.  Rich- 
ards (president  Enterprise  Machine  Company),  J.  B.  Hoxsie  (general 
manager  Crystal  Ice  Company),  D.  D.  Nicholas  (president  Gem  Marble 
Company),  TV.  T.  Lewis,  E.  J.  Davis  and  B.  A.  Jenkins.  The  signal 
success  of  this  industrial  enterprise  is  due  to  the  ability  and  thorough 
knowledge  of  its  officers,  E.  J.  Davis,  president  and  general  manager,  and 
B.  A.  Jenkins,  secretary  and  treasurer.  Mr.  Davis  is  a native  of  Wales, 
and  immigrated  to  America  in  1867,  locating  at  Knoxville,  Tenn.  He  is 
a slater  and  stone  cutter  by  trade,  but  embarked  with  a small  purse,  with 
several  others,  into  the  coal  business  in  1871,  and  has  since  been  engaged 
in  the  upbuilding  of  this  now  recognized  as  one  of  the  largest  enterprises 
of  the  kind  in  the  State.  Mr.  Jenkins  is  a native  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
is  a graduate  of  a Pennsylvania  academy  and  of  Eastman’s  Business 
College.  He  first  connected  himself  as  bookkeeper,  and  afterward  was 
elected  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  company.  Much  of  the  siiccess  of 
this  organization  is  due  to  the  energies  of  this  young  man,  who  is  now 
one  of  its  largest  stockholders.  No  company  is  deserving  of  higher 
recognition  than  this  organization,  for  its  widespread  popularity  is  due 
to  its  prompt,  liberal  and  reliable  transactions  in  the  prosecution  of  its 
business. 

East  Tennessee  National  Bank  was  organized  at  Knoxville,  July 
26,  1872,  with  a capital  stock  of  $100,000,  and  the  following  list  of 
directors,  viz.:  Joseph  R.  Anderson,  R.  Love,  James  H.  Ernest,  Frank- 
lin W.  Taylor,  Sr.,  William  Brazelton,  Joseph  Jaques,  Richard  C.  Jack- 
son,  Jesse  A.  Rayl,  Samuel  McKinney,  Franklin  H.  McClung.  Jasper 
TV.  Lillard,  Samuel  E.  Boyd  and  J.  E.  Raht.  Richard  C.  Jackson  was 
elected  president,  Franklin  H.  McClung,  vice-president,  and  TV.  B. 
French,  cashier.  The  present  directors  are  R.  S.  Payne,  E.  J.  Sanford, 
S.  B.  Boyd,  TV.  TV.  Wordwortli,  Daniel  Briscoe,  C.  M.  McClung,  J.  M. 
Meek,  R.  C.  Jackson  and  C.  M.  McGhee.  R.  S.  Payne  is  president,  E. 
J.  Sanford,  vice-president,  and  F.  L.  Fisher,  cashier.  The  folloAving  is 
the  report  of  the  bank,  after  business,  March  4,  1887 : Resources — Loans 
and  discounts,  $501,069.23;  overdrafts,  $1,557.41;  United  States  bonds 
to  secure  circulation,  $25,000;  United  States  bonds  to  secure  deposits, 
$50,000;  other  stocks,  bonds  and  mortgages,  $20,429.12;  due  from 
approved  reserve  agents,  $221,322.76;  due  from  other  National  banks, 
$27,309.96;  due  from  State  banks  and  bankers,  $10,856.85;  real  estate, 
furniture  and  fixtures,  $2,700;  current  expenses  and  taxes  paid,  $8,819.95; 
premiums  paid,  $18,940.62;  checks  and  other  cash  items,  $10,396.37; 


952 


BIOGEAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


hills  of  other  banks,  $35,000;  specie,  $106,713.81 ; legal  tender  notes, 
$115,000;  redemption  fund  with  United  States  treasurer  (5  per  cent  of 
circulation),  $1,125;  due  from  United  States  treasurer,  other  than  5 
per  cent  redemption  fund,  $40;  total,  $1,156,281.08.  Liabilities — Capi- 
tal stock  paid  in,  $100,000;  surplus  fund,  $20,000;  undivided  profits, 
$94,385.29;  National  bank  notes  outstanding,  $22,500;  individual 
deposits  subject  to  check,  $812,422.47 ; demand  certificates  of  deposits, 
$10,537.17;  United  States  deposits,  $15,119.01;  deposits  of  United 
States  disbursing  officers,  $31,118.08;  due  to  other  National  banks, 
$35,794.77;  due  to  State  banks  and  bankers,  $4,404.29;  notes  and  bills 
rediscounted,  $10,000;  total,  $1,156,281.08. 

R.  H.  Edington,  dry  goods  merchant,  and  senior  member  of  the  firm 
of  R.  H.  Edington  & Co.,  extensive  rock -masonry  contractors,  of  Knox- 
ville, Tenn.,  is  a son  of  James  and  Fanny  (Johnson)  Edington,  and  was 
born  in  McMinn  County,  Tenn.,  January  22,  1842.  His  parents  were 
natives  of  Tennessee,  and  his  father  was  a millwright  by  occupation.  He 
died  in  1844.  The  mother  was  born  in  1809,  and  died  in  the  year  1876. 
R.  H.  Edington  was  reared  in  the  county  of  his  birth,  and  acquired  a 
limited  education  in  the  country  schools  of  that  day.  Later  in  life,  how- 
ever, he  added  to  his  education  materially  by  his  own  exertions,  which, 
with  natural  ability,  fitted  him  for  a successful  and  active  career.  He 
began  life  at  the  bottom,  and  was  obliged  to  borrow  money  with  which 
to  procure  his  marriage  license.  Until  after  his  marriage  he  was  not 
able  to  write  his  own  name  or  do  the  easiest  sum  in  arithmetic.  But 
success  followed  him,  and  he  is  to-day  in  easy  circumstances,  paying 
taxes  on  about  $14,000  worth  of  real  estate.  In  1861  he  wedded  Mar- 
garet Henderson,  a native  of  Tennessee,  who  presented  him  with  seven 
children,  six  of  whom  are  living.  Mrs.  Edington  died  in  1876,  and  in 
June,  1877,  our  subject  married  Catherine  J.  Groner,  a native  of  Tenn- 
essee, born  in  1846,  the  daughter  of  Wilson  and  Margaret  (Brown) 
Groner.  To  this  union  five  children  have  been  born.  Mr.  Edington 
became  a member  of  New  Hopewell  Baptist  Church  at  the  age  of  four- 
teen, and  has  continued  a member  of  that  denomination  up  to  the  pres- 
ent. He  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  First  Baptist  Church,  of  Knox- 
ville, of  which  he  is  a trustee. 

T.  C.  Eldridge,  proprietor  of  the  Knoxville  Carriage  Factory,  is  the 
son  of  David  Eldridge,  a native  of  Pennsylvania.  When  young  the 
father  moved  to  Ohio,  where  he  learned  carriage-making,  and  ran  a shop 
many  years.  While  on  a trip  to  Natchez,  Miss.,  he  met  and  married 
Miss  Elizabeth  Gauley,  a native  of  England,  who  came  to  America  when 
about  sixteen  years  of  age.  In  1872  they  moved  to  Knoxville,  where  both 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


953 


spent  the  balance  of  their  days.  Of  their  family  of  four  children — three 
sons  and  one  daughter — our  subject  is  the  second.  He  was  born  March 
2,  1852,  in  Ohio;  was  educated  in  the  common  schools,  and  while  grow- 
ing up  learned  the  trade  of  his  father.  When  seventeen  years  of  age  he 
started  out  for  himself.  After  traveling  and  working  as  journeyman  for 
a number  of  years  he  found  his  way  to  Knoxville,  his  father  having 
established  a factory  at  that  point  in  1872.  He  took  charge  of  it  six 
years  later,  and  has  run  it  successfully  ever  since.  In  1881  he  married 
Miss  Sallie  Knaffl,  daughter  of  Dr.  R.  Knaffl,  of  Nashville,  and  by  her 
became  the  father  of  two  daughters:  Maudie  and  Osie.  Mr.  Eldridge 
is  a Republican  in  politics.  Financially  he  has  met  with  excellent  suc- 
cess, having  started  with  a very  small  capital,  he  now  runs  a good  fac- 
tory, working  from  seven  to  twelve  hands. 

William  Epps,  senior  member  of  the  firm  of  Epps,  McMillan  & Co., 
dealers  in  boots,  shoes,  hats,  trunks,  umbrellas,  etc.,  is  a native  of 
Knox  County.  He  was  reared  on  the  farm,  came  to  Knoxville  in  1877, 
and  filled  various  clerkships  until  the  firm  of  which  he  is  now  a member 
was  formed  in  1881.  The  other  two  members  of  the  firm  are  Alex 
McMillan  and  Flem.  Hazen,  both  natives  of  Knoxville.  They  employ 
three  assistants,  besides  the  members  of  the  firm.  The  paternal  great- 
grandfather of  our  subject  came  from  Holland,  and  located  in  Virginia, 
from  which  State  the  grandfather  came  to  Knoxville  in  the  early  settle- 
ment of  this  county.  He  was  in  the  war  of  1812.  The  father  of  our 
subject,  Richard  Epps,  was  born  in  this  county,  and  served  one  year  in 
the  Confederate  cavalry  service.  He  is  at  present  engaged  in  agricult- 
ural pursuits  in  Knox  County.  The  mother  of  our  subject,  Armenia 
Epps,  is  a native  also  of  Knox  County,  and  William  is  the  second  of  her 
family  of  nine  children,  all  of  whom  are  living. 

Capt.  S.  P.  Evans,  clerk  and  master,  is  a native  of  Roane  County, 
Tenn.,  where  he  was  reared  and  educated.  He  grew  to  manhood  on  the 
farm,  and  at  the  time  of  Grant’s  first  election  to  the  presidency,  came  to 
Knoxville  as  United  States  marshal,  which  position  he.  held  for  twelve 
years,  when  he  was  appointed  to  his  present  office.  In  1872  lie  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Emma  Godby,  by  whom  he  had  six  children, 
four  still  living.  Mr.  Evans  has  been  a member  of  the  Coal  Creek  Coal 
Company  since  1883,  and  was  sheriff  of  Roane  County  before  he  came  to 
Knoxville.  At  the  breaking1  out  of  hostilities  during  the  late  war,  he 
enlisted  in  the  Fifth  Tennessee  Federal  Infantry,  and  at  the  organization 
was  elected  second  lieutenant,  from  which  he  was  promoted  to  the  rank 
of  captain,  serving  as  such  until  the  close.  He  is  the  fourth  cf  a family 
of  ten  children,  seven  now  living,  born  to  the  union  of  P.  H.  and  Rebecca 


954 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


Parks,  natives  of  East  Tennessee.  The  father  resided  in  Cocke  County 
in  early  life,  then  in  Roane  County  about  forty  years,  and  there  died  in 
1882.  The  mother’s  death  occurred  in  the  same  county  about  1880. 

Ignaz  Fanz,  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  Knoxville  Ice  Company, 
was  born  in  Baden,  Germany,  August  1,  1842,  and  educated  in  the  old 
country.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  he  came  to  America  and  located  at  Knox- 
ville, Tenn.,  where  he  began  learning  the  machinist’s  trade,  but  was 
obliged  to  abandon  this  on  account  of  not  understanding  the  English 
language.  For  a time,  during  the  war,  he  manufactured  powder,  and 
then  he  and  a brother  engaged  in  the  butcher’s  trade.  In  1862  he  went 
out  in  Company  G,  Sixth  Tennessee  Infantry,  Federal  Army,  and  served 
until  the  close  of  the  war,  being  sergeant  a short  time.  After  the  cessa- 
tion of  hostilities  he  returned  to  Knoxville,  and  soon  began  manufacturing 
the  celebrated  Fanz’s  East  Tennessee  pork  sausage,  which  he  has  made 
ever  since.  In  1866  he  married  Miss  Emma  J.  Cooley,  an  East  Ten- 
neesee  lady,  and  to  them  were  born  five  children — one  son  and  four 
daughters.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fanz  are  members  of  the  Third  Presby- 
terian Church.  He  is  a Republican  in  politics,  aad  a member  of  the 
G.  A.  R. 

F.  L.  Fisher,  cashier  of  the  East  Tennessee  National  Bank,  is  a 
native  of  Union  County,  Penn.,  born  in  1853,  and  was  reared  and  educated 
in  that  county.  He  then  came  to  Tennessee  with  his  parents,  who  located 
on  a farm  in  Hamblen  County.  In  1876  he  came  to  Knoxville  and 
accepted  a clerkship  with  a wholesale  grocery  firm  Wo  or  three  years. 
He  then  began  in  the  bank  as  bookkeeper,  from  which  he  was  promoted 
to  teller,  and  from  this  position  to  that  of  his  present  as  cashier  in  1883. 
In  February  of  the  same  year  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Ella  Locke, 
a daughter  of  Maj.  Locke,  of  this  city.  Our  subject  is  the  sixth  of  eight 
children  born  to  Daniel  and  Amelia  (Loudenslager)  Fisher,  who  are 
natives  of  Pennsylvania  and  of  German  descent.  The  father  died  in 
Hamblen  County  at  seventy-five  years  of  age.  The  mother  is  still  living 
at  the  old  home. 

W.  H.  Fizer,  proprietor  of  the  Palace  Livery  Stable  of  Knoxville, 
Tenn.,  is  a native  of  Mount  Sterling,  Ky.,  born  in  1860,  and  is  the  son  of 
S.  L.  and  Mary  (Jones)  Fizer,  both  natives  of  Kentucky.  The  father 
was  born  in  1833,  is  a painter  by  occupation  and  resides  at  Mount 
Sterling.  The  mother  was  born  in  1844.  W.  H.  Fizer  was  reared  in 
the  town  of  his  birth  and  attended  the  public  schools.  In  1879  he 
removed  to  La  Grange  Iron  Furnace,  in  Stewart  County,  Tenn.,  where  he 
entered  the  furnace  store  as  clerk,  and  succeeded  in  working  his  way  up 
to  assistant  superintendent  of  the  furnace,  a position  he  held  until  he 


KkOX  COUNTY. 


955 


removed  to  Bibb  Furnace,  Alabama,  in  1881.  At  this  place  be  occupied  a 
similar  position  for  one  year,  and  then  the  same  position  at  Bass  Furnace, 
Alabama,  for  two  years.  He  then  went  to  Shelby  IronWorks,  Alabama, 
where  he  secured  large  ore  contracts.  While  at  this  place  he  married, 
in  August,  1885,  Tennie  Gurley,  of  Knoxville,  who  was  born  in  that  city 
in  1860.  At  the  end  of  two  years  he  removed  to  Knoxville  and  opened 
his  present  business.  His  stable  building  is  one  of  the  largest  and  most 
complete  in  the  State.  It  is  a two-story  brick,  fronting  150  feet  on 
Reservoir  Street  and  200  feet  deep,  is  stocked  with  fine  horses  and 
elegant  rigs.  Mr.  Fizer  is  a young  man  of  thorough  business  worth 
and  sterling  character,  and  is  one  of  the  representative  young  business 
men  of  Knoxville. 

B.  P.  Flenniken,  farmer  and  mechanic,  was  born  in  Knox  County, 
Tenn.,  October  11,  1830,  and  while  still  quite  young,  began  earning  his 
own  living.  He  went  to  Middle  Tennessee,  where  he  learned  brick- 
making and  the  masonry  trade,  and  has  followed  this  all  his  life  in  con- 
nection with  farming.  In  March,  1859,  Miss  Malissa  Ann  Tipton  daugh- 
ter of  William  C.  Tipton,  became  his  wife.  She  was  born  in  Knox 
County,  Tenn.,  October  1,  1837,  and  two  children  were  born  to  her 
marriage,  viz. : William  B.  who  lived  but  a short  time  and  John  Howell, 
a manly  little  • fellow,  the  pride  of  his  fond  parents  and  the  delight 
of  the  household,  who  died  after  a short  stay  of  three  years.  Mrs. 
Flenniken  has  been  an  invalid  for  eight  years.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Flenniken  are  worthy  and  consistent  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  South.  Mr.  Flenniken  has  a good  farm  of  170  acres  of  land 
in  District  No.  13,  of  Knox  County.  He  recently  purchased  a nice 
homestead  near  Knoxville  but  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  Tennes- 
see River,  and  here  he  expects  to  pass  the  remainder  of  his  days.  He 
also  owns  two  houses  and  lots  in  Knoxville. 

E.  H.  Flenniken,  a native  of  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  was  born  in  1832, 
and  lived  on  a farm  until  twenty  years  of  age,  after  which  he  learned  the 
brick-mason’s  trade  and  followed  that  until  1861,  when  he  returned  to 
agricultural  pursuits.  This  occupation  he  followed  for  three  years,  after 
which  he  resumed  his  trade  in  connection  with  brick  manufacturing  in 
Knoxville,  and  continued  this  for  twenty-seven  years.  He  retired  from 
business  in  1881,  and  has  since  devoted  his  time  to  looking  after  the 
interests  of  his  farm  and  town  property.  He  was  formerly  president  of 
the  Kingston  Pike  Company,  and  is  at  present  a stockholder  and  director 
in  the  same.  In  1862  he  married  Miss  Mary  Adaline  French,  also  a 
native  of  Kuox  County.  His  great-grandfather,  Wallace  Flenniken, 
located  within  four  miles  of  the  present  site  of  Knoxville,  and  a house 


BiOGKAPUICAL  APPENDIX. 


950 

that  lie  built  here,  ancl  in  which  he  reared  part  of  his  family,  is  still 
standing  near  the  Maryville  dirt  road.  He  resided  in  the  house  until  his 
death  October  11,  1828.  The  grandfather  of  our  subject,  Wallace  Flen- 
niken,  was  reared  here  and  served  in  the  war  of  1812.  Samuel  Flenni- 
ken,  father  of  our  subject,  Avas  born  in  Knox  County,  near  the  old  Fleu- 
niken  farm  mentioned  aboAre,  and  followed  the  carpenter’s  trade  in  con- 
nection with  farming,  until  his  death  in  1877.  He  married  Elizabeth 
Howell,  a native  of  Knox  County,  and  a family  of  eight  children  was 
reared,  four  of  whom  are  still  living:  Our  subject,  two  brothers  and  a 
sister.  Mr.  Flenniken  is  a Mason,  and  he  and  family  are  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

W.  B.  Ford,  circuit  court  clerk,  was  born  in  Knox  County  in  1851, 
and  is  the  son  of  James  P.  and  Susan  (Haynes)  Ford,  natives  of  Vir- 
ginia, avIio  came  to  this  county  about  1810  and  1825  respectively,  and 
were  here  married.  The  mother  died  in  1876,  and  the  father  June  8, 
1887.  The  father  was  a successful  tiller  of  the  soil,  and  a much  respected 
citizen.  Our  subject  Avas  one  of  twelve  children  (nine  of  whom  are  liv- 
ing) born  to  his  parents.  He  received  a good  education  at  Mossy 
Creek  College  and  at  the  State  University,  leaving  the  former  institution 
in  1876.  He  then  followed  the  teacher’s  profession  until  1879,  at  which 
date  he  went  in  the  United  States  revenue  service  as  storekeeper  and 
gauger  until  1882,  after  which  he  Avas  elected  to  his  present  position.  In 
1873  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Orlena  Henderson,  a native  of  Knox 
County.  Mr.  Ford  is  a member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  the  Missionary 
Baptist  Church.  His  grandfather,  Joseph  Ford,  was  a native' of  Virginia, 
and  settled  in  the  Fourteenth  District  of  Knox  County.  The  Ford  family 
are  all  Republicans,  the  father  and  grandfather  formerly  being  Whigs. 

J.  W.  Fowler,  a farmer  of  the  Sixth  District,  Avas  born  April  28, 
1817,  in  Knox  County,  where  he  has  since  resided.  He  is  one  of  twelve 
children  born  to  John  and  Elizabeth  (Dorsey)  FoAvler,  both  of  whom 
were  born  and  reared  in  Franklin  County,  N.  C.  They  came  to  Tennessee 
in  1816,  settled  in  the  district  where  their  son  now  resides,  and  here  passed 
the  remainder  of  their  days.  Samuel  Fowler,  grandfather  of  our  subject, 
was  a soldier  under  Gen.  Washington,  and  participated  in  the  battle  in 
which  Gen.  Braddoek  was  killed.  He  was  reared  in  Virginia,  and  his 
father  was  a native  born  Englishman.  His  wife’s  maiden  name  was 
Fanny  LaAvson ; she  had  two  brothers  who  were  captaihs  in  the  Revolution- 
ary war,  one  in  the  colonial  and  the  other  in  the  British  Army,  and  both 
were  killed.  Our  subject  never  attended  school  six  months  in  his  life, 
but  acquired  his  education  by  his  oavii  efforts  Avliile  at  home.  He  lived 
with  and  provided  for  his  father  until  the  latter’s  death.  When  twenty- 


Inox  county. 


957 


eiglit  years  of  age  he  married  Miss  Mary  Conner,  who  was  born  in  1820, 
and  who  is  a daughter  of 'William  and  Sarah  (Cox)  Conner.  This  union 
resulted  in  the  birth  of  eight  children:  John  W.,  William  P.,  Elbert  S., 
Louisa  J.  (deceased),  Samuel  P..  Nancy  E.  (Mrs.  Herrell),  Sarah  E. 
(Mrs.  Yarnell)  and  James  A.  Mr.  Fowler  and  family  are  members  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  Mr.  Fowler  having  been  a member  of 
the  same  for  forty-five  years.  He  is  a Republican  in  politics,  and  cast  his 
first  presidential  vote  for  William  H.  Harrison.  He  was  elected  justice 
of  the  peace  in  1860,  and  has  been  re-elected  each  successive  election 
since.  Mr.  Fowler  has  reared  eight  children  and  one  grandson,  S.  W. 
Marshall,  who  are  highly  respected  citizens  of  the  different  localities  in 
which  they  live,  and  but  one  of  the  nine  has  ever  taken  a drink  of  ardent 
spirits.  They  are  all  ardent  prohibitionists.  Mrs.  Fowler’s  grandfather, 
Curd  Cox,  was  a soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  war,  being  only  a youth  at 
that  time.  Her  father  was  orderly  sergeant  under  Gen.  Jackson  in  the 
Avar  of  1812.  Mr.  Fowler’s  maternal  grandmother’s  maiden  name  Avas 
Sedgick,  and  she  was  a native  of  Maryland. 

W.  M.  Fox,  a successful  agriculturist  of  the  Tenth  District,  was 
born  November  7,  1834,  in  the  Ninth  District  of  Knox  County,  where  he 
grew  to  manhood.  He  came  to  the  locality  where  he  iioav  resides  in 
1871,  and  here  he  has  since  lived.  He  is  one  of  the  fourteen  children  born 
to  Austin  and  Margaret  (Walker)  Fox,  both  natives  of  Burke  County, 
N.  C.,  where  they  were  married  in  1820.  They  came  to  Knox  County 
in  1829,  settling  on  Beaver  Creek.  The  father  died  in  1840,  and  the 
mother  in  October,  1864;  they  were  both  of  Scotch-Irish  descent,  and 
both  were  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  At  the  time  of  his 
death  the  father  owned  800  acres  of  Avell  improved  land,  allAvell  cultivated. 
Our  subject’s  grandfather,  John  Fox,  was  a soldier  in  the  Revolutionary 
Avar,  and  Avas  a practical  and  successful  farm  manager.  W.  M.  Fox, 
married  Miss  Louisa  Ellen  Nelson,  May  21.  1865.  She  Avas  a daughter 
of  David  and  Charlotte  (Jjanes)  Nelson.  Mrs.  Nelson  died  January  3, 
1880,  aged  seventy  years.  Mr.  Nelson’s  father,  Suthy  Nelson,  lived  to 
the  remarkably  advanced  age  of  one  hundred  and  fifteen  years.  He  was 
a soldier  in  both  the  Revolution  and  the  Avar  of  1812.  To  our  subject 
and  Avife  seAren  children  Avere  born:  David  N.,  Charlotta  B.,  Mollie  T., 
Etta  J.,  William  M.,  Joseph  O.  and  Daisy  Adelia.  Mr.  Fox  is  a Demo- 
crat in  politics,  although  he  usually  votes  for  principle  instead  of 
party ; is  a member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  and  he  and  Avife  and  two 
elder  daughters  are  members  of  the  Missionary  Baptist  Church.  Mr. 
Fox  began  life  a poor  man,  and,  besides  paying  over  $2,000  security  debts, 
has  a fine  farm  of  400  acres  of  land  located  two  miles  east  of  Concord. 


958 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


During  the  late  war  Mr.  Fox  was  recruiting  officer  for  the  Federal  Army,  ■ 
and  [moved  a very  efficient  officer  in  that  capacity. 

J.  W.  Fox,  of  the  firm  of  Bird  & Fox,  liverymen  and  stock  traders, 
was  born  in  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  in  1849,  and  was  reared  on  a farm  at 
Beaver  Creek,  securing  his  education  at  the  country  schools,  and  after 
reaching  manhood  began  dealing  and  trading  in  stock.  He  soon  pur- 
chased a farm  in  the  county,  continuing  stock  trading,  shipping,  etc.,  in 
connection  with  farming.  He  served  as  deputy  sheriff  of  Knox  County 
in  the  years  1874-75  under  Mat.  Swan.  He  located  in  Knoxville  in 
April,  1885,  where  he  continued  buying  and  shipping  stock.  In  Novem- 
ber, 1886,  he  formed  a partnership  with  J.  W.  Bird  in  the  livery  business. 
They  keep  about  thirty  head  of  horses  in  the  livery  trade,  and  still  con- 
tinue trading  and  shipping  to  Southern  markets.  The  father  of  our  sub- 
ject. J.  W.  Fox,  Sr.,  was  a native  of  Burke  County,  N.  C.,  and  came  to 
Knox  County  in  childhood,  where  he  followed  farming  and  stock  trading 
until  his  death  in  1881.  Ann  Galbraith  Fox,  the  mother,  was  a native  of 
Anderson  County,  Tenn.,  and  also  died  in  1881.  Our  subject  is  a Free 
Mason  and  the  eldest  of  four  sons  and  three  daughters,  all  living. 

Henry  Frazier  (deceased)  was  born  January  22,  1825,  in  Knox 
County,  and  within  one  mile  of  the  Frazier  homestead.  He  received  a 
common-school  education,  and  having  a decided  taste  for  agricultural 
pursuits  always  followed  that  occupation.  He  devoted  much  time  to  the 
improvement  of  his  farm,  and  was  considered  one  of  the  best  farmers  in 
his  immediate  neighborhood.  He  took  a great  interest  in  education,  and 
was  the  main  support  of  the  school  of  his  neighborhood.  He  was  a mem- 
ber of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  South,  and  very  enthusiastic  in 
the  cause  of  religion,  having  with  the  aid  of  a friend,  erected  Delphi 
Academy,  near  his  home,  which  was  after  some  years  used  as  a church, 
and  he  was  for  some  years  steward  and  also  superintendent  of  the  Sun- 
day-school. He  died  in  his  sixty-second  year  in  the  full  triumph  of  a 
living  faith,  and  was  buried  in  the  family  graveyard.  He  was  the  hus- 
band of  Margaret  Underwood,  whose  first  husband  was  Jonathan  Pickle. 
The  marriage  of  Mr.  Frazier  occurred  in  1856,  and  to  this  union  were 
born  seven  children:  Gustavus,  Sarah  and  Alice  (twins),  James,  Adra, 
Ida  and  Angus,  three  of  whom  are  married.  Mr.  Frazier  gave  liberally 
to  support  the  gospel,  and  was  a good  man.  Mrs.  Frazier  is  now  living  at 
the  old  home  in  close  proximity  to  her  children. 

W.  H.  French,  a farmer,  was  born  in  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  April  25, 
1820,  and  is  the  son  of  George  and  Elizabeth  French,  natives  of  Virginia 
and  Pennsylvania,  respectively.  Our  subject  is  of  Dutch  extraction  and 
one  of  three  sons  and  two  daughters  born  to  his  parents.  Our  subject, 


KNOX  COUNTY.  959 

a brother,  and  one  sister  are  all  who  are  living.  W.  H.  received  a very 
limited  education  and  early  in  life  turned  his  attention  to  farming.  He 
began  his  life’s  work  with  very  little  capital,  but  is  now  the  owner  of  215 
acres  of  Knox  County  land,  situated  in  the  Twenty-first  District,  all  well 
improved.  He  has  lately  turned  his  attention  to  stock  raising  and  excels 
in  this.  He  is  an  uncompromising  Republican  but  does  not  care  for 
office,  and  although  sixty-seven  years  of  age  is  still  strong  and  healthy. 

W.  B.  French,  farmer,  and  prominent  citizen  of  Knox  County,  was 
born  in  that  county  March  11,  1850.  His  father,  Jacob  French,  was  of 
German  descent,  and  a native  of  Virginia.  His  mother,  Sarah  (Kountz) 
French,  was  of  German  descent,  and  a native  of  Tennessee.  Our  subject 
received  a rather  limited  education  in  the  country  schools,  and  early  in 
life  began  cultivating  the  soil.  August  5,  1874,  he  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Susan  M.  Haynes,  daughter  of  Jordan  and  Elizabeth 
Haynes,  and  the  fruits  of  this  union  were  four  sons  and  two  daughters, 
only  two  sons  and  two  daughters  now  living,  viz. : Urban  Alexander, 

Jacob  Dexter,  Lilly  and  Sarah  Opha.  Our  subject  is  the  owner  of  285 
. .acres  of  well-improved  land,  and  is  also  interested  in  raising  live  stock. 
He  is  a justice  of  the  peace  in  his  district,  is  postmaster  at  French, 
is  a Republican  in  politics,  and  he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

J.  V.  Fulkerson,  a farmer,  miller  and  dairyman  near  Ebenezer,  was 
born  September  20,  1848,  in  Rogersville,  Hawkins  Co.,  Tenn.  He  is  the 
youngest  of  four  children  born  to  James  L.  and  Alice  G.  (Armstrong) 
Fulkerson.  The  father  was  born  in  Washington  County,  Va.,  in  1814, 
and  came  to  Tennessee  about  1835,  settling  first  in  Hawkins  County.  He 
died  in  1849.  The  mother  of  our  subject  was  born  in  Hawkins  County, 
Tenn.,  and  died  on  the  farm  where  her  son  is  now  residing,  in  1872,  aged 
j eighty-five  years.  J.  V.  Fulkerson  received  the  principal  part  of  his  educa- 
tion at  Abingdon,  Va.  At  the  age  of  twenty-seven  he  married  Miss  Lula 
Oldham,  a native  of  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  and  the  daughter  of  Thomas  E.  and 
Georgianna  (English)  Oldham.  Seven  children  were  the  result  of  our 
subject’s  marriage,  viz.:  Alice  Armstrong,  Margaret  Virginia,  Lula  Old- 
ham, Floyd  Hurt,  Thomas  Oldham,  Georgianna  English  and  James 
Lyons.  Mr.  Fulkerson  is  a Democrat  in  politics,  and  he  and  Mrs.  Ful- 
kerson  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  of  which  he  has  been  a 
ruling  elder  for  one  year.  He  has  served  his  district  as  school  commis- 
sioner, and  was  appointed  a member  of  the  live  stock  sanitary  commission 
in  1884,  and  is  still  holding  the  office.  He  is  a Master  Mason  and  a 
Knight  Templar.  Mr.  Fulkerson’s  great-grandfather,  George  Rogers, 
a native  of  Ireland,  came  to  America  shortly  after  ’the  Revolutionary 


960 


BIOGliAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


war,  and  settled  in  Hawkins  County,  Tenn.,  the  county  seat  of  which  was 
named  in  honor  of  him.  He  was  for  some  time  hotel  keeper  at  Rogers- 
ville,  and  it  was  at  his  house  that  Gen.  Jackson  compelled  a fastidious 
young  man  who  desired  to  lodge  alone  in  a room,  to  sleep  in  Mr.  Roger’s 
corn  crib,  being  forced  in  by  main  strength  by  Gen.  Jackson,  when  he 
refused  to  occupy  the  place  prepared  for  him.  Our  subject’s  paternal 
great-grandfather,  James  Fulkerson,  was  a native  of  Germany,  as  was 
also  his  wife.  J.  V.’s  grandmother’s  name  was  Vance,  a first  cousin  of  the 
father  of  Zebadee  Vance,  ex-governor  of  North  Carolina,  and  at  present 
United  States  senator.  Our  subject’s  uncle,  Abraham  Faulkner,  repre- 
sented the  Ninth  Congressional  District  of  Virginia,  two  years  in  Con- 
gress. Another  uncle,  Samuel  V.  Faulkerson,  was  judge  of  the  Ninth 
Judicial  District  of  Virginia  for  many  years,  and  after  the  breaking  out 
of  the  late  war  was  appointed  colonel  of  the  Thirty-seventh  Virginia,  and 
was  afterward  commissioned  brigadier-general,  but  was  killed  a short 
time  afterward.  Our  subject  began  life  for  himself,  when  nineteen 
years  of  age,  in  the  drug  business  at  Knoxville.  This  he  followed  for 
sixteen  years.  He  then  traveled  for  the  wholesale  firm  of  S.  D.  Mitchell 
& Co.,  then  with  W.  C.  Ingles  & Co.,  then  with  Oldham  & Hunter,  and 
after  being  eleven  years  on  the  road  began  working  at  $8  per  month,  and 
when  he  quit  working  was  drawing  a salary  of  $1,500  per  year.  In 
August,  1883,  he  abandoned  the  business  on  account  of  ill  health,  and  ! 
has  since  followed  agricultural  pursuits.  He  owns  500  acres  of  land,  all 
well  cultivated,  and  located  on  the  East  Tennessee,  Virginia  & Georgia 
Railroad,  near  Ebenezer.  In  1853  Mr.  F.  S.  Heiskell  married  Mrs.  James 
L.  Fulkerson.  He  was  born  in  1787,  in  Woodstock,  Va.,  where  he  grew  to 
manhood.  He  learned  type  setting  under  his  brother,  and  he  and  his  | 
brother-in-law  established  the  Knoxville  Register  in  1815,  one  of  the 
strongest  Whig  organs  in  East  Tennessee.  He  was  State  and  National 
printer,  and  represented  Knox  County  several  times  in  the  Legislature,  rid-  ! 
ing  from  Knoxville  to  Nashville  several  times  on  horseback.  He  was  a 
strong  Jackson  man,  although  he  was  an  enthusiastic  Whig  in  principle.  ; 
Mr.  Heiskell  and  Gov.  Brownlow  carried  on  a very  exciting  discussion  for 
some  time  in  the  newspapers,  and  Mr.  Heiskell,  very  ably  and  successfully  < 
defended  the  principles  he  advocated.  He  purchased  and  moved  to  the 
farm,  where  Mr.  J.  V.  Fulkerson  resides,  in  1835,  where  he  continued  to 
reside  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1883.  He  was  buried  al 
Rogersville.  He  was  a self-made  man,  acquiring  his  education  by  hit 
own  exertions. 

Charles  M.  Funck,  manager  of  the  marble  works  of  W.  H.  Evans  & 
Son,  Knoxville,  was  born  in  Cumberland,  Md.,  January  17,  1854,  bul 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


961 


while  yet  quite  young  removed  to  Baltimore.  While  growing  up  he  had 
the  benefit  of  the  public  schools  until  thirteen  years  of  age,  when  he 
was  left  an  orphan.  His  parents,  Henry  and  Kosina  (Hausch)  Funck, 
came  from  Germany  when  children.  The  father  served  in  Company  K, 
Second  Maryland  Infantry,  Federal  Army,  nearly  three  years,  but  was 
discharged  on  account  of  ill  health.  He  afterward  joined  a construction 
corps,  and  served  until  the  close  of  the  war.  He  was  a cabinet-maker 
by  trade.  The  mother  died  in  1861,  and  the  father  in  186X  Of  their 
family  of  seven  children — three  sons  and  four  daughters — the  three  boys 
were  of  a mechanical  turn  of  mind.  Our  subject  began  his  business 
career  as  cash  boy  in  a dry  goods  house.  From  that  he  arose  to  sales- 
man, and  continued  in  that  capacity  for  about  nine  years.  After  spend- 
ing four  years  in  Florida,  farming,  he  returned  to  Baltimore,  and  was 
bookkeeper  and  cashier  for  the  Baltimore  Ice  Company.  In  1877  he 
married  Miss  J.  Cora  Wilcox,  of  Baltimore,  who  bore  him  five  children. 
One  son  and  two  daughters  are  now  living.  In  1886  Mr.  Funck  came 
to  Knoxville  to  assume  the  duties  of  his  present  office.  He  has  man- 
aged this  large  establishment  ably,  and  justly  deserves  the  esteem  in 
which  he  is  held. 

William  Gallaher,  farmer  of  the  Ninth  District,  was  born  May  11, 
1812,  on  the  farm  where  he  has  since  resided.  He  is  the  tenth  of  eleven 
children  born  to  George  and  Sarah  (Oats)  Gallaher.  George  Gallaher 
was  born  and  reared  in  Virginia,  and  after  his  marriage  came  to  the 
place  where  his  son  now  lives.  This  was  about  1800.  He  was  an  active 
worker  in  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church,  and  died  in  1837,  at 
the  age  of  seventy-six.  Mrs.  Gallagher  died  about  1820.  Our  subject 
received  his  education  in  the  common  schools  of  the  Ninth  District. 
At  the  age  of  twenty-six  he  married  Miss  Mary  King,  who  was  born  in 
1819,  five  miles  south  of  Knoxville,  and  who  is  the  daughter  of  Rev. 
Jeremiah  and  Mary  (Freeman)  King.  Her  father  was  reared  in  North 
Carolina,  and  was  a prominent  and  successful  minister  of  the  gospel  in 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  He  was  for  many  years  presiding  elder. 
He  died  about  1822.  To  our  subject  and  wife  were  born  ten  children : 
George  H.,  Thomas  J.,  John  F.,  William  N.  (deceased),  William  B. 
(deceased),  Lucy  A.  (deceased),  Robert  H.,  Joshua  J.  (deceased),  David 
C.  and  Sallie  E.  (Mrs.  Dr.  Charles  Lee).  Mrs.  Gallaher,  up  to  the  time  of 
her  death,  was  a member  of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church,  as  was 
also  Mr.  Gallaher  and  the  children.  She  died  January  3,  1887,  about 
sixty-nine  years  old.  Mr.  Gallaher  owns  a fine  farm  of  1,100  acres,  on 
Clinch  River,  twenty-two  miles  from  Knoxville.  In  politics  Mr.  Gallaher 
is  a Democrat,  casting  his  first  presidential  vote  for  Martin  Van  Buren. 


962 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


Robert  H.  Gallaher,  farmer,  was  born  April  16,  1851,  on  the  farm 
where  William  Gallaher  now  resides.  He  received  his  education  in  the 
subscription  schools  of  the  Ninth  District,  and  at  Croton  College,  in 
Monroe  County.  He  is  the  seventh  of  ten  children  born  to  William  and 
Mary  (King)  Gallaher,  who  were  of  Irish  and  Scotch  lineage,  respec- 
tively. (For  further  particulars  of  parents,  see  sketch  of  William 
Gallaher.)  Robert  H.  Gallaher,  subject  of  this  sketch,  married  Miss 
Roxie  Crookshank,  the  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Lavenia  (Boyd)  Crook- 
shank.  Mr.  Crookshank  was  born  in  April,  1831,  in  Jefferson  County, 
Tenn.  After  his  marriage  he  moved  to  Knox  County,  and  settled  at 
Concord.  In  1881  he  moved  to  Grayson  County,  Tex.,  where  he  is  now 
living,  and  is  a member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  His  wife  was 
born  July  17,  1842,  in  Knox  County,  Tenn.  She  died  in  September, 
1869.  She  was  an  active  worker  in  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian 
Church.  To  our  subject  and  wife  were  born  six  children:  Effie  J., 

Willie  R.,  Joshua  J.,  David  C.,  George  B.  and  Carrie  Sue.  Mr.  Galla- 
her is  a Democrat  in  politics,  and  he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the 
Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church.  He  owns  225  acres  on  Clinch  River, 
situated  about  twenty  miles  from  Knoxville. 

George  Gallaher,  farmer  of  the  Eleventh  District,  was  born  April  14, 
1836,  in  Roane  County,  Tenn.,  and  is  the  fifth  of  eight  children  born  to 
Thomas  and  Permelia  (Williams)  Gallaher.  Thomas  Gallaher  was  born 
in  1801  on  Clinch  River,  where  he  grew  to  manhood.  He  took  great 
interest  in  the  politics  of  the  country,  and  was  postmaster  for  several 
years.  He  was  of  English  and  Irish  descent,  and  died  in  1873.  His 
wife  was  born  and  reared  in  Knox  County,  and  was  also  of  English  and 
Irish  descent.  She  died  in  1838,  being  about  thirty-two  years  of  age. 
Our  subject  received  his  education  in  the  common  schools  of  Roane 
County,  and  in  1858  married  Margaret  Fox,  daughter  of  Austin  and 
Margaret  (Walker)  Fox.  To  Mr.  and  Mr.  Gallaher  were  born  three 
children:  Thomas  (deceased),  Sophronia  (Mrs.  William  Rodgers)  and 
Charles.  Mrs.  Gallaher  died  August  20,  1868,  and  Mr.  Gallaher  took 
for  his  second  wife,  Miss  Sarah  Walker,  June  8,  1871.  She  is  a daughter 
of  Elijah  and  Sarah  Walker.  Mr.  Gallaher  is  a Democrat  in  politics, 
and  he  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Missionary  Baptist  Church,  of  which 
he  was  elected  deacon  in  February,  1887.  He  owns  a fine  farm  of  320 
acres  near  the  Kingston  road,  nine  miles  west  of  Knoxville,  and  is  a 
successful  farmer. 

J.  M.  Gass,  M.  D.,  physician  of  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  a native  of  Jef- 
ferson County,  Tenn.,  was  born  April  7,  1836,  and  is  the  son  of  Ewing 
and  Parmelia  (Scruggs)  Gass,  both  of  whom  are  dead.  Our  subject  was 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


963 


reared  on  the  farm,  and  acquired  his  literary  education  at  Green eville  and 
Lebanon,  Tenn.  He  was  married,  June  24,  1867,  to  Nancy  Davis,  who 
was  born  in  1839,  and  is  the  daughter  of  James  Davis,  of  Greene  County, 
Tenn.  Both  are  members  of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church.  He 
began  the  study  of  medicine  under  Dr.  John  R.  Boyd,  of  Greeneville, 
Tenn. ; later  graduated  from  the  medical  department  of  the  University 
of  Nashville,  and  then  began  practicing  in  Greeneville,  from  where  he 
removed  to  Morristown,  and  in  August,  1883,  removed  to  Knoxville,  where 
he  has  since  practiced  his  profession,  having  built  up  a good  practice. 
He  is  a member  of  the  Knox  County  Medical  Society,  and  also  of 
Oriental  Lodge,  F.  & A.  M.,  of  Knoxville. 

J.  W.  Gaut,  general  produce,  grain  and  commission  merchant,  was 
born  in  Jefferson  County,  Tenn.,  February  26,  1823,  and  in  early  boy- 
hood moved  with  his  parents  to  Monroe  County,  where  he  grew  to  man- 
hood on  a farm.  He  came  to  to  Knoxville  in  1853  and  embarked  in  the 
general  produce  and  commission  trade,  being  the  first  merchant  in  East 
Tennessee  to  confine  himself  to  a certain  line  of  goods.  In  1848,  previ- 
ous to  his  coming  to  Knoxville,  he  married  Miss  Jane  Boldman,  a native 
of  Greene  County,  Tenn.,  to  whom  thirteen  children  have  been  born,  four 
sons  and  two  daughters  still  living.  From  1855  to  1858  he  was  in  the 
wholesale  grocery,  grain  and  provision  trade,  after  which  he  sold  his 
interest  and  moved  his  family  to  Savannah,  Ga.,  at  which  place  he  con- 
tinued a general  commission  business  until  the  commencement  of  the  war. 
After  the  war  he  followed  business  two  years  in  Atlanta,  Ga.,  after  which 
he  came  to  Knoxville  and  resumed  his  former  business,  which  he  has 
since  continued  Avith  the  assistance  of  his  sons.  Mr.  Gaut  is  one  of  the 
board  of  trustees  for  the  LTniversity  of  Tennessee,  was  on  the  board  of 
education  (Knoxville  city  schools)  five  years,  and  for  a number  of  years 
was  president  of  the  Knoxville  board  of  trade  which  he  assisted  in  organ- 
izing in  1871.  Mr.  Gaut’s  grandparents,  John  and  Lutitia  Gaut,  were 
of  German  and  Irish  extraction  respectively,  but  were  natives  of  Amer- 
ica. They  settled  in  Jefferson  County  about  1780  or  1785,  and  their 
family  consisted  of  thirteen  children,  two  of  whom  are  still  living,  and 
the  average  age  already  attained  by  the  family  of  fifteen,  including  par- 
ents, is  seventy-five  years.  Two  of  the  above  family  (uncles  of  our  sub- 
ject) were  in  the  war  of  1812.  Robert  Gaut,  father  of  our  subject,  was 
born  in  Jefferson  County  in  1801,  and  followed  agricultural  pursuits 
through  life.  He  moved  from  Tennessee  to  Illinois  in  1863,  and  died 
there  in  1865.  The  mother  of  our  subject,  Mary  (Wood)  Gaut,  was  a 
native  of  Jefferson  County,  and  died  in  1846.  Of  her  family  of  six  chil- 
dren all  are  living  but  one  daughter,  our  subject  being  the  eldest  of  the 


964 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


family.  He  and  his  family  are  all  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  South,  holding  memberships  at  Church  Street  Church,  of  which 
Mr.  Gaut  is  and  has  been  for  many  years  an  efficient  member,  and  for 
twenty  years  past  always  sent  as  a lay  delegate  to  the  district  and  ■ 
annual  conference  of  his  church.  He  also  served  as  lay  delegate  in  the 
general  conference  of  1874,  1878  and  1882  respectively. 

J.  L.  George,  farmer,  was  born  August  31,  1848,  in  Blount  County, 
Term.,  where  he  remained  until  1872,  when  he  moved  to  his  present  res- 
idence. He  is  the  third  of  seven  children  born  to  J.  W.  and  Eliza  J. 
(Badgett)  George,  both  of  Irish  descent.  Mrs.  George  was  born  and 
reared  at  the  mouth  of  Little  River.  She  died  October  22,  1877,  aged 
about  fifty-seven.  Mr.  J.  W.  George  was  born  and  reared  in  Blount 
County,  where  he  is  still  living.  The  grandfather  of  our  subject,  Sam- 
uel George,  came  from  Virginia  to  Tennessee  at  a very  early  day.  He 
was  justice  of  the  peace  of  his  district  for  many  years  and  was  promi- 
nently known  as  a flatboat  builder  and  produce  shipper.  He  reared  a 
family  of  eight  children,  J.  W.  being  the  youngest  born  and  the  only 
child  now  living.  J.  W.  is  an  energetic,  enterprising  man,  and  is  one  of 
the  most  influential  and  prominent  citizens  of  the  locality  where 
he  is  known.  He  accumulated  a vast  amount  of  property,  but  much  of  it 
was  destroyed  or  stolen  during  the  late  war.  Mr.  George  married  his 
second  wife,  Mrs.  Mary  Dor  ton,  formerly  Miss  Hood,  a sister  of  Gen.  R. 
N.  Hood,  of  Knoxville,  March  2,  1880.  By  this  union  two  children  were 
born.  Our  subject  received  his  education  in  Ewing  and  Jefferson  Col- 
lege and  at  Emery  and  Henry,  near  Abingdon,  Va.  At  the  age  of 
twenty-seven  he  married  Miss  Bettie  Heiskell,  a daughter  of  Milton  T. 
and  Caroline  (Kelso)  Heiskell.  William  Heiskell,  father  of  Milton 
Heiskell,  was  born  and  reared  in  Virginia,  and  came  to  Knox  County  at 
a very  early  day.  He  represented  Knox  County  in  the  State  Legisla- 
ture several  years,  and  took  quite  an  active  part  in  legislative  affairs  and 
in  politics.  He  also  took  a prominent  part  in  politics  during  the  late  war, 
and  was  quite  an  able  supporter  of  the  Union  cause.  Mr.  Milton  Heis- 
kill  received  his  education  at  Emery  and  Henry  College,  Vii’ginia,  and 
received  his  medical  education  at  the  medical  college  at  Philadelphia, 
where  he  graduated.  He  is  now  practicing  medicine  at  Knoxville,  and 
is  meeting  with  excellent  success  as  a physician.  To  our  subject  and 
wife  were  born  six  children:  Milton  Heiskell,  Isaac  Wright,  Joe  Leath, 
Charley  Kelso  and  two  who  died  in  infancy.  Mrs.  George  is  a member 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  South.  Mr.  George  is  a Democrat 
in  politics,  casting  his  first  presidential  vote  for  Horace  Greeley,  and  is 
a Master  Mason.  He  owns  227  acres  of  land  twelve  miles  southwest  of 
Knoxville,  and  is  a very  successful  farmer. 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


965 


W.  F.  Gibbs,  clerk  of  tlie  criminal  court  for  the  district  of  Knox,  is  a 
native  of  Knox  Co unty,  and  was  educated  at  Walnut  Grove  Academy  and 
the  University  of  Tennessee.  He  grew  to  manhood  on  the  farm,  and  was 
elected  constable  of  the  Fifth  Civil  District  in  1874,  and  re-elected  in  1876, 
serving  four  years  in  all.  In  1878  he  was  appointed  deputy  sheriff  of 
Knox  County,  under  Sheriff  Feeder,  and  in  1880  was  reappointed  by 
Sheriff  C.  B.  Gossett.  In  the  year  1882  he  was  elected  to  his  present 
office,  being  the  regular  nominee  of  the  Republican  party,  and  was 
re-elected  in  August,  1886,  which  term  he  is  now  filling.  He  is  the 
son  of  John  and  Sarah  W.  (Blain)  Gibb's,  who  are  natives  of  Knox 
and  Grainger  Counties,  Tenn.,  respectively.  The  father  is  a suc- 
cessful farmer,  and  is  now  following  agricultural  pursuits  in  this 
county.  He  was  deputy  sheriff  six  years  at  the  close  of  the  war. 
February  22,  1887,  our  subject  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mamie 
Sullivan,  a native  of  Washington,  D.  C.,  and  the  daughter  of  Dennis 
Sullivan  (deceased),  of  that  city.  Mr.  Gibbs  is  a member  of  the 
A.  O.  U.  W. 

Hon.  Henry  It.  Gibson,  chancellor  of  the  Second  Chancery  Division 
of  Tennessee,  is  a native  of  Maryland,  born  in  1837,  and  graduated  at 
Hobart  College,  Geneva,  N.  Y.,  in  the  class  of  1862.  A year  later  he 
married  Miss  Fanny  M.  Reed,  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  and  there  have  been 
born  to  them  three  children:  Nellie,  Woolman  (deceased)  and  Fanny. 
His  father,  Woolman  Gibson,  farmer  and  merchant,  was  born  in  Queen 
Anne  County,  Md.,  in  1800,  and  died  in  Washington,  D.  C.,  in  1877. 
His  mother,  Catherine  (Carter)  Gibson,  who  is  also  deceased,  was  a 
native  of  Georgetown,  D.  C.  His  great-grandfather,  Woolman  Gibson, 
served  under  Washington  in  Braddock’s  defeat,  and  afterward  settled 
near  the  battleground,  now  the  site  of  Pittsburgh,  Penn.  From  this  branch 
descended  several  of  the  noted  Gibsons  of  Pennsylvania  and  Ohio.  An 
uncle  of  Chancellor  Gibson’s  mother,  Daniel  Wells,  was  one  of  two 
patriots  who  killed  the  British  commander,  Gen.  Ross,  at  the  battle  of 
North  Point,  near  Baltimore,  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  the  name  of  this 
hero  stands  first  on  the  shaft  of  the  Baltimore  Battle  Monument.  Chan- 
cellor Gibson  entered  the  military  service  of  the  United  States  March  17, 
1863,  on  the  general  staff  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  He  participated 
in  the  second  battle  of  Fredericksburg,  in  the  battles  of  Chancellorsville 
and  Monocacy  and  in  the  preliminary  skirmishes  of  Gettysburg.  He 
was  honorably  discharged  from  the  service,  August  4,  1865.  After  the 
war  he  attended  the  Albany  (N.  Y. ) Law  School,  and  upon  the  completion 
of  his  studies,  and  after  receiving  his  license  to  practice  law  from  the 
supreme  court  of  New  York,  came  to  Knoxville  and  began  the  practice 


966 


BIOGKAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


of  his  profession.  In  1866  he  moved  to  Campbell  County,  and  in  1869 
was  chosen  a delegate  to  the  State  Constitutional  Convention  from  Camp- 
bell and  Anderson.  He  was  prominent  in  the  convention,  but  owing  to 
some  obnoxious  provisions  in  the  constitution,  refused  to  sign  it.  In 
1870  he  was  elected  to  the  State  Senate,  was  a Grant  electoral  candidate 
in  1872,  and  a Garfield  electoral  candidate  in  1880.  In  1875  he 
represented  the  counties  of  Campbell,  Union  and  Scott  in  the  Tennessee 
House  of  Representatives.  In  1881  he  was  appointed  postoffice  inspector, 
in  which  position  he  investigated  the  Star  Route  cases  in  California, 
Oregon,  Idaho,  Nevada,  Utah  and  Arizona,  and  was  highly  commended 
by  his  superiors  for  his  zeal  and  efficiency.  In  1883  he  became  the 
editor  of  the  Knoxville  Chronicle , consolidating  with  it  the  Knoxville 
Republican , and  making  it  the  leading  Republican  paper  in  the  South. 
In  June,  1885,  he  was  appointed  by  President  Arthur,  United  States 
pension  agent  for  the  Southern  States.  In  August,  1886,  he  was 
elected  to  his  present  office  of  chancellor  by  a majority  of  13,621.  He  is 
a member  of  the  Ed.  Maynard  Post,  G.  A.  R.,  of  Knoxville,  and  Senior 
Vice-Commander  of  the  Department  of  Tennessee  and  Georgia  G.  A.  R. 
Chancellor  Gibson  is  a scholarly  and  vigorous  writer,  and  as  an  orator 
has  made  a State  reputation.  His  legal  acquirements  and  habits  of 
industry  and  research,  eminently  fit  him  for  the  responsible  duties  of 
Chancellor.  Yet  in  the  prime  of  life  and  possessed  of  good  bodily  vigor, 
Chancellor  Gibson  has  open  to  him  other  and  still  larger  fields  of  useful- 
ness and  fame. 

S.  L.  Gilson,  farmer  of  the  Eleventh  District,  was  born  in  Rush  County, 
Ind.,  in  1829,  and  came  to  Tennessee  in  1856,  settling  first  at  Knoxville, 
where  he  ran  the  stage  from  that  place  to  Loudon  the  following  four 
years.  Since  1860  he  has  been  engaged  in  farming.  He  is  a son  of 
Daniel  and  Jane  (Bruce)  Gilson,  both  of  whom  were  born  and  reared  in 
Washington  County,  Va.  After  their  marriage  they  immigrated  to  Rush 
County,  Ind.,  but  moved  from  there  to  Iowa  in  1840.  Mr.  Gilson  died  in 
1841,  and  his  widow  moved  her  family  back  to  Rush  County,  Ind.,  where 
she  died  in  1875,  aged  about  eighty-three  years.  Mr.  Gilson  was  of 
Irish  and  his  wife  of  English  descent.  S.  L.  Gilson  had  very  limited 
educational  advantages,  and  after  reaching  manhood  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Catherine  J.  Lones,  who  was  born  in  1836  near  where  she 
now  resides.  Fifteen  children  were  the  result  of  our  subject’s  marriage, 
viz.:  Joseph  W.,  John  R.,  Thomas  W.,  Lenora  A.  (now  Mrs.  S.  H. 
Cooper),  Nettie  G.,  Horace  M.,  Nancy  J.  F.  (deceased),  Sarah  Mack, 
Emma  C.  (Mrs.  A.  Rohel),  Mary  C.,  Samuel  H.,  Daniel  F.,  Mary  M., 
Jessie  C.  and  one  who  died  in  infancy.  Mr.  Gilson  is  a Republican  in  poli- 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


967 


tics,  and  lie  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Christian  Church.  In  1862  he 
enlisted  in  Company  D,  Sixth  Tennessee  Volunteers,  and  was  first 
lieutenant  of  his  company.  He  was  discharged  at  Carthage  in  1864  on 
account  of  disabilities.  Mr.  Gilson  began  life  a poor  man,  and  what  he 
now  owns  are  the  fruits  of  his  own  industry  and  good  management.  He 
has  273  acres  of  good  land,  all  well  improved  and  under  a good  state  of 
cultivation,  located  seven  miles  west  of  Knoxville. 

John  W.  Glenn,  professor  of  agriculture,  horticulture  and  botany,  of 
the  University  of  Tennessee,  was  born  near  Athens,  Ga.,  September  18, 
1832,  son  of  John  W.  (Sr.)  and  Mary  (Jones)  Glenn,  both  of  whom 
were  natives  of  Virginia.  The  father  was  a millwright  in  early  life,  but 
later  turned  his  attention  to  the  ministry.  He  was  in  the  conference 
that  divided  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  being  one  to  help  organize 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  South.  He  had  a good  farm,  which 
was  superintended  by  his  wife.  She  was  a good  financier  and  a woman 
of  sound  judgment.  For  thirty-two  years  Mr.  Glenn  was  presiding 
elder,  and  consequently  from  home  nearly  all  the  time.  But  Mrs.  Glenn 
proved  equal  to  the  occasion,  and  gave  her  children  the  best  educational 
advantages  to  be  had.  In  1867  he  died,  being  sixty-nine  years  of  age. 
The  mother  lived  to  be  about  seventy,  dying  in  1871.  In  their  family 
of  ten  children,  eight  are  now  living — five  sons  and  three  daughters — one 
of  the  sons  became  a lawyer,  one  a minister,  and  two  became  educators. 
Our  subject  Avas  reared  on  the  farm,  and  after  attending  home  schools, 
graduated  from  Emory  College,  Georgia,  in  1853.  In  1854  he  married 
Mary  J.  Orr,  sister  of  Hon.  G.  J.  Orr,  of  Georgia,  and  to  this  marriage 
were  born  three  children:  Lula,  Frank  A.  and  George  W.  Both  he  and 
wife  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  South.  In  1856 
he  founded  Madame  La  Vert  School  of  Georgia,  at  the  head  of  which  he 
stood  until  1859,  when  he  Avas  called  to  the  chair  of  mathematics  in 
East  Alabama  College  and  remained  here  until  the  breaking  out  of  the 
war,  when,  as  captain,  he  led  a company  of  students  into  the  Confederate 
service,  holding  that  position  until  the  final  surrender.  He  then  taught 
in  the  same  college  for  some  time,  and  then  took  charge  of  Martin  Insti- 
tute, near  Athens,  Ga.  In  1882  he  Avas  called  to  his  present  position. 
Prof.  Glenn  has  benefitted  the  agricultural  interests,  not  only  of  this,  but 
of  other  States,  by  public  lectures,  by  articles  in  the  leading  agricultural 
journals  and  by  taking  an  active  part  in  framing  and  securing  the  pas- 
sage of  wholesome  laws  on  this  subject. 

C.  J.  Gooding,  senior  member  of  the  drug  firm,  Gooding  & 
Shughrue,  is  a native  of  England,  born  in  1849.  He  graduated  at  the 
Pharmaceutical  Association  of  Great  Britain  in  1866,  came  to  America 


968 


BIOGEAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


in  1869  and  located  in  New  York  City,  where  he  remained  until  he  came 
to  Knoxville  in  1874.  He  filled  prescriptions  with  the  leading  drug 
firms  of  the  city  until  February  17,  1886,  after  which  he  embarked  in 
the  trade  for  himself  at  his  present  location,  at  the  corner  of  Gay  and 
Asylum  Streets.  Messrs.  Gooding  & Shuglirue  confine  their  stock 
strictly  to  drugs,  and  have  an  extensive  prescription  business.  December 
81,  1875,  Mr.  Gooding  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Martha  Johnson, 
a native  of  Knox  County.  Our  subject,  and  his  brother  George,  who  is 
now  residing  in  England,  are  the  only  children  born  to  George  and 
Charlotta  Gooding.  The  father  was  born,  reared  and  always  resided  in 
England,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1880,  was 
superintendent  of  the  Abbergavenny  Asylum.  The  mother  was  also  a 
native  of  England,  and  died  there  in  1870. 

L.  A.  Gratz,  attorney  at  law,  is  a native  of  Prussia,  Germany,  born  in 
1843,  and  was  reared  and  educated  there.  He  came  to  America  in  1861 
and  enlisted,  on  the  Federal  side,  in  the  Fifteenth  Pennsylvania  Infan- 
try, in  the  three  months1  service,  at  the  expiration  of  which  time  he 
re-enlisted,  this  time  in  the  Ninth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  of  which  he 
became  first  lieutenant.  In  1862  he  was  transferred  to  the  Sixth  Ken- 
tucky Cavalry  as  first  major,  in  which  capacity  he  served  throughout  the 
war.  December  25,  1863,  he  was  detailed  on  the  staff  of  Gen.  Carter 
until  mustered  out  at  Goldsboro,  N.  C.,  in  July,  1865.  The  same  year  he 
married  Miss  Elizabeth  Trigg  Bearden,  a native  of  Knoxville,  who  bore 
him  five  children.  Soon  after  the  war  Mr.  Gratz  located  in  Knoxville, 
having  at  that  time  great  confidence  in  the  future  growth  and  develop- 
ment of  that  city.  He  laid  out  Gratz’s  addition  to  the  city,  and  Gratz 
Street  is  named  in  honor  of  him.  The  same  year  of  his  coming  to 
Knoxville  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar,  and  has  ever  since  enjoyed  a 
lucrative  practice.  He  has  twice  served  as  city  attorney  of  Knoxville.  He 
is  now  serving  a second  term  as  Supreme  Dictator  of  the  K.  of  H., 
and  in  1884  was  employed  by  the  order  as  counsel  in  the  famous  case 
against  Judge  Breckenridge,  defaulting  treasurer,  which  case  was  finally 
terminated  in  favor  of  the  order  at  Louisville,  March  2,  1887.  His 
parents,  Sol  and  Henrietta  (Barshall)  Gratz,  were  both  natives  of 
Prussia,  where  they  passed  their  days,  dying  in  1875  and  1860  respect- 
ively. 

Capt.  J.  M.  Greer,  the  leading  dealer  in  agricultural  implements  of 
Knoxville,  is  a son  of  John  and  Annis  (Hood)  Greer,  both  natives  of 
Blount  County,  Tenn.,  where  they  still  live  and  where  the  father  culti- 
vated the  soil.  The  father  is  about  eighty  and  the  mother  about  seventy 
years  of  age.  Our  subject  was  born  in  Blount  County,  October  21,  1844, 


Knox  county. 


969 


was  reared  on  a farm,  and,  after  attending  the  district  schools,  entered  the 
Indiana  State  University,  but  the  war  came  on  and  interrupted  his 
studies.  In  1862  he  enlisted  in  Company  A,  Fifty-fourth  Indiana 
Mounted  Infantry,  Federal  Army.  Toward  the  close  of  the  war  lie  was 
commissioned  captain  of  Company  E,  Third  Tennessee  Mounted  Infantry. 
In  1865  he  engaged  in  general  merchandising  at  Maryville,  Blount 
County,  and  five  years  later  opened  a hardware  store  in  the  same  town. 
In  1867  he  married  Miss  Martha  E,  Courier,  a native  of  Knox  County, 
by  whom  lie  had  four  children — two  sons  and  two  daughters.  In  1884 
Mr.  Greer  came  to  Knoxyille  and  built  the  spacious  hall  where  he  now 
does  business.  When  he  first  proposed  entering  mercantile  pursuits  he 
asked  his  father  to  lend  him  means,  the  father  refused,  thinking  it  would 
soon  be  spent  and  little  or  no  show  for  it,  but  offered  to  give  him  a farm 
if  he  would  follow  that  pursuit.  Not  to  be  turned  from  his  purpose  he 
borrowed  the  necessary  sum  from  a good  neighbor.  Success  crowned 
his  efforts,  and  he  is  now  a man  of  wealth,  and  has  an  enviable  reputation 
as  a business  man.  In  connection  with  his  other  business  Mr.  Greer  is 
secretary  and  treasurer  of  East  Tennessee  Hedge  Company.  He  has 
also  held  the  position  of  postoffi.ee  inspector  a term,  and  that  of  internal 
revenue  assessor  of  the  Second  District,  four  years.  He  is  a Republican, 
and  a member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F. 

Col.  Nathan  Gregg,  internal  revenue  collector  for  the  Second  District 
of  Tennessee,  with  headquarters  at  Knoxville,  is  a native  of  Ten- 
nessee, born  in  1884,  the  son  of  Maj.  Abraham  Gregg,  also  a native  of 
Tennessee,  who  was  born  in  1789,  and  served  under  Gen.  Jackson  in  the 
Creek  war,  acting  as  courier  for  that  officer,  carrying  dispatches  through 
Tennessee  to  Gen.  Harrison  in  Indiana.  In  the  war  caused  by  the 
removal  of  the  Cherokee  Indians  he  served  with  the  rank  of  major.  His 
death  occurred  in  1876.  The  mother  was  also  a Tennessean,  and  the 
daughter  of  John  Davidson,  of  North  Carolina,  he  being  of  the  family  of 
that  name  and  State  who  distinguished  themselves  during  the  Revolu- 
tionary war.  She  died  in  1852.  Our  subject  was  reared  in  Sullivan 
County,  and  acquired  his  education  in  the  common  schools  of  the  day. 
Up  to  the  breaking  out  of  the  civil  war  he  was  engaged  as  a contractor, 
and  also  followed  farming,  March  4,  1857,  he  married  Miss  Katie  Mar- 
rell,  daughter  of  Isaac  Marrell,  of  Washington  County,  Tenn.  In  April, 
1861,  Mr.  Gregg  enlisted  in  the  Confederate  service,  joining  Company 
B,  of  the  Nineteenth  Regiment  Tennessee  Infantry,  of  which  company  lie 
was  elected  second-lieutenant.  He  succeeded  to  the  command  of  the 
company  on  the  death  of  First  Lieut.  Connelly,  at  the  battle  of  Fishing 
Creek,  Ky.,  and  at  the  battle  of  Shiloh  again  succeeded  to  the  command 


970 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


of  the  company  upon  the  wounding  of  Gapt.  Willet.  On  the  second  day 
of  tli©  battle  he  was  shot  entirely  through  the  body  by  a minie-ball.  As 
he  was  considered  mortally  wounded,  he  was  discharged  from  the  army. 
He  recovered,  however,  and  in  the  fall  of  1862  assisted  in  raising  the 
Sixtieth  Regiment  of  Tennessee  Infantry,  at  the  organization  of  which 
John  H.  Crawford,  of  Washington  County,  was  elected  colonel,  and  our 
subject  lieutenant-colonel.  Col.  Crawford  soon  afterward  resigned,  and 
our  subject  was  commissioned  to  succeed  him  as  colonel  by  the  secretary  of 
war  for  “gallantry  on  the  battlefield  of  Shiloh.”  He  served  as  colonel 
of  the  Sixtieth  Regiment  until  the  close  of  the  war,  surrendering  at  Char- 
lotte, N.  C.,  in  1865,  he  being  included  in  the  terms  of  Gen.  Johnston’s 
surrender.  He  then  returned  to  Sullivan  County,  and  upon  the  enfran- 
chisement of  Confederate  soldiers  in  1870  was  elected  sheriff  of  that 
county,  and  was  re-elected  in  1872,  1874  and  1876.  He  retired  in  Sep- 
tember, having  held  the  office  for  six  years  and  five  months.  The  follow- 
ing November  he  was  elected  to  represent  Sullivan  County  in  the  State 
Legislature,  being  elected  as  an  avowed  Isham  G.  Harris  Democrat,  and 
was  the  only  Democrat  from  East  Tennessee  who  openly  and  boldly 
declared  before  the  election  as  being  in  favor  of  Mr.  Harris  for  United 
States  senator.  During  the  session  of  the  Legislature  of  1877,  he  was  a 
low  tax  Democrat,  and  supported  Frank  Wilson  for  governor  on  that 
platform.  Col.  Gregg  was  re-elected  to  the  Legislature  in  1879,  and 
again  in  1882.  In  April,  1885,  he  was  appointed  by  President  Cleve- 
land to  his  present  position. 

Samuel  Benton  Giffin,  a progressive  young  farmer  of  Knox  County, 
was  born  in  that  county  in  1857,  and  is  the  son  of  William  and  Nancy 
(King)  Giffin,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Tennessee.  Our  subject 
was  educated  in  the  country  schools,  and  is  a self-made  man.  He  is  a 
zealous  member  of  the  Baptist  Church,  and  an  ardent  Republican  in 
politics.  In  1884  he  chose  for  his  companion  through  life  an  estimable 
young  lady,  and  is  now  living  on  one  of  the' most  valuable  farms  in  Knox 
County,  which  consists  of  104  acres  of  well  improved  land.  He  takes 
considerable  interest  in  fine  stock,  and  is  considered  one  of  the  success- 
ful and  prominent  farmers  of  the  county.  He  also  takes  a great  interest 
in  all  public  enterprises,  and  although  a young  man  and  just  beginning 
life,  the  future  looks  bright  before  him. 

Judge  Major  Learoy  Hall.  The  ancestors  of  our  subject  were  among 
the  first  settlers  of  what  is  now  Knox  County.  The  grandparents,  Thomas 
and  Nancy  (Hays)  Hall  located  here  from  North  Carolina  about  1796. 
Thomas  Hall  served  in  the  Revolutionary  war,  and  was  held  prisoner 
by  the  British  at  Charleston  about  six  months.  He  resided  here  in  what 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


971 


is  now  the  Seventh  District  of  Knox  County  from  1796  until  his  death  in 
1833.  His  wife  died  about  1835.  Thomas  Hall  was  of  English  and  his 
wife  of  Scotch-Irish  descent.  William  Hall,  a son  of  Thomas,  and  father 
of  our  subject,  was  born  in  Orange  County,  N.  C.,  in  September,  1788, 
and  came  to  this  county  with  his  parents,  residing  within  the  present 
limits  of  the  Seventh  District  until  his  death.  He  followed  farming'  all 
his  life,  and  was  a great  friend  to  education,  being  school  commissioner  ■ 
many  years,  the  only  office  he  would  ever  hold.  He  married  Nancy  Nelson 
in  1813,  and  her  death  occurred  in  1837.  He  followed  her  in  1868. 
Judge  M.  L.  Hall,  the  immediate  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born  in  the 
Seventh  District  of  Knox  County  August  16,  1814,  and  was  the  eldest 
of  eight  children,  six  of  whom  are  still  living.  He  was  reared  on  a farm, 
and  secured  such  educational  advantages  as  the  rural  districts  at  that  time 
afforded.  At  the  age  of  nineteen  he  began  teaching  school,  which  occu- 
pation he  followed  a short  time  after  his  marriage  in  1836,  and  then 
began  the  study  of  law  with  Judge  Robert  M.  Anderson,  continuing  with 
Samuel  R.  Rodgers  uutil  he  was  admitted  to  the  Knoxville  bar  in  January, 
1841,  his  license  being  signed  by  Circuit  Judge  Edward  Scott  and 
Chancellor  Thomas  L.  Williams.  Our  subject  was  elected  clerk  of  the 
circuit  court  in  1852,  which  office  he  held  without  opposition  until  the  close 
of  the  war,  being  re-elected  in  March,  1864,  but  resigned  in  April  of  the 
same  year  to  accept  an  appointment  from  Judge  Trigg  to  fill  the  office  of 
clerk  of  the  United  States  Circuit  and  District  Courts  and  United  States 
commissioner,  all  of  which  he  resigned  in  August,  1870,  to  accept  the  office 
of  judge  of  the  criminal  court,  which  had  just  been  created  July,  1870. 
He  filled  this  office  until  1886,  when  he  was  defeated  for  the  first  time  in 
his  life  by  Judge  Logan,  and  has  since  resumed  the  practice  of  law,  and 
is  also  engaged  in  writing  a treatise  on  criminal  law.  Sarah  (McCamp- 
bell)  Hall,  the  faithful  companion  of  our  subject  since  1836,  was  born 
near  Frankfort,  Ky.  Their  marriage  was  blessed  by  the  birth  of  eight 
daughters  and  three  sons,  all  now  deceased  but  three  daughters.  The 
sons,  William,  John  and  Robert  were  all  in  the  Federal  service  during 
the  war.  The  Judge  is  Swedenborgian  in  his  religious  views. 

G.  G.  Hardin,  farmer  was  born  April  6,  1836,  on  the  farm  where  he 
is  now  residing.  He  is  the  son  of  John  G.  and  Sarah  R.  (Gallaher) 
Hardin.  John  G.  was  born  and  reared  in  Hardin  Valley,  and  was  a very 
successful  farmer,  dealing  quite  extensively  in  stock.  He  was  a son  of 
Amos  Hardin  and  a grandson  of  Col.  Thomas  Hardin,  a pioneer  settler  of 
Hardin  Valley.  He  was  also  a prominent  man  in  county  affairs,  and  was 
colonel  of  the  State  militia.  Mrs.  John  G.  Hardin  was  born  and  reared 
within  three  miles  of  where  her  son  now  resides.  She  died  September 


972 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


5,  18G3.  Her  father,  George  Gallaker,  was  very  enterprising,  a good 
farmer  and  was  a highly  respected  citizen  of  Knox  County.  Our  subject 
received  his  education  in  the  common  schools  of  Knox  County,  and 
remained  with  his  parents  until  thirty-two  )mars  of  age,  when  he  married 
Miss  Matilda  C.  Smith,  a native  of  Roane  County.  She  died  in  1872, 
leaving  two  children:  Charles  L.  and  Sallie  B.  Mr.  Hardin  married  his 
second  wife,  Tennessee  Hardin,  in  1881.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hardin  and  their 
children  are  members  of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church.  Mr. 
Hardin  is  a Democrat  in  politics,  and  cast  his  first  presidential  vote  for 
John  C.  Breckenridge.  He  has  a good  farm  of  250  acres  all  well  culti- 
vated, and  is  located  seven  miles  from  Concord.  His  children  have  had 
good  educational  advantages,  and  his  daughter  is  quite  a success  as  a 
school  teacher.  His  son  is  attending  school  in  California.  His  father’s 
ancestors  were  of  Irish  descent,  and  his  mother’s  of  English. 

J.  J.  Hardin,  school  teacher  and  farmer,  was  born  January  16,  1850, 
in  Hardin  Valley.  He  is  the  ninth  of  ten  children  born  to  John  G.  and 
Sarah  R.  (Gallaher)  Hardin.  (For  further  particulars  of  parents  see  sketch 
of  G.  G.  Hardin.)  Our  subject  secured  his  education  at  Hiwassee  Col- 
lege, Monroe  County,  and  at  Ewing  and  Jefferson  College.  In  1870  he 
went  to  California  and  engaged  in  farming  near  Hollister.  In  1872 
he  moved  back  to  Hardin  Valley,  and  one  year  later  moved  to  where  he 
now  resides.  The  same  year  he  married  Miss  Annie  Crookshank,  who 
was  born  August  5,  1855,  and  who  is  the  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Lore- 
nia  (Boyd)  Crookshank.  Mr.  Thomas  Crookshank  was  one  of  the  most 
extensive  mule  dealers  in  this  part  of  the  country  and  was  a very  promi- 
nent member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hardin  were 
born  four  children:  Lavenia  S.,  Ernest  M.  (deceased),  George  B.  and 

Willie  M.  During  the  winter  of  1873  Mr.  Hardin  taught  school  at 
Hardin  Valley.  He  also  taught  school  at  Fairview  Academy,  at  Corner 
Creek  Academy  for  seven  years,  and  at  Greybeal’s  Academy  one  year. 
As  an  instructor  and  disciplinarian  he  gave  excellent  satisfaction,  being 
considered  one  of  the  best  educators  who  has  ever  taught  in  the  Ninth 
District.  He  owns  225  acres  of  good  land  on  Clinch  River,  which  is  well 
cultivated.  Mr.  Hardin  is  a Democrat,  and  he  and  wife  are  members  of 
the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church. 

James  Hardin,  farmer,  was  born  November  8,  1813,  near  his  present 
residence.  He  is  the  seventh  of  ten  children  born  to  Amos  and  Mary 
(Gallaher)  Hardin.  Amos  Hardin  was  born  February  25,  1780,  near 
Richmond,  Va.  He  was  a prominent  minister  of  the  gospel  in  the  Bap- 
tist Church,  was  secretary  of  the  board  of  missions,  and  in  many  ways 
was  active  in  the  interests  of  the  church.  He  was  a leading  school 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


973 

teacher  of  Hardin  Valley,  also  a very  extensive  and  successful  farmer, 
and  was  justice  of  the  peace  of  his  district  for  forty  years,  giving  uni- 
versal satisfaction  as  magistrate.  He  died  in  1840,  at  the  age  of  sixty- 
one  years.  His  father,  Col.  Joseph  Hardin,  was  born  near  Richmond, 
Va.,  in  1734,  and  commanded  a regiment  during  the  Revolutionary  war. 
After  that  event  he  immigrated  to  Greene  County,  but  lived  there  but  a 
short  time  when  he  moved  to  Knox  County.  He  was  a member  of  the 
General  Assembly  fourteen  years,  and  was  a candidate  for  re-election 
when  he  died.  The  mother  of  our  subject  was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  and 
died  about  1846.  Her  father,  James  Gallaher,  came  from  Pennsylvania 
to  Tennessee  in  1780.  Our  subject,  James  Hardin,  received  his  educa- 
tion in  the  common  schools  of  Knox  County,  and  began  business  for  him- 
self at  the  age  of  twenty-one.  He  inherited  200  acres  of  land  from  his 
father,  and  has  added  enough  to  this  to  make  600  acres.  He  married 
Miss  Sarah  Hope,  a native  of  Loudon  County,  born  in  1821,  and  the 
daughter  of  James  and  B.  (Walker)  Hope,  natives  of  Burke  County, 
N.  C.  Mr.  Hope  was  a soldier  in  the  Creek  war.  He  was  a farmer,  and 
died  September  5.  1840.  Mrs.  Hope  died  in  1842.  To  our  subject  and 
wife  were  born  ten  children:  Mary  B.  (deceased),  Malinda  H.,  Lurinda 
G.  (Mrs.  McCallum),  Amos  G.  (deceased),  Major  W.,  Sarah  J. 
(deceased),  James  B.  (deceased),  Cynthia  A.  (deceased),  Lenora  (Mrs. 
Crozier)  and  Laura.  Mrs.  Hardin  is  a member  of  the  Cumberland 
Presbyterian  Church,  while  Mr.  Hardin  is  a Baptist  in  principle.  He 
has  been  a life-long  Democrat,  casting  his  first  presidential  vote  for 
Martin  Van  Buren. 

R.  W.  Hardin,  farmer,  was  born  April  6,  1822,  in  the  house  where  he 
has  since  resided.  He  is  the  youngest  of  ten  children  born  to  Amos  and 
Mary  (Gallaher)  Hardin.  (For  further  particulars  of  parents  see  sketch  of 
James  Hardin.)  Our  subject  received  his  education  in  the  common 
schools  of  Knox  County,  and  was  thrown  upon  his  own  resources  after 
the  death  of  his  father  in  1840.  In  1843  he  married  Miss  Amanda 
King,  a daughter  of  Rev.  Jeremiah  and  Mary  King,  and  the  fruits  of 
this  union  were  the  birth  of  eight  children:  Amos  (deceased),  Mary 
(Mrs.  Gallaher),  Tennessee  (Mrs.  G.  G.  Hardin).  Sarah  Jane  (deceased), 
Adelia  (Mrs.  J.  M.  Smith),  Nancy  (deceased),  Alice  Florence  (deceased), 
and  Robert  John  (deceased).  From  a farm  which  his  father  gave  him 
our  subject  had  acquired  considerable  property,  and  owned  750  acres  of 
excellent  land,  a large  lot  of  fine  stock  and  many  valuable  negroes.  The 
most  of  this  property  was  lost  during  the  late  war.  Mr.  Hardin  is  a 
Democrat  in  politics,  casting  his  first  presidential  vote  for  James  K.  Polk, 
and  he  and  children  are  members  of  the  Missionary  Baptist  Church.  He 


974 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


was  elected  magistrate  of  the  Ninth  District  in  1846,  served  sixteen 
years,  and  was  re-elected  but  refused  to  serve.  In  1875  he  was  elected 
again,  and  is  still  holding  the  office.  During  all  the  time  he  has  held 
the  office  only  two  of  his  judicial  decisions  have  been  appealed  to  a 
higher  court,  and  there  they  were  confirmed.  Mr.  Hardin  strives,  under 
all  circumstances,  to  discharge  the  duties  of  his  office  conscientiously 
and  honestly,  and  by  so  doing  has  given  universal  satisfaction. 

G.  M.  Harrill,  proprietor  of  the  Knoxville  Freight  Transfer  Line, 
was  born  in  Hawkins  County,  Tenn.,  March  14,  1844,  and  is  the  son 
of  J.  S.  and  Emaline  (Robertson)  Harrill,  both  natives  of  Hawkins 
County,  Tenn.  Misfortunes  fell  upon  the  family  which  led  to  the 
separation  of  the  father  and  mother.  The  mother  afterward  married 
Alex  Young,  by  whom  she  had  two  children — a son  and  a daughter. 
She  died  in  the  year  1875.  Our  subject  was  taken  to  Roane  County, 
and  there  lived  until  eleven  years  of  age.  He  afterward  went  to 
Blount  County,  and  there  worked  until  he  was  eighteen  years  of  age, 
securing  for  his  services  a horse,  saddle  and  bridle.  During  the  war 
he  was  in  the  quartermaster’s  department,  United  States  Army.  In 
1866  he  came  to  Knoxville  to  engage  in  the  transfer  business,  owning 
half  of  his  team,  and  driving  it  himself.  He  now  runs  fourteen  good 
teams,  and,  besides  this,  is  interested  in  agricultural  pursuits.  His 
marriage  to  Miss  Sophia  E.  Crawford,  of  Knox  County,  in  1872,  was 
blessed  by  the  birth  of  one  daughter.  His  first  wife  died  in  1876, 
and  two  years  later  he  married  Miss  Mattie  McNew,  of  Campbell 
County,  who  bore  him  three  children — two  sons  and  a daughter.  Mr. 
Harrill  is  a member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  South.  From 
187-  to  1875  he  was  passenger  agent  for  the  Nashville,  Chattanooga 
& St.  Louis  Railroad,  and  from  1875  to  1879  he  was  with  the  St. 
Louis  & Southeastern. 

Hon.  Joe  Harris,  legislator,  humorous  writer  and  merchant,  of 
Knoxville,  Tenn.,  one  of  the  most  widely  known  men  in  East  Tennessee, 
is  a native  of  that  State,  born  in  1850,  the  son  of  S.  K.  and  R.  C. 
(Sawyer)  Harris.  The  father  is  a native  Virginian,  born  in  1818,  and 
came  to  Tennessee  in  his  infancy,  locating  in  Kuox  County.  He  is, 
and  has  been  for  a number  of  years,  a member  of  the  Knox  County 
Court.  The  mother  was  a native  of  Massachusetts,  born  in  1822,  and 
died  in  1878.  Our  subject  was  reared  in  Knoxville,  educated  at  the 
University  of  Tennessee  and  the  Maryville  (Tenn.)  College,  and  fin- 
ished his  education  at  Princeton  ( N.  J. ) College.  He  also  took  a course 
at  a business  college.  He  studied  law  for  three  years,  and,  though 
well  qualified  for  the  practice  of  that  profession,  took  up  the  business 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


975 


of  merchandising  instead.  He  was  elected  to  represent  Knox  County  in 
the  State  Legislature  in  1886,  and  served  with  distinction  in  that  body, 
being  recognized  by  his  colleagues  as  a man  of  brilliance  and  overflow- 
ing wit.  For  a number  of  years  he  has  been  a contributor  of  humorous 
articles  to  such  leading  newspapers  as  The  Detroit  Free  Press  and  Bur- 
lington Hawkeye,  also  the  local  press  under  the  nom  cle  plume  of  “ Sol 
Turpin.”  He  is  a man  of  great  genius  and  resources,  being  adapted  to 
almost  any  class  of  business  or  walk  of  life,  and  enjoys  the  esteem  and 
respect  of  his  acquaintances.  He  was  married  June  8,  1879,  to  Miss 
Jugie  Richardson,  of  Kentucky,  who  was  born  in  1863,  and  who  is  the 
daughter  of  Hon.  J.  W.  Richardson,  of  Kentucky. 

S.  G.  Heiskell,  of  Knoxville,  attorney  at  law,  is  a native  of  Monroe 
County,  Tenu.,  and  was  born  August  7,  1858;  came  with  his  parents  to 
Knoxville  to  live  at  the  age  of  three  years,  and  graduated  at  the  Univer- 
sity of  Tennessee  in  the  class  of  1877 ; attended  law  lectures  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  Virginia  at  Charlottesville;  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in 
Somerville,  Ala.,  and,  since  his  admission,  has  practiced  successfully  at 
Knoxville.  In  1882  he  was  a member  of  the  city  council  of  Knoxville, 
also  city  attorney.  The  same  year  he  was  elected  chairman  of  the  Knox 
County  Democratic  Executive  Committee,  and  president  of  the  Knoxville 
Public  Library,  which  has  since  become  the  Lawson  McGhee  Memorial 
Library.  In  1884  he  was  again  city  attorney  for  Knoxville,  also  Cleve- 
land and  Hendricks’  elector  for  the  Second  Congressional  District.  In 
1885  he  was  again  chairman  of  the  Democratic  Executive  Committee  of 
Knox  County.  In  1886  he  was  the  Democratic  nominee  for  Congress  in 
the  Second  Congressional  District,  ayd  now  represents  that  district  on 
the  Democratic  State  Executive  Committee  of  Tennessee.  William 
Heiskell,  father  of  S.  G.  Heiskell,  was  born  at  Hagerstown,  Md.,  but 
passed  the  greater  part  of  his  life  in  the  State  of  Virginia.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  House  of  Delegates  of  Virginia,  and  afterward  moved  to 
Monroe  County,  Tenn.,  which  he  represented  in  the  Tennessee  Legisla- 
lature.  He  was  a member  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  the  University  of 
Tennessee  for  many  years.  He  accumulated  a large  property,  mostly  by 
agricultural  pursuits,  and  died  at  Knoxville  in  September,  1871.  He 
was  of  German  descent.  Julia  J.  (Gahagan)  Heiskell,  wife  of  William 
Heiskell,  is  a native  of  the  State  of  Georgia,  and  is  still  a resident  of 
Knoxville.  She  is  of  Irish  descent. 

M.  T.  Henson,  farmer  and  stock  dealer,  was  born  in  January,  1832. 
in  Knox  County,  where  he  has  since  resided.  He  is  the  ninth  of  twelve 
children  born  to  John  and  Mary  (Cottrell)  Henson.  John  Henson  was 
born  in  Virginia,  and  when  twelve  years  old  came  with  his  father  to 


976 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


Tennessee.  He  died  in  Knox  County  in  1876,  aged  eighty -four  years- 
He  was  a soldier  in  the  war  of  1812,  was  a member  of  the  Missionary 
Baptist  Church  for  sixty  years,  and  was  deacon  of  the  same  for  forty 
years.  The  mother  of  our  subject  was  born  and  reared  in  Knox  County, 
was  a consistent  Christian  woman,  and  her  influence  was  felt  not  only  by 
her  family,  but  by  all  with  whom  she  came  in  contact.  She  died  on  the 
old  home  farm  August  14,  1855,  aged  fifty-five  years.  Mr.  William 
Henson,  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  born  and  reared  in  Withe  County, 
Ya.  He  died  about  1863,  aged  ninety-nine  years.  At  the  time  of  his 
death  he  could  read  the  finest  print  as  easily  as  at  any  time  of  his  life. 
He  was  a respected  citizen,  a kind  neighbor,  and  was  of  French  and 
“Tuck-a-Hoo”  descent.  Our  subject  received  only  a common-school 
education,  but  has  by  reading  and  observation  become  well  informed  on 
all  the  current  topics  of  the  day,  and  is  considered  a man  of  intelligence 
and  sound  judgment.  He  learned  the  brick  mason’s  trade,  but  liking 
farming  better,  gave  it  up  and  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits,  which 
he  has  followed  ever  since.  The  fruit  of  his  exertion  is  a fine  farm  of  238 
acres,  eight  miles  southwest  of  Knoxville.  At  the  age  of  twenty-two  he 
married  Miss  D.  Compton,  who  bore  him  thirteen  children:  L.  W.,  Will- 

iam L.,  L.  C.,  Vilanto  (Mrs.  Stinnett),  Matilda  B.,  Sarah  M.  (Mrs.  Jett), 
Clementine  B.,  D.  R. , Ida  B.,  John  G.,  Charles  C.,  Mary  J.  and  Nathan 
H.  Mrs.  Henson  was  born  in  Sevier  County,  Tenn.,  in  1831,  and  is  the 
daughter  of  William  and  Charlotta  (Cunningham)  Compton.  Mr.  Hen- 
son is  a Democrat  in  politics,  and  he  and  wife  and  nine  children  are 
members  of  the  Missionary  Baptist  Church. 

Thomas  H.  Hicks,  M.  D.,  physician  of  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  was  born  in 
Columbus,  Colorado  Co.,  Tex.,  November  7,  1856,  and  is  the  son  of  Dr. 
J.  F.  and  Sallie  W.  (Harbert)  Hicks,  both  natives  of  Madison  County, 
Tenn.  The  father  was  born  in  1830,  and  graduated  from  the  medical 
colleges  at  Memphis,  New  Orleans  and  Baltimore.  At  present  he  is  prac- 
ticing at  Bristol,  Tenn.  The  mother  was  born  in  1837,  and  is  still  living. 
Both  are  members  of  the  Baptist  Church.  Our  subject  resided  with  his 
parents  in  Texas  until  his  thii’teenth  year,  when  he  removed  with  them 
to  South  America,  where  they  resided  for  a year  and  a half.  They  then 
returned  to  the  United  States  and  located  in  Tazewell  County,  Ya.,  where 
they  remained  until  1874,  and  then  removed  to  Bristol,  Tenn.  In 
September,  1874,  he  entered  the  University  of  East  Tennessee,  at  Knox- 
ville, and  graduated  in  June,  1879.  In  October  of  the  same  year  he 
entered  the  medical  department  of  the  University  of  Tennessee,  at  Nash- 
ville, graduating  in  February,  1881.  He  next  attended  the  Eclectic  Med- 
ical College,  at  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  and  graduated  in  June,  1881,  and  the 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


977 


following  fall  entered  and  graduated  at  the  Hahnamann  Homoeopathic 
College,  in  Philadelphia.  October  1,  1882,  he  entered  the  Homoeopathic 
Hospital  at  Ward’s  Island,  New  York  City,  where  he  spent  a year  as  res- 
ident physician.  He  then  returned  to  Bristol,  Tenn.,  and  remained  until 
March,  1886,  when  he  came  to  Knoxville,  where  he  has  remained  up  to 
the  present  practicing  his  profession. 

J.  Willard  Hill,  M.  1).,  physician  of  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  was  born  in 
Portland,  Me.,  October  15,  1853,  and  is  the  son  of  Dr.  O.  F.  and  Cliar- 
lotta  (Parsons)  Hill.  The  father  was  a native  of  New  Hampshire,  and 
practiced  medicine  in  Portland,  Me.,  and  from  1854  to  1880  was  one  of 
the  practicing  physicians  of  Knoxville,  where  he  died  in  June,  1881. 
The  mother  was  a native  of  Vermont,  and  died  in  1862.  Our  subject 
was  reared  in  Knoxville,  but  from  1869  to  1879  attended  various  colleges 
in  Europe,  graduating  first  from  the  Canton  College,  of  St.  Gall,  Switzer- 
land, and  then  entered  the  academy  at  Neuchatel,  Switzerland.  In  1873 
he  began  the  study  of  medicine  at  Strasburg,  Germany,  from  which  school 
he  graduated  in  1878.  He  attended  lectures  at  Paris,  France,  and  then 
returned  to  America,  and  in  1879  began  practicing  medicine  at  Knox- 
ville, Tenn.  In  1882  he  returned  to  Europe,  and  attended  lectures  at 
Glasgow,  Scotland,  and  Vienna,  Austria.  He  next  returned  to  Knox- 
ville and  resumed  his  practice,  continuing  up  to  the  present,  and  has 
built  up  a large  practice.  He  is  a member  of  the  Knox  County  Medical 
Society,  of  which  he  was  president  in  1886,  and  is  the  present  secretary. 
Our  subject  was  married  in  1873  to  Miss  Cecile  L.  Roger,  who  was  born 
in  1853,  of  French  parents,  on  the  island  of  Porto  Rico,  West  Indies. 
To  them  have  been  born  two  children:  Charles  Willard,  born  in  Stras- 

burg, Germany,  August  29,  1875,  and  Adele,  born  December  24,  1881. 
Our  subject  is  a member  of  the  Episcopal  and  his  wife  of  the  Calvinistic 
Church. 

Isaac  Hines  (deceased)  was  a farmer  and  miller,  and  the  son  of 
William  Hines,  a native  of  Maryland.  He  was  born  September  15,  1795, 
and  died  in  1872.  He  secured  a limited  education,  and  early  in  life 
engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits.  He  was  a soldier  in  the  war  of  1812, 
and  in  1815  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary,  L.  DonCarlos,  a 
daughter  of  William  Carter  DonCarlos  of  Virginia.  She  was  born  May 
7,  1800,  and  died  in  1863.  To  this  union  were  born  three  sons  and  nine 
daughters,  one  son,  A.  D.  C.  and  six  daughters  are  now  living.  In 
1863  Mr.  Hines  took  for  his  second  wife,  Mrs.  Rhoda  Wilson,  whose 
maiden  name  was  Rhoda  Hickey.  She  was  born  in  Blount  County,  Tenn. , 
December  11,  1822,  and  is  the  daughter  of  David  and  Fanny  Hickey. 
This  marriage  resulted  in  the  birth  of  one  son  and  one  daughter.  The 


978 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


bod,  George  Washington,  is  a farmer,  and  is  living  with  his  mother  on  the 
old  homestead;  the  daughter,  Nancy  C.,  is  also  living  at  home.  Our  sub- 
ject was  a worthy  and  consistent  member  of  the  Baptist  Church,  having 
belonged  to  that  organization  for  more  than  forty  years,  and  his  death 
was  much  regretted. 

A.  D.  C.  Hines,  a mechanic  and  farmer,  was  born  in  Sevier  County, 
Tenn.,  March  20,  1825,  and  is  the  son  of  Isaac  and  Mary  L.  (DonCarlos) 
Hines.  The  father  was  born  in  Knox  County,  Tenn,  September  15, 
1795,  and  is  the  son  of  William  Hines,  a native  of  Maryland.  The 
mother  was  born  May  7,  1800,  and  was  the  daughter  of  Prof.  Carter 
DonCarlos,  of  Virginia.  Our  subject  received  a fair  education  in  the 
common  schools,  and  when  twenty-five  years  of  age  went  to  Illinois, 
where  he  remained  two  years.  He  then  returned  to  Knox  County,  and 
purchased  an  old  farm  near  his  father’s  homestead.  To  his  marriage  ta 
Miss  Pressure  M.  Bowman,  in  1855,  were  born  eight  children — six  sons 
and  two  daughters.  The  youngest  son  died  when  five  months  old.  This 
family  of  children  deserves  more  than  merely  a passing  notice.  The  eldest 
child:  Isaac  B.,  is  a graduate  of  the  Knoxville  University,  and  is  now 
engaged  in  the  signal  service  at  Block  Island,  R.  I.  The  second  child, 
John  M.,  is  a graduate  of  the  Grant  Memorial  University,  of  Tennessee, 
and  is  now  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  in  California.  The  third 
child  received  a common  school  education,  and  is  now  engaged  in  the 
same  occupation  as  his  brother,  John  M.  The  fourth  son,  Samuel  B., 
graduated  at  the  Grant  Memorial  University  of  Tennessee,  and  is  now 
engaged  in  the  livery  business  in  California..  The  fifth  child,  A.  D., 
left  the  public  schools,  and  after  attending  one  year  at  Harrison  Sem- 
inary, of  Sevier  County,  went  to  Carson  College,  where  he  is  now  a stu- 
dent. He  is  also  a teacher  of  penmanship  in  that  college.  The  two 
daughters:  Millie  E.  and  Mary  L.,  are  living  at  home.  Our  subject  has 
a well  improved  farm  of  240  acres  in  the  Fifteenth  District  'of  Knox 
County,  and  besides  this  he  is  the  owner  of  about  500  acres  of  other 
land.  He  is  a Democrat  in  politics,  and  a worthy  member  of  the  Bap- 
tist Church.  Mrs.  Hines  was  born  in  Anderson  County,  Tenn.,  Novem- 
ber 7,  1835,  and  is  the  daughter  of  Rev.  J.  N.  Bowman,  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church. 

S.  P.  Hood.,  M.  D.,  physician  of  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  and  a native  of 
Newport,  Cocke  Co.,  Tenn.,  was  born  November  9,  1834,  and  is 

the  son  of  Rev.  Nathaniel  and  Isabella  W.  (Edgar)  Hood,  both 
natives  of  Tennessee.  The  father  was  born  February  14,  1804,  was  a 
minister  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  died  in  1874.  The  mother 
was  born  April  28,  1807,  died  in  1848,  and  was  of  Scotch-Irish 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


979 


descent.  Both  grandfathers  were  soldiers  in  the  Revolution. 
Our  subject  was  reared  in  Jefferson  County,  Tenn.,  and  attended 
Maryville  College,  where  he  graduated  in  1855.  He  began  the 
study  of  medicine  in  1856,  under  Dr.  Beriah  Frazier,  of  Knoxville, 
and  in  1858  entered  the  Nashville  Medical  College,  and  later  grad- 
uated from  the  University  of  Virginia.  This  was  in  1868-64.  He 
entered  the  Confederate  Army  in  1861,  and  served  as  assistant  sur- 
geon in  the  hospitals  at  Knoxville  and  Bean  Station,  Tenn.  Later 
he  served  as  surgeon,  first  of  Rucker’s  Legion  and  then  of  Col. 
James  Carter’s  First  Regiment  of  Tennessee  Confederate  Cavalry.  At 
the  close  of  the  war  he  located  and  practiced  his  profession  at  Mossy 
Creek,  Jefferson  Co.,  Tenn.  In  1885  he  came  to  Knoxville,  where  he 
has  since  resided.  He  is  a member  of  the  Jefferson  and  Knox  Counties 
medical  societies,  being  at  one  time  corresponding  secretary  of  the 
former.  In  1883  he  had  charge  of  all  the  small-pox  cases  of  Hamblen 
and  Jefferson  Counties.  He  was  married  in  1857  to  Margaret  Good- 
win, a native  of  Grainger  County,  Tenn.,  born  in  1835,  and  the 
daughter  of  Jacob  Goodwin,  a native  of  Tennessee.  To  this  union  six 
children  were  born,  all  of  whom  are  living.  The  mother  was  a member 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  died  in  1879.  Dr.  Hood  is  also  a 
member  of  the  same  church. 

John  W.  Hope,  senior  member  of  the  well  known  jewelry  firm  of 
Hope  Bros.  & Co.,  was  born  in  Knoxville  in  1842,  and  learned  the 
silversmith’s  trade  with  his  father.  At  the  commencement  of  the  Avar  he 
enlisted  in  the  First  Georgia  Regulars,  and  served  until  1863,  Avhen  he 
Avas  transferred  to  the  Thirty-second  Virginia  Mounted  Battalion.  He 
was  captured  and  held  as  a prisoner  sixteen  months.  In  1865  he  married 
Miss  Rachel  Ebaugh,  a native  of  Knoxville,  by  whom  he  had  five  chil- 
dren, two  deceased.  Mr.  Hope  is  a Free  Mason,  and  with  his  family  is  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  His  father,  Daniel  L.  Hope, 
was  born  in  Knox  County  in  1799,  anti  learned  the  silversmith’s  trade 
at  Huntsville,  Ala.  After  which  he  returned  to  Knoxville  and  folloAved 
his  trade  until  his  death.  Mary  E.  (Welch)  Hope,  mother  of  our  sub- 
ject, Avas  reared  in  Virginia,  and  died  about  1848.  Our  subject’s  grand- 
father, Thomas  Hope,  was  a native  of  England,  and  came  to  Charleston, 
S.  C.,  where  he  followed  the  architect  and  builder’s  trade  a short  time. 
He  then  married  Elizabeth  Large,  and  came  to  Knox  County  in  the  early 
settlement  of  the  same.  After  the  death  of  his  father  our  subject 
became  a member  of  the  firm  of  Hope  & Miller,  A\'ho  were  succeeded  in 
1879  by  Hope  & Bro.,  and  they  in  turn  Avere  succeeded  by  the  present 
firm,  in  January,  1885.  D.  J.  Hope,  brother  of  our  subject,  and  W.  D. 


980 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


Dreher,  are  the  other  members  of  the  firm.  They  carry  a stock  of  about 
$50,000,  consisting  of  fine  foreign  and  American  watches,  in  gold  and 
silver  cases,  articles  of  jewelry  for  personal  adornment,  diamonds  in 
modern  and  unique  settings,  etc.  D.  J.  Hope  was  born  in  Knox- 
ville in  1847,  and,  like  his  brother,  was  brought  up  to  his  present  trade 
from  youth.  In  1875  he  married  Miss  Hattie  Owen,  a native  of  Nor- 
walk, Ohio,  to  whom  one  daughter  was  born.  This  lady  died  in  1877, 
and  D.  J.  afterward  married  Elizabeth  Richards,  a native  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, but  was  reared  in  Knoxville.  Mr.  Dteher  was  born  in  New 
York  City  in  1844,  and  came  to  Knoxville,  in  January,  1885,  since  which 
he  has  been  connected  with  our  subject  in  the  jewelry  trade. 

John  F.  Horne,  of  the  firm  of  J.  F.  Horne  & Bros.,  wholesale  liquor 
dealers,  of  Knoxville,  is  a native  of  Knox  County,  born  in  1843,  was 
reared  in  Knoxville  and  educated  at  the  University  of  Tennessee.  At  the 
age  of  fifteen  he  began  life  for  himself,  as  a farmer.  In  April,  1861,  he 
enlisted  in  Company  A,  Ninth  Tennessee  Regiment  of  Artillery,  of  which 
company  he  was  a sergeant.  He  served  until  his  capture  at  Cumber- 
land Gap,  September  9,  1863,  from  which  time  until  the  close  of  the 
war  he  was  held  as  a prisoner  of  war,  first  at  Camp  Douglas,  then  at 
Fort  McHenry,  Baltimore,  Md.,  and  finally  at  Point  Lookout,  an  island 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Potomac  River.  June  13,  1865,  he  took  the  oath  of 
allegiance  to  the  United  States  and  started  on  his  return  home,  walking 
the  entire  distance  from  Richmond  to  Knoxville,  and  that  too  in  a 
miserable  state  of  health.  Between  the  close  of  the  war  and  1870  he 
engaged  as  salesman  for  different  firms  in  Knoxville,  New  York  and  Bal- 
timore, and  in  1870  he  established  the  wholesale  liquor  house  of  J.  F. 
Horne  & Bros.,  of  which  he  is  senior  member.  He  became  a member  of 
Felix  K.  Zollicoffer  Camp  No.  3,  Confederate  Veterans,  at  its  organ- 
ization, and  is  at  present  an  active  member.  He  is  the  son  of  Rev. 
George  and  Amanda  (Luttrell)  Horne,  natives  of  Wythe  County,  Va., 
and  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  respectively.  The  father  was  born  in  1796, 
and  removed  to  Tennessee  about  1800.  He  was  a minister  of  the  Meth- 
Episcopal  Church  South,  and  died  in  1867.  The  mother  was  born  in 
1808,  and  died  in  1884.  She  was  the  sister  of  James  C.  Luttrell,  Sr. 
(deceased),  ex-mayor  of  Knoxville,  and  aunt  of  James  C.  Luttrell,  Jr., 
the  present  mayor. 

W.  H.  Howell,  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  was  born  in  Grainger  County, 
Tenn.,  June  23,  1826.  He  is  the  son  of  James  H.  and  Rebecca  (Havens) 
Howell,  natives,  respectively,  of  Virginia  and  Tennessee.  Our  subject’s 
educational  advantages  were  rather  limited,  as  he  grew  to  manhood  on 
the  farm,  and,  as  he  expressed  it,  “was  reared  between  the  plow  handles.” 


KM  OX  COUNTY. 


981 


In  his  twentieth  year  he  began  working  for  himself,  and  in  1852  he  chose 
for  his  life  companion  Miss  Minerva  Smart,  daughter  of  James  B. 
Smart.  She  was  born  in  September,  1837,  and  by  her  marriage  to  our 
subject  became  the  mother  of  six  sons  and  four  daughters.  One  son, 
named  James  Benjamin,  is  deceased.  Those  living  are  John  Me.,  Martha 
E.,  Bobert  S.,  Azalee  T.,  William  H.,  Donald  Henry  Luther,  Adam 
Daniel,  Louisa  Bebecca  and  Sallie  D.  M.  Our  subject  is  the  owner  of 
1,100  acres  of  land  lying  on  opposite  banks  of  the  Holston  Biver,  and  on 
this  farm  are  quantities  of  fine  marble.  Mr.  Howell  is  a member  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church,  and  an  excellent  citizen. 

J.  B.  Hoxsie  was  born  in  Bhode  Island  December  17,  1832,  and  is 
the  son  of  Beynolds  and  Lucretia  (Cranton)  Hoxsie,  both  natives 
of  Bhode  Island.  For  a livelihood  the  father  followed  manufacturing 
cotton,  and  he  and  wife  were  zealous  members  of  the  Baptist  Church. 
The  father  died  many  years  ago,  but  the  mother  is  now  living  in  Bhode 
Island.  Our  subject  was  educated  at  East  Greenwich  Providence  Con- 
ference Seminary,  from  which  he  graduated  in  1850.  While  growing 
up  he  determined  to  be  a machinist,  serving  an  apprenticeship  at  Taun- 
ton, Mass.  After  graduating  he  went  to  Cuba  as  a machinist  in  the 
railroad  service,  and  when  he  returned,  assisted  in  building  the  Mobile  & 
Ohio  Bailroad.  In  1856  he  came  to  Knoxville,  and  engaged  with  the 
East  Tennessee  & Virginia  Bailroad  as  engineer  on  a passenger  train,  but 
afterward  arose  to  master  mechanic.  During  the  war  he  remained  true 
to  his  country,  exerting  his  best  efforts  for  the  maintenance  of  the 
Union.  When  the  Confederates  burned  the  bridges  across  Watauga  and 
Holston  Bivers  they  left  the  railroad  crossing  them  in  three  sections. 
Transportation  was  impossible  by  railroad,  there  being  neither  cars  nor 
engine  on  the  section  between  the  rivers.  No  one  could  devise  a plan  to 
cross  except  the  building  of  a bridge  which  would  take  too  much  time. 
At  this  juncture  Mr.  Hoxsie  proposed  to  have  the  engine  and  cars  across 
within  thirty-six  hours  if  he  could  have  sole  control  of  the  working  force. 
The  river  was  rapid  and  the  banks  steep  and  deep.  Having  cut  down  the 
banks  a little  he  made  arrow-shaped  sinkers,  filled  them  with  rocks,  ran 
stringers  across,  and  within  the  proposed  time  had  an  engine  and  four 
cars  over.  In  1863  Gen.  Burnside  made  him  general  superintendent  of 
all  the  roads  running  from  Knoxville.  For  six  years  after  the  war  he 
was  superintendent  of  the  East  Tennessee  & Virginia  Bailroad,  and  after 
its  consolidation  with  the  Georgia  Bailroad,  he  was  master  of  transporta- 
tion. He  is  vice-president  of  the  Knoxville  Ice  company,  director  in 
the  East  Tennessee  Coal  Company,  manager  of  the  Crystal  Ice  Com- 
pany, and  was  previously  president  of  the  Knoxville  Car  Wheel  Company. 


982 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


In  1857  lie  married  Miss  Zilpha  DePue,  of  Sussex  County,  N.  J.,  and  to 
them  were  born  three  children,  all  daughters.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hoxsie  are 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

Hon.  L.  Huddleston,  of  the  firm  of  Huddleston,  Smith  & Little, 
wholesale  and  retail  clothiers  of  Knoxville,  is  a native  of  Grainger 
County,  Tenn.,  born  April  8,  1831,  and  the  son  of  John  F.  and  Mary 
(Smith)  Huddleston,  natives  of  Tennessee.  The  father  was  born  of 
English  parents,  September  24,  1807,  and  died  August  6,  1883.  The 
mother  was  born  June  25,  1814,  and  is  now  residing  with  our  subject. 
He  Avas  reared  in  the  counties  of  Grainger  and  Union,  and  acquired  his 
education  in  the  public  schools.  At  the  age  of  twenty  he  engaged  as 
salesman  in  a mercantile  establishment,  and  eighteen  months  later  he  and 
his  brother,  O.  W.  Huddleston,  began  merchandising  at  Graveston, 
Knox  County.  . They  remained  here  two  years  and  then  removed  to  May- 
nardville,  Union  Co.,  Tenn.,  where  they  continued  until  our  subject’s 
removal  to  Knoxville,  in  January,  1884.  He  was  first  a member  of  the 
firm  of  Brock,  Huddleston  & Co.,  which  firm  was  changed  at  the  expira- 
tion of  about  eighteen  months,  Mr.  Brock  retiring,  and  S.  T.  Powers 
entering.  Nearly  two  years  later  Mr.  Powers  withdrew,  and  the  firm 
became  as  at  present.  In  March,  1858,  Mi’.  Huddleston  was  elected 
county  court  clerk  of  Union  County,  he  being  elected  by  a small  majority 
over  the  strongest  man  in  the  county.  He  was  re-elected  in  1862. 
During  the  above  period  he  served  also  as  deputy  clerk  and  master  of 
the  chancery  court  of  Union  County,  under  his  brother,  O.  W.  Huddle- 
ston, and  after  his  brother’s  death  filled  the  unexpired  term  of  clerk  and 
master.  In  November,  1880,  he  was  elected  to  represent  the  counties  of 
Anderson,  Grainger,  Knox  and  Union  in  the  State  Senate,  of  which  he 
was  an  active  member  though  in  poor  health.  In  December,  1871,  he 
wedded  Miss  Mary  E.  Carr,  the  daughter  of  James  K.  Carr  of  Claiborne 
County,  Tenn.  She  was  born  June  25,  1856,  and  died  February  21, 
1878,  leaving  two  sons:  Harry  L.,  born  November  5,  1872,  and  John  L., 
born  January  11,  1875.  Mr.  Huddleston  is  a member  of  the  Calvaiy 
Baptist  Church  of  Knoxville,  and  his  wife  a member  of  the  Maynardville 
Baptist  Church. 

J.  C.  Hudgings,  M.  D.,  a successful  practitioner  of  Knoxville,  Tenn., 
was  born  in  Monroe  County  of  the  same  State,  September  6,  1849,  and  is 
the  son  of  Edward  and  Mary  (Carter)  Hudgings.  The  father  was  born 
in  Virginia  in  1823,  and  is  now  a farmer  of  the  above  named  county. 
The  mother  ivas  born  in  Tennessee  in  1832,  was  a member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  South,  and  died  in  1886.  The  father  was 
also  a member  of  the  same  church.  Our  subject  was  reared  in  the 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


983 


county  of  his  birth,  and  acquired  his  education  at  Hiwassee  College, 
within  a mile  of  his  home,  from  which  school  he  graduated,  and  then 
moved  on  the  farm  for  a few  years  in  order  to  secure  necessary  funds 
with  which  to  fit  himself  for  the  medical  profession.  In  1874 
he  graduated  from  Jefferson  Medical  College  at  Philadelphia,  and  then 
located  at  Strawberry  Plains,  Jefferson  Co.,  Tenn.,  where  he  practiced 
his  profession.  March  3,  1875,  he  married  Hattie  C.  Clark,  a native  of 
Virginia,  born  in  1858,  and  the  daughter  of  Edwin  and  Mary  (Sessler) 
Clark,  natives  of  Virginia.  Two  children  were  the  fruits  of  our  sub- 
ject’s marriage.  In  January,  1876,  Dr.  Hudgings  removed  to  Knoxville, 
where  he  remained  until  the  fall  of  1878,  when  he  removed  to  Texas,  but 
returned  to  Knoxville  the  following  spring,  and  has  remained  in  that 
city  ever  since,  practicing  medicine  with  success.  In  1881  he  was  elected 
city  physician  and  re-elected  in  1882  and  1883,  going  through  the  small- 
pox epidemics  of  the  two  latter  years  and  having  charge  of  all  the  city 
patients.  He  is  a member  of  the  Knox  County  and  State  Medical  Socie- 
ties and  he  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
South. 

M.  W.  Huffaker,  county  surveyor,  entry-taker  and  notary  public,  was 
born  in  Sevier  County,  Tenn.,  in  1833,  and  came  to  Knox  County  in 
early  childhood,  where  he  has  since  resided.  He  was  reared  on  a farm, 
and  educated  at  the  public  schools  of  the  county  and  at  Knoxville.  In 
the  year  1854  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  M.  E.  Pickle,  and  the 
result  of  this  union  was  the  birth  of  nine  children,  seven  of  whom  are 
still  living.  The  mother  of  these  children  died  in  the  year  1876,  and  in 
1882  he  took  for  his  second  wife  Miss  Mary  A.  Pickle,  to  whom  one 
child,  a daughter,  has  been  born.  James  and  Mary  (Cunningham  nee 
Huffaker)  Huffaker,  parents  of  our  subject,  were  natives  of  East  Tennes- 
see, the  father  being  born  and  reared  in  Knox  County.  He  followed 
agricultural  pursuits  until  his  death  in  1865.  His  wife’s  demise  occurred 
in  the  year  1857.  Mr.  Huffaker  is  a member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity, 
and,  with  his  family,  is  a member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
He  took  charge  of  his  present  office  January  1,  1887,  and  has  filled  that 
position  up  to  the  present  in  a satisfactory  manner. 

Francis  Kinloch  Huger.  Among  the  noted  Huguenot  families  that 
came  to  South  Carolina  to  escape  persecution  appears  the  name  of 
Huger.  Five  patriotic  brothers  by  that  name  came  to  this  country, 
espoused  the  cause  of  the  colonies,  and  rendered  valuable  services  during 
the  Revolutionary  war.  One  of  the  brothers,  Benjamin,  was  killed  before 
the  lines  at  Charleston,  in  1779.  He  is  the  man  who  cared  for  the  ship- 
wrecked boy,  La  Fayette,  and  first  introduced  him  to  Washington.  His 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


984 

son,  Francis  Kinloch,  was  an  American  officer,  wlio  with  Dr.  Erie  Boll- 
man  made  the  daring  and  disastrous  attempt  to  rescue  La  Fayette  from 
the  Austrian  prison  at  Olmulz.  He  held  the  position  of  captain  in  the 
Revolution  and  colonel  in  the  war  of  1812.  He  also  served  in  both 
branches  of  the  South  Carolina  Legislature.  Benjamin,  the  son  of 
Francis,  and  the  father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  a graduate  of 
West  Point; commander  of  Fortress  Monroe  from  1841  to  1846;  colonel 
in  the  Mexican  war;  commandant  of  the  arsenal  at  Pikesville,  Md.,  from 
1854  to  1860,  and  major-general  in  the  Confederate  service.  Francis 
Kinloch  Huger,  our  subject,  was  born  in  Buford,  S.  C.,  December  5, 
1845.  When  a young  man  he  entered  the  South  Carolina  Military 
Academy,  but  while  there  the  war  broke  out,  and  in  1862  he,  with  his 
class,  “ The  Cadet  Rangers,”  entered  the  Confederate  service  in  the 
Sixth  South  Carolina  Cavalry.  After  serving  a short  time  as  private  he 
was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  second  lieutenant.  Soon  after  he  was  com- 
missioned adjutant-general  of  the  staff  of  Col.  William  Butler.  In  1865 
he  was  captured  at  Averysboro,  N.  C.,  and  held  a prisoner  of  war 
until  the  close.  Since  then  he  has  been  in  the  service  of  some  of  the  most 
extensive  railroad  systems  of  this  country.  He  began  as  baggage  mas- 
ter, and  is  now  superintendent  of  the  East  Tennessee  division  of  the  East 
Tennessee,  Virginia  and  Georgia  Railroad.  He  has  been  in  the  railroad 
service  for  twenty-two  years,  and  has  ever  proved  himself  an  able  official. 

Thomas  W.  Humes,  S.  T.  D.,  librarian  of  Lawson  McGhee  Memorial 
Library  of  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  was  born  in  that  city  in  the  year  1815,  and 
is  the  son  of  Thomas  and  Margaret  (Russell)  Humes.  The  father  was 
a native  of  Armagh,  Ireland,  born  in  1767,  and  came  to  America  when  a 
boy,  locating  at  Morristown,  Tenn.,  where  he  engaged  in  merchandising. 
He  came  to  Knoxville  in  1797,  and  followed  the  same  occupation  at  that 
place;  he  died  in  1816.  The  mother  was  born  in  Jefferson  County, 
Tenn.,  in  1777,  and  died  in  1854.  She  was  married  first  to  James  Cowan, 
a Knoxville  merchant,  who  died  in  1799.  The  father  and  mother  were 
both  members  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church,  of  which  the  former  was 
an  elder.  Our  subject  was  reared  in  Knoxville,  and  graduated  from  the 
East  Tennessee  College  in  1830,  receiving  the  degree  of  M.  A.  in  1833,  and 
then  for  a time  was  a student  of  Princeton  Theological  Seminary.  In 
1835  he  married  Cornelia  Williams,  of  Grainger  County,  Tenn.,  born  in 
1817,  and  the  fruits  of  this  union  were  three  children,  one  of  whom, 
Andrew  R.  Humes,  is  now  clerk  of  the  United  States  Circuit  Court, 
Knoxville.  The  mother  of  these  children  died  in  1847,  and  in  1849  Mr. 
Humes  married  Anna  B.  Williams,  a native  of  New  Hartford,  Conn.,  who 
was  born  in  the  year  1821.  To  this  union  five  children  were  born,  only 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


985 


two  now  living.  Mrs.  Humes  died  in  1879.  In  1837,  a short  time  after 
his  first  marriage,  Mr.  Humes  became  a member  of  the  firm  of  Cowan, 
Dickinson  & Co.,  merchants  of  Knoxville,  and  in  1839  he  became 
editor  of  the  Knoxville  Times,  the  first  newspaper  published  oftener  than 
once  a week  in  Knoxville.  In  1840  he  was  also  editor  of  the  Knoxville 
Register.  He  was  ordained  a deacon  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church  in  1845,  and  a presbyter  at  Knoxville  in  the  following  August. 
He  became  rector  of  St  John’s  Church,  Knoxville,  in  the  autumn  of 
1846,  and  as  such  served  until  1861,  when  he  resigned.  In  the  autumn 
of  1863  he  was  re-elected  to  the  rectorship.  He  was  elected  president 
of  the  East  Tennessee  University  in  June,  1865,  and  resigned  the 
rectorship  in  1869.  He  continued  president  of  the  university  until 
August,  1883.  In  1869  the  degree  of  S.  T.  D.  was  conferred  upon  him  by 
Columbia  College,  of  New  York.  In  1881^86  he  was  a missionary  of  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in  East  Tennessee,  and  was  elected  to  his 
present  position  in  September,  1886. 

Henry  H.  Ingersoll.  attorney  and  president  of  the  board  of  education, 
of  Knoxville,  is  a native  of  Lorain  County,  Ohio.  He  graduated  at  Yale 
in  the  class  of  1863;  was  superintendent  of  city  schools  at  Kenton, 
Ohio,  in  1863-64,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  at  Kenton,  Ohio,  in  1864, 
after  having  read  law  at  Kenton,  and  also  at  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  with  Hon. 
W.  M.  Ramsey.  In  1864  he  married  Miss  Emily  G.  Rogers,  a native  of 
Cincinnati,  Ohio;  to  them  two  children  have  been  born,  one,  a daughter, 
Mabel,  still  living.  He  located  at  Greeneville,  Tenn.,  in  1865,  and  at 
once  began  the  practice  of  his  profession,  being  at  that  time  twenty-one 
years  of  age.  He  resided  in  Greeneville  until  1878,  after  which  be 
located  at  Knoxville  and  has  since  practiced  at  that  place,  and  also  at 
Jonesboro,  Greeneville,  Dandridge  and  other  places  in  East  Tennessee. 
He  is  one  of  the  board  of  directors  of  the  Mechanics  National  Bank, 
and  was  judge  of  the  supreme  court  commission  in  1879  and  1880.  He 
was  a presidential  elector  on  the  Democratic  ticket  for  the  First  Dis- 
trict in  187.6,  and  is  now  Deputy  Grand  Master  of  Masons  of  Tennessee. 
His  parents,  William  and  Semantha  (Bassett)  Ingersoll,  were  natives  of 
Massachusetts.  His  father  was  a farmer,  and  also  a minister  of  the 
Congregational  Church;  he  died  in  1873,  and  his  widow  in  1882. 

Maj.  R.  C.  Jackson,  one  of  the  county’s  most  prominent  and  influ- 
ential citizens,  was  born  September  27,  1809,  in  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  and 
moved  to  Knoxville  in  1813,  where  his  early  boyhood  was  spent.  At 
the  age  of  eighteen,  after  having  filled  a clerkship  in  the  city  for  six 
years,  he  embarked  in  the  general  mercantile  trade  at  Athens,  Tenn. 
In  November,  1845,  he  married  Miss  Julia  Brazelton,  a daughter  of 


986 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


Gen.  William  Brazelton,  and  to  them  were  born  twelve  children,  only  six 
of  whom  are  now  living.  Our  subject  continued  merchandising  at  Athens 
until  1849,  at  which  date  he  accepted  the  position  of  secretary  and  treas- 
urer of  the  East  Tennessee,  Virginia  & Georgia  Railroad,  and  the  addi- 
tional office  of  general  manager  in  1852,  tilling  the  different  offices  until 
the  road  was  taken  charge  of  by  the  army  during  the  war.  In  1865  he 
was  elected  vice-president  of  the  above  railroad,  and  at  the  consolidation 
of  the  different  branches  officiated  as  superintendent  until  1873,  and  as  a 
director  until  1880.  In  the  latter  year  he  had  the  misfortune  to  lose  his 
wife,  she  dying  April  13.  Mr.  Jackson  was  one  of  the  projectors  of  the 
East  Tennessee  National  Bank,  and  soon  after  the  organization  was 
elected  president,  and  afterward  cashier.  He  is  at  present  one  of  the 
board  of  directors  of  the  bank,  and  also  of  the  Gas  Light  Company.  He 
is  a trustee  of  the  deaf  and  dumb  school.  He  resided  in  Knoxville  until 
1883,  when  he  removed  to  his  excellent  farm,  which  consists  of  288 
acres,  situated  five  miles  north  of  Knoxville,  where  he  still  resides.  His 
father,  Joseph  Jackson,  was  born  in  Virginia,  September  4,  1781,  and 
was  reared  in  Petersburg,  where  he  married  Elizabeth  Cardwell,  and 
clerked  in  a dry  goods  store  until  they  came  to  Knox  County,  about  1808. 
They  resided  in  Knoxville  from  1813  to  1838,  after  which  they  moved  to 
Grainger  County,  where  the  mother  of  our  subject  died  January  24,  1840. 
She  was  born  March  20,  178K  Joseph  Jackson  afterward  married  a 
Mrs.  Clowney,  and  returned  to  Knoxville,  being  proprietor  of  the  Lamar 
House,  and  being  also  engaged  in  merchandising  until  the  war.  After 
that  event,  he  retired  from  business,  and  died  in  October,  1868.  The 
paternal  great-grandparents  of  our  subject  came  from  Ireland  and  settled 
in  Virginia,  where  the  grandfather  of  our  subject,  Abner  Jackson,  was 
born  and  reared.  He  came  with  our  subject’s  father  to  Knox  County, 
but  soon  removed  to  near  Franklin,  Tenn.,  where  he  died. 

A.  N.  Jackson,  attorney  and  member  of  the  board  of  public  works 
for  Knoxville,  was  born  in  Washington  County,  Tenn.,  in  1853.  He  was 
taken  in  infancy  to  Blount  County,  where  he  resided  until  1877.  He 
graduated  in  the  law  department  of  Cumberland  University,  in  1876,  and 
then  came  to  Knoxville  the  following  year,  where  he  has  since  practiced 
his  profession.  In  1877  he  married  a Miss  Cox,  whose  nativity  is  Blount 
County,  Tenn.  To  this  union  two  children  have  been  born.  Mr.  Jack- 
son  was  elected  alderman  in  1884,  and  to  his  present  office  in  January, 
1886.  He  is  a director  in  the  proposed  Elmwood  Street  Railroad.  His 
father,  N.  T.  Jackson,  an  attorney  by  profession,  and  a native  of  Wash- 
ington County,  was  killed  at  Cumberland  Gap  while  in  the  Confederate 
service.  The  mother,  Elizabeth  (Henry)  Jackson,  a native  of  Knox 
County,  is  residing  at  present  in  Blount  County. 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


987 


William  Johnson,  an  enterprising  farmer,  was  born  in  Knox  County, 
Tenn.,  September  15,  1829,  and  is  the  son  of  Thomas  and  Martha 
(Rodgers)  Johnson.  The  father  was  born  in  Blount  County,  Tenn.,  Sep- 
tember 2,  1800,  and  died  January  25,  1868.  The  mother  was  also  a 
native  of  Blount  County,  born  March  29,  1804,  and  died  May  7,  1878. 
Both  were  of  English  descent.  Our  subject  received  his  education  in 
the  common  schools,  and  early  in  life  engaged  in  farming,  which  occupa- 
tion he  has  ever  since  followed.  December  24,  1868,  he  married  Mrs. 
Alexander  Andes  nee  Miss  Mary  J.  French,  daughter  of  Jacob  French; 
this  union  resulted  in  the  birth  of  six  children — one  son  and  five  daugh- 
ters. The  son  and  one  daughter  are  deceased.  Those  living  are  Ida  F., 
Julia  A.,  Martha  Alice  and  Pearl  F.  By  her  former  marriage  Mrs. 
Johnson  had  one  son,  J.  O.,  and  two  daughters,  S.  Ellen  and  Mollie  L. 
Mr.  Johnson  commenced  life  with  very  little  means,  but  is  now  one 
of  the  most  substantial  farmers  in  the  county.  He  owns  over  500  acres 
of  good  land  in  Knox  County,  and  is  one  of  the  most  extensive  stock 
raisers  in  that  county.  He  is  a Republican  in  politics,  and  a member  of 
the  Masonic  Lodge. 

J.  L.  Johnson,  a farmer  of  the  Twelfth  District,  and  one  of  eight 
children  of  Allen  and  Matilda  (Looney)  Johnson,  was  born  October  19, 
1840,  on  the  farm  where  he  now  resides.  Allen  Johnson  was  born  and 
reared  in  Hawkins  County,  Tenn.,  moved  to  Knox  County  in  1839,  and 
two  years  later  moved  to  Missouri,  where  he  remained  twelve  years.  In 
1852  he  came  back  to  Hawkins  County,  and  afterward  to  Knox  County, 
where  he  still  lives.  Mrs.  Johnson  was  born  and  reared  on  the  farm 
where  her  son  now  resides.  She  died  about  1851.  Absolom  Looney, 
grandfather  of  our  subject,  moved  to  Knox  County  after  he  was  grown. 
He  dealt  quite  extensively  in  salt  and  general  merchandise.  When  four- 
teen years  old,  our  subject  began  working  for  himself,  with  very  little  of 
this  world’s  goods.  He  first  worked  as  a day  laborer,  and  as  soon  as  able 
purchased  seventy-five  acres  of  remarkably  good  land,  to  which  he  has 
added  until  he  now  owns  210  acres,  situated  four  miles  southwest  of 
Knoxville.  All  of  this  was  the  result  of  his  own  exertion.  He  deals 
quite  extensively  in  real  estate  in  addition  to  superintending  the  affairs 
of  his  farm.  In  1862  he  married  Miss  Nancy  Looney,  who  was  born 
January  20,  1840,  and  who  is  the  daughter  of  John  and  Zebella  (Colman) 
Looney.  Our  subject’s  union  resulted  in  the  birth  of  seven  children: 
Matilda  (Mrs.  Knott),  Zebella  (Mrs.  Ambrose  Wells),  John,  Mary, 
Artensia,  Genevia  and  Allen.  During  1862  and  1863,  Mr.  Johnson  acted 
as  mail  carrier  for  the  Federal  Army.  Gen.  Robert  Looney,  cousin  of 
Mrs.  Matilda  Johnson,  was  quite  a prominent  candidate  for  the  guberna- 


988 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


torial  nomination  at  the  Democratic  convention  of  1886.  He  with  Mr. 
Cherry  and  Thomas  O’Conner,  had  the  penitentiary  lease  for  many  years. 
Mr.  Johnson  is  a Republican  in  politics,  and  has  served  his  district  as 
school  director  six  years.  He  has  also  served  as  road  commissioner  for 
three  years. 

Jacob  T.  Johnson,  proprietor  and  principal  of  the  Knoxville  Business 
College,  was  born  in  Overton  County,  Tenn.,  January  26,  1857.  His  par- 
ents, Henry  D.  and  Margaret  F.  (Davis)  Johnson,  were  born  in  Tennessee, 
where  the  greater  part  of  their  days  have  been  spent,  though  now  they 
live  in  Kentucky.  The  father  has  followed  farming  and  merchandising, 
and  has  been  quite  a prominent  man  in  local  political  affairs.  Of  their 
family  of  six  children — five  sons  and  one  daughter— all  except  one  have 
taught  school.  Our  subject  received  his  literary  education  at  Glascow, 
and  Edmonton,  Ky.,  and  then  took  a business  course  at  Louisville,  Ky. 
Having  established  Rock  Spring  Academy  at  Pekin,  Tenn.,  at  the  head 
of  which  he  stood  two  years,  he  took  a course  at  the  Nashville  Business 
College,  in  which  he  was  instructor  for  some  time.  He  was  then  princi- 
pal of  a business  college  in  Knoxville,  and  in  1885  established  the  Knox- 
ville Business  College.  This  institution  graduates  a large  number  of 
young  men  and  women  every  year,  who  take  the  highest  positions  in 
commercial  circles.  Mr.  Johnson  is  a member  and  clerk  of  the  First 
Baptist  Church. 

Reps  Jones,  one  of  Knoxville’s  most  useful  and  enterprising  citizens, 
was  born  in  Jefferson  County  in  1843,  and  at  the  age  of  ten  years  made 
Sweet  Water,  Tenn.,  his  home,  until  the  war,  when  he  enlisted  in  the  Con- 
federate service  as  second  lieutenant  of  the  Forty-third  Infantry,  being 
soon  after  promoted  to  the  first  lieutenancy,  in  which  rank  he  served 
until  the  close,  when  he  came  to  Knoxville,  and  for  about  ten  years  was 
engaged  in  the  pork  packing  business,  then  in  the  livery  business  until 
1881,  since  which  time  he  has  been  contracting  and  building,  and  in  this 
way  has  contributed  largely  to  the  upbuilding  of  Knoxville.  Among 
the  many  fine  and  substantial  buildings  recently  constructed  by  him  may 
be  mentioned  the  Lyon’s  View  Asylum,  girls’  high  school  and  the  new 
Knox  County  courthouse,  all  of  which  reflect  credit  to  his  name  as  a 
contractor.  He  also  built  the  Knoxville  woolen-mills,  and  the  new  Cath- 
olic Church.  He  employs  about  125  hands  during  the  building  season, 
and  his  contracts  for  1886  amounted  to  over  $80,000.  He  is  a director 
in  both  the  old  street  car  companies,  and  was  at  one  time  city  alderman. 
He  married  Miss  Mary  Pate,  of  Concord,  Knox  County,  in  1878.  W. 
B.  Jones,  the  father,  was  born  in  Cocke  County,  and  married  Mary  Jarn- 
agin.  a native  of  Grainger  County.  He  then  moved  to  Jefferson  County, 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


989 


where  he  followed  merchandising  until  his  death  in  1848,  his  wife  having 
preceded  him  in  184a.  Our  subject  and  two  sisters,  one  being  a twin 
sister,  constitute  the  family.  The  paternal  great-grandfather  came  from 
Scotland  and  settled  in  Virginia,  where  the  grandfather  was  born  and 
reared.  They  afterward  located  in  East  Tennessee. 

Charlton  Karns,  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  Knoxville  City  Mills 
Company,  was  born  in  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  in  1858,  and  is  the  son  of 
J.  C.  and  Lorenia  (Lindell)  Karns.  The  father  is  a native  of  Knox 
County,  born  in  1833,  and  is  at  present  engaged  in  merchandising  at 
Adair  Creek,  Knox  County.  The  mother  was  also  born  in  Knox 
County  in  1834,  and  is  a member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  as 
is  also  her  husband.  Our  subject  was  reared  on  the  farm,  situated 
within  two  miles  of  Knoxville,  where  he  remained  until  his  twentieth 
year,  acquiring  his  education  at  Mossy  Creek  College,  in  Jefferson 
County.  At  the  age  of  twenty  he  engaged  with  his  father  in  the  mill 
business  at  Planters’  Mills,  one  mile  north  of  Knoxville,  where  he  con- 
tinued for  five  years,  and  then  removed  to  Knoxville.  He  then  entered  the 
employ  of  the  Knoxville  City  Mills  Company,  becoming  secretary  and 
treasurer  of  the  same  in  1885.  He  is  a member  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church,  and  although  a young  man,  occupies  a responsible  position, 
and  has  established  a good  standing  in  business  circles. 

Thomas  H.  Kearney,  M.  D.,  one  of  the  prominent  physicians  of  Knox- 
ville, Tenn.,  a native  of  Ireland,  was  born  November  23,  1832,  son  of 
Patrick  and  Sophia  (Apjohn)  Kearney,  both  natives  of  Ireland.  The 
father  was  born  in  1799,  and  immigrated  to  America  in  1849.  He  was 
by  profession  a civil  engineer,  and  died  in  1874.  The  mother  is  at  pres- 
ent a resident  of  IVaynesville,  Ohio.  Our  subject  was  reared  in  his  native 
country,  and  was  in  his  seventeenth  year  when  he  accompanied  his 
parents  to  this  country.  His  medical  studies  began  in  1855,  at  Cincin- 
nati, Ohio,  where  he  attended  and  graduated  from  the  medical  college  of 
Ohio  in  1858.  He  then  served  for  a year  as  house  physician  at  the  Com- 
mercial Hospital  in  the  above  city,  and  next  began  practicing  medicine  at 
that  point  ( Cincinnati ) , and  continued  until  the  spring  of  1861.  The  civil 
war  breaking  out  at  that  period,  he  entered  the  Federal  service  as  med- 
ical officer  on  one  of  the  gunboats  of  the  western  flotilla.  After  a year’s 
service  on  the  gunboat  he  was  commissioned  surgeon  of  the  Forty-fifth 
Ohio  Regiment  of  Infantry,  a position  he  held  until  the  close  of  the  war. 
He  returned  to  Cincinnati  after  the  war,  and  again  began  the  practice  of 
medicine.  He  served  as  assistant  physician  of  Longview  Asylum  for 
the  Insane,  near  Cincinnati,  was  elected  to  the  chair  of  principles  of  sur- 
gery in  the  Miami  Medical  College,  of  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  in  1872,  and  at 


62 


990 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


the  death  of  Prof.  Mussey,  some  years  later,  was  made  professor  of  the 
principles  and  practice  of  surgery.  This  position  he  held  up  to  his 
removal  to  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  in  1884.  He  is  a member  of  the  Knox 
County  Medical  Society,  of  which  he  is  now  president.  He  was  married 
in  1873  to  Lavinia  Miner,  who  is  the  daughter  of  the  late  Judge  Miner, 
of  Cincinnati.  To  them  have  been  born  three  children,  all  of  whom  are 
living.  Both  our  subject  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Episcopal 
Church. 

James  H.  Keeling,  M.  D.,  a leading  physician  of  Knoxville,  was 
born  in  Shelbyville,  Tenn.,  in  1849,  and  is  the  son  of  James  L.  and  Char- 
lotte (McGrew)  Keeling.  The  father  was  a native  of  Virginia,  born  in 
the  year  1800.  He  was  a planter  and  trader  by  occupation,  a member 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  his  death  occurred  in  1856.  The  mother 
was  born  in  South  Carolina  in  1802;  was  a member  of  the  Baptist 
Church,  and  died  in  1873.  Our  subject  was  reared  in  Pulaski,  Giles 
Co.,  Tenn.,  and  attended  the  Pulaski  High  School  and  Giles  College. 
He  began  the  study  of  medicine  in  1869  at  Elkton,  Giles  Co.,  Tenn., 
under  Drs.  Bealy  & Bowers,  and  during  1870  and  1871  attended  medical 
lectures  at  the  Maryland  University  at  Baltimore,  from  which  institution 
he  graduated  in  the  latter  year.  In  1872  he  graduated  from  the  Uni- 
versity of  Louisville  (Ky. ),  and,  after  a few  months  spent  in  hospitals, 
returned  to  Pulaski,  where  he  began  practicing  his  profession.  In 
October,  1879,  the  Doctor  married  Miss  Jennie  Dickerson,  a native  of 
Giles  County,  born  in  1859,  the  daughter  of  Col.  W.  R.  Dickerson.  To 
this  union  was  born  one  child.  In  1882  our  subject  removed  to  Knox- 
ville, and  has  since  practiced  medicine  in  that  city,  building  up  a good 
practice,  likewise  a good  professional  standing. 

J.  B.  Kelley,  secretary  and  general  manager  of  the  Knoxville  Foun- 
dry & Machine  Company,  is  a native  of  Barre,  Worcester  Co.,  Mass., 
born  in  1839,  and  the  son  of  Joel  B.  and  Adaline  (Billings)  Kelley,  both 
natives  of  Massachusetts.  The  former  was  born  in  1804  and  died  in 
1845,  and  the  latter  was  born  in  1813  and  died  in  1876.  They  were 
both  members  of  the  Unitarian  Church.  Our  subject  was  reared 
in  his  native  town,  and,  after  passing  three  years  of  his  life  in 
Illinois  aud  Minnesota,  graduated  from  Brown  University  at  Providence, 
R.  I.,  in  the  class  of  1862.  He  then  passed  ten  years  in  Providence,  R. 
I.,  after  which,  in  1870,  he  came  to  Tennessee,  and  located  in  Knoxville, 
where  he  became  a member  of  the  firm  of  Clark,  Quaife  & Co.,  car  wheel 
manufacturers,  and  the  first  two  years  with  this  company  were  passed  in 
rebuilding  and  operating  the  blast  furnace  on  Stony  Creek,  in  Carter 
County,  Tenn.  In  1874  he  became  associated  with  his  present  firm. 


IvNOX  COUNTY. 


991 


Previous  to  this,  in  1872,  he  went  to  Providence,  K.  I.,  and  was  there 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Hattie  O.  Mason,  a native  of  Ehode  Island, 
horn  in  1841,  the  daughter  of  Nathaniel  and  Nancy  (Davis)  Mason. 
This  union  resulted  in  the  birth  of  five  children,  only  two  of  whom  are 
now  living,  viz.:  J.  B.,  Jr.,  born  in  1873,  and  Lucia  D.,  born  in  1880. 
Mrs.  Kelley  died  in  1883,  and  the  following  year  our  subject  married 
Annie  Stuart,  a native  of  Knoxville,  born  in  1858,  the  daughter  of  Jacob 
and  Margaret  (Anderson)  Stuart.  To  this  union  was  born  one  child, 
Adeline  S.,  in  1886. 

Peter  Kern,  a member  of  the  board  of  public  works  of  Knoxville,  and 
the  leading  confectioner  of  the  city,  was  born  on  the  Ehine  October  31, 
1835.  While  growing  up  he  learned  the  shoemakers’  trade,  and  when 
seventeen  years  of  age  he  came  to  America,  locating  in  Georgia,  where 
he  followed  his  trade  until  the  breaking  out  of  the  war.  In  1861  he 
volunteered  to  serve  his  adopted  country  in  Company  I,  Twelfth  Georgia 
Infantry  (Confederate  States  Army).  At  the  battle  of  McDowell  he 
received  a severe  wound,  and  after  sufficiently  recovering  was  on  detailed 
duty.  In  1863  he  came  to  Knoxville  and  opened  a bakery,  which  he 
has  continued  up  to  the  present.  For  a companion  in  life  Mr.  Kern 
chose  Miss  Henrietta  Meyer,  of  Nashville,  in  1864,  and  the  fruits  of  this 
union  were  ten  children — six  sons  and  four  daughters.  Mr.  Kern  and 
wife  are  members  of  the  German  Lutheran  Church,  and  he  is  a Dem- 
ocrat, although  he  votes  for  the  man  rather  than  the  party.  He  held 
the  position  of  alderman  of  the  city  of  Knoxville  about  ten  years,  and  is 
now  president  of  the  Knoxville  Ice  Company  and  of  the  Asylum  Street 
Kailway  Company.  He  is  an  example  of  what  a young  man  of  energy 
and  determination  can  do.  Having  started  here  a day  laborer,  and  a 
stranger  to  our  language,  laws  and  customs,  he  has  now  become  one  of 
the  wealthy  men  of  Knoxville.  He  now  does  an  extensive  wholesale  and 
retail  confectionery  business,  which  is  ably  conducted  by  his  sons. 

Hon.  J.  M.  King,  postmaster  of  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  is  a native  of 
Eoane  County,  of  the  same  State,  born  in  1836,  and  reared  at  Athens, 
McMinn  Co.,  Tenn.  He  was  educated  at  Emory  and  Henry  College, 
and  then  graduated  at  the  Lebanon  Law  School  in  1858,  after  which  he 
located  at  Knoxville  and  practiced  his  profession  as  a member  of  the  firm 
of  Swan  & King,  afterward  Swan,  King  & Doak,  until  the  commence- 
ment of  the  war,  when  he  enlisted  in  the  Third  Tennessee  Confederate 
Infantry,  but  was  afterward  transferred  to  the  Sixteenth  Tennessee 
Battalion  in  1862.  In  September,  1864,  he  was  taken  prisoner  and  con- 
fined at  Fort  Delaware  until  discharged,  June  12,  1865.  He  then 
returned  to  Knoxville  and  practiced  law  until  1876,  after  which  he  was 


992 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


made  chairman  of  the  county  court,  and  October  20,  1885,  he  received  his 
appointment  to  the  postoffice  of  Knoxville,  of  which  he  took  charge  in 
November  of  the  same  year.  Directly  after  the  war  he  married  Miss 
Mary  McCleskey,  a native  of  Georgia,  but  reared  in  Knoxville.  Six 
children  were  the  result  of  this  union,  one  of  whom  is  deceased.  The 
mother  of  these  children  died  October  19,  1886.  Charles  L.  and  Julia 
R.  (McElnee)  King,  the  parents  of  our  subject,  are  natives  of  Richmond, 
Va.,  and  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  respectively.  They  reside  in  McMinn 
County,  Tenn.,  where  the  father  cultivates  the  soil.  Of  their  family  of 
twelve  children,  our  subject,  four  brothers  and  four  sisters,  are  the  sur- 
vivors. The  grandfather,  McElnee,  located  in  Knoxville  at  the  same 
time  Gen.  White  came  here.  The  ancestors  on  the  King  side  were  of 
Scotcli-Irisli  descent. 

James  M.  Kinkaid,  a marble  quarry  man  and  marble  dealer,  was  born 
April  21,  1827,  in  Rockbridge  County,  Va.,  and  is  the  third  of  five  chil- 
dren born  to  Isaiah  and  Sarah  (McFarland)  Kinkaid,  both  born  and 
reared  in  Rockbridge  County,  Va.  The  father  immigrated  to  Ohio  in 
1881,  settling  first  near  Dayton,  and  after  remaining  there  one  year  moved 
to  Miami  County,  where  he  settled  seven  miles  north  of  Troy.  He  was  a 
successful  farmer  and  was  highly  respected  by  all.  He  died  in  1878,  in  his 
seventy-ninth  year.  Mrs.  Kinkaid  died  in  1836,  aged  thirty-three  years. 
She  was  an  active  worker  in  the  Presbyterian  Church.  After  her  death  Mr. 
Kinkaid  married  Mrs.  Sarah  Miller.  Our  subject  received  very  limited 
educational  advantages.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  Ann 
Palmer,  of  Miami  County,  Ohio,  where  she  was  born  December  31,  1827. 
She  was  the  daughter  of  John  and  Margaret  (Hance)  Palmer.  Her 
father  was  a native  of  Bristol,  England,  who  immigrated  to  America,  and 
settled  first  in  New  York,  but  finally  in  Miami  County,  Ohio.  To  our 
subject  and  wife  were  born  five  children:  William  F.,  Albert  Horatio, 
Clara  Bell  (Mrs.  E.  W.  Mason),  John  Charles  and  James  Lawrence. 
The  youngest  two  sons  are  bookkeepers  for  their  father  in  the  mar- 
ble business,  and  also  have  charge  of  the  store  near  their  marble 
quarry.  Mr.  Kinkaid  is  a Republican  in  politics,  and  he  and  his 
wife  and  four  children  are  members  of  the  Missionary  Baptist  Church. 
Mr.  Kinkaid  followed  farming  and  stock  raising  until  the  fall  of  1872, 
when  he  moved  to  Troy,  Ohio,  and  engaged  in  coal  mining.  By  a 
complication  with  other  parties  Mr.  Kinkaid  lost  about  $100,000.  He 
is  now  engaged  in  the  cattle  business  in  southern  Kansas,  which  is 
managed  by  his  eldest  son.  He  also  owns  a very  rich  deposit  of  fine 
marble  two  miles  east  of  Concord.  James  McFarland,  the  maternal 
grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  a warm  Abolitionist  and  a splendid 
practical  business  man. 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


993 


Charles  Kurth  is  a practical  machinist  and  engineer,  plumber,  gas 
and  steam  fitter.  His  is  the  most  conspicuous  house  in  the  above  trade 
in  Knoxville  or  probably  in  East  Tennessee.  It  was  established  by  that 
gentleman  in  this  city  May  1,  1882,  and  is  located  at  No.  160  Gay 
Street.  This  building  is  a very  extensive  one,  occupying  an  area  of 
25x150  feet.  The  exhibition  of  fine  chandeliers,  shades,  gas  fixtures,  etc., 
generally  contains  an  assortment,  which  for  artistic  workmanship  and 
beauty  of  design,  as  well  as  variety  and  extent  is  unequaled  in  this  sec- 
tion, and  will  average  in  value  over  $20,000.  In  addition  to  engineer 
and  machinists’  supplies,  all  kinds  of  plumbing,  gas  and  steam  fitting 
are  done,  and  he  also  deals  in  all  kinds  of  railroad,  mining  and  quarry 
supplies.  He  carries  a complete  assortment,  and  makes  a specialty  of 
steam  pumps,  steam  gauges,  Hancock  inspirators,  injectors,  jet  pumps, 
hand  mining  pumps,  cistern  and  deep  well  pumps,  the  famous  American 
self-feeding  lubricators,  Pickering  spring  governors,  asbestos,  soapstone, 
Italian  hemp  and  rubber  packing,  hose  and  hose  trimmings,  wrought 
iron  pipe  and  engine  and  boiler  trimmings  of  every  description.  Every 
invention  or  improvement  made  in  this  line  is  at  once  secured  or  adopted 
by  this  house,  which  may  be  implicitly  relied  on  to  perform  all  contracts 
undertaken  with  promptness  and  entire  satisfaction  to  all  concerned. 
The  trade  of  this  establishment  is  not  confined  to  this  city  alone  but 
extends  throughout  Georgia,  Tennessee,  Kentucky,  Virginia,  North  Car- 
olina and  South  Carolina  and  is  steadily  increasing,  amounting  now  to 
over  $50,000  per  annum.  Mr.  Kurth  was  born  in  Germany,  and  came  to 
this  city  four  years  ago,  conducting  his  business  upon  an  upright  and 
liberal  basis,  with  a thorough  and  practical  knowledge  of  its  every  detail, 
and  quick  to  avail  himself  of  every  idea  promising  improvement.  In 
1881  he  married  Miss  Minna  Engert,  whose  parents  came  from  Germany 
a short  time  before  her  birth.  To  this  union  were  born  two  daughters: 
Emma  and  Ida.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kurth  are  members  of  the  Lutheran 
Church,  and  are  much  respected  citizens. 

Capt.  J.  K.  Lones,  sheriff  of  Knox  County,  was  born  in  that  county  in 
1812,  and  is  one  of  eight  children  (seven  now  living)  born  to  Charles 
and  Rebecca  (Johnson)  Lones,  both  natives  of  Knox  County,  Tenn., 
where  the  mother’s  death  occurred  in  1863,  and  where  the  father  is  still 
living,  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits.  He  has  also  been  administer- 
ing to  the  spiritual  wants  of  bis  fellow  men,  having  been  a minister  in 
the  Baptist  Church  for  many  years.  Our  subject  attained  his  majority 
on  the  farm,  and  received  his  education  in  the  common  schools.  At  the 
breaking  out  of  hostilities  during  the  late  war,  he  enlisted  in  the  First 
Tennessee  Union  Cavalry  as  private,  but  in  June,  1862,  he  was  promoted 


994 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


to  the  rank  of  second  lieutenant,  November,  1862,  to  first  lieutenant,  and 
in  January,  1863,  he  Avas  made  captain,  which  position  he  held  until 
the  close  of  the  war.  He  then  returned  to  Knox  County,  and  cultivated 
the  soil  until  elected  to  his  present  office  in  August,  1886.  In  1872  he 
married  Pauline  Sharp,  a native  of  Knox  County,  who  presented  her 
husband  with  six  children,  four  of  whom  are  uoav  living.  Mr.  Lones  is  a 
member  of  the  F.  & A.  M.  and  G.  A.  R.  Jacob  Lones,  grandfather  o£ 
our  subject,  was  a native  of  Virginia,  and  helped  build  the  first  house 
that  Avas  erected  on  the  present  site  of  Knoxville.  He  Avas  captain  of  the 
State  militia  in  the  early  history  of  the  county,  and  died  in  1860. 

Hon.  Edward  Legg,  justice  of  the  peace  of  the  Third  Civil  District 
of  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  and  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  prominent  farm- 
ers of  the  district,  Avas  born  in  Knox  County  near  the  mouth  of  Big  Flat 
Creek  February  14,  1818,  and  is  the  son  of  Wesley  and  Christian  (Price) 
Legg.  The  father  was  born  in  Knox  County  in  1797,  and  Avas  the  son 
of  Edward  and  Polly  (Grover)  Legg.  Our  subject’s  grandfather  was  a 
native  of  England  who  immigrated  to  America  Avhen  seventeen  years  of 
age,  settling  in  Virginia,  where  he  subsequently  married.  He  then 
removed  to  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  and  here  followed  farming  and  school- 
teaching  as  occupations,  until  his  death  in  1833.  The  grandmother  was 
a native  of  Virginia,  and  died  when  her  son  Wesley  Avas  a child.  Both 
grandparents  were  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Wesley 
Legg  was  a successful  farmer,  and  under  the  old  constitution  held  the  office 
of  constable  for  fourteen  years.  He  served  in  the  war  of  1812,  under  Gen. 
Jackson,  and  died  in  1859.  His  Avife  was  born  May  11,  1801,  in  Knox: 
County,  and  Avas  the  daughter  of  Edward  and  Juda  (Webb)  Price,  both 
natives  of  Virginia.  She  died  in  1873.  Our  subject  was  reared  on  the 
farm,  and  acquired  his  education  at  Bristol,  a school  taught  on  the  farm 
uoav  owned  by  our  subject.  He  remained  on  the  farm  with  his  parents 
until  twenty-five  years  of  age,  and  in  1848  was  elected  constable,  serving 
eight  years.  Previous  to  this,  November  30,  1843,  he  married  Mary  K. 
Chanaberry,  a native  of  Knox  County,  born  in  1817,  the  daughter  of  Peter 
and  Mary  (Epps)  Chanaberry.  To  this  marriage  Avas  born  one  child, 
George  M.  D.,  September  28,  1844,  avIio  is  now  a prominent  merchant  of 
Boston,  Mass.  The  mother  Avas  a member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  and  died  in  1847.  He  Avas  again  married,  November  6,  1849, 
to  Matilda  W.  Harris,  a native  of  Knox  County,  born  April  26,  1821, 
the  daughter  of  Stephen  and  Martha  (Luttrell)  Harris.  Stephen  Har- 
ris was  a native  Tennessean,  a farmer,  and  died  in  1855.  The  mother 
was  born  in  Virginia  in  1784,  was  a member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  South,  and  died  in  1881.  To  our  subject  and  wife  were  bora 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


995 


eight  children:  Mary,  born  in  1850  (now  Mrs  W.  N.  Brandon) : W.  E.  A., 
born  in  1852;  Martha  C.,  born  in  1853  (now  Mrs.  A.  T.  Angel) ; Adlicia 
F.,  born  in  1856  (now  Mrs.  W.  M.  Buck  hart) ; E.  P.,  born  in  1858 ; Rachel 
M.,  born  in  1861  (now  Mrs.  George  Cardwell) ; A.  J.,  born  in  1864,  and 
Damie  T.,  born  in  1868.  The  mother  is  a member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church*  South,  and  has  been  totally  blind  for  nearly  four  years. 
She  nevertheless  retains  her  health,  and  is  able  to  perform  light  house- 
hold duties.  She  can  sew  and  knit  and  can  also  write  letters  to  her  chil- 
dren. She  is  an  amiable  and  cheerful  lady  and  a true  helpmate  to  her 
husband.  Mr.  Legg  was  elected  justice  of  the  peace  in  1874,  and  holds 
that  office  at  the  present  time.  In  1882  he  was  chosen  to  represent 
Knox  County  in  the  State  Legislature,  and  served  in  that  body  with 
honor  and  credit  to  himself  and  constituents,  being  a member  of  the  com- 
mittee on  Federal  relations,  claims  and  charitable  institutions.  Though 
a Democrat  and  living  in  a Republican  district,  he  receives  the  support 
of  both  political  parties  and  has  never  been  unsuccessful  in  seeking 
office.  Mr.  Legg  has  followed  farming  all  his  life  and  has  made  that 
occupation  a complete  success.  He  is  a member  of  the  Union  Baptist 
Church. 

Frank  J.  Leland,  vice-president  of  the  Standard  Handle  Company, -and 
one  of  the  county’s  enterprising  and  successful  citizens,  is  a son  of  J.  E. 
and  Mary  E.  (Crover)  Leland.  The  father  was  a native  of  Massachu- 
setts, and  is  engaged  in  the  same  business  as  our  subject.  The  mother 
is  a native  of  Rhode  Island.  Our  subject  was  born  in  Windham  County, 
Conn.,  August  12,  1856,  and  educated  at  the  college  of  the  city  of  New 
York.  He  moved  to  New  York  City  when  but  twelve  years  of  age.  In 
1874  he  went  to  Bowling  Green,  Ky.,  and  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of 
handles  until  1881  when  he  came  to  Knoxville.  He  has  been  twice  mar- 
ried, and  by  his  first  wife  became  the  father  of  one  son.  In  1887  he  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  May  Ebbert.  Mr.  Leland  is  a member  of  the 

K.  of  H.,  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  and  is  a wide-awake  business  man. 

J.  F.  J.  Lewis,  a native  of  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  where  he  now  resides, 
was  born  in  that  city  February  13,  1830.  His  early  education  was  such 
as  the  schools  of  that  day  afforded.  His  first  business  efforts,  when  quite 
young,  were  of  the  mechanical  and  mercantile  departments.  At  the  age 
of  twenty-two  he  was  admitted  to  the  Knoxville  bar  to  practice  as  a solic- 
itor in  chancery  and  attorney  at  law.  His  license  bears  the  signature 
of  two  of  the  most  distinguished  judges  Tennessee  has  produced:  Thomas 

L.  Williams,  chancellor,  and  Ebenezer  Alexander,  circuit  judge.  Linder 
the  administration  of  President  Buchanan  Mr.  Lewis  wras  appointed  post- 
master at  Knoxville,  but  resigned  the  office  in  the  course  of  a year  or  two 


996 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


after  the  date  of  his  commission.  While  holding  that  position,  about 
1858,  he  married  Miss  Laura  A.  Mitchell,  a native  of  Alabama.  Seven 
children  were  born  to  them,  but  only  five  survive.  Soon  after  the  presi- 
dential election  of  1860  he  removed  to  Arkansas,  and  made  his  home  in 
Chicot  County  at  Lake  Village.  There  he  formed  a partnership  for  legal 
business  with  Maj.  James  F.  Robinson  and  George  K,  Cracraft  in  the 
name  of  Robinson,  Lewis  & Cracraft.  Soon  after  this  the  war  paralyzed 
business  in  that  country  and  closed  the  courthouses.  Mr.  Lewis  returned 
to  Knoxville  with  his  family,  and  from  that  point  entered  the  army  of 
the  Confederacy  with  Maj.  David  Sullens.  At  the  close  of  the  war  he 
spent  a year  in  Cincinnati  in  the  wholesale  hat  house  of  Wallace  and 
Ringel.  At  the  urgent  solicitation  of  his  former  partners  he  returned  to 
Arkansas  to  resume  the  law.  In  1869  the  governor  of  Arkansas,  Hon. 
Powell  Clayton,  appointed  him  judge  of  the  court  of  probate  for  said 
Chicot  County,  which  office  he  held  until  his  final  return  to  his  native 
city.  In  1874  he  was  elected  clerk  of  the  county  court  of  Knox  County, 
and  was  afterward  twice  re-elected,  serving  twelve  years  in  the  three  terms. 
Mr.  Lewis  was  twice  elected  a member  of  the  board  of  mayor  and  aider- 
men  in  the  city  of  Knoxville,  and  is  now  president  of  the  board  of  trus- 
tees of  the  East  Tennessee  Female  Institute,  one  of  the  first  schools  in 
the  State.  He  is  also  Grand  Master  Workman  of  the  A.  0.  U.  W. 
in  Tennessee.  By  the  favoritism  of  the  members  of  the  order  he 
is  serving  a second  term,  an  honor  conferred  by  unanimous  vote.  After 
the  death  of  Hon.  John  L.  Moses,  who  was  the  tax  attorney  of  the  East 
Tennessee,  Virginia  & Georgia  Railway  system,  extending  through  four 
States,  Mr.  Lewis  was  appointed  to  that  position,  and  now  discharges 
the  duties  of  the  office. 

J.  W.  Lillard,  a native  of  Meigs  County,  Tenn.,  was  born  in  1832, 
and  in  youth  moved  to  Athens,  Tenn.,  being  the  first  agent  at  that  place 
of  the  East  Tennessee,  Virginia  & Georgia  Railroad.  From  1852  to  1858 
he  was  a salesman  for  the  firm  of  Courtney,  Tennent  & Co.,  Charleston, 
S.  C.,  becoming  a member  of  the  firm  at  that  date  (1858).  After  the  war 
he  severed  his  connection  with  the  above  firm,  and  for  two  years  acted  as 
traveling  salesman  for  a Cincinnati  firm,  selling  goods  throughout  the 
Southern  States.  At  the  expiration  of  the  two  years  he  returned  to  Athens, 
Tenn.,  and  organized  the  Franklin  Association  Bank,  which  has  since 
been  merged  into  the  First  National.  About  the  time  of  the  organization 
of  the  East  Tennessee  National  Bank  he  came  to  Knoxville,  and  assisted 
in  the  organization  of  the  same,  being  made  cashier  soon  after,  which 
position  he  filled  six  years.  He  then  opened  a wholesale  notion  store, 
and  conducted  the  same  two  years  in  Knoxville,  since  which  time  he  has 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


997 


not  been  actively  engaged  in  business.  He  was  also  one  of  the  first  board 
of  directors  for  the  Mechanics  National  Bank,  and  is  at  present  a stock- 
holder in  the  East  Tennessee  and  the  new  Third  National  Banks.  In 
1869  he  married  Miss  Martha  E.  Matlock,  a native  of  McMinn  County, 
Tenn..  to  whom  two  children  have  been  born:  John  M.  (deceased)  and 
James.  The  paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject,  Col.  William  Lillard, 
was  a native  Virginian,  and  served  in  the  war  of  1812.  James,  the 
father,  was  born  in  Virginia  in  1795,  and  in  infancy  came  with  his  par- 
ents to  East  Tennessee,  where  he  married  Mary  Sandusky,  a native  of 
Cocke  County,  Tenn.  He  was  a farmer,  and  died  in  1879.  Our  subject 
and  a twin  brother  were  the  youngest  of  five  brothers,  viz.:  William  C. 
(deceased),  captain  in  the  Mexican  Avar;  John  M.  (deceased),  colonel 
of  the  Twenty-sixth  Tennessee,  Confederate  Infantry,  killed  at  Cliicka- 
mauga;  James,  avIio  was  a private  in  the  Third  Tennessee  Infantry;  N. 
J.,  colonel  of  the  Third  Tennessee  Confederate,  now  living  in  Meigs 
County.  All  of  the  above  four  brothers  were  also  in  the  Mexican  war. 

John  Llewellyn,  farmer,  was  born  January  19,  1836,  in  Morgan 
County,  Tem_.,  and  is  the  third  of  eight  children  born  to  William  L.  and 
Nancy  (Wallace)  Llewellyn,  natives  of  Virginia  and  Tennessee  respect- 
ively. William  L.  Llewellyn  was  born  August  2,  1809,  and  was  brought 
do  Morgan  County,  Tenn.,  by  his  father,  Anderson  Llewellyn, when  about 
two  years  of  age.  He  Avas  constable  of  Morgan  County  for  several  years, 
and  since  his  removal  to  Knox  County  in  1862  has  served  his  district  as 
magistrate  for  several  years.  His  wife,  and  the  mother  of  our  subject, 
was  born  about  1811  in  Anderson  County,  where  she  grew  to  womanhood. 
Our  subject  was  educated  by  his  father,  and  after  assisting  on  the  farm 
until  twenty-four  years  of  age,  married  Miss  Elizabeth  E.  Shannon,  a 
native  of  Morgan  County,  born  in  1834,  and  the  daughter  of  James  and 
Mary  Shannon,  citizens  of  Morgan  County, and  both  of  purely  Irish  parent- 
age. The  marriage  of  our  subject  resulted  in  the  birth  of  six  children: 
William  A.,  Nancy  Jane,  John  B.,  Newton  C.,  Charles  S.  and  Free- 
man H.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Llewellyn  and  four  children  are  members  of 
the  Missionary  Baptist  Church,  Mr.  Llewellyn  being  a deacon  of  the 
same.  He  was  formerly  a Whig,  but  is  now  a Democrat  in  politics. 
By  his  own  industry  and  good  management  he  has  accumulated  con- 
siderable property,  and  now  owns  in  one  body  a fine  farm  of  225 
acres  of  land,  well  cultivated  and  well  improved.  Mr.  LleAvellyn  is 
giving  his  children  good  educational  advantages,  and  he  is  also  quite 
liberal  in  his  support  of  all  religious  enterprises.  He  donated  the 
land  upon  which  the  Methodist  Episcopal  and  Baptist  Churches  were  built 
near  his  farm,  and  besides  gave  considerable  money.  He  is  a Master 
Mason,  and  an  excellent  citizen. 


I 


998  BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 

W.  B.  Lockett  & Co.,  wholesale  dealers  in  groceries  and  tobacco,  estab- 
lished their  business  in  October,  1883.  The  firm  is  individually  composed 
of  W.  B.  Lockett,  Sr.,  W.  B.  Lockett,  Jr.,  J.  E.  Lotspeich  and  R.  S.  Hazen. 
W.  B.  Lockett,  Sr.,  is  a native  of  Mississippi,  born  in  1834.  He  removed 
to  Knoxville  in  1874,  and  there  engaged  in  the  Avliolesale  grocery  busi- 
ness as  one  of  the  firm  of  Carpenter,  Ross  & Lockett.  Mr.  Carpenter 
withdrawing,  the  firm  title  became  M.  L.  Ross  & Co.  In  1883  this  firm 
dissolved,  and  the  present  company  formed.  Mr.  Lockett  was  married 
in  1860  to  M.  A.  Ballard,  of  Mississippi,  who  bore  him  seven  children. 
Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lockett  are  members  of  the  Third  Presbyterian  Church, 
of  Knoxville.  W.  B.  Lockett,  Jr.,  was  born  in  Mississippi  in  December, 
1861.  He  removed  with  his  parents  to  Tennessee  in  1874,  and  secured 
his  education  at  the  University  of  Tennessee,  graduating  in  the  class  of 
1881.  He  became  a member  of  the  above  firm  at  its  organization.  J.  O. 
Lotspeich,  is  a native  of  Tennessee,  born  in  Greene  County  in  1854,  and 
the  son  of  Y.  S.  and  Elizabeth  (Easterly)  Lotspeich,  both  natives  of 
Tennessee.  He  was  reared  in  Greeneville,  and  removed  to  Knoxville  in 
1872,  becoming  a member  of  the  firm  at  its  organization.  He  was  mar- 
ried in  1878  to  Ida  S.  Meek,  of  Jonesboro,  Tenn.,  the  daughter  of  C.  W. 
and  Sarah  (Hale)  Meek,  of  that  place,  and  this  union  resulted  in  the 
birth  of  two  sons.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lotspeich  are  members  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church.  R.  S.  Hazen,  is  a native  of  Knox  County,  Tenn., 
born  August  13,  1854,  and  is  the  son  of  G.  M.  and  Mary  (Strong)  Hazen,. 
both  natives  of  Tennessee,  but  of  New  England  parents.  Our  subject  was 
reared  in  Knoxville,  educated  at  the  University  of  Tennessee,  and  became 
a member  of  the  present  firm  at  its  organization.  In  1882  he  married 
A.  E.  Mabry,  of  Knoxville,  and  the  daughter  of  Joseph  A.  and  Laura 
(Church well)  Mabry,  both  natives  of  Tennessee.  This  union  resulted  in 
the  birth  of  two  daughters.  Edward  Henegar,  bookkeeper  for  W.  B. 
Lockett  & Co.,  was  born  in  Charleston,  Tenn.,  and  educated  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  Tennessee.  He  began  with  the  above  firm  as  file  clerk,  but 
was  promoted  to  his  present  position. 

Hon.  Samuel  T.  Logan,  judge  of  the  criminal  and  circuit  courts  for 
the  district  of  Knox,  was  born  on  the  29th  of  February,  1832,  at  Abing- 
don, Washington  Co.,  Va.,  graduating  at  Emory  and  Henry  College  in 
1852.  He  then  studied  law  with  his  father,  Samuel  Logan,  one  of  the 
first  lawyers  of  the  State,  and  commonwealth’s  attorney  for  many  years, 
and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  December,  1855.  In  January,  1856,  Mr. 
Logan  removed  to  Tennessee,  and  after  practicing  law  about  one  year  at 
Blountville  located  at  Jonesboro,  in  same  State.  Here  he  continued  the 
practice  of  law  until  1864  in  partnership  with  his  brother,  Joseph  M, 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


999 


Logan,  at  which  time  both  removed  to  Knoxville  and  formed  a partner- 
ship with  Hon.  Thomas  A.  It.  Nelson,  under  the  firm  name  of  Nelson, 
Logan  & Logan.  This  firm  enjoyed  a lucrative  practice  for  several  years. 
Mr.  Logan’s  brother  and  partner  died  in  1869,  and  Judge  Nelson  in  1873, 
after  which  he  formed  a partnership  with  Mr.  C.  E.  Lucky,  under  the 
firm  name  of  Logan  & Lucky.  In  1882  Mr.  Logan  retired  from  the 
practice  of  the  law,  and  in  1884  was  elected  State  senator  from  the  Fifth 
Senatorial  District  (composed  of  the  counties  of  Anderson  and  Knox)  by 
a majority  of  about  2,500,  and  in  August,  1886,  was  elected  to  the  present 
office.  Judge  Logan’s  parents  were  Samuel  and  Bethia  (Talbot)  Logan, 
both  natives  of  Washington  County,  Va\,  where  they  were  married  in 
1827.  His  father  was  elected  attorney  for  the  commonwealth  of  Vir- 
ginia for  sixteen  years  consecutively,  first  by  the  Legislature,  and  then 
by  the  people,  and  although  a pronounced  Whig,  was  chosen  from  a 
strong  Democratic  district.  He  died  in  1855,  and  the  mother  in  1836. 

A.  Looney,  a successful  agriculturist,  was  born  in  1817  in  Hawkins 
County,  Tenn.,  and  when  ten  years  old  moved  to  Knox  County,  where  he 
has  since  resided.  His  educational  advantages  were  quite  limited,  and 
when  eighteen  years  of  age  he  was  thrown  upon  his  own  resources.  He 
inherited  some  property  from  his  uncle,  but  the  balance  of  his  wealth 
was  the  fruit  of  his  own  industry.  Besides  a good  deal  of  property  he 
lost  during  the  late  war,  Mr.  Looney  owns  a first  rate  farm  of  220  acres, 
well  improved,  and  located  four  miles  southwest  of  Knoxville.  In  1846 
he  enlisted  in  Capt.  Caswell’s  company  and  Col.  Thomas’  regiment,  serv- 
ing twelve  months  in  the  Mexican  war.  He  was  mustered  out  of  service 
at  New  Orleans.  About  1852  he  married  Miss  Ellen  Parker,  daughter 
of  John  Parker,  of  Hawkins  County,  Tenn.,  and  five  children  resulted 
from  this  union:  Alexander,  Susan,  Mary  (Mrs.  J.  G.  Lones),  and  two 
who  died  in  infancy.  Mrs.  Looney  died  in  October,  1861,  and  July  4, 
1865,  Mr.  Looney  married  Mrs.  Martha  Lones,  formerly  Miss  Daniel. 
Mr.  Looney  and  two  daughters  are  members  of  the  Missionary  Baptist 
Church.  In  politics  Mr.  Looney  is  conservative,  voting  for  principle 
instead  of  party.  He  is  the  youngest  of  five  children  born  to  Absolom 
and  Nancy  (Long)  Looney,  natives  of  Hawkins  County,  where  they  were 
reared.  Absolom  Looney  was  an  accomplished  scholar,  a refined  gentle- 
man, and  a prominent  citizen  of  his  county,  which  he  represented  in  the 
Legislature.  He  was  also  sheriff  of  the  county  several  years  He  was 
a practical  civil  engineer,  and  helped  to  establish  the  State  line.  He 
was  of  English  descent ; his  grandfather,  together  with  his  twelve  brothers, 
came  to  America  some  time  before  the  It  evolutionary  war,  and  settled  in 
Stanley  Valley.  He  was  killed  near  Knoxville  by  the  Indians.  Mr. 


1000 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


Looney,  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  born  in  England,  and  came  with 
liis  father  to  America.  He  was  wounded  at  King’s  Mountain  during  the 
Revolutionary  war.  Our  subject’s  father,  by  his  second  marriage,  became 
the  father  of  eight  children.  He  moved  to  Louisiana,  and  here  died. 
His  son,  Robert  Looney,  brother  of  A.  Looney,  is  a well  educated,  highly 
cultured  gentleman,  and  is  at  present  supreme  judge  of  the  State.  He 
is  a prominent  lawyer  and  an  able  jurist.  He  has  been  connected  in 
some  of  the  leading  law  suits  of  Tennessee  and  adjoining  States. 

Hon.  James  C.  Luttrell,  mayor  of  Knoxville,  was  born  in  that  city  in 
1841.  He  was  reared  there  and  educated  at  the  University  of  North 
Carolina,  after  which  he  engaged  in  the  notion  trade  in  Nashville,  Tenn. 
At  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  he  enlisted  in  the  thirty  days’  infantry,  and 
then  served  in  the  Knoxville  Artillery,  of  which  he  was  first  lieutenant, 
and  afterward  commanded  a battery.  At  the  close  of  the  war  he  engaged 
in  the  hardware  business  in  New  York  City  for  five  years,  and  then  in 
partnership  with  his  brother,  S.  B.  Luttrell,  established  their  hardware 
store  in  this  city.  In  1867  he  married  Josephine  E.  Brooks,  a native  of 
this  county,  to  whom  three  sons  and  three  daughters  have  been  born. 
Mr.  Luttrell  is  a director  in  the  Mechanics’  National  Bank  of  Knoxville, 
is  a stockholder  in  three  of  the  insurance  companies,  a stock- 
holder in  the  Market  Street  Railway  Company,  a stockholder  and  director 
in  the  Bell  Avenue  Street  Railroad  Company,  a director  in  the  chamber 
of  commerce,  and  chairman  of  committee  on  transportation,  railroads  and 
navigation.  In  January,  1886,  he  was  elected  to  his  second  term  as 
mayor  of  Knoxville,  to  serve  two  years.  He  is  one  of  two  sons  and  four 
daughters  born  to  J.  C.  and  Eliza  (Bell)  Luttrell.  The  father  was  a 
native  of  Knox  County,  born  in  1811,  and  was  a legal  practitioner.  He 
was  at  one  time  clerk  of  the  Tennessee  Legislature,  and  in  company  with 
Andrew  Johnson,  rode  horseback  to  and  from  Nashville.  He  was  county 
register  several  years,  was  postmaster  of  Knoxville  under  Fillmore’s 
appointment;  was  comptroller  of  the  State  at  the  time  Mr.  Johnson  was 
governor,  and  was  also  mayor  of  Knoxville  fourteen  years.  After  the 
war  he  was  elected  to  the  State  Senate,  and  a short  time  before  he  was 
appointed  special  agent  for  the  postofiice  department  of  East  Tennessee 
by  President  Lincoln.  He  was  the  first  Democrat  who  carried  Knox 
County  in  an  election  for  several  years  after  the  war.  His  death  occurred 
in  Nashville,  but  his  home  was  in  Knoxville.  The  mother  of  our  sub- 
ject was  of  Scotch-Irish  descent.  Her  parents  located  at  Pittsburgh, 
Penn.,  and  afterward  came  to  Tennessee. 

J.  E.  Lutz,  senior  member  of  the  firm  of  J.  E.  Lutz  & Co.,  dealers  in 
boots,  shoes,  hats,  trunks,  valises,  umbrellas,  etc.,  is  a native  of  New- 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


1001 


market,  Va.,  born  in  1854,  and  came  to  East  Tennessee  with  his  parents 
in  his  youth.  About  1873  he  came  to  Knoxville,  and  accepted  the 
position  of  bookkeeper  for  Alvin  Barton  until  the  present  firm  was  formed 
in  1884.  The  firm  of  Dismukes  & Thomas  was  formed,  and  existed  one 
year,  after  which  it  merged  into  the  firm  of  S.  C.  Dismukes  & Co.,  which 
was  after  another  year  succeeded  by  the  present  firm  of  J.  E.  Lutz  & Co., 
with  our  subject  and  J.  C.  White,  of  Oates,  White  & Co.,  as  members. 
February  10,  1886,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Delia  Armstrong, 
daughter  of  Col.  R.  H.  Armstrong,  one  of  Knox  County’s  pioneers.  The 
father  of  our  subject,  H.  R.  Lutz,  is  a native  of  Virginia,  and  is  now 
residing  on  a farm  near  Rogersville,  Tenn.  He  first  married  Sarah 
Andes,  a native  of  Virginia,  to  whom  our  subject,  one  brother  and  one 
sister  were  born.  The  mother  died  in  1865,  and  the  father  afterward 
married  Miss  Mary  Plecker,  to  whom  four  children  have  been  born. 
Our  subject’s  paternal  grandfather  was  of  Swiss  parentage,  and  came 
from  Pennsylvania  to  Virginia,  where  he  died. 

Hon.  Gr.  W.  Mabry,  a farmer  of  the  Tenth  District,  was  born  July 
21,  1823,  on  the  farm  where  he  now  resides.  He  is  the  eldest  of  six  chil- 
dren born  to  Joseph  A.  and  Alice  (Scott)  Mabry.  The  grandfather  of 
our  subject,  Joseph  A.  Mabry,  was  born  March  19,  1796,  in  Westmore- 
land County,  Va.,  came  to  Tennessee  with  his  parents  when  quite  young, 
and  settled  in  Knox  County.  He  was  a member  of  the  convention  which 
framed  the  constitution  of  Tennessee,  and  was  elected  to  the  Legislature, 
serving  two  terms.  He  was  a successful  farmer  and  trader.  His  son, 
Joseph  A.  Mabry,  was  a member  of  the  constitutional  convention  which 
met  in  1870.  Our  subject  received  his  education  in  the  common  schools 
of  Knox  County,  and  at  Holston  College.  His  father  died  when  our 
subject  was  but  fourteen  years  of  age,  and  he  began  farming  for  himself 
shortly  afterward.  He  married  Miss  J.  L.  Hume  in  1846,  and  to  them  were 
born  these  children : Isabella  (Mrs.  Jerome  Templeton),  Maria  Florence 

(deceased),  Joseph  C.,  George  C.  (deceased),  Mary  (deceased),  Jeanette, 
Rowena,  Margaret  L.,  David  Hume  and  Evelyn.  Two  died  in  infancy. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mabry  are  members  of  the  Missionary  Baptist  Church,  of 
which  Mr.  Mabry  is  a deacon.  Mrs.  Mabry  was  born  in  Abingdon,  Va., 
November  8,  1825,  and  is  the  second  of  four  children  born  to  David  and 
Eliza  (Sanderson)  Hume.  Mr.  Hume  was  born  in  Scotland  March  9, 
1794,  and  came  to  America  when  nineteen  years  of  age.  He  was  a 
weaver  by  trade.  Mrs.  Hume  was  also  a native  of  Scotland,  born  in 
17  89,  and  came  to  America  when  nine  years  of  age.  Her  father  owned 
a large  woolen  factory  where  they  now  live  in  New  Hampshire.  Our 
subject  is  a strong  Democrat.  He  was  elected  to  the  State  Legislature 


1002 


B10GKAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


in  1851  and  1853,  and  took  quite  an  active  part  as  a legislator.  He  pre- 
sented several  bills  and  all  were  passed.  He  was  elected  magistrate  in 
1870,  and  has  been  re-elected  at  each  successive  election  since.  He  was 
chairman  of  the  building  committee  during  the  erection  of  the  court- 
house of  Knox  County,  and  took  quite  an  interest  in  all  matters  pertain- 
ing to  the  erection  of  that  building.  Mr.  Mabry  is  a good  citizen,  and 
is  of  English-Irish  descent. 

G.  L.  Maloney,  of  the  firm  of  Childress  & Maloney,  dealers  in  gro- 
ceries at  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  is  a native  of  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  born  July 
3,  1811,  and  is  the  son  of  James  W.  and  Minerva  E.  (King)  Maloney. 
The  father,  a native  of  Greene  County,  Tenn.,  was  born  February  1, 
1818,  and  is  now  a resident  of  Knox  County.  The  mother  is  a native 
of  Knox  County,  and  was  born  in  March,  1817.  Our  subject  was 
reared  on  the  farm,  and  attended  in  his  youth  the  schools  of  the 
neighborhood,  and  later  attended  Rocky  Springs  Academy,  in  Sevier 
County,  finishing  his  education  after  the  war,  at  Athens  and  the 
University  of  Tennessee,  at  Knoxville,  and  occupied  the  position  of 
teacher  in  the  preparatory  department  of  the  latter  school  for  about  a 
year  and  a half.  In  April,  1862,  he  refugeed  to  Kentucky,  where  he 
enlisted  in  the  Sixth  Regiment  of  Union  Tennessee  Infantry,  joining 
Company  C,  Capt.  R.  M.  Bennett.  He  entered  as-  private,  and  serving 
throughout  the  war  was  mustered  out  of  the  service  as  first  lieutenant. 
At  the  close  of  the  Rebellion  he  returned  to  Knox  County  and  attended 
and  taught  school  for  awhile.  In  March,  1870,  he  entered  the  postoffice 
at  Knoxville  as  a clerk.  In  1871  he  was  elected  clerk  of  the  Knox 
County  Criminal  Court,  and  was  re-elected  in  1878,  serving  two  terms 
of  four  years  each.  In  1886  he  engaged  in  his  present  business.  He  is 
a charter  member  of  Ed.  Maynard  Post,  No.  11,  G.  A.  R.,  of  which  organ- 
ization he  is  an  active  member.  He  was  married,  June  8,  1868,  to  Sonora 
L.  Dodson,  daughter  of  Lazarus  and  Rebecca  L.  (Sullens)  Dodson 
natives  of  McMinn  County,  Tenn.  She  was  born  July  31,  1852.  To 
this  union  four  children  have  been  born  as  follows:  Willie  M.,  George 
E.,  Frank  D.  and  James  D.  Both  our  subject  and  wife  are  members  of 
the  Methodist  Church. 

Rev.  Francis  Thomas  Marron,  pastorof  the  Church  of  the  Immaculate 
Conception,  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  is  a native  of  Ireland,  born  in  1813. 
When  a child,  about  six  or  seven  years  of  age,  he  immigrated  with  his 
parents  to  this  country,  and  settled  for  a time  on  Staten  Island,  and  later 
in  New  York  City.  His  early  education  was  acquired  at  St.  Mary’s  Paro- 
chial School,  Clifton,  Staten  Island,  and  at  St.  Mary’s  Parochial  School, 
New'  York  City.  He  completed  his  classics  at  the  De  La  Salle  Institute 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


1003 


and  Manhattan  College,  both  in  New  York  City.  In  1865  he  was  adopted 
by  Et.  Eev.  Bishop  Feehan,  who  had  just  been  consecrated  bishop  of 
Nashville.  The  following  year  the  Et.  Eev.  Bishop  sent  his  newly 
adopted  candidate  to  St.  Vincent’s  College,  Cape  Girardeau,  Mo.,  where 
he  completed  his  philosophical  and  theological  studies.  In  1871  he  was 
ordained  in  the  cathedral  at  Nashville.  Father  Marron’s  first  pastoral 
duties  were  in  Middle  Tennessee,  at  Columbia,  Pulaski  and  other  points. 
He  was  placed  in  charge  of  Knoxville  Parish  in  1872,  and  this  is  no 
ordinary  charge,  for  it  not  only  includes  the  large  and  thrifty  city  of 
Knoxville,  but  all  upper  East  Tennessee.  The  Catholic  Church  in  Knox- 
ville is  in  a very  flourishing  condition,  and  the  church  building  is  the 
largest  and  finest  in  the  whole  State.  Father  Marron  is  a most  cour- 
ageous and  energetic  man.  He  has  done  well  for  the  church  in  Knox- 
ville, and  his  people  fully  appreciate  his  services. 

S.  C.  Martin,  physician  and  surgeon  at  Campbell’s  Station,  was  born 
September  10,  1843,  in  the  locality  where  he  now  resides.  He  is  one  of 
nine  children  born  to  Samuel  and  Julia  Ann  (Eeese)  Martin.  The 
father  was  born  in  Antrim  County,  Ireland,  about  1775,  came  to  America 
when  about  twenty  years  of  age,  and  settled  in  Jefferson  County,  Tenn. 
He  subsequently  went  to  Kingston,  and  in  1823  moved  to  Knox  County; 
where  he  died  in  1.855.  He  was  a remarkably  good  business  man,  and 
although  he  commenced  life  a poor  man,  was  worth  about  $100,000  at  the 
time  of  his  death.  He  was  a very  prominent  man  in  his  time,  and  was 
considered  one  of  the  best  read  and  most  influential  citizens  of  his  part  of 
the  country.  He  was  on  quite  intimate  terms  with  men  of  National  repu- 
tation, was  well  acquainted  with  Gen.  Jackson,  and  was  quite  active  in 
securing  the  reduction  of  the  postage  rates.  He  married  a daughter  of 
John  J.  Eeese,  of  Mossy  Creek,  whose  son,  William  B.  Eeese,  was  for 
several  years  one  of  the  supreme  judges.  Mr.  Martin’s  brother,  Hugh 
Martin,  came  to  America  the  same  time  he  did,  and  had  a son,  Eev. 
Joseph  Martin,  D.  D.,  who  was  a noted  divine  of  Kentucky.  Mrs.  Sam- 
uel Martin,  mother  of  our  subject,  was  born  in  Jefferson  County,  near 
Mossy  Creek,  and  died  in  1854  during  the  cholera  scourge  at  Knoxville. 
Our  subject  lacked  one  year  of  completing  the  classical  course  of  study 
at  Knoxville  University,  and  made  an  exceptionally  good  record  as  a 
student.  He  studied  medicine  under  Dr.  Nelson,  and  also  under  Dr. 
•McNutt  of  Kingston.  He  attended  school  at  the  Nashville  Medical  Col- 
lege, and  began  the  practice  of  medicine  in  1863  at  Campbell’s  Station. 
He  has  been  a very  successful  physician,  and  has  a large  and  extensive 
practice.  Since  the  death  of  his  parents  he  has  made  his  home  with  his 
sister,  Mrs.  Eliza  Jane  Nelson.  Dr.  Martin  is  a Master  Mason  and  is  a 
Democrat  in  politics. 


1004 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


Spencer  A.  Maxey,  farmer,  is  a native  of  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  born 
March  4,  1811,  and  is  of  French  lineage.  He  received  a limited  educa- 
tion in  the  common  schools,  and  after  reaching  his  majority  chose  the 
occupation  of  a farmer  as  a life  pursuit.  In  1829,  however,  he  engaged  in 
the  distillery  business  and  followed  this  for  about  seven  years.  He 
afterward  resumed  his  agricultural  pursuits.  In  1846  he  married 
Miss  Rebecca  Hommel,  a native  of  Knox  County,  born  May  24,  1827,  and 
the  daughter  of  Daniel  Hommel.  To  them  were  born  seven  sons  and 
two  daughters,  all  now  living  with  the  exception  of  one  son.  Those 
living  are  Abram,  born  October  9,  1847,  and  the  only  one  married; 
Franklin,  born  September  21,  1852;  J.  H.,  born  April  9,  1855;  Andrew, 
born  October  29,  1857;  John,  born  February  26,  1860;  and  William, 
born  May  22,  1862.  The  daughters  are  Catherine,  wife  of  J.  H. 
Maloney,  born  May  21,  1850;  and  Sallie,  born  April  6,  1867,  who  is  now 
at  home.  Mr.  Maxey  owns  over  800  acres  of  land  in  the  Thirteenth 
District  of  Knox  County,  and  is  a successful  farmer.  He  is  a Democrat 
in  politics,  and  his  wife  is  a member  of  the  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church. 
The  six  sons  are  farmers  and  land  holders,  and  all  are  living  near  the  old 
homestead.  On  their  land  are  quantities  of  pink  and  variegated  pink 
marble,  which  they  are  now  quarrying  quite  extensively.  All  the  sons 
have  received  their  education  in  the  common  schools  and  have  attended 
higher  institutions.  Franklin  Maxey  attended  the  University  of  Ten- 
nessee during  the  session  of  1876.  James  H.  entered  the  University 
of  Tennessee  in  the  autumn  of  1876,  and  continued  at  school  for  two 
years  and  a half;  Andrew  entered  the  University  of  Tennessee  in  the  fall 
of  1877,  and  continued  at  school  there  for  three  years  until  the  spring 
of  1880.  William  attended  school  at  Maryville  College,  after  which  he 
entered  the  University  of  Tennessee,  and  continued  there  for  two  years ; 
John  also  went  to  school  at  Maryville.  Frank  and  James  H.  taught 
school  eight  years  each ; Andrew  taught  six  years,  and  William  taught  two 
years.  They  and  their  father  are  extensive  stock  raisers,  and  it  has  been 
their  custom  for  years  to  graze  their  cattle  among  the  Smoky  Mountains 
during  the  summer  seasons.  They  are  also  extensive  wheat  and  corn 
growers.  Like  their  father,  each  son  is  a decided  Democrat  in  politics. 

A.  L.  Maxwell,  president  of  the  East  Tennessee*  Iron  and  Coal  Com- 
pany, of  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  is  a native  of  Saratoga,  N.  J.,  and  was  born 
February  1,  1824.  He  is  the  son  of  A.  L.  and  Rachel  (Stafford)  Max- 
well, both  natives  of  Saratoga  County,  N.  J.,  and  traces  his  direct 
ancestry  back  to  the  Maxwells  of  Scotland  and  North  of  Ireland,  and  the 
Staffords  of  England,  both  prominent  and  leading  families  from  the 
earliest  histories  of  those  nations  to  the  present  time;  he  is  also  a 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


1005 


relative  of  the  late  Hon.  Hugh  Maxwell,  of  New  York  City.  The 
father  of  our  subject  was  born  in  1789,  was  a railroad  contractor,  and 
died  in  1862.  The  mother  was  born  in  1795,  and  died  in  1873.  Both 
parents  were  members  of  churches — the  father  of  the  Baptist,  and  the 
mother  of  the  Methodist.  Our  subject  was  reared  in  Saratoga,  and 
acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  that  town.  He  left  home 
in  December,  1815,  going  to  Massachusetts,  where  he  began  life  for  him- 
self as  bookkeeper  and  paymaster  for  the  firm  of  Asariah  Boody  & Co. , 
the  largest  railroad  contractors  of  the  East  at  that  time,  the  firm  being 
composed  of  such  men  as  Sidney  Dillon,  Amasa  Stone,  John  Ross,  Daniel 
L.  Harris  and  Milton  Clyde,  all  of  whom  became  the  leading  capitalists 
of  the  United  States,  and  constructed,  as  members  of  different  firms,  a 
majority  of  the  railroads  of  New  England  and  the  early  West.  Our 
subject  was  married,  February  1,  1845,  to  Harriet  J.  Brown,  a native  of 
Cheshire,  Mass.,  who  was  born  March  15,  1829,  and  is  the  daughter  of 
Luther  H.  and  Adaline  (Mason)  Brown,  both  natives  of  Massachusetts. 
She  is  a great-granddaughter  of  Capt.  Daniel  Brown,  who  commanded  a 
company  at  the  battle  of  Bennington  during  the  Revolutionary  war,  and 
who  had  charge  of  a number  of  British  officers  as  prisoners,  quartering 
them  at  his  residence.  He  was  a prominent  and  wealthy  citizen  of  that 
date,  and  an  honored  friend  of  President  Martin  Van  Buren,  and  often 
entertained  that  distinguished  man  during  his  presidency.  At  the  house 
of  Capt.  Brown  was  made  the  huge  cheese,  weighing  nearly  1,500 
pounds,  which  was  presented  to  President  Jefferson,  the  presentation 
being  made  by  Elder  John  Leland,  a noted  Baptist  divine.  Our  subject's 
wife  is  also  a cousin  to  the  wife  of  President  Fillmore,  on  the  Leland 
side.  To  the  union  of  our  subject  and  wife  eight  children  have  been 
born,  only  three  of  whom  are  living,  they  being  Louie  L.,  born  January 
30,  1855;  Hattie  B.,  born  August  22,  1862,  and  Helen  M.,  born  April 
10,  1865.  He  remained  with  the  above  firm  until  1848,  and  the  year 
following  became  a partner  of  Mr.  Boody  with  Peter  Thatcher,  on  track 
laying  contracts  on  the  Hudson  River  and  Erie  Railroads,  they  laying 
the  track  from  New  York  City  to  Poughkeepsie,  on  the  Hudson  River 
Railway,  and  from  Fort  Deposit  to  Binghamton  on  the  Erie  Railway. 
In  1850  he  formed  a partnership  with  Andros  B.  Stone,  and  purchased 
the  patent-right  of  Howe  Truss  Bridge  for  New  York  and  New  England. 
The  firm  dissolved  in  1852.  Our  subject  formed  a partnership  with 
A.  D.  Briggs,  of  Springfield,  Mass.,  who  afterward  served  for  a number 
of  years  as  railroad  commissioner  of  his  State.  E.  B.  Hall  and  E.  F. 
Starr,  under  the  firm  name  of  Maxwell,  Briggs  & Co.,  purchased  the 
Howe  Bridge  patent  for  the  Southern  States,  and  immediately  began 


63 


1006 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


contracting  for  building  bridges  in  Virginia,  Tennessee,  Mississipi,  Ala- 
bama and  other  Southern  States.  He  located  in  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  in  1852, 
and  the  first  bridge  he  erected  was  the  one  across  the  Tennessee  River, 
at  Loudon,  Tenn.,  and  has  since  erected  bridges  on  a large  number  of 
railroads  in  the  Southern  States.  The  above  firm  dissolved  in  1855,  all 
the  members  retiring,  and  the  business  was  then  conducted  for  several 
years  by  our  subject  alone.  In  1857  he  entered  into  a partnership  with 
Thomas  H.  Callaway  and  George  W.  Saul  paw,  under  the  firm  name  of 
Maxwell,  Saulpaw  & Co.,  and  with  this  firm  continued  bridge  building 
and  masonry  until  the  breaking  out  of  the  war.  The  close  of  the  Rebell- 
ion found  him  in  Macon,  Ga.,  where  he  took  the  contract  of  rebuilding 
the  Central  Railroad  of  that  State.  He  continued  bridge  building  until 
1872,  when  he  again  located  in  Knoxville,  Tenn.  In  1873  he  engaged  in 
the  manufacture  of  car  wheels,  organizing  the  Knoxville  Car  Wheel 
Company,  of  which  he  was  president  until  1881,  when  he  disposed  of  his 
interests  in  that  company.  Since  that  time  he  has  had  charge  of  the 
East  Tennnessee  Iron  and  Coal  Company  as  president,  and  is  also 
president  of  the  New  River  Mining  Company,  of  New  York,  the  stock- 
holders of  both  corporations  embracing  quite  a number  of  the  solid  busi- 
ness men  of  New  York,  Pennsylvania,  New  Jersey,  Georgia  and 
Tennessee.  When  he  came  to  Knoxville  in  1853,  he  erected  large 
machine  shops  in  that  city,  and  conducted  an  extensive  manufacturing 
business  in  the  way  of  bridge  material,  and  subsequently  became 
interested  in  foundries.  This  business  was  successfully  conducted  until 
the  appearance  of  Gen.  Burnside’s  army  in  1863,  when  his  machine 
shops,  patterns,  etc.,  were  destroyed  during  the  siege,  for  the  destruc- 
tion of  which  he  applied  to  Congress  for  damages  in  the  sum  of 
$270,000,  the  bill  for  which  is  now  pending  before  the  Lower  House, 
having  on  two  different  occasions  passed  a second  reading  before  that 
body.  Gen.  Burnside,  who,  as  officer  in  command,  had  personal  knowl- 
edge of  the  destruction  of  the  property,  he  having  the  same  in  his 
possession  as  a military  necessity  at  the  time,  pronounced  the  claim 
valid  and  just.  Our  subject  is  a member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  and 
has  had  conferred  upon  him  thirty-two  different  degrees  of  the  Southern 
jurisdiction,  and  is  a member  of  St.  Omer  Commandery,  No.  2,  Knights 
Templar,  of  Macon,  Ga.,  and  is  well  known  to  Masons  of  Tennessee  and 
Georgia.  He  and  wife  are  members  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  of 
Macon,  Ga.,  and  the  three  daughters  are  members  of  the  Third  Pres- 
byterian Church  of  Knoxville. 

William  Gibbs  McAdoo  was  born  near  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  April  4, 
1820.  His  father  was  John  McAdoo,  a native  of  Jefferson  County,  Tenn., 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


1007 


who  married  Mary  A.  Gibbs,  a native  of  Knox  County,  and  a descendant 
of  a gallant  French  soldier  in  the  French  and  Indian  war.  The  pater- 
nal grandfather  was  of  Scotch  extraction,  and  was  one  of  the  heroes  of 
King’s  Mountain.  William  G.  received  his  early  education  in  the  “old 
field  schools,”  and  at  the  age  of  fifteen  entered  Union  Academy  at 
Clinton,  where  he  remained  two  or  three  years.  At  the  age  of  eighteen 
he  became  principal  of  that  institution,  and  two  years  later  took  charge 
of  Franklin  Academy,  in  Campbell  Comity.  From  1842  to  1845  he 
taught  school  during  the  summer,  and  attended  East  Tennessee  Univer- 
sity during  the  remainder  of  the  year.  The  next  day  after  his  gradua- 
tion, he  was  elected  to  the  Legislature  from  Campbell  and  Anderson 
Counties.  In  the  spring  of  1846  he  enlisted  as  first  lieutenant  in  Com- 
pany C,  Second  Tennessee  Volunteers,  and  served  for  one  year  in  the 
Mexican  war.  In  1847  he  went  to  Columbia,  Tenn.,  and  began  the 
study  of  law  under  Judge  Dillahunty.  In  due  course  of  time  he  was 
admitted  to  practice,  and  in  1851  was  elected  by  the  Legislature  attorney- 
general  of  the  Second  Judical  Circuit.  He  was  afterward  re-elected  by 
the  people,  and  served  until  1860.  In  1862  he  removed  to  Rome, 
Ga.,  where  he  resided  until  1877,  meanwhile  having  served  as  a 
captain  in  tne  Confederate  Army,  judge  of  the  Twentieth  Judicial  Dis- 
trict of  Georgia,  and  superintendent  of  schools  in  Baldwin  County, 
Ga.  From  the  date  of  his  return  to  Knoxville  in  1877  until  1886 
he  filled  the  chair  of  English  language  and  literature  in  the  University 
of  Tennessee.  With  H.  G White  he  is  the  author  of  an  “Elementary 
Geology  of  Tennessee.”  In  1848  he  married  Miss  Annie  Horsley,  of 
Columbia,  who  died  in  1853  leaving  two  daughters:  Kate  (wife  of  E.  F. 
Wiley)  and  Emma.  In  1857  he  married  Mary  Faith  Floyd,  a grand- 
daughter of  Gen.  John  Floyd,  and  daughter  of  Gen.  Charles  Ft.  Floyd,  of 
Camden  County,  Ga.  She  is  a writer  of  much  ability  and  grace  and  is 
the  author  of  two  or  three  romances  and  other  publications.  She  also 
prepared  a part  of  the  chapter  on  literature  appearing  in  the  State  history 
of  this  volume.  She  had  previously  married  Randolph  McDonald,  who 
died  in  1854.  To  this  second  union  have  been  born  three  sons  and  four 
daughters.  They  are  John  F.,  Caroline  B.,  Rosalie  F.  (Mrs.  J.  S. 
O’Neal),  William  G.,  Malcom  R.,  Nona  H.  and  Laura  S. 

G.  C.  McBee,  farmer  and  miller,  was  born  in  Knox  County,  Tenn., 
September  12,  1840.  His  parents  were  G.  C.  and  Sarah  Bell  (Love) 
McBee.  The  father  was  born  in  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  May  19,  1799, 
and  died  November  20,  1880.  The  mother  was  born  in  North  Carolina, 
and  died  in  1870.  Our  subject  received  a good  education  at  Strawberry 
Plains  and  is  a good  Greek  and  Latin  scholar.  When  the  late  war  broke 


t 


1008  BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 

out  he  abandoned  his  studies  and  enlisted  in  the  Confederate  Army  as 
first  lieutenant  of  Company  D,  Tennessee  Infantry.  Later  he  was 
changed  from  this  position  to  that  of  a private  in  the  cavalry,  this  being 
made  on  account  of  his  having  the  rheumatism.  At  the  close  of  the  war 
he  returned  to  his  native  county,  and  settled  on  his  present  homestead  in 
the  Fourth  District  where  he  has  farmed  ever  since.  In  1865,  directly 
after  the  war,  he  married  Miss  N.  E.  Sawyers,  daughter  of  W.  S.  Sawyers. 
Four  sons  and  two  daughters  were  the  result  of  this  union,  viz.:  W.  S., 
born  September  10,  1866;  J.  A.,  born  October  6,  1868;  R.  L.,  born  June 
16,  1871;  Sarah B.,  born  November  22,  1873,  and  G.  C.,  born  May  30, 
1882.  Our  subject  owns  373  acres  of  excellent  land,  and  is  an  enterpris- 
ing and  successful  farmer,  stock  raiser  and  miller.  He  is  a faithful 
Democrat  in  politics. 

W.  C.  McCammon  is  a native  of  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  born  January 
5,  1837,  son  of  Samuel  and  Martha  B.  (Cowan)  McCammon.  The  father 
was  born  in  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  May  9,  1808,  and  died  at  Nashville  in 
1865.  He  was  by  occupation  a farmer,  and  served  three  terms  as  sheriff 
of  Knox  County.  In  1851  he  was  elected  State  senator  from  Knox 
County  and  served  one  term,  and  in  1865  he  was  elected  by  a general 
State  election  to  represent  Kn'ox  County  in  the  Legislature.  While 
serving  this  term  he  suddenly  sickened  and  died.  The  mother  of  our 
subject  was  born  in  Sevier  County,  Tenn.,  November  5,  1813,  and  died 
at  her  home  in  Knox  County  in  1876.  Our  subject  received  a fair  educa- 
tion, and  taught  school  for  two  years.  He  then  engaged  in  farming,  and 
has  made  this  his  lifetime  occupation.  He  chose  for  his  companion 
through  life  Miss  Eliza  Huffaker,  daughter  of  Henry  Huffaker.  She  died 
in  1875  leaving  six  children — two  sons  and  four  daughters.  Previous  to 
this  our  subject  had  served  from  November,  1862,  to  June,  1864,  as  a 
Federal  soldier  in  the  civil  war.  He  enlisted  as  a private  in  Company  B, 
Third  Tennessee  Cavalry.  December  19,  1862,  he  was  commissioned 
second  lieutenant  of  Company  C,  Third  Tennessee  Cavalry,  by  Gov. 
Andrew  Johnson,  and  was  also  appointed  recruiting  officer  during  the 
war.  In  1864  he  resigned  his  commission  on  account  of  ill  health,  and 
settled  at  his  present  homestead  in  the  Twenty-first  District  of  Knox 
County.  In  1867  he  was  appointed  deputy  sheriff,  and  served  in  this 
capacity  until  1868  when  he  resigned.  In  September,  1874,  lie  was  again 
appointed,  and  served  one  term  under  M.  D.  Swan.  He  was  the  nominee 
of  the  Democratic  party  for  representative  in  the  fall  of  1876.  In  Sep- 
tember, 1882,  he  was  a third  time  appointed  deputy  sheriff,  and  served  a 
term  under  Homer  Gilmore,  but  refused  an  appointment  for  another 
term.  In  1876  he  married  Miss  Joanna  E.  Bandies,  daughter  of  John 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


1009 


Randles,  and  two  sons  were  the  result  of  this  union.  Mr.  McCammon  is 
the  owner  of  more  than  400  acres  of  land,  and  is  a successful  farmer.  He 
is  an  extensive  stock  raiser  (horses  and  cattle),  and  is  the  owner  of  some 
very  valuable  fine  stock. 

John  N.  McCammon,  farmer  and  dairyman,  wTas  born  near  Knoxville, 
Knox  Co.,  Tenn.  He  is  the  son  of  Samuel  and  Elizabeth  (Mont- 
gomery) McCammon.  The  father  of  our  subject  was  a prominent  man 
in  Knox  County  politics,  and  served  six  years  as  county  sheriff.  After 
being  out  of  office  some  time  he  was  re-elected  to  the  same  position  and 
served  one  term.  He  was  a man  universally  respected  in  his  county,  and 
many  positions  of  honor  and  trust  were  given  to  him.  He  died  in  1860, 
leaving  to  his  family  the  results  of  a useful  and  successful  life.  Mrs. 
McCammon  is  the  daughter  of  James  Montgomery,  and  is  now*  living 
(1887)  with  our  subject.  Both  parents  were  natives  of  Tennessee.  The 
father  having  died  when  our  subject  was  but  sixteen  years  of  age  the 
latter  received  but  a limited  education.  At  the  close  of  the  late  war  it 
became  necessary  for  J.  N.  to  take  charge  of  the  home  farm,  and  this 
involved  much  responsibility  but  he  managed  the  work  of  the  farm  suc- 
cessfully for  three  years,  at  the  close  of  which  time  he  removed  to  Cali- 
fornia. Here  he  made  his  headquarters  for  fifteen  years  while  trading  in 
cattle.  He  then  returned  to  his  native  State  and  purchased  the  old  home 
place  which  he  now  owns.  It  consists  of  200  acres  of  fertile  and  well 
improved  land  situated  in  the  Second  District  near  Knoxville  and  on  the 
Holston  River.  The  farm  contains  quantities  of  fine  limestone  which  the 
owner  has  extensively  quarried.  Mr.  McCammon  has  been  a successful 
farmer,  and  has  been  dairying  and  butchering  for  several  years.  He  has 
never  married,  has  never  joined  the  church  and  has  never  entered  politics, 
though  he  is  entertaining,  charitable,  and  in  politics  is  a Democrat. 

J.  A.  McCampbell,  druggist,  is  a native  of  Knoxville,  and  was  reared 
and  educated  in  that  city.  In  December,  1874,  he  established  his  present 
drug  trade  in  the  firm  of  Lyons  & McCampbell  until  November,  1881, 
which  firm  was  succeeded  by  our  subject  alone.  He  has  built  up  an 
extensive  retail  drug  trade,  and  employs  three  assistants.  His  paternal 
grandfather,  Benjamin  Bennett  McCampbell,  came  from  Virginia  to  the 
early  settlement  of  Knox  County,  and  resided  here  until  his  death. 
William  H.  McCampbell,  father  of  our  subject,  was  born  in  Knox  County, 
Tenn.,  and  followed  merchandising  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in 
1884.  He  was  market  master  of  Knoxville  at  the  time  of  his  death.  The 
mother,  Martha  (Goans)  McCampbell,  was  also  a native  of  Knox  County, 
Tenn.,  and  still  resides  in  Knoxville.  Of  their  family  of  six  children, 
all  living,  our  subject  is  the  second.  He  is  a good  citizen  and  an  excellent 
business  man. 


1010 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


C.  M.  McClung,  senior  member  of  the  wholesale  hardware  firm  of  0. 
M.  McClung  & Co.,  is  a native  of  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  born  May  12,  1855, 
but  was  reared  at  Knoxville.  Tenn.  He  graduated  at  the  State  Univer- 
sity in  1874  and  at  Yale  in  1876,  after  which  he  returned  to  Knoxville, 
and  was  in  the  employ  of  Cowan,  McClung  & Co.  until  he  established 
the  present  firm  in  July,  1882.  The  business  has  grown  until  it  is  now, 
perhaps,  the  leading  hardware  house  in  Eastern  Tennessee.  Mr.  McClung 
is  a director  and  treasurer  of  the  Knoxville  Water  Company,  director  in 
the  East  Tennessee  National  Bank,  also  treasurer  and  trustee  of  the 
Lawson  McGhee  Library.  In  the  year  1881  he  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Annie  McGhee,  daughter  of  Charles  M.  McGhee,  and  a native 
of  Knoxville,  to  whom  two  daughters  have  been  born.  F.  H.  McClung, 
the  father  of  C.  M.  McClung,  is  a native  of  Knoxville,  born  November 
23,  1828,  and  the  grandson  of  Charles  McClung,  one  of  the  early  pio- 
neers of  Knoxville.  F.  H.  is  of  the  wholesale  dry  goods  firm  of  Cowan, 
McClung  & Co.,  of  this  city,  and  had  resided  here  the  greater  part  of  his 
life,  having  been,  however,  engaged  in  the  wholesale  dry  goods  business 
for  a few  years  in  early  life  in  New  York  and  St.  Louis.  The  mother  of 
our  subject,  Eliza  (Mills)  McClung,  was  born  June  2,  1833,  at  St.  Louis, 
Mo.,  and  died  September  4,  1881,  at  Knoxville. 

Maj.  E.  E.  McCroskey,  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  board  of 
education,  was  born  in  Sevier  County,  Tenn.,  in  1839.  His  father, 
David  McCroskey,  was  also  a native  of  that  county,  and  his  mother, 
Elizabeth  Rogers,  was  a daughter  of  the  pioneer  Baptist  preacher  of 
Sevier  County.  The  father  and  mother  were  married  in  that  county,  and 
reared  a family  of  nine  children — four  sons  and  five  daughters.  The 
mother  died  in  1864,  and  the  father  afterward  married  a Miss  Trewhitt, 
sister  of  Judge  Trewhitt,  of  Chattanooga.  This  marriage  resulted  in  the 
birth  of  four  children — two  sons  and  two  daughters.  Grandfather 
McCroskey  was  a native  of  Scotland.  He  came  to  America,  settled  in 
Virginia,  and  finally  found  his  way  to  Tennessee,  being  among  the  first 
settlers.  Our  subject  is  the  fifth  child  by  the  first  marriage.  He  was 
educated  in  the  common  schools  and  at  Mossy  Creek  College.  After 
graduating  at  that  institution  he  taught  school  at  Cleveland  for  some 
time  and  then  went  South.  In  1861  he  enlisted  in  H.  W.  Hilliard’s 
Alabama  Legion,  and  was  soon  promoted  to  adjutant  on  John  T.  Morgan’s 
staff.  Just  before  the  battle  of  Murfreesboro  he  was  severely  wounded. 
Having  sufficiently  recovered  he  was  given  a military  post  at  Mobile,  and 
promoted  to  the  rank  of  major.  From  Mobile  he  returned  to  Montgom- 
ery, Ala.,  where  he  constructed  a fortification  to  withstand  the  advancing 
enemy.  He  participated  in  the  last  battle  of  the  war,  and  near  him  the 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


1011 


ldst  man  who  gave  his  life  for  the  confederacy  fell.  In  1868  Mr. 
McCroskey  married  Miss  Ellen  R.  Chandler,  and  both  he  and  wife 
are  members  of  the  First  Baptist  Church.  Soon  after  the  war  Mr. 
McCroskey  engaged  in  mercantile  pursuits  in  Knoxville,  and  in  1872  he 
went  into  the  coal  trade.  He  has  been  president,  secretary  and  treasurer 
of  the  Standard  Coal  & Coke  Company,  being  now  secretary  of  the  same. 
In  1882  he  was  elected  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  board  of  education, 
and  has  been  twice  a member  of  the  board  of  mayor  and  aldermen.  He 
is  a Democrat  in  politics,  and  a Mason,  having  taken  the  thirty-second 
degree  of  that  order. 

J.  S.  McDonough,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  October 
24,  1830,  and  is  the  son  of  John  and  Araminta  (Scott)  McDonough. 
The  father  was  born  May  12,  1803,  in  the  city  of  Baltimore,  and  came 
to  Tennessee  in  1825,  where  he  engaged  in  farming.  He  died  Novem- 
ber 14,  1874.  He  was  a nephew  of  Commodore  McDonough,  who  fought 
the  battle  of  Lake  Champlain.  The  mother  was  born  in  Buckingham 
County,  Ya.,  August  24,  1803,  and  died  in  March,  1875.  Our  subject 
was  reared  in  Knox  County,  and  attended  Ewing  and  Jefferson  College 
in  Blount  County.  He  began  the  study  of  medicine  in  1856  under  Dr. 
B.  B.  Lenoir,  at  Lenoir’s  Station,  Tenn.,  and  attended  the  University  of 
Nashville.  In  1860  he  graduated  from  the  Atlanta  (Ga. ) Medical  Col- 
lege, and  began  the  practice  of  medicine  at  Concord,  Tenn.,  but  the 
Rebellion  breaking  out  he  enlisted  in  the  Confederate  Army,  joining  the 
Sixty-third  Regiment  of  Tennessee  Infantry  as  surgeon,  and  was  serving 
under  Gen.  Lee  at  the  surrender  at  Appomattox.  In  the  year  1867  he 
married  Mary  L.  Lenoir,  a native  of  Loudon  County,  Tenn.,  born  April  4, 
1844,  and  the  daughter  of  A.  S.  and  C.  F.  (Welcker)  Lenoir,  the  mother 
being  a sister  of  the  late  Judge  James  M.  Welcker,  of  the  Knoxville  bar, 
and  of  Judge  Albert  Welcker,  of  Cleveland,  Tenn.  To  our  subject  and 
wife  were  born  seven  children,  four  of  whom  are  living,  viz. : Mary  L. , J. 
Albert,  Katie  W.  and  Maggie  L. ; those  deceased  are  Laura  Bell,  who 
died  at  the  age  of  one  and  a half  years;  John  Henry,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  four  and  Fred  Lenoir  at  the  age  of  three  and  a half  years.  After 
the  war  Dr.  McDonough  returned  to  Knoxville,  but  remained  only  a few 
weeks,  when  he  went  to  Memphis  and  there  practiced  his  profession  for 
a year  and  a half.  Returning  to  Knoxville  he  resumed  his  practice, 
continuing  up  to  the  present.  He  and  wife  and  two  elder  children  are 
members  of  the  Third  Presbyterian  Church  of  Knoxville. 

Charles  M.  McGhee,  one  of  Knoxville’s  most  influential  citizens,  was 
born  in  Monroe  County,  and  spent  his  boyhood  on  the  plantation,  after 
which  he  took  the  degree  of  B.  A.  at  the  State  University.  He  owned 


1012 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


the  Peoples’  Bank  at  Knoxville  for  many  years,  and  was  vice-president 
of  the  East  Tennessee,  Virginia  & Georgia  Railroad  a number  of  years, 
being  at  the  time  the  principal  stockholder,  and  prominently  indentified 
with  all  the  transactions  of  that  road.  His  first  marriage  was  to  Isabella 
M.  White,  daughter  of  Hugh  A.  M.  White,  who  was  a nephew  of  Hugh 
Lawson  White;  to  this  union  was  born  one  child,  who  died  in  infancy. 
His  first  wife  dying,  Mr.  McGhee  afterward  married  her  sister,  Cornelia 
H.  White,  who  bore  him  the  following  children:  Margret  W.  (now  Mrs. 
Baxter),  May  Lawson  (deceased),  Annie  (now  Mrs.  C.  M.  McClung), 
Bettie  H.  (now  Mrs.  Lieut.  Tyson,  of  the  United  States  Army)  and  Elli- 
nor  W.  Mr.  McGhee,  in  memory  of  his  deceased  daughter,  built  and  fur- 
nished the  Lawson  McGhee  Library  at  a cost  of  about  $40, 000, donating  the 
same  to  the  city  of  Knoxville.  Our  subject  has  recently  made  New  York 
City  his  home,  but  spends  a considerable  portion  of  his  time  in  Knoxville, 
and  is  still  considered  one  of  the  citizens.  He  has  been  an  active  and 
efficient  trustee  of  the  State  University,  and  was  largely  instrumental  in 
procuring  the  renewal  of  that  institution  after  the  war.  He  was  a member 
of  the  Legislature  from  Knox  County  in  1870-71.  His  father,  John 
McGhee,  was  an  able  financier  and  a large  land  holder  in  Monroe  County. 
His  mother  was  the  daughter  of  Charles  McClung,  and  niece  of  Hugh 
Lawson  White. 

Green  McLemore,  contractor  and  builder  of  Knoxville,  is  the  son  of 
Green  and  Ellen  McLemore.  The  father  was  a native  of  North  Carolina 
and  the  mother  of  South  Carolina.  In  early  life  both  came  to  Tennessee  and 
located  in  Knox  County,  where  they  married  and  passed  the  remainder  of 
their  days.  The  father  was  a farmer  by  occupation.  Of  their  family  of 
ten  children  four  sons  and  four  daughters  are  now  living;  all  the  sons 
are  mechanics.  Our  subject  was  born  January  26,  1839,  in  Knox  County. 
He  was  reared  on  the  farm  and  educated  in  the  common  schools.  At  the 
age  of  twenty  he  came  to  Knoxville,  and  learned  the  carpenter’s  trade 
under  W.  Iv.  Eckles.  Having  worked  chiefly  as  journeyman  until  1872 
he  began  contracting,  and  has  gradually  extended  his  business  since.  By 
his  marriage  to  Miss  Sarah  O.  Keyhill  in  1869  he  became  the  father  of 
three  sons.  In  1880  Mr.  Alexander  Kelley  joined  him  in  the  business. 
In  connection  with  his  trade  Mr.  McLemore  is  interested  in  agriculture, 
and  owns  a fine  farm  of  180  acres  on  the  Holston  River.  Among  the 
better  buildings  erected  by  Mr.  Kelley  and  himself  are  the  Hattie  House, 
Girl’s  High  School,  First  National  Bank  and  the  Knoxville  Insurance 
Company’s  office.  Mr.  McLemore  is  a Republican  in  politics,  and  one  of 
the  county’s  best  citizens. 

Hon.  James  M.  Meek.  The  grandfather  of  our  subject,  Adam  Meek, 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


1013 


came  from  Ireland  and  served  throughout  the  Revolutionary  war. 
About  1780  he  located  in  Jefferson  County,  Tenn.,  and  built  the  first 
residence  in  that  county.  He  afterward  followed  surveying  in  that  and 
adjoining  counties  until  his  death.  Adam  K.  Meek,  the  father  of  our 
subject,  was  born  in  Jefferson  County,  and  was  a captain  in  the  Indian 
war,  being  mustered  in  at  Athens,  Tenn.  He  was  born  in  1798,  and  has 
always  followed  agricultural  pursuits.  He  is  now  residing  at  Straw- 
berry Plains.  His  companion  through  life,  Elizabeth  (Childers)  Meek, 
was  also  a native  of  Jefferson  County,  Tenn.,  and  died  in  February, 
1885.  Our  subject  is  a native  of  Jefferson  County,  born  in  1821,  and 
is  the  eldest  of  a family  of  ten  children,  eight  of  whom  are  now  living. 
He  graduated  at  Maryville  College  in  1850,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar 
in  his  native  county  in  1852.  He  then  practiced  law  until  his  election  to 
the  State  Legislature  in  August,  1855.  After  serving  for  two  years  he 
returned  to  the  practice  of  his  profession,  which  he  continued  until  his 
second  election  to  the  Legislature  in  1861.  In  1859  he  married  Miss 
Lizzie  J.  Walker,  a native  of  Hawkins  County,  to  whom  three  children 
have  been  born.  In  April,  1862,  Mr.  Meeks  was  taken  prisoner  by  the 
Confederate  forces,  but  was  released  on  July  4 of  the  same  year.  He 
was  soon  after  elected  attorney-general  for  the  Second  Judicial  Circuit 
of  Tennessee,  and  upon  the  reorganization  of  the  State  received  the 
appointment  to  the  same  office,  serving  until  1871,  after  which  he  resumed 
the  practice  of  law.  He  was  a member  of  the  board  of  directors  of  the 
East  Tennessee,  Virginia  & Georgia  Railroad,  representing  the  State 
from  1866  to  1869,  and  was  interested  in  railroad  transactions;  attorney 
and  director,  from  1869  to  1883.  On  March  4 of  the  latter  year  he  was 
appointed  United  States  district  attorney  for  the  Eastern  District  of 
Tennessee,  which  position  he  filled  until  July  4,  1885.  He  is  a director 
in  the  Knoxville  Fire  Insurance  Company,  and  also  in  the  East  Tennessee 
National  Bank. 

James  K.  Meek,  one  of  the  firm  of  Meek  & Biddle,  retail  dealers  in 
dry  goods,  notions,  millinery  and  dress  goods,  is  a native  of  Jefferson 
County,  Tenn.  He  came  to  Knoxville  in  1878,  and  graduated  at  the 
State  University  four  years  later  (1882).  He  then  became  connected 
with  the  firm  of  George  & Briscoe  until  the  firm  of  Barton  & Meek  was 
established  in  April,  1885,  and  this  was  succeeded  by  the  present  firm  in 
September  of  the  same  year.  Including  the  millinery  and  dress  making 
department  they  employ  about  twenty  assistants.  In  1885  Mr.  Meek 
chose  for  his  companion  through  life  Miss  Lilly  Baker,  a native  of  Knox- 
ville. Our  subject  is  a son  of  James  M.  Meek,  whose  sketch  will  be 
found  in  another  part  of  this  work.  For  a young  man,  our  subject  has 


1014 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


shown  unusual  business  ability,  and  is  one  of  Knoxville’s  thorough- 
going, wide-awake  men. 

A.  Metier  was  born  in  Canton,  Switzerland,  December  9,  1826,  and 
came  to  America  in  1854.  He  found  his  way  to  Knoxville,  Tenn., 
without  money  and  without  friends.  While  in  the  old  country  he 
was  brought  up  to  the  dairy  business  in  the  Alps  Mountains,  and  was 
master  of  his  business.  Here  he  hired  out  by  the  month  at  small  wages, 
and  by  hard  work  and  economy  he  managed  to  save  up  his  earnings,  and 
in  three  years  succeeded  in  starting  a dairy  of  his  own,  which  he  man- 
aged with  consummate  skill  and  judgment,  and  in  a few  years  accumu- 
lated a considerable  amount  of  money  by  the  sale  of  milk  and  the  manu- 
facture of  cheese.  Shortly  thereafter  he  established  in  the  city  of  Knox- 
ville the  butchering  business,  thus  again  showing  his  fine  business  sense. 
He  soon  became  the  leading  man  in  the  business,  and  was  eminently 
successful.  He  made  money  rapidly,  and  was  exceedingly  fortunate  in 
his  investments.  He  bought  300  acres  of  land  near  the  city  at  low  fig- 
ures, which  to-day  is  very  valuable,  being  worth  from  $75,000  to 
$100,000.  In  1854  he  married  Miss  Waldburghla  Frauller,  by  whom  he 
had  five  children,  three  now  living — two  sons  and  a daughter.  After 
Mrs.  Metier’s  death  our  subject  married  Mrs.  Susan  Walker,  and  the 
result  of  this  union  was  the  birth  of  two  children,  only  one  now  living. 
During  the  war  Mr.  Metier  was  conscripted  for  the  Confederate  Army  and 
hired  a substitute.  In  politics  he  is  a Democrat,  and  in  religion  a Roman 
Catholic.  His  first  wife  was  a Presbyterian,  and  his  present  one  is  a 
Baptist.  He  stands  deservedly  high  as  a citizen.  Financially  his 
credit  is  good  in  any  of  the  banks  of  the  city,  and  he  is  regarded  as  one 
of  the  most  successful  business  men  in  the  country. 

John  B.  Michael,  master  mechanic  for  the  East  Tennessee  division 
of  the  East  Tennessee,  Virginia  & Georgia  Railroad,  was  born  in  Bal- 
timore, Md.,  October  3,  1850.  When  a mere  boy  both  parents  died, 
and  he  was  reared  by  an  uncle.  His  education  was  limited  to  the  com- 
mon schools,  but  by  self  application  he  succeeded  in  obtaining  enough 
education  for  all  ordinary  business  transactions.  When  only  fifteen 
years  of  age  he  began  railroad  service  as  water  boy  on  a construction 
train.  A sketch  of  a locomotive  that  he  made  fell  into  the  hands  of 
Master  Mechanic  T.  J.  Hamer,  who  at  once  took  John  into  his  office. 
He  afterward  served  an  apprenticeship  in  the  Philadelphia  & Erie  Rail- 
road shops,  and  after  learning  his  trade  he  held  the  positions,  respect- 
ively, of  fireman,  engineer  and  foreman  for  different  companies  until 
1885,  when  he  was  chosen  foreman  of  the  shops  at  Macon,  Ga.,  for  the 
East  Tennessee,  Virginia  & Georgia  Railroad,  and  soon  afterward  became 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


1015 


master  mechanic  of  the  Alabama  division  of  the  East  Tennessee,  Virginia 
A Georgia.  He  was  also  general  foreman  of  the  Louisville  & Nashville 
shops  at  Nashville  for  five  years.  In  1886  h3  was  given  his  present 
position.  Mr.  Michael  is  a self-made  man,  and  has  reason  to  be  proud 
of  the  fact. 

A.  H.  Mitchell,  an  enterprising  farmer,  was  born  in  Hawkins  County, 
Tenn.,  in  1821.  He  moved  to  Monroe  County,  Ky.,  in  1855,  where  he 
resided  four  years.  He  then  moved  to  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  and  is  living 
there  at  the  present.  Mr.  Mitchell  is  a natural  born  mechanic.  When 
twenty-four  years  old  he  worked  at  the  carpenter  and  cabinet-maker’s 
trade,  which  he  followed  until  1855,  after  which  he  followed  agricultural 
pursuits.  In  1859  he  married  Miss  Parmelia  A.  Hall,  a daughter  of 
William  Hall,  who  is  the  father  of  Judge  E.  T.  Hall,  of  Knoxville.  In 
1864  Mr.  Mitchell  engaged  in  the  grocery  business  with  Mr.  John 
Mitchell,  the  style  of  firm  beingA.  H.  & J.  Mitchell,  and  followed  this  occu- 
pation very  successfully  for  one  year.  He  also  traveled  very  extensively 
through  the  United  States  in  his  younger  days.  He  owns  a good  farm 
of  180  acres  located  nine  miles  north  of  Knoxville,  all  well  improved 
and  well  cultivated.  Mrs.  Mitchell  died  in  1872,  and  our  subject  took  for 
his  second  wife  Miss  Eliza  Crippen  in  1874.  She  is  the  daughter  of 
William  and  Hicy  (Tyndle)  Crippen.  William  Cribben  was  sheriff  of 
Knox  County  six  years,  constable  ten  years,  and  was  a farmer  by 
occupation.  Mr.  Mitchell  is  a Democrat  in  politics,  casting  his  first 
presidential  vote  for  Zachary  Taylor,  and  his  wife  is  a member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  South.  He  was  the  fifth  of  ten  children 
born  to  John  and  Martha  (Lyon)  Mitchell,  both  of  whom  were  born  and 
raised  in  Hawkins  County,  Tenn.  The  father  was  of  English  and  the 
mother  of  German  descent.  Mr.  Solomon  Mitchell,  grandfather  of  our 
subject,  was  a soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  war,  and  our  subject’s  father 
was  a soldier  in  the  war  of  1812.  The  latter  was  justice  of  the  peace  of 
his  district  for  twenty-five  years.  He  was  one  of  the  county  commis- 
sioners while  the  present  courthouse  was  being  built,  and  held  various 
other  offices  of  the  county  and  district  in  which  he  lived.  About  1833 
he  was  appointed  by  the  State  Legislature  as  entry-taker  of  what  is 
now  known  as  “ Symm’s  Survey.” 

Joseph  P.  Mitchell,  president  of  the  People’s  Bank,  of  Knox- 
ville, Tenn.,  was  born  at  Rogersville,  Hawkins  Co.,  Tenn.,  in 
1824.  His  grandfather,  Richard  Mitchell,  was  of  Scotch-Irish 
descent.  He  was  a member  of  the  convention  which  met  at  Knox- 
ville, January  11,  1796,  and  at  the  age  of  seventeen  was  clerk 
and  private  secretary  of  Gov.  Blount,  by  whom  he  was  appointed 


1016 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


county  court  clerk  of  Hawkins  County  in  1790,  and  held  the  position 
until  1815.  Richard  and  his  wife  united  themselves  to  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  and  were  baptized  at  Rogersville  when  at  the  advanced  age  of 
eighty-two  and  ninety-two  years  respectively.  The  parents  of  our  sub- 
ject, Stoldey  and  Alice  G.  (Rogers)  Mitchell,  were  natives  of  Rogers- 
ville, where  they  were  married  and  resided  until  their  deaths  in  1861  and 
1873  respectively.  The  father  was  county  court  clerk  of  Hawkins 
County  from  1815  to  1845.  He  was  also  clerk  of  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives several  terms,  and  filled  the  position  of  cashier  and  president 
of  the  Nashville  Bank  and  the  Bank  of  Tennessee.  Our  subject  is  the 
eldest  of  a family  of  six  sons  and  five  daughters,  nine  of  whom  are  still 
living.  He  remained  in  his  native  place  until  1857,  then  soon  after 
came  to  Knoxville  to  accept  the  position  of  bookkeeper  in  the  Ocoee 
Bank,  of  which  he  afterward  became  cashier.  This  position  he  filled 
until  1865,  when  he  established  the  general  brokerage  and  banking 
house  of  J.  R.  Mitchell  & Co.,  which  was  merged  into  the  Knoxville 
Depository,  and  afterward  the  People’s  Bank.  In  1845  he  wedded  Miss 
Eliza  C.  Messengill,  a native  of  Grainger  County,  to  whom  six  sons  and 
seven  daughters  were  born — seven  children  now  living. 

John  M.  Montgomery,  farmer,  was  born  August  16,  1835,  in  Roane 
County,  Tenn.,  where  he  grew  to  manhood.  In  1869  he  moved  to  Arkan- 
sas, settling  near  Fort  Smith,  and  afterward  moved  to  Loudon  County, 
Tenn.,  and  from  there  to  Knox  County  in  1875,  where  he  has  since 
resided.  He  is  the  eldest  of  eight  children  born  to  Josiah  and  Martha 
M.  (Watson)  Montgomery.  The  father  was  born  January  12,  1811,  in 
Roane  County,  Tenn.,  where  he  passed  the  remainder  of  his  days.  He 
died  April  29,  1868.  He  was  a very  efficient  minister  in  the  Missionary 
Baptist  Church,  particularly  so  as  a revivalist  and  class  organizer.  The 
mother  of  our  subject  was  born  May  21,  1811,  in  Roane  County,  where 
she  has  since  lived,  and  although  seventy-six  years  of  age  is  very  healthy 
and  active,  but  quite  deaf.  She  is  a devoted  member  of  the  Cumberland 
Presbyterian  Church.  Her  parents,  John  and  Martha  Watson,  came 
from  North  Carolina  and  settled  in  Roane  County  at  a very  early  day. 
Our  subject  acquired  a good  practical  education  at  the  family  fireside, 
and  taught  four  different  sessions  of  school.  October  5,  1862,  he  enlisted 
in  the  Sixty-third  Tennessee  Infantry,  and  was  for  a while  sergeant  of 
his  company.  He  was  wounded  quite  severely  at  the  battle  of  Chicka- 
mauga,  and  this  rendered  him  unfit  for  duty  a short  time.  He  was 
mustered  out  in  1865,  and  returned  to  Loudon  County,  where  he  rented 
a farm  and  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits.  This  occupation  he  has 
since  followed.  November  28,  1867,  he  married  Miss  Mary  J.  Wilker- 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


1017 


son,  who  was  born  May  6,  1845,  and  who  is  the  daughter  of  M.  W.  and 
Mary  E.  (Hardin)  Wilkerson.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Montgomery  were  born 
these  children:  Ida  Lee,  William  Austin,  Hattie  Miller,  John  Chester, 

Mary  Annie,  Martha  Elizabeth  and  Dartlia  Eva.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mont- 
gomery and  three  elder  children  are  members  of  the  Cumberland  Pres- 
byterian Church.  In  politics  Mr.  Montgomery  is  a Democrat,  and  cast 
his  first  presidential  vote  for  John  C.  Breckinridge.  His  paternal  grand- 
parents, Josiah  and  Mary  (Lewis)  Montgomery,  came  from  Virginia 
early  in  life,  and  his  grandfather,  Josiah  Montgomery,  was  a soldier  in 
the  war  of  1812. 

Mark  Morel,  farmer  of  the  Eleventh  District,  was  born  in  Switzer- 
land, and  came  to  America  in  1857,  settling  first  at  Knoxville.  He  is 
the  third  of  five  children  born  to  Charles  S.  and  Catherine  Morel.  Our 
subject  received  his  education  in  the  common  schools  of  Switzerland,  and 
at  the  age  of  sixteen  began  working  for  himself,  with  but  the  clothes  he 
wore.  He  first  followed  farming,  afterward  blacksmithing,  then  rail- 
roading, then  carpentering,  and  is  now  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits 
again.  He  is  a natural  mechanic,  being  able  to  make  most  anything  out 
of  wood  or  iron.  Mr.  Morel  has  been  remarkably  successful  as  a farm 
manager,  and  owns  304  acres  of  land,  well  improved,  which  is  located 
seven  miles  west  of  Knoxville.  In  1867  he  married  Miss  Susan  Fer- 
guson, a daughter  of  James  and  Mattie  Ann  Ferguson,  and  the  result  of 
this  union  was  the  birth  of  seven  children:  Charles,  Louisa,  James, 
Anna,  Mary,  Sarah  and  Samuel  (deceased).  Mr.  Morel  is  a Repub- 
lican, and  a member  of  the  Missionary  Baptist  Church.  April  18,  1862, 
he  enlisted  in  Company  D,  Sixth  Tennessee  Infantry,  and  served  until 
the  close  of  the  war. 

J.  B.  Morris,  a successful  farmer  of  the  Nineteenth  District,  and  one 
of  seven  children  born  to  Joseph  and  Rachel  (Waters)  Morris,  first  saw 
the  light  of  day  July  29,  1827,  in  Ashe  County,  N.  C.  He  immigrated 
to  Tennessee  Avith  his  parents  in  1832,  and  settled  in  Knox  County, 
where  he  has  since  resided.  The  father  of  our  subject  was  born  in 
North  Carolina,  as  also  was  his  wife.  He  was  a soldier  in  the  war  of  1812, 
and  died  in  the  year  1842,  aged  fifty-two  years.  His  wife  followed 
him  in  1875.  Our  subject  acquired  his  education  mostly  after  he  became 
grown.  When  seventeen  years  of  age  he  apprenticed  himself  to  learn 
the  saddler’s  trade,  which  he  continued  to  follow  until  1865,  after  which 
he  engaged  in  farming.  During  the  late  Avar  he  assisted  considerably 
in  furnishing  the  Confederate  Government  Avith  supplies.  Mr.  Morris 
began  life  a poor  man,  but  by  industry  and  good  management  he  has 
made  money  rapidly.  In  the  fall  of  1864  he  married  Mrs.  Margaret  J. 


1018 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


Nelson,  formerly  Miss  Marley,  a native  of  Knox  County,  and  the  daugh- 
ter of  John  and  Elizabeth  (Ayers)  Marley.  Two  children  were  the 
fruits  of  our  subject’s  marriage:  Joseph  Robert  and  John  Dickenson. 
Mr.  Morris  is  a Democrat  in  politics,  and  cast  his  first  presidential  vote 
for  Millard  Fillmore.  He  is  a Master  Mason.  His  parents  were  of 
English  descent,  and  his  paternal  grandmother  lived  to  the  remarkably 
advanced  age  of  one  hundred  years,  being  quite  active  up  to  the  time  of 
her  death.  Mr.  Morris  is  the  discoverer  of  the  only  sure  cure  for  hog- 
cholera  now  known  in  the  United  States.  The  remedy  has  been  quite 
severely  tested  for  the  past  nine  years,  and  has  proved  eminently  suc- 
cessful in  all  instances. 

Hon.  John  L.  Moses  (deceased),  who  was  tax  attorney  for  East 
Tennessee,  Virginia  & Georgia  Railroad,  and  a prominent  resident  of 
Knoxville,  was  a son  of  John  F.  and  Mary  (Pearson)  Moses,  both  natives 
of  New  Hampshire  and  both  of  English  descent.  The  father  was  a wool 
merchant  by  occupation,  carrying  on  the  business  quite  extensively.  He 
was  a man  who  stood  high  in  the  estimation  of  the  people,  as  was  evinced 
by  the  public  positions  he  held.  Several  times  he  occupied  a seat  in  the 
State  Legislature,  and  was  one  to  cast  an  electoral  vote  for  the  last  Whig 
candidate  for  the  presidency.  His  union  with  Miss  Pearson  resulted  in 
the  birth  of  seven  children.  After  her  death  he  married  Abbie  C.  Boyd, 
who  bore  him  three  children.  Our  subject  was  born  in  Exeter,  N.  H., 
May  9,  1822,  and  passed  his  early  life  in  his  native  town,  surrounded  by 
the  best  of  educational  advantages.  After  attending  the  Phillips  Exeter 
Academy  he  went  to  Waterville  College,  in  that  State,  and  graduated  in 
1811.  He  soon  after  came  to  Knoxville,  and  he  and  his  brother,  James 
C.,  decided  to  establish  a church  of  the  faith  of  their  ancestors.  Though 
both  Avere  quite  young,  and  neither  a church  member,  they  organized  the 
First  Baptist  Church  in  the  city,  and  this  church  has  groivn  to  be  one  of 
the  strongest  churches  here.  After  reading  law  a short  time  our  subject 
engaged  in  journalism  for  several  years.  He  then  folloived  mercantile  pur- 
suits until  elected  cashier  of  the  Bank  of  KnoxA'ille.  From  1855  Mr.  Moses 
was  connected  with  railroad  service  as  president  of  Tennessee  State  Line; 
secretary,  treasurer  and  superintendent  of  the  Knoxville  & Ohio,  and  was, 
up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  assistant  secretary ; secretary  and  treasurer  of 
Coal  Creek  & New  River.  For  sevei'al  years  he  was  tax  attorney  for  the 
East  Tennessee,  Virginia  & Georgia  Railroad,  and  was  also  secretary  and 
treasurer  of  the  Coal  Creek  Consolidated  Coal  Company ; ‘ president  of 
the  Tennessee  Deaf  and  Dumb  School,  having  held  that  position  twenty- 
four  years.  For  a number  of  years  he  was  judge  of  the  county  court, 
and  president  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  the  University  of  Tennessee. 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


1019 


In  1847  he  married  Miss  Susan  Williams,  whose  father  was  an  early 
settler  of  Knoxville,  and  commanded  a regiment  at  the  battle  of  Horse 
Shoe  Bend.  He  was  also  a United  States  Senator.  By  her  he  became 
the  father  of  seven  children,  five  now  living — -four  sons  and  one 
daughter.  Mrs.  Moses  died  in  1877.  Both  were  members  of  the  Baptist 
Church.  Mr.  Moses  was  a Democrat  in  politics.  He  was  a kind  father, 
an  excellent  citizen,  and  his  death,  which  occurred  April  2,  1887,  was 
universally  regretted. 

Thomas  L.  Moses,  principal  of  the  Tennessee  Deaf  and  Dumb  School 
at  Knoxville,  was  born  near  Knoxville  on  December  13,  1849,  and  is  the 
son  of  Hon.  John  L.  and  Susan  ( Williams)  Moses.  Our  subject  was 
educated  at  Knoxville  and  at  Exeter  ( N.  H. ) High  School.  Soon  after 
leaving  school  he  became  a teacher  of  the  Deaf  and  Dumb  School,  and 
in  this  capacity  continued  about  ten  years.  In  the  year  1871  he  took 
for  his  companion  through  life,  Miss  Katie  Teasdale,  daughter  of  Rev. 
T.  C.  Teasdale,  of  Columbus,  Miss.,  and  the  fruits  of  this  union  were 
three  children,  two  of  whom  are  now  living — a son  and  daughter.  In 
1883  Mr.  Moses  was  chosen  principal  of  the  Deaf  and  Dumb  School,  and 
has  filled  that  position  satisfactorily  and  ably  from  that  time  to  the  present. 
He  was  a member  of  the  board  of  education  of  the  city  schools  for  a 
period  of  nine  years,  and  is  now  a member  of  the  board  of  directors  of 
the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  Both  he  and  wife  are  active  workers  in  the  First 
Baptist  Church,  he  being  superintendent  of  the  Sunday  -school. 

Frank  A.  Moses,  cashier  of  the  People’s  Bank  of  Knoxville,  was  born 
in  Knox  County  in  1845,  and  completed  his  education  at  the  State  Uni- 
versity in  1861.  In  May,  1862,  he  enlisted  in  the  Sixty-third  Tennessee 
Confederate  Infantry,  and  was  afterward  promoted  to  the  rank  of  first  lieu- 
tenant. At  the  close  of  the  war  he  returned  to  Knoxville,  and  engaged 
in  the  hardware  trade  until  1871.  In  1870  he  married  Miss  Elizabeth 
Mitchell,  a native  of  Hawkins  County,  and  the  daughter  of  Joseph  R. 
Mitchell,  whose  sketch  appears  elsewhere  in  these  pages.  The  fruits  of 
this  union  were  one  son  and  one  daughter.  In  January,  1875,  Mr.  Moses 
was  elected  clerk  of  the  Legislature  and  House  of  Representatives,  and 
in  the  fall  of  the  same  year  assumed  the  duties  of  corresponding  clerk  of 
the  People’s  Bank.  In  May,  1877,  he  engaged  in  journalism  as  business 
manager  of  the  Knoxville  Tribune , which  position  he  filled  until  July, 
1880.  In  the  fall  of  1877  he  was  appointed  a member  of  the  railroad 
assessors  of  Tennessee.  In  1881  he  returned  to  the  People’s  Bank  as 
bookkeeper,  and  in  May,  1886,  was  elected  cashier.  His  parents,  James 
C.  and  Susan  W.  (Baker  nee  Park)  Moses,  were  natives  of  New  Hamp- 
shire and  Tennessee  respectively.  The  father  followed  journalism  from 


1020 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


1838  to  1849,  after  which  he  engaged  in  the  hardware  trade  until  his 
death  in  1870.  He  was  one  of  the  trustees  of  the  State  University,  and 
for  a number  of  years  was  president  of  the  board  of  trustees  of 
the  Deaf  and  Dumb  Asylum.  He  was  founder  of  the  First  Baptist 
Church  of  Knoxville,  and  was  the  first  member  baptized  in  that  faith  in 
Knoxville  (1842).  The  mother  is  still  living.  She  had  three  children 
by  a previous  marriage,  all  still  living,  and  our  subject  is  the  third  of 
eight  children  born  to  her  second  marriage,  six  of  whom  are  still  living. 
The  paternal  grandparents  of  our  subject  were  of  Welsh  descent,  and  the 
maternal  of  Scotch-Irish. 

John  W.  Moulden,  farmer,  son  of  Maj.  William  and  Nancy 
(Johnson)  Moulden,  was  born  in  Jefferson  County,  Tenn.,  September 
28,  1836.  His  father,  born  in  Henry  County,  Va.,  December  11, , 
1798,  was  of  English  descent,  and  was  quite  a prominent  citizen  of  Knox 
County.  He  took  considerable  interest  in  public  affairs,  and  although 
he  commenced  life  with  no  other  capital  than  willing  hands,  died 
comparatively  wealthy.  He  drove  the  first  spike  in  the  East  Tennessee 
& Virginia  Railroad,  in  whose  incorporation  he  was  a stockholder  and 
director.  He  was  a director  in  the  Tennessee  State  Bank  at  Knoxville 
before  the  war.  He  was  for  a long  time  justice  of  the  peace,  was  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  died  at  his  home  in 
Knox  County  March  24,  1886.  The  mother  of  our  subject  was  born  in 
Washington  County,  Va.,  February  10,  1800,  and  was  of  English  descent. 
She  died  at  her  home  in  Knox  County,  at  the  age  of  eighty-three  years. 
She  was  also  a member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  was  a 
most  excellent  woman.  Our  subject  was  educated  at  Strawberry  Plains, 
Jefferson  Co.,  Tenn.,  and  engaged  in  farming  on  the  Holston  about 
two  miles  below  Strawberry  Plains.  In  1860  he  married  Miss  Almeda 
McMillan,  and  to  them  were  born  six  children,  only  four  now  living: 
Belle  M.  (Mrs.  Caldwell) ; John,  who  is  with  McMillan  & Treadwell,  of 
Knoxville;  Nannie  E.,  who  is  at  home  with  her  father,  and  Fred  T..  who 
is  with  his  sister,  Belle,  attending  school  at  Strawberry  Plains.  In 
1887  our  subject  married  Miss  Anna  Lee  Boyd  of  Atlanta,  Ga.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  a Democrat,  although 
he  votes  for  principle  and  not  for  party. 

Hon.  E.  F.  Mynatt,  one  of  Knoxville’s  most  promising  young  lawyers, 
was  born  in  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  February  22,  1858.  He  secured  his 
education  in  this  county,  and  at  the  age  of  nineteen,  commenced  reading- 
law  with  Hon.  W.  L.  Ledgewood,  of  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  and  was  admit- 
ted to  the  bar  on  the  day  he  was  twenty-one  years  old.  He  practiced  his 
profession  alone  until  the  spring  of  1887,  ivlien  he  became  a member  of 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


1021 


the  firm  of  Caldwell  & Mynatt.  Mr.  Mynatt  rose  rapidly  in  his  profession, 
and  in  a very  short  time,  after  having  been  admitted  to  the  bar,  took 
rank  among  the  best  lawyers  in  East  Tennessee.  His  forte  is  criminal 
law;  he  has  great  power  before  a jury,  and  is  called  all  over  East  Ten- 
nessee, in  important  criminal  trials.  Mr.  Mynatt  has  never  sought 
political  honors,  but  in  1886  the  people  of  Knox  County  took  him  up, 
and  elected  him  to  the  Legislature  of  1887,  where  he  served  with  great 
distinction,  making,  it  is  said,  one  of  the  ablest  representatives  Knox 
County  has  had  since  the  war.  He  was  faithful  to  every  trust,  and 
looked  well  to  the  interest  of  his  people  standing  upon  the  floor  of  the 
House  of  Representatives,  for  five  hours’  fight  against  the  passage  of  the 
revenue  bill  of  1887,  but  the  bill  passed  by  one  vote.  Hon.  E.  F. 
Mynatt  was  the  youngest  man  Knox  County  has  elected  to  represent  them 
in  the  Legislature,  since  1852.  Joseph  A.  Mynatt,  the  father  of  our 
subject,  was  born  in  1828,  and  has  always  resided  in  Knox  County,  where 
he  followed  agricultural  pursuits.  Melvina  (Ally)  Mynatt,  mother  of 
E.  E.  Mynatt,  is  also  a native  of  Knox  County.  Richard  Mynatt  the 
paternal  grandfather,  came  to  Knox  County  in  the  early  settlement  of 
that  county.  The  Mynatt  family  is  among  the  oldest  families  of  Knox 
County. 

J.  C.  Mynatt,  a farmer  of  the  Seventh  District,  was  born  November 
4,  1821.  on  a farm  where  he  has  since  resided.  He  is  the  tenth  of  eleven 
children  born  to  John  and  Frances  (Clark)  Mynatt.  Mrs.  Mynatt  was 
the  widoAv  of  Mr.  Gist  by  whom  she  had  three  children:  Joshua  H. 
(deceased),  Spencer  C.  (deceased),  who  was  commander  of  a vessel  which 
was  engaged  in  the  battle  of  Vera  Cruz  during  the  Mexican  war. 
Shortly  after  the  battle  he  took  the  yellow  fever,  died,  and  is  buried  at 
Vera  Cruz.  He  was  a graduate  at  West  Point,  a prominent  man  and  a 
splendid  soldier.  His  grandfather,  Spencer  Clack,  and  brother,  John 
Clack  were  signers  of  the  first  constitution  of  the  State  of  Tennessee, 
which  was  made  at  Knoxville  in  1796.  Mrs.  Mynatt’ s third  child  was 
Barthella  (Mrs.  Flint,  deceased).  Elizabeth  Haven,  John  Mynatt’ s first 
wife,  bore  him  eight  children.  She  was  born  February  7,  1777,  and  he 
July  31,  1780,  in  Virginia.  He  came  with  his  father  to  Knox  County 
when  seven  vears  of  age,  and  settled  in  Grainger  County,  near  Clinch 
Mountain.  He  died  April  23,  1867.  All  the  Mynatts  living  in  the 
United  States  are  descendants  of  William  Mynatt,  who  came  from  England 
to  America  before  the  Revolutionary  war.  J.  C.  Mynatt’ s uncle,  William 
Mynatt,  was  aid-de-camp  under  Gen.  Cocke  during  the  war  of  1812.  John 
N.,  father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  lived  with  and  was  supported  by 
his  son,  J.  C.  Mynatt.  The  latter  was  married  to  Miss  Frances  W.  Hall 

64 


1022 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


December  1,  1841.  She  is  a daughter  of  William  and  Nancy  (Nelson) 
Hall.  Her  brother,  M.  L.  Hall,  was  judge  of  the  criminal  court  sixteen 
years,  and  another  brother,  E.  T.,  was  judge  of  the  circuit  court  eight 
years.  M.  L.  Hall  served  as  clerk  of  the  circuit  court  for  many  yfears 
and  as  clerk  of  the  Federal  court  for  several  years.  He  is  now  a prom- 
inent attorney  of  Knoxville,  as  is  also  his  brother,  E.  T.  Hall.  Eight 
children  were  the  result  of  our  subject’s  marriage:  Oliver  C.,  William 
B.,  John  Hall,  Flavius,  Josephus,  Cynthia  F.  (deceased),  Mark  Donel 
(deceased)  and  Major  Clack.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hall  are  members  of  the 
Missionary  Baptist  Church;  Mr.  Hall  joined  in  February,  1840,  and 
since  that  time  has  continued  an  active  Christian  worker,  Mr.  Mvnatt 
has  been  deacon  of  the  church  for  about  twenty  years.  He  had  two  sons 
in  the  Federal  Army,  and  was  a stanch  Union  man.  He  began  life  as 
a poor  man,  but  by  untiring  industry  and  good  management  accumulated 
quite  a fortune,  besides  giving  his  children  excellent  educational  advan- 
tages. Mr.  Mynatt  is  a Democrat  in  politics,  and  cast  his  first  vote 
for  the  Whig  candidate  of  1844.  Mrs.  Mynatt’ s grandfather  and  mother, 
Hall,  came  from  North  Carolina  to  Tennessee  at  a very  early  day,  and  her 
maternal  grandparents  came  from  Virginia  to  Tennessee  also  at  a very 
early  day.  All  of  our  subject’s  ancestors,  as  far  back  as  they  have  knowl- 
edge, were  members  of  the  Baptist  Church.  J.  C.’s  father  and  grand- 
father each  served  the  Baptist  Church  of  his  neighborhood  for  many 
years  as  deacon.  Our  subject  and  brother,  Dr.  B.  K.  Mynatt,  are  the 
only  children  living  of  the  father’s  family.  The  latter,  Dr.  B.  K.,  is  a 
graduate  of  the  Nashville  Medical  College  and  is  quite  a prominent 
and  successful  physician  in  Rhea  County. 

J.  H.  Nave,  farmer,  was  born  June  10,  1820,  within  two  miles  of 
where  he  now  resides.  He  is  one  of  eight  children  born  to  John  and 
Mary  (Morrison)  Nave.  John  Nave  was  born  in  Rockingham  County, 
Va.,  near  Green  Brier.  His  father  came  to  Tennessee  at  quite  an  early 
day,  settled  first  in  Blount  County,  and  was  a native  born  German.  John 
Nave  was  a soldier  in  the  war  of  1812  under*  Gen.  Jackson,  and  was  a 
much  respected  citizen.  Our  subject’s  educational  advantages  were  very 
limited.  At  the  age  of  seventeen  he  began  working  for  himself  at  $4 
per  month.  March  23,  1843*  he  married  Miss  Margaret  Gray, 
who  bore  him  six  children:  Mary  A.  V.  (deceased),  Andrew  H.  (a  grad- 
uate of  West  Point  Military  Academy,  and  is  now  captain  in  the  regular 
army  located  at  Houston,  Tex.),  Susan  J.  (deceased),  Margaret  E.  (Mrs. 
Joseph  Nelson),  Isabella  B.  (deceased)  and  Alice  C.  (deceased).  Besides 
giving  his  children  a farm  a piece,  our  subject  owns  eighty-nine  acres  of 
splendid  land  seven  miles  west  of  Knoxville.  All  this  was  accumulated 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


1023 


h>y  his  own  exertion.  Mr.  Nave  is  a Democrat  in  politics,  and  a member 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  Mrs.  Nave  died  April  29,  1864,  aged 
thirty-seven.  She  was  an  earnest  worker  in  the  church,  and  was  respected 
by  all.  Mr.  Nave’s  grandmother,  Mary  Marshall,  died  in  Illinois  in 
1840,  aged  ninety  years. 

M.  Nelson,  senior  member  of  the  firm  of  M.  Nelson  & Co.,  wholesale 
and  retail  clothiers,  of  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  is  a native  of  that  city,  and  was 
born  in  1817,  being  the  son  of  Mathew  and  Martha  (Cannon)  Nelson. 
The  father  was  born  in  Virginia  in  1778,  and  came  to  Tennessee  when  a 
young  man.  He  was  elected  to  represent  Roane  County  in  the  State 
Legislature  in  1813,  and  while  serving  in  that  bodv  was  elected  treasurer 
of  East  Tennessee,  which  position  he  held  until  1827,  having  during  that 
time  charge  of  and  the  sale  of  all  the  public  lands  of  that  section  of  the 
State,  and  was  made  at  different  times  defendant  in  large  land  suits.  In 
one  instance  a rich  North  Carolina  syndicate  purchased  large  tracts  of 
lands  in  East  Tennessee  in  a fraudulent  manner,  and  Mr.  Nelson  refused 
to  sign  the  necessary  papers  to  make  good  the  title.  An  effort  was  made 
to  bribe  him,  but  he  was  to  honorable,  and  an  immense  amount  of  litiga- 
tion followed,  in  which  he  came  off  victorious.  The  lands  were  re-sold, 
and  his  fees  amounted  to  over  $13,000,  which  he  refused  to  accept,  his 
reason  for  so  doing  being  that  he  had  fought  the  syndicate  for  a princi- 
pal, and  that,  should  he  accept  the  fees  accruing  from  the  sale  of  lands 
he  wrested  from  them,  his  actions  would  be  construed  by  them  as  having 
been  prompted  by  a desire  of  gain.  In  1845  he  was  elected,  and  served 
two  years  as  treasurer  of  Tennessee.  During  his  official  career  he  was 
also  engaged  in  merchandising.  He  died  full  of  honors  in  1853.  The 
mother  was  born  in  North  Carolina  in  1785,  and  came  with  her  parents 
to  Tennessee  in  her  youth;  she  died  in  18- — . Our  subject  was  reared 
in  Knoxville,  and  educated  at  the  old  Knoxville  College,  which  at  that 

time  stood  on  the  left  side  of  Gay  Street  opposite  the  H House  of 

to-day.  At  the  age  of  sixteen  years  he  engaged  as  clerk  in  the  mercan- 
tile house  of  McClung  & Hazen,  of  Knoxville,  which  position  he  held  for 
about  five  years,  and  then  removed  to  Pulaski,  Tenn.,  where  he  became  a 
member  of  the  firm  of  Morgan  & Nelson,  merchants.  Two  years  later 
he  returned  to  Knoxville  and  engaged  in  the  dry  goods  business,  and  in 
1875  began  dealing  in  clothing  and  carpets.  He  was  married  in  1855 
to  R.  A.  McGauhey,  of  Athens,  Tenn.,  who  was  born  in  1833,  and  is  the 
daughter  of  John  McGauhey.  To  them  two  sons  have  been  born  as  fol- 
lows: M.  M.,  born  in  1856,  and  Hugh  B.,  born  in  1868;  both  of  whom 
are  connected  with  their  father  in  business. 

Thomas  A.  R.  Nelson,  attorney-general  for  the  district  of  Knox,  is  a 


1024 


BIOGBAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


native  of  Washington  County,  Tenn.,  born  in  August,  1848,  and  at  the 
age  of  fifteen  came  to  Knox  County.  He  received  his  education  at  the 
university,  after  which  he  studied  law  with  his  father;  was  admitted  to 
the  bar  in  1872,  and  began  the  practice  of  his  profession.  He  was  city 
alderman  during  1876-77  after  which  he  received  a four  years’  appoint- 
ment as  commissioner  of  the  claims  under  the  United  States  Government, 
and  at  the  expiration  of  this  time  resumed  his  legal  practice,  which  he 
followed  successfully  until  elected  to  fill  his  present  office  in  August,  1886, 
for  a term  of  eight  years.  He  and  two  sisters  are  the  surviving  members 
of  a family  of  five  children  born  to  Thomas  A.  R.,  Sr.,  and  Ann  (Stuart) 
Nelson,  natives  of  Roane  and  Washington  Counties,  Tenn.  The  father 
was  born  in  1812,  and  afterward  moved  with  his  parents  to  Washington 
County,  Tenn.  He  was  married  in  that  county,  and  soon  afterward  came  to 
Knox  County.  He  was  attorney-general  of  the  First  Circuit  many  years, 
was  presidential  elector,  was  twice  a member  of  Congress,  was  one  of 
President  Johnson’s  council  in  his  impeachment  trial,  and  was  elected  to 
the  supreme  bench  of  Tennessee  in  1870,  which  position  he  resigned  in 
1872  to  resume  the  practice  of  law.  His  Avife  died  in  May,  1850,  and  he 
afterward  married  Mary  Jones,  who  is  still  living,  and  by  whom  five 
children  were  born,  all  living.  The  father  was  counsel  of  the  East  Ten- 
nessee, Virginia  & Georgia  Railroad  many  years,  and  died  August  24, 
1873.  He  was  of  Scotcli-Irish  descent. 

D.  D.  Nicholas,  president  of  the  Gem  Marble  Company  at  Concord, 
was  born  September  10,  1841,  at  Gomer,  Ohio.  He  is  the  fourth  of 
five  children  born  to  James  and  Mary  (Jones)  Nicholas.  The  father 
was  born  September  10,  1810,  in  Butler  County,  Ohio.  In  1833  he 
moved  to  Allen  County,  Ohio,  where  he  still  resides.  He  was  justice 
of  the  peace  of  the  district  where  he  resides  for  fifty-three  years,  and 
is  still  holding  the  office.  He  was  a son  of  James  Nicholas,  a native  of 
Cardingshire,  Wales,  who  came  to  America  in  1797,  settling  first  in 
Beula,  Penn.,  but  afterward  moved  to  Ohio  in  1800,  and  settled  in  But- 
ler County  of  that  State.  The  mother  of  our  subject  was  born  in  Mont- 
gomeryshire, North  Wales,  in  1810,  and  came  to  America  in  1817, 
settling  in  Butler  County,  Ohio.  Our  subject  received  his  education  in 
the  common  schools  of  Allen  County,  Ohio,  also  at  Lebanon  (Ohio)  Nor- 
mal School,  and  Nelson’s  Business  College,  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  In  1867 
he  was  elected  county  surveyor  of  Allen  County,  Ohio,  and  held  that  office 
twelve  years.  He  was  elected  city  engineer  of  Lima,  Ohio,  in  1868,  and 
held  that  office  up  to  1882.  Mr.  Nicholas,  with  several  other  gentlemen, 
all  of  Ohio,  formed  a partnership  under  the  name  of  The  Lima  & East 
Tennessee  Marble  Company,  with  Mr.  R.  Mehaffey,  president,  of  the  Mer- 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


1025 


chant’s  National  Bank,  of  Lima,  Ohio,  and  D.  D.  Nicholas  as  general 
superintendent.  From  a small  beginning  they  increased  the  average 
capacity  to  many  car  loads  per  month,  shipping  marble  to  all  parts  of  the 
country.  The  quarry  produces  some  of  the  finest  marble  in  the  country. 
In  1878  Mr.  Nicholas  married  Miss  Flora  E.  Cunningham,  of  Lima, 
Ohio,  the  daughter  of  James  and  Martha  (Kennedy)  Cunningham.  To 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nicholas  were  born  two  children:  Nellie  and  Mary.  In 
1885  the  Gem  Marble  Company  was  organized,  with  D.  D.  Nicholas  as 
president.  From  a beginning  the  Gem  Marble  Company  has  increased, 
until  their  present  monthly  capacity  averages  twenty  car  loads.  Mr. 
Nicholas  is  also  connected  with  two  other  marble  companies,  known  as  the 
Buckeye  Marble  Company,  of  which  he  is  president  and  director,  and  the 
National  Marble  Company.  He  is  prominently  connected  with  several 
other  of  the  most  substantial  business  firms  of  Ohio  and  Tennessee.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Nicholas  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  Mr. 
Nicholas  is  a Democrat  in  politics.  He  was  candidate  for  the  State  Leg- 
islature from  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  on  the  Democratic  ticket  in  1886,  and 
helped  cut  down  the  usual  majority  of  1,700,  to  something  less  than 
1,000.  In  1862  Mr.  Nicholas  enlisted  in  Company  F,  One  Hundred  and 
.Eighteenth  Ohio  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  served  until  the  close  of  the 
war.  He  was  wounded  at  the  battle  of  Besaca,  and  excepting  the  time 
lost  during  the  healing  of  his  wound,  was  in  all  the  battles  and  severe 
skirmishes  in  which  his  regiment  took  part. 

James  O’Conner,  the  leading  saddler  and  harness  manufacturer  of 
Knoxville,  was  born  January  27,  1835,  at  Halifax  C.  H.,  Va.  His  father, 
John  O’Conner,  was  born  in  Virginia,  where  he  died  in  1854,  being 
seventy-two  years  of  age.  He  was  a wheelwright  by  trade,  and  was  a 
soldier  in  the  war  of  1812.  The  mother  of  our  subject,  Bebecca  (Pow- 
ell) O’Conner,  was  also  born  in  Virginia,  and  died  there  in  1882,  being 
over  eighty  years  of  age.  Of  their  family  of  eleven  children,  five  are  now 
living — four  sons  and  one  daughter.  Grandfather  O’Conner  was  a native 
of  the  Emerald  Isle,  and  came  to  America  soon  after  the  Bevolutionary 
war.  Our  subject  was  educated  in  the  old  field  schools,  and  at  the  age  of 
eighteen  went  to  Lynchburg,  Va.  to  learn  his  trade.  During  the  war  he 
was  purchasing  agent,  in  his  line,  for  the  Confederate  Government,  travel- 
ing over  a principal  part  of  the  South.  In  1868  he  began  his  present 
business  in  Knoxville,  commencing  as  a day  laborer  he  gradually  arose 
until  now  he  runs  an  extensive  establishment  requiring  from  75  to  125 
hands.  In  1872  he  married  Miss  Mary  S.  Price,  a native  of  the  same  vil- 
lage as  himself.  Three  children  were  the  result  of  this  union — two  sons 
and  one  daughter.  Mr.  O’Conner  is  a Democrat  in  politics,  and  he  and 


1026 


BIOCrKAPHICAL  appendix. 


wife  are  members  of  the  First  Baptist  Church.  He  is  a reliable  and 
prominent  man,  and  is  well  respected  by  all  who  know  him. 

Ogden  Bros.  & Co.,  booksellers,  stationers,  printers  and  binders,  have 
their  business  situated  at  145  and  147  Gay  Street,  Knoxville,  Tenm 
The  firm  of  Ogden  Bros,  was  established  about  1871,  and  existed  until 
1883,  when  it  was  succeeded  by  Ogden  Bros.  & Rule.  It  thus  continued 
for  two  years,  when  it  merged  into  the  present  firm,  which  consists  of 
the  two  Ogden  brothers,  S.  R.  and  Alfred,  T.  H.  Robinson  and  Samuel 
Hensell,  The  Ogden  brothers  are  natives  of  Wellington,  Ohio.  S.  R. 
came  to  Knoxville  in  1871,  and  established  the  business  of  which  he  has 
since  been  the  principal.  Alfred  Ogden  is  now  a resident  of  Brooklyn, 
N.  Y.  Mr.  Robinson  is  a native,  of  England,  where  he  received  his 
education.  He  came  to  Knoxville  in  1883  and  associated  himself  with, 
the  Ogdens.  Mr.  Hensell  came  to  Knoxville  from  West  Virginia  about 
1875,  and  accepted  a clerkship  with  the  firm  of  which  he  became  a mem- 
ber April  1,  1886.  The  firm  employs  about  thirty  assistants,  and  keeps 
one  traveling  salesman  regularly  on  the  road.  The  amount  of  business 
transacted  annually  is  about  $100,000.  They  furnish  all  the  stationery 
supplies  for  the  East  Tennessee,  Virginia  & Georgia  Railroad,  and  also> 
for  the  K.  of  H.,  delivering  the  blank  books,  stationery,  etc.,  for  the 
above  named  order  at  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

R.  G.  Osborn  is  a woodworkman  by  trade,  and  for  many  years  has 
been  an  employe  of  Burr  & Terry,  of  this  city.  He  became  a member 
of  the  U.  O.  of  G.  C.  soon  after  the  organization  of  the  order  in 
Knoxville,  and  is  now  treasurer  of  Hope  Commandery,  No.  2,  member 
of  the  finance  committee  of  the  Grand  Commandery,  and  member  of 
the  committee  on  laws  and  grievances  of  the  Supreme  Commandery.  He 
was  born  in  Monroe  County,  Tenn.,  in  1831,  but  has  resided  in  Knox- 
ville since  infancy.  December  27,  1855,  he  married  Miss  Sarah  J.  Beal, 
a native  of  Rogersville,  Tenn.  His  father,  James  Osborn,  was  a native 
of  Virginia,  born  in  1799,  and  came  to  Tennessee  when  fifteen  years  of 
age.  He  located  a few  years  after  marriage  in  Monroe  County,  after 
which  he  came  to  Knox  County,  where  he  died  in  1877.  The  mother^ 
Sabella  (Helsley)  Osborn,  was  a native  of  Greene  County,  Tenn.  She 
was  born  in  1804,  and  is  still  living  in  Knoxville.  Our  subject  is  the 
fourth  of  eleven  children  born  to  his  parents,  all  living  with  the  excep- 
tion of  one  sister. 

John  F.  Pai’ker,  farmer  of  the  Third  Civil  District  of  Knox  County, 
Tenn.,  is  a native  of  that  county,  born  in  1812,  and  the  son  of  F.  S.. 
and  Mary  B.  (Coker)  Parker.  The  father  was  a native  of  North  Caro- 
lina, where  he  was  born  in  1811.  He  came  to  Tennessee  when  a young 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


1027 


man  and  located  in  Knox  County,  where  he  followed  farming  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  about  1857.  The  mother  was  a native  of  Ten- 
nessee, born  in  1817,  and  is  a member  of  the  Baptist  Church.  She  is 
now  residing  with  her  son,  whose  farm  is  situated  six  and  one-half  miles 
from  Knoxville.  Our  subject  was  reared  on  the  farm,  and  attended 
Spring  Place  Academy.  He  has  made  a decided  success  of  farming, 
which  occupation  he  has  followed  all  his  life,  and  is  regarded  as  one  of 
the  substantial  and  enterprising  men  of  the  district.  He  was  married 
in  1871  to  Miss  P.  C.  Boss,  who  presented  him  with  one  child,  H.  D., 
who  was  born  in  1873.  The  mother  died  in  1877,  and  in  1879  Mr. 
Parker  married  Miss  Jennie  Boberts,  of  Knox  County,  who  was  born 
in  1861.  The  fruits  of  this  union  were  three  children,  viz. : Howard 
B.,  born  in  1880;  Loyd  C.,  born  in  1882,  and  Hugh  F.,  born  in  1885. 
Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Parker  are  members  of  the  Spring  Place  Baptist 
Church. 

Col.  M.  L.  Patterson  was  born  in  Stokes  County,  N.  C.,  in  Oct.,  1827, 
and  was  reared  on  a farm.  In  his  seventeenth  year  (1811)  he  had  the 
misfortune  to  lose  his  left  arm  by  the  first  portable  threshing  machine 
that  came  to  his  native  State.  In  1817  he  moved  to  Washington 
County,  Tenn.,  where  he  attended  the  common  schools  a few  months. 
He  then  completed  his  education  at  Clear  Springs  Academy,  and  taught 
school  about  three  years  in  Washington  and  adjoining  counties.  In  1853 
he  went  West  and  spent  two  years.  He  then  returned  to  Tennessee, 
and  filled  two  terms  as  circuit  court  clerk  of  Greene  County.  Soon 
after  the  commencement  of  the  war  he  acted  as  captain  and  commis- 
sary officer  of  Gen.  Spears’  brigade,  but  on  the  organization  of  the 
Fourth  Tennessee  Infantry  he  was  elected  first  lieutenant  and  reg- 
imental quartermaster,  from  which  he  was  promoted  to  major  and  then 
to  lieutenant  colonel,  serving  until  March,  1865,  when  he  resigned  and 
accepted  the  appointment  as  clerk  of  the  supreme  court  for  the  Eastern 
Division  of  Tennessee,  which  he  held  until  September,  1870.  In  1866 
he  married  Miss  Nettie  E.  Slemons,  a native  of  Paris,  111.,  to  whom  two 
children  have  been  born:  Edgar  and  Orton.  Edgar  died  in  his  tenth 
year.  In  October,  1870,  he  was  appointed  clerk  and  master  of  the 
chancery  court,  at  Knoxville,  and  reappointed  in  1876,  serving  until 
October,  1882.  He  was  the  youngest  of  nine  children,  three  of  whom 
are  living,  born  to  James  and  Mary  M.  Patterson,  both  natives  of  North 
Carolina.  The  father  remained  in  his  native  State  until  1861,  when  he 
moved  to  Indiana,  and  there  died  in  1869.  He  was  a participant  in  the 
war  of  1812,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  was  in  his  eighty-sixth  year. 
His  wife  died  in  1857. 


1028 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


A.  C.  Payne  was  born  in  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  March  28,  1837,  and 
is  of  English  and  Dutch  descent.  Pie  received  a limited  education,  and 
early  in  life  turned  his  attention  to  farming.  At  the  breaking  out  of 
the  late  war  he  left  home,  went  to  Kentucky,  and  here  offered  his  services 
to  the  Federal  Government.  On  account  of  a deformed  hand  he  was 
rejected.  He  then  went  to  Nashville,  Tenn.,  where  he  was  employed  by 
a sutler,  and  remained  at  this  place  until  February,  1865,  when  he  moved 
to  Pulaski,  Giles  Co.,  Tenn.,  and  was  at  that  point  when  the  war  closed. 
He  then  came  to  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  and  in  1865  formed  a partnership 
with  E.  W.  D.  Wrinkle  in  mercantile  pursuits.  In  1874  our  subject 
married  Miss  Susan  Slatery,  daughter  of  -John  Slatery.  Four  children 
were  the  result  of  this  union,  only  one  now  living,  named  Laura;  she 
was  born  January  23,  1877.  Mr.  Payne  followed  mercantile  pursuits 
until  1875,  when  he  and  his  partner,  in  connection  with  this,  also  engaged 
in  farming.  They  now  own  375  acres  of  Knox  County  land,  and  have  it 
well  improved.  Mr.  Payne  is  a Republican  in  politics,  and  a good 
citizen. 

R.  S.  Payne,  president  of  the  East  Tennessee  National  Bank,  a 
native  of  Davidson  County,  Tenn.,  was  born  in  1844.  He  was  reared 
and  educated  in  Davidson  County,  and  at  the  commencement  of  the  war 
enlisted  in  the  Second  Tennessee  Infantry,  with  which  he  served  until 
1863,  when  he  was  placed  on  Gen.  Morgan’s  staff,  but  at  the  death  of 
Morgan  he  was  placed  on  Breckinridge’s  staff,  a short  time  after  which 
he  acted  as  first  lieutenant  of  Capt.  Gracey’s  artillery.  He  was  engaged 
in  the  wholesale  hat  trade  in  New  York  City  from  1866  to  1868,  then 
located  at  Knoxville  in  the  same  trade,  which  he  continued  until  1885, 
since  which  time  he  has  been  a member  of  the  firm,  McTeers,  Payne, 
Burger  & Hood.  In  1879  he  married  Miss  Bettie  Dismukes,  a native  of 
Davidson  County,  to  whom  three  sons  and  one  daughter  have  been  born. 
Mr.  Payne  was  elected  mayor  of  Knoxville  in  1882,  and  served  about  one 
year.  He  was  elected  director  and  vice-president  of  the  East  Tennessee 
National  Bank  shortly  after  its  organization,  and  April  14,  1884,  he  was 
elected  president,  which  position  he  still  fills.  He  is  a director  in  the 
Knoxville  Gas  Light  Company,  and  stockholder  in  the  Knoxville  Woolen 
Mills,  East  Tennessee  Insurance  Company,  Island  Home  Insurance 
Company,  and  has  taken  an  active  part  in  all  worthy  enterprises  for  the 
upbuilding  of  Knoxville.  He  is  a member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity. 
R.  S.  Payne  (Sr.)  and  Sarah  C.  (Lewis)  Payne,  the  parents  of  our  sub- 
ject, were  natives  of  Davidson  County,  Tenn.,  and  North  Carolina  respect- 
ively. They  were  married  in  Sumner  County,  Tenn.,  and  the  father  fol- 
lowed merchandising  in  Nashville  and  Springfield  until  his  death  at  the 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


1029 


latter  place.  Tlie  mother’s  death  occurred  in  Sumner  County.  Our 
subject  was  the  second  of  the  family,  which  consisted  of  himself  and 
three  sisters,  all  deceased  but  himself. 

W.  H.  B.  Prater,  farmer  of  the  Eleventh  District,  was  born  July  4, 
1842,  in  Blount  County,  Tenn.  He  is  the  second  of  four  children  born 
to  William  and  Mary  Blair  (Leeper)  Prater.  The  father  was  born  July 
22.  1811.  in  Boane  (now  Loudon)  County,  Tenn.  He  was  a very 
enthusiastic  farmer,  as  well  as  a very  enterprising  and  successful  one. 
He  was  killed  by  being  thrown  from  a horse.  Benjamin  Prater,  grand- 
father of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born  and  reared  near  Lynchbui’g, 
Ya.,  and  afterward  moved  to  North  Carolina,  and  from  there  to  Tennes- 
see, settling  on  French  Broad  River,  where  he  married  Miss  Nancy 
Lane.  He  began  life  by  splitting  rails,  and  by  his  remarkable  energy, 
enterprise  and  excellent  practical  ability  accumulated  quite  a fortune. 
He  and  wife  were  of  Scotch  descent.  The  mother  of  our  subject  was 
born  August  7,  1815,  and  is  the  daughter  of  Hugh  B.  and  Malinda 
(Saunders)  Leeper,  natives  of  Pennsylvania  and  Georgia  respectively. 
She  is  still  living,  is  quite  active,  and  enjoys  excellent  health.  She  has  a 
remarkably  good  memory  for  dates  and  historical  facts,  reads  considerable, 
and  carries  on  quite  an  extensive  correspondence.  After  the  death  of  her 
husband  she  married  John  W.  Lee,  a native  of  Virginia,  and  a relative 
of  Gen.  Robert  E.  Lee.  Our  subject  secured  his  education  at  Knoxville 
University,  at  the  University  of  Lexington,  Ky.,  and  Ewing  and  Jeffer- 
son College.  He  enlisted  in  Hugh  L.  McClung’s  battery  in  the  spring 
of  1862,  and  was  discharged  at  Loudon  in  1863.  He  was  in  part  erf  the 
siege  at  Vicksburg,  Miss.,  and  took  part  in  all  the  battles  and  severe 
skirmishes  in  which  his  regiment  was  engaged.  He  married  Miss  M. 
G.  Lee  in  1867.  She  was  born  August  6,  1850,  and  is  the  daughter  of 
John  W.  and  Elizabeth  (Akers)  Lee.  The  result  of  our  subject’s  mar- 
riage was  the  birth  of  seven  children:  Mary  Ellen,  William  Walter, 
Hugh  Leeper,  James  Gaines,  Roddy  Clifford,  Ernest  and  Bessie  Lee. 
Mrs.  Prater  died  June  16,  1886.  She  was  a member  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church.  Mr.  Prater  has  always  followed  agricultural  pursuits.  He 
now  owns  a fine  farm  of  700  acres  of  land,  on  the  Kingston  Pike,  and 
100  in  Blount  County.  He  is  a Democrat  in  politics,  and  cast  his  first 
vote  for  Horace  Greeley. 

G.  W.  Prater,  farmer,  was  born  September  15,  1846,  in  Blount 
County,  Tenn.,  and  is  the  third  of  four  children  born  to  William  and 
Mary  B.  (Leeper)  Prater.  The  father  was  born  July  22,  1811,  in 
Roane  County,  Tenn.,  where  he  grew  to  manhood.  When  twenty-seven 
years  of  age  he  moved  to  Blount  County,  Tenn.,  where  he  followed 


« 


1030 


BIOGBAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


the  occupation  of  a farmer  and  trader,  and  where  he  accumulated 
considerable  property.  He  was  colonel  of  the  State  Militia,  and  was 
a man  highly  respected  by  all.  He  was  passionately  fond  of  stock 
raising  and  trading,  loved  company,  and  delighted  in  fishing  and  hunt- 
ing. The  mother  was  born  in  Shelby  County,  Tenn.,  August  7,  1815, 
and  moved  with  her  parents  to  Blount  County,  where  she  was  reared  and 
married;  she  is  still  living.  Our  subject  received  a fair  education  in 
the  common  schools  of  Blount  County,  and  subsequently  attended  Union 
and  Jefferson  College.  In  1863  he  went  to  Kentucky,  and  located  near 
Lexington.  Later  he  came  back  to  Blount  County,  where  he  remained 
until  1868,  and  then  removed  to  Knox  County.  In  the  fall  of  1869  he 
removed  to  California,  but  in  the  fall  of  1870  returned  to  Knox 
County,  where  he  has  since  resided.  He  received  some  property  from 
his  father,  but  the  late  war  and  the  freshet  of  1867  destroyed  about  all 
he  then  had.  He  now  owns  670  acres  of  good  land.  October  10, 
1872,  Miss  Elizabeth  Brooks  became  his  wife.  She  was  born  Septem- 
ber 23,  1850,  and  is  a daughter  of  Gen.  James  A.  and  Margaret  A. 
(McMillen)  Brooks.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Prater  were  born  seven  chil- 
dren: Hattie  W.,  Tracy  W.,  Mary  B.,  Joseph  B.,  George  W.,  Fred- 
erick B.  and  Bob.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Prater  are  members  of  the  South- 
ern Presbyterian  Church,  he  being  a deacon  of  the  same.  He  is  a 
Democrat  in  politics.  He  began  life  as  a stock  dealer,  and  followed  this 
business  until  1863.  From  that  date  until  1865  he  handled  goods  from 
Nashville  to  Lexington,  Ky.,  and  from  1865  to  the  present  has  cultivated 
the  soil. 

A.  S.  Prosser,  attorney  at  law,  was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  December 
4,  1838,  and  reared  on  a farm  until  fifteen  years  of  age.  He  then 
attended  the  public  schools  of  Johnstown,  Penn.,  where  he  received  his 
education,  after  which  he  moved  to  Illinois.  April  19,  1861,  he  enlisted 
in  the  Tenth  Illinois  Infantry,  with  which  he  served  in  the  commissary 
department  until  1864,  at  which  date  he  was  transferred  to  the  Second 
Tennessee  United  States  Cavalry,  as  first  lieutenant.  He  was  mustered 
out  July  9,  1865,  at  Nashville,  and  remained  there  until  February,  1866, 
after  which  he  located  at  Knoxville,  and  entered  the  law  firm  of  Maynard 
& Washburn,  which  title  was  afterward  changed  to  Washburn  & Prosser, 
and  continued  as  such  until  January,  1870,  since  which  time  he  has  prac- 
ticed alone,  and  is  one  of  the  leading  members  of  the  bar.  He  is  a 
director  in  the  Central  Guarantee  Life  Association,  and  a stockholder  in 
the  Knoxville  Gas  Company.  In  1869  he  was  attorney-general,  pro 
tern.,  of  the  State.  In  1875  he  married.  Lizzie,  daughter  of  Judge  George 
Brown,  a native  of  Monroe  County,  to  whom  one  child — Brown,  has  been 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


1031 


born.  Our  subject  is  the  third  of  a family  of  four  sons,  all  still  living, 
born  to  David  and  Rachel  (Williams)  Prosser,  natives  of  Wales,  where 
they  were  married.  They  came  to  America  in  1832,  and  located  near 
Harrisburg,  Penn.,  where  they  remained  until  1837,  after  which  they 
moved  to  Johnstown.  The  mother  died  in  1842,  and  the  father  after- 
ward married  Mariah  Kenton,  a native  of  Bedford  County,  Penn.,  to 
whom  eight  children  were  born  (two  deceased).  The  father  of  our 
subject  was  the  first  man  to  open  out  a coal  bed  in  western  Pennsyl- 
vania. His  death  occurred  in  November,  1884.  T.  E.  Prosser,  M.  D., 
brother  of  A.  S.  Prosser  (our  subject),  is  one  of  the  young  physicians  of 
Knoxville.  He  is  a native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  attended  the  high 
school  of  Johnstown.  In  1883  he  began  the  study  of  medicine,  and  in 
1884  entered  Bellevue  Hospital  Medical  College,  at  New  York  City,  from 
which  he  graduated  in  1886.  He  returned  to  Johnstown,  Penn.,  where 
he  practiced  his  profession  until  he  removed  to  Knoxville,  Tenn.  He  is 
a medical  director  of  the  Central  Guarantee  Life  Association,  of  Knox- 
ville, and  is  a young  physician  of  rare  promise. 

Dr.  James  Gettys  McGready  Ramsey,  was  born  in  Knox  County, 
Tenn.,  on  March  25,  1797.  His  paternal  grandfather  was  Reynolds 
Ramsey,  who,  with  his  parents,  came  from  Scotland.  On  the  passage 
across  the  ocean  the  mother  was  drowned.  The  remainder  of  the  family 
settled  at  New  Castle,  Del.  Reynolds  Ramsey  married  Naomi  Alex- 
ander and  located  on  Marsh  Creek,  in  York  County,  Penn.  They  had 
three  or  four  sons  and  one  daughter.  The  eldest  son,  Francis  A.,  was 
born  May  31,  1764.  Early  in  life  he  came  west,  stopping  in  Washing- 
ton County,  N.  C.  Soon  after  he  came  to  Tennessee,  took  an  active 
part  in  forming  the  State  of  Franklin,  and  became  one  of  the  leading 
actors  in  those  troublous  times.  On  April  7,  1789,  he  married  Peggy 
Alexander,  of  Mecklenburg,  County,  N.  C.,  and  settled  on  Little  Loudon 
Creek,  where,  on  March  26,  1791,  their  first  son,  William  B.  A.,  was 
born.  They  then  removed  to  Knox  County,  where  three  more 
sons:  J.  M.  A.,  Samuel  G.  and  J.  G.  M.,  were  born.  In  July,  1805,  the 
mother  died,  and  the  next  year  Col.  Ramsey  married  Mrs.  Ann  Flem- 
ing. She  also  preceded  him  to  the  grave,  and  he  married  Mrs.  Margaret 
Humes  in  1820.  He  died  November  13,  1820.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch  received  the  rudiments  of  an  education  from  a private  teacher,  and 
in  1809,  with  his  brother  William,  was  sent  to  the  Ebenezer  Academy, 
where  they  remained  until  1814.  They  were  then  sent  to  Washington 
College,  where  they  graduated.  In  1817  James  entered  the  office  of  Dr. 
Joseph  C.  Strong,  of  Knoxville,  and  two  years  later  he  entered  the  med- 
ical department  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  On  August  1,  1820, 


1032 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


lie  opened  an  office  in  Knoxville,  and  on  the  1st  of  March,  following,  he 
married  Peggy  Barton,  daughter  of  Capt.  John  and  Hannah  Crozier. 
He  continued  to  live  at  Knoxville  until  1823,  when  he  removed  to  the 
Forks,  where  he  named  his  home  Mecklenburg.  From  that  time  until 
the  war,  although  actively  engaged  in  his  profession,  he  was  prominently 
identified  with  railroad  and  banking  enterprises,  and  found  time  to  pre- 
pare his  history  of  Tennessee.  He  was  a man  of  great  energy  and 
activity,  both  mental  and  physical.  During  the  war  he  was  among  the 
most  extreme  secessionists.  Upon  the  Federal  occupation  of  East 
Tennessee  his  house,  with  all  its  contents,  was  burned,  and  he  was  com- 
pelled to  seek  safety  within  the  Confederate  line.  With  his  wife  he 
remained  in  North  Carolina  until  1870,  when  he  returned  to  Knoxville, 
where  he  died  in  1884.  Mrs.  Ramsey,  a most  estimable  and  intelligent 
lady,  is  still  living,  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-five  years.  Twelve 
children  were  born  to  them,  only  six  of  whom  are  now  living.  William 
W.  died  in  California  during  the  gold  excitement  there.  Arthur  C.  was 
mortally  wounded  at  the  battle  of  Piedmont,  during  the  war.  Two 
daughters  also  died  during  the  war.  John  C.  died  since  the  war. 
Those  living  are  Frank  A.,  Robert  M.,  J.  G.  M.,  Mrs.  Davidson  Alex- 
ander, Mrs.  E.  A.  R.  Breck  and  Mrs.  M.  J.  Dickson. 

Maj.  Robert  B.  Reynolds,  farmer  of  the  Twelfth  District,  was  born 
November  11,  1811,  on  Flat  Creek,  Knox  Co.,  Tenn.,  and  is  the  third 
of  eight  children  born  to  John  and  Barbara  W.  (Frazier)  Reynolds. 
John  Reynolds  was  a native  of  Ireland,  and  came  to  America  with  his  father 
when  ten  years  of  age.  The  father  settled  first  in  Harrisburg,  Penn.,  and 
three  years  later  moved  to  Hawkins  County,  Tenn.,  where  he  remained  one 
year;  he  then  moved  to  Knox  County,  and  here  died.  John  Reynolds  was 
major  of  a battalion  under  Gen.  James  White  in  the  Creek  Indian  war 
of  1812,  and  served  in  many  campaigns  against  the  Indians  prior  to  that 
year.  He  lost  his  health  from  exposure  during  this  war,  and  was  an 
invalid  sixteen  years.  He  died  in  1835,  aged  sixty-four  years.  Our 
subject  acquired  a good  English  education  in  the  common  schools  and 
under  private  tutors.  When  twenty-two  he  studied  law  under  George  W. 
Churcliwell,  of  Knoxville ; was  admitted  to  the  bar,  and  in  a short  time 
gained  quite  a reputation  as  an  able  lawyer  and  jurist.  He  was  elected 
attorn ey-general  by  the  Legislature  in  1839,  having  jurisdiction  over  six 
counties,  and  held  this  office  six  years.  In  1846  he  was  appointed  assistant 
quartermaster  by  President  J.  Iv.  Polk,  which  position  he  held  about 
eight  months,  and  then  was  promoted  to  the  position  of  paymaster  with 
the  rank  of  major.  At  the  close  of  the  Mexican  war  he  was  reappointed 
paymaster  for  the  regular  army,  and  held  this  office  until  1861,  when  he 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


1033 


resigned.  He  was  then  appointed  to  the  same  position  in  the  Confeder- 
ate Army  with  the  same  rank,  but  did  not  accept  the  position.  After  the 
close  of  the  war  he  spent  four  years  in  Virginia,  Illinois,  Missouri,  and 
then  returned  to  Knox  County,  where  he  has  followed  agricultural  pur- 
suits. He  owns  a good  farm  of  230  acres  well  improved  and  well  culti- 
vated, and  situated  five  miles  west  of  Knoxville.  In  1875  he  married 
Miss  Mary  Kennedy,  daughter  of  George  B.  and  Myra  J.  Kennedy,  wdio 
bore  him  five  children:  Mary  B.,  Robert  B.,  John  P.,  Ida  L.  and  Claude 
E.  Mr.  Reynolds  is  a Democrat  in  politics.  His  wife  is  a member  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

Charles  E.  Ristine,  M.  D.,  physician  of  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  was  born  in 
Abingdon,  Va.,  in  December,  1845,  and  is  the  son  of  J.  C.  and  Susan 
(Elliott)  Ristine,  the  former  being  a native  of  New  Jersey,  and  the  latter 
of  Virginia.  The  father  was  born  in  1810,  and  was  a coach  maker  by 
trade.  The  mother  was  born  in  1811  and  died  in  1878.  Our  subject 
was  reared  in  Knoxville,  and  acquired  his  early  education  at  the  East 
Tennessee  University.  He  began  the  study  of  medicine  in  1866  under 
Dr.  L.  L.  Coleman  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  and  in  1867-68  attended  the  old 
University  at  Nashville.  He  next  attended  the  University  of  Pennsyl- 
vania at  Philadelphia,  from  which  institution  he  graduated  in  1880.  The 
same  year  he  married  Mary  Alice  Peach,  a native  of  Nashville,  who  died 
in  1875.  In  1880  he  married  Elia  McKinney,  of  Nashville,  who  was 
born  in  1856.  To  this  union  one  child  was  born,  ivlio  is  now  six  years  of 
age.  Both  our  subject  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Church 
South.  After  marriage  he  practiced  for  one  year  at  Coal  Creek,  Ander- 
son Co.,  Tenn.,  and  then  for  eleven  years  in  Nashville,  three  years 
of  which  time  be  was  professor  of  physiology  in  the  medical  department 
of  the  University  of  Tennessee.  He  next  removed  to  Knoxville,  where  he 
has  since  resided,  practicing  his  profession  with  success.  He  is  a mem- 
ber of  the  Knox  County  and  State  Medical  Societies. 

Russell  H.  Roberts  (deceased)  was  born  on  Big  Elat  Creek,  Knox 
County,  Tenn.,  Octobei*  22,  1823,  and  during  bis  life  was  one  of  tbe 
enterprising  and  successful  farmers  of  tbe  Third  Civil  District,  of  that 
county.  He  was  tbe  son  of  Maj.  Andrew^  and  Jane  (Kelley)  Roberts.  The 
father  was  a native  Tennessean,  born  in  1796,  and  served  as  major  of  the 
militia  under  Gen.  Jackson  during  the  war  of  1812.  He  died  in  1860. 
He  was  the  son  of  Henry  Roberts,  wdio  immigrated  to  Tennessee  at  an 
early  date.  The  mother  of  our  subject  was  born  February  18,  1801,  and 

was  the  daughter  of  Joseph  and (Woods)  Kelley,  natives  of  Virginia ; 

she  died  in  1876.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  reared  on  the  farm, 
attended  the  common  district  schools,  and  followed  farming  as  an  occu- 


1034 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


pation.  He  married  Nancy  Meek,  of  Knox  County,  Mareli  3,  1846,  who 
was  born  December  1,  1824,  and  who  is  the  daughter  of  Joseph  and 
Rebecca  Meek.  Joseph  Meek  was  a native  of  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  born 
June  1,  1788,  and  died  October  14,  1851.  He  ivas  a soldier  in  the  war 
of  1812,  and  was  the  son  of  John  and  Jane  (McCutcheon)  Meek,  both 
natives  of  Virginia,  who  were  married  June  15,  1770.  John  Meek  was 
the  son  of  James  and  Ann  Meek,  who  had  six  children  as  follows:  Damie, 
Mary,  John,  Samuel,  Elizabeth  and  Martha.  Rebecca  Meek,  mother  of 
Mrs.  Roberts,  wras  born  in  Knox  County  May  7,  1792,  and  died  April  19, 
1870.  She  was  the  daughter  of  Col.  John  and  Rebecca  (Crawford) 
Sawyers.  John  Sawyers  was  an  officer  of  the  Revolutionary  war.  Rebecca 
(Crawford)  Sawyer’s  parents  were  massacred  by  the  Indians.  Our  sub- 
ject was  a successful  farmer,  and  a member  of  Washington  Presbyterian 
Church,  of  which  he  was  a deacon.  He  died  April  9,  1874.  To  the 
union  of  our  subject  and  wife  eleven  children  were  born,  five  of  whom 
are  dead,  as  follows:  Joseph  A.,  born  January  21,  1847,  died  August  10, 
1881;  Henrietta  E.,  born  December  3,  184$,  died  October  10,  1874; 
Rebecca  J.,  born  September  19,  1850  (now  Mrs.  Jacob  Slair,  of  Knox 
County) ; Narcissa  R.,  born  December  27,  1852,  and  died  April  12,  1861; 
John  B.,  born  February  27,  1855,  who  was  married  August  29,  1883,  and 
is  now  living  with  his  mother;  William  F.,  born  December  7,  1856,  now 
of  Kansas;  Henry  L.,  born  November  25,  1858;  Gains  S.,  born  Novem- 
ber 3,  1860,  now  a teacher  at  New  Market  Academy,  Tennessee;  Ellen 
C.,  born  October  25,  1862,  died  May  30,  1880;  Robert  L.,  born  May  17, 
1865,  now  of  Kansas,  and  an  infant,  born  in  1868,  and  died  same  day  of 
birth  unnamed.  Mrs.  Roberts  is  a member  of  the  Washington  Pres- 
byterian Church,  of  which  all  her  children  are  also  members  and  her  son, 
John,  an  elder. 

P.  A.  Roberts,  of  the  firm  of  Roberts  & Bros.,  liverymen,  of  Knox- 
ville, Tenn.,  is  a native  of  Knox  County,  born  July  13,  1833,  and  the 
son  of  Henry  G.  and  Rebecca  (Harris)  Roberts,  both  natives  of  Tennes- 
see. The  father  was  born  in  1808,  and  followed  farming  successfully 
during  life.  He  died  in  1864,  leaving  a name  noted  for  honesty  and 
industry.  The  mother  was  born  in  1809,  and  is  now  living  in  Knox 
County.  Our  subject  was  reared  on  the  farm,  and  acquired  his  educa- 
tion in  the  neighboring  schools,  finishing  the  same  at  Walnut  Grove 
Academy,  in  the  Fourth  Civil  District.  He  removed  to  Chester,  S.  C., 
in  1860,  where  he  engaged  in  the  livery  and  sale  business.  In  Decem- 
ber, 1861,  he  returned  to  Knoxville,  and  on  the  15th  of  that  month 
enlisted  in  the  Confederate  Army,  joining  Company  D,  Second  Reg- 
iment of  Tennessee  Cavalry,  organized  at  Cumberland  Gap.  He  was 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


1035 


with  the  regiment  at  the  battles  of  Fincastle,  Tenn.,  Stephensville,  Ky., 
Richmond,  Ky.,  and  was  then  with  others  detached  on  special  duty  and 
sent  to  Tennessee.  Returning  to  Kentucky,  he  participated  in  the  fight 
at  Perryville.  He  was  at  Chickamauga,  and  in  the  retreat  to  Atlanta, 
Ga.  He  was  mustered  out  of  service  at  Sugar  Creek  Church,  North  Car- 
olina, in  May,  1861,  and  then  returned  to  Chester,  S.  C.,  where  he  entered 
the  livery  and  sale  business,  which  he  continued  for  seven  years.  He 
nest  removed  to  Greene  County,  Tenn.,  where  he  remained  for  three  years, 
and  again  returned  to  South  Carolina.  Later  he  removed  to  Knoxville, 
opened  his  present  business,  and  has  been  a resident  of  that  city  ever 
since.  He  became  a member  of  the  Felix  K.  Zollicoffer  Camp,  No.  3, 
Confederate  Veterans  of  Knoxville,  in  1886,  of  which  he  served  as  officer 
of  the  day.  He  is  an  extensive  dealer  in  stock,  and  is  regarded  as  one  of 
the  substantial  citizens  of  Knoxville. 

James  Rodgers,  M.  D.,  one  of  the  leading  and  the  oldest  practicing 
physician  of  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  was  born  in  that  city  July  2,  1818.  He 
is  the  son  of  Thomas  and  Annie  (Patton)  Rodgers,  both  of  whom  are 
natives  of  East  Tennessee,  the  former  of  "Washington  County,  and  the 
latter  of  Knox  County.  The  father  was  a useful  mechanic,  living  an 
honorable  life,  and  dying  in  the  year  1870.  The  mother,  a most  worthy 
woman,  died  about  the  year  1821,  leaving  our  subject,  an  infant  of  ten- 
der age,  to  the  mercy  of  the  world.  Reared  and  educated  in  the  city  of 
Knoxville,  our  subject  completed  his  education  in  the  University  of  Ten- 
nessee, and  in  the  year  1810  began  the  study  of  medicine  under  the 
direction  of  Dr.  J.  Morrow,  of  Knoxville,  and  during  1812-43  took  lect- 
ure courses  in  the  medical  department  of  Transylvania  University,  at 
Lexington,  Ky.  Thereupon  he  returned  to  Knoxville,  began  practic- 
ing his  profession,  and  has  thus  continued  until  the  present.  He  served 
several  times  as  president  of  the  East  Tennessee  Medical  Society  (now 
the  Knox  County  Medical  Society),  and  is  a member  of  the  American 
Medical  Association  and  the  American  Public  Health  Association.  He 
is  also  a member  of  the  East  Tennessee  Lodge,  No.  34,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and 
served  as  Grand  Master  of  the  State.  In  1870  the  University  of  Tennes- 
see voluntarily  conferred  upon  him  the  degree  of  M.  D.  In  1813  he  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Rosina,  daughter  of  Daniel  McMullen,  the 
latter  a native  of  Ireland.  This  lady  was  born  in  Knoxville  in  the  year 
1830,  and  has  presented  her  husband  with  ten  children,  nine  of  whom 
are  yet  living,  as  follows:  Thomas,  Isabella,  James,  Samuel  R.,  Charles 

E.,  Anna,  Wallace  D.,  Hugh  M.  and  Lillie.  Our  subject  and  wife  are 
members  of  the  Second  Presbyterian  Church,  of  which  he  is  an  elder. 

Dr.  W.  A.  Rodgers,  practicing  physician  of  Knox  County,  Tenn., 


1036 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


merchant  of  Graveston  and  farmer,  was  born  in  Knox  County,  Tenn., 
August  30,  1820.  He  is  the  son  of  John  and  Rebecca  (Patton)  Rodgers, 
both  natives  of  Virginia,  and  of  Scotch  and  English  descent  respectively. 
Our  subject  received  his  primary  education  in  the  common  schools,  and  sub- 
sequently attended  the  Knoxville  schools.  About  1840  he  began  the  study 
of  medicine,  and  in  1843  he  began  practicing  in  McMinn  County,  where 
he  continued  two  years.  He  then  removed  and  located  near  Graveston, 
Knox  Co.,  Tenn.,  where  he  continued  the  practice  of  his  profession  up  to 
the  breaking  out  of  the  late  war.  November  4,  1847,  he  married  Miss 
Ann  Clapp,  daughter  of  Daniel  Clapp,  and  to  this  marriage  were  born 
two  sons,  and  a daughter  named  Margaret,  who  is  deceased.  The  sons 
are  named  Samuel  and  John.  In  August,  1861,  our  subject  became 
assistant  surgeon  in  the  First  Tennessee  Regiment,  and  later  was  pro- 
moted to  surgeon  of  the  Third  Tennessee  Regiment.  After  the  war  he 
returned  to  his  home  at  Graveston,  where,  in  connection  with  farming 
and  mercantile  pursuits,  he  has  practiced  his  profession  ever  since.  He 
has  a farm  of  175  acres  of  well  improved  land  in  Knox  County,  and  is 
an  excellent  citizen.  Our  subject  was  appointed  examining  surgeon  for 
the  pension  department  at  Knoxville.  He  is  a Republican  in  politics. 

L.  H.  Rogan,  assistant  superintendent  and  one  of  the  directors  of  the 
Knoxville  Foundry  and  Machine  Company,  is  a native  of  Washington 
County,  Va. ; was  born  in  1819,  and  is  the  son  of  Daniel  and  Catherine 
(Crawford)  Rogan.  The  father  was  a native  of  Ireland,  and  the  mother 
of  Pennsylvania.  Our  subject  was  reared  in  Sullivan  County,  Tenn., 
and  acquired  his  education  at  the  schools  of  that  county.  He  came  to 
Knoxville  in  1858,  engaged  in  the  foundry  and  machine  business, 
and  in  1870  founded  the  business  of  which  he  is  now  assistant  super  in-; 
tendent  and  director.  The  firm  at  that  time  being  L.  H.  Rogan  & Co. 
was  next  Rogan  & Kelley,  and  in  1878  became  incorporated  under  the 
above  name.  He  was  married  in  1836  to  Margret  Cloud,  a native  of 
Tennessee,  who  was  born  in  about  1818,  and  died  in  1877.  To  the  above 
union  four  children  were  born,  three  of  whom  are  living.  In  1880  our 
subject  married  Nancy  Trout,  a native  of  Knox  County,  who  was  born 
in  about  1844.  He  is  a member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

Thomas  M.  Rolen,  of  the  firm  of  Rolen  & Hill,  Co-operative  Stove 
Company,  of  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  was  born  in  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  Decem- 
ber 3,  1844,  and  is  the  son  of  George  and  Hila  (Clawson)  Rolen. 
The  father  was  born  in  Virginia  in  1812,  came  to  Tennessee  when  a 
boy,  and  is  at  present  a farmer  of  Knox  County,  Tenn.  The  mother  was 
born  in  North  Carolina  in  1822,  and  both  she  and  her  husband  were 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Our  subject  was  reared 


KxNOX  COUNTY. 


1037 


on  the  farm  and  attended  the  neighborhood  schools.  In  the  spring  of 
1863  he  left  home  to  avoid  the  Confederate  conscript  law;  went  with 
his  brother  on  foot  and  in  secret  to  Somerset,  Ky.,  where  he  joined  the 
First  East  Tennessee  Scouts,  under  the  command  of  Maj.  John  Black. 
That  organization  being  unable  to  secure  recognition  under  that  name 
by  the  Federal  government,  it  was  subsequently  mustered  into  service  in 
June,  1863,  as  the  Eleventh  East  Tennessee  Cavalry  Regiment.  United 
States  Troops,  our  subject  being  a member  of  Company  C.  In  March, 
1865,  the  Eleventh  and  Ninth  Cavalry  Regiments  were  consolidated  at 
Camp  Contonement  Springs,  Tenn.,  and  he  became  a member  of  Com- 
pany I,  of  the  Ninth  Cavalry.  In  February,  1864,  he  was  captured  at 
Camp  Wiremon,  Lee  County/  Ya.,  was  taken  to  Richmond,  Va.,  and  held 
as  a prisoner  of  war  for  some  time,  in  Castle  Thunder  and  Belle  Island, 
and  after  some  time  he  was  exchanged  for  and  returned  to  his  command 
at  Cumberland  Gap;  was  mustered  out  of  the  service  at  Knoxville,  Tenn., 
September  5,  1865,  and  remained  on  the  farm  until  the  fall  of  1867, 
when  he  became  traveling  agent  for  Cruze  & Adney,  Knoxville,  Tenn., 
manufacturers  of  stoves  and  tinware,  and  traveled  in  this  capacity  until 
the  fall  of  1878,  when  he  became  a member  of  the  firm  of  Havey,  Rolen 
& Co.,  manufacturers  of  stoves  and  tinware.  In  1880  the  firm  changing 
to  Rolen,  Sevy  & Co.,  in  1887  the  firm  changing  to  Rolen  & Hill,  Co-op- 
erative Stove  Co.  Mr.  Rolen  is  a member  of  Ed.  Maynard  Post,  No.  14, 
G.  A.  R.,  of  Knoxville,  and  of  East  Tennessee  Lodge,  No.  34,  I.  O.  O. 
F.  On  June  3 he  married  Miss  Carrie  Sparkes,  a native  of  Tennessee, 
born  in  1852,  andthe  daughter  of  Jacob  Sparkes.  To  this  union  were  born 
three  children.  Mr.  Rolen  is  a member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
and  his  wife  is  a member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  South. 

M.  L.  Ross,  president  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  vice-president 
of  the  Mechanics’  National  Bank,  and  senior  member  of  the  wholesale 
grocery  firm  of  M.  L.  Ross  & Co.,  is  a young  man  thirty-six  years  of 
age,  a native  of  Anderson  County,  Tenn.,  and  one  of  two  survivors  of  a 
family  of  three  children  born  to  James  and  Mary  Martin  Ross.  The 
father  was  a native  of  Virginia,  of  Scottish  descent,  and  prior  to  the 
marriage  to  the  mother  of  our  subject  was  united  in  marriage  to  a 
Miss  Slover,  who  bore  him  five  children,  two  of  whom  are  now  living, 
viz. : John  S.  and  G.  AY.  Ross.  After  her  death  he  was  married  to  Miss 
Mary  Martin,  who  still  survives  him.  He  was  an  officer  under  Col. 
Kirkpatrick  during  the  war  of  1812,  and  afterward  followed  merchan- 
dising for  upward  of  fifty  years.  He  died  in  1869.  He  was  frequently 
in  the  Legislature  and  State  Senate  for  ten  or  twelve  consecutive  terms. 
He  was  an  intimate  and  warm  friend  of  Jolm  Bell,  Zollicoffer,  James  K. 


G5 


1038 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


Polk  and  Andrew  Johnson.  The  mother  of  our  subject  is  a native  of 
Roane  County,  Tenn.,  and  now  resides  in  Knoxville.  M.  L.  Ross  secured 
only  a fair  education  at  Emory  and  Henry  College,  Virginia,  having 
to  leave  the  college  on  account  of  the  death  of  his  father  in  1869.  Tak- 
ing charge  of  a store  in  Anderson  County,  he  managed  it  successfully 
for  a few  years,  but  possessed  of  indomitable  energy  he  sought  out  a 
larger  field,  and  in  1871  came  to  Knoxville,  where  he  formed  a co-part- 
nership with  Maj.  D.  A.  Carpenter  to  carry  on  the  wholesale  grocery 
business  under  the  firm  name  of  Carpenter  & Ross,  who  did  a prosperous 
business  until  1879,  when  the  firm  was  changed  to  its  present  style  of 
M.  L.  Ross  & Co.,  who  have  built  up  an  extensive  trade  in  five  or  six 
States.  Mr.  Ross  is  commonly  called  Martin,  is  a director  in  the  Knox- 
ville Car  Wheel  Company,  Knoxville  Fire  Insurance  Company,  the  Pro- 
tection Fire  Insurance  Company,  Knoxville  Street  Railroad  Company, 
Knoxville  Provident  Company,  and  Knoxville  & Western  Railroad  Com- 
pany, also  a Knight  Templar.  In  1870  he  married  Miss  Ellen  Carey, 
daughter  of  Hon.  William  Carey,  of  Caryville,  Campbell  Co.,  Tenn., 
to  whom  three  children  have  been  born,  two  now  living : Mary  Martin 
and  William  Carey  Ross. 

Michael  F.  Rourke,  plumber  and  dealer  in  steam  heating  apparatus 
and  gas  fixtures,  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  was  born  in  Ireland  in  1844,  and  in 
1861  he  immigrated  to  America  and  located  in  New  York  City.  At  first 
he  was  employed  to  sweep  a store,  but  afterward  learned  the  plumber’s 
trade  and  worked  at  this  until  1871.  He  afterward  worked  in  Chicago, 
St.  Louis,  Memphis,  Cincinnati,  and  finally,  in  1879,  came  to  Knoxville. 
Having  saved  his  earnings  he  invested  them  in  plumber’s  supplies,  and 
took  as  partner  a contractor  and  builder  who  failed,  ruining  both.  These 
were  hard  times  for  Mr.  Rourke.  Finding  himself  in  debt,  and  with 
nothing  to  go  on  he  redoubled  his  efforts  and  soon  began  to  rise  again, 
becoming  one  of  the  leading  plumbers  of  the  South.  To  him  was 
intrusted  the  mammoth  task  of  fitting  up  the  East  Tennessee  Insane 
Asylum.  In  1875,  while  in  Cincinnati,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Mary  McDonough,  who  presented  him  with  five  children — one  son 
and  four  daughters.  As  a business  man  Mr.  Rourke  has  been  quite  suc- 
cessful, and  now  has  a good  store  house,  stock  and  other  property. 

Hon.  William  Rule,  editor-in-chief  of  the  Knoxville  Journal , stands 
in  the  front  rank  of  Tennessee  journalists.  He  was  born  in  Knox  County 
in  1839,  and  passed  his  boyhood  days  on  the  farm,  but  before  reaching 
the  years  of  manhood  he  left  the  parental  roof  and  entered  the  newspaper 
office  of  Parson  Brownlow,  who  was  then  publishing  the  Knoxville  Whig. 
He  soon  became  Brownlow’s  trusted  friend,  and  remained  with  him 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


1039 


through  all  the  days  of  strife  preceding  the  war,  and  they  ever  after 
remained  fast  political  friends.  In  1858  Mr.  Rule  married  Lucy  A. 
Maxey,  a native  of  Knox  County,  and  to  them  were  born  six  children. 
After  Brownlow’s  departure  from  Knoxville  in  1862,  our  subject  enlisted 
in  the  Sixth  Tennessee  Union  Infantry,  commanded  by  Col.  Joseph  A. 
Cooper,  and  soon  became  adjutant  of  the  regiment,  which  position  he 
held  until  the  close  of  the  war,  sharing  in  all  the  battles  of  the  Army  of 
the  Cumberland.  At  the  close  of  hostilities  he  returned  home,  and  was 
the  same  year  elected  county  court  clerk,  and  after  being  re-elected 
resigned  in  1870  to  re-enter  journalism.  He  edited  the  Chronicle  until 
1875,  when  Gov.  Brownlow,  whose  term  as  United  States  senator  had 
just  expired,  purchased  an  interest  in  the  paper,  and  the  weekly  edition 
from  this  time  took  the  name  of  the  Whig  and  Chronicle.  The  paper 
was  thus  edited  until  Brownlow’s  death  and  then  by  our  subject  alone 
until  1882,  at  which  date  he  sold  out,  and  soon  after,  with  Mr.  S.  Mar- 
field,  began  the  publication  of  the  Daily  Journal.  In  1873  he  was 
elected  mayor  of  Knoxville,  and  a municipal  committee  waited  upon  the 
President  and  secured  a special  order  by  which  he  was  allowed  to  serve 
(although  without  salary)  and  remained  in  the  Government  service,  he 
having  previously  been  appointed  special  agent  of  the  postotfice  depart- 
ment. He  was  the  same  year  appointed  postmaster  of  Knoxville,  which 
position  he  retained  until  1880,  when  he  was  a delegate  to  the  national 
Republican  convention,  and  during  the  same  year  entered  the  race  for 
Congress,  but  met  the  fate  of  many  other  editors  who  fearlessly  uphold 
their  views  by  their  pen,  and  afterward  enter  the  political  field.  Fred- 
erick Rule,  father  of  our  subject,  was  born  in  Knox  County  in  1817,  and 
resided  in  that  county  until  his  death  in  1874.  The  mother,  Sarah  E. 
(Brakebill)  Rule,  was  a native  of  Blount  County,  Tenn.,  and  died  in 
1883.  William  was  the  first-born  of  six  children,  five  of  whom  are  still 
living. 

W.  L.  Russell,  a merchant  at  Concord,  was  born  January  11,  1832, 
in  Blount  County,  Tenn.  When  sixteen  years  of  age  he  came  to  Knox 
County,  where  he  has  since  lived.  He  is  the  fifth  of  seven  children  born 
to  John  H.  and  Annie  (Gillespie)  Russell.  John  H.  Russell  was  born  in 
Knox  County,  January  3,  1796,  where  he  grew  to  manhood.  He  then 
went  to  Blount  County,  where  he  resided  until  his  death  in  August, 
1878.  He  was  a successful  farmer  and  a remarkably  energetic  and 
enterprising  man.  His  Avife  was  born  near  Little  River  in  Blount 
County,  where  she  was  reared,  and  where  she  married  John  H.  Rus- 
sell. She  died  August  3,  1841.  W.  L.  Russell  received  his  education 
in  the  common  schools  of  Blount  and  Knox  Counties.  At  the  age  of  sixteen 


1040 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


lie  began  working  for  himself  as  clerk  in  a general  store.  At  the  age  of 
twenty  he  became  a member  of  the  firm  of  M.  & R.  Russell,  of  Campbell 
Station,  which  partnership  existed  about  seven  years.  After  this  he 
came  to  Concord,  and  became  a member  of  the  firm  of  Pate  & Russell. 
Mr.  Pate  retired  in  1878,  since  which  time  Mr.  Russell  has  been  a mem- 
ber of  the  firm  of  W.  L.  Russell  & Co.,  and  of  Cox  & McNutt.  In  May, 
1868,  he  married  Miss  Dannie  J.  Evans,  a daughter  of  Daniel  and  Eliza- 
beth (Harrison)  Evans.  Her  father  was  born  in  North  Carolina,  and 
reared  in  Cocke  County,  Tenn.,  where  he  died  in  September,  1845.  He 
was  a successful  farmer.  Her  mother,  Mrs.  Evans,  was  born  in  Jeffer- 
son County  on  the  French  Broad  River,  and  died  in  June,  1863.  They 
were  both  of  Scotch-Irish  descent.  To  our  subject  and  wife  were  born 
nine  children:  Frank  P.  (deceased),  Joseph  E.,  John  P.,  Lizzie  Kate, 
Linda  A.,  Anna  M.,  Margaret  A.,  William  L.  and  Dannie  E.  (deceased). 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Russell  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  He 
was  previously  a Whig,  but  since  the  war  has  voted  the  Democratic 
ticket  and  is  now  in  full  accord  with  the  Prohibition  party. 

D.  R.  Samuel  & Son.  D.  R.  Samuel,  senior  member  of  the  above 
mentioned  firm,  is  a native  of  South  Wales,  England,  born  in  1832.  In 
1854  he  married  Mary  Bynon,  a native  of  Carbondale,  Penn.,  born  in 
1835.  He  came  to  Knoxville  in  1872,  and  founded  the  present  manufac- 
tory. He  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  Market  Square  Street  Railway 
Company,  of  Knoxville,  of  which  he  is  vice-president.  He  was  also  one 
of  the  founders  of  Pilgrim  Congregational  Church,  of  which  he  and  wife 
are  members.  W.  B.  Samuel,  junior  member  of  the  above  firm,  was  born 
at  Pittston,  Penn.,  in  1856,  and  remained  there  until  his  sixteenth 
year,  acquiring  his  early  education  in  the  local  schools.  He  attended 
the  University  of  Tennessee,  at  Knoxville  in  1873-75,  and  in  1878 
graduated  from  Eastman’s  College,  Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y.  He  became 
a member  of  the  above  firm  in  1877,  and  has  since  occupied  the  position 
of  superintendent  and  bookkeeper.  In  1881  he  wedded  Mary  P.  Tustin, 
a native  of  Baltimore,  Md.,  and  the  daughter  of  John  D.  Tustin,  a com- 
mission merchant  of  Philadelphia.  To  this  union  were  born  two  sons 
and  one  daughter:  Philip,  born  in  1883;  Joe,  born  in  1885,  and  Ruth, 
born  in  1887.  Mrs.  Samuel  is  a member  of  the  Pilgrim  Congregational 
Church.  In  the  board  of  enterprise,  organized  in  1884,  which  organiza- 
tion accomplished  great  and  lasting  benefit  to  Knoxville,  Mr.  W.  B. 
Samuel  was  chairman  of  the  committee  of  manufacturers,  the  duties  of 
which  office  he  discharged  in  a satisfactory  manner.  He  is  a member  of 
East  Tennessee  Lodge,  No.  34, 1.  O.  O.  F.,  and  for  four  years  represented 
it  in  the  Grand  Lodge. 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


1041 


E.  J.  Sanford,  vice-president  of  the  East  Tennessee  National  Bank, 
president  of  the  Knoxville  & Ohio  Railroad,  and  a member  of  the 
wholesale  drug  firm  of  Sanford,  Chamberlain  & Albert,  is  a native  of 
Connecticut,  where  he  was  reared  and  educated.  He  came  to  Knoxville  in 
1853,  and  engaged  in  the  lumber  trade  until  the  commencement  of  the 
war.  In  1860  he  married  Miss  Emma  Chavanes,  to  whom  ten  children 
have  been  born,  six  still  living — three  sons  and  three  daughters.  Edward 
T.,  the  eldest  son,  is  a graduate  of  the  University  of  Tennessee,  and  is 
now  attending  the  Harvard  Law  School.  At  the  breaking  out  of  the 
war  our  subject  joined  a company  for  the  Union  Army,  which  went  to 
Kentucky,  Avliere  many  of  them  enlisted,  but  owing  to  bad  health  Mr.  fy’", 


Sanford  returned  to  Connecticut.  He  returned  to  Knoxville  in  18jo3, 
with  Burnside’s  Army,  and  established  his  wholesale  drug  house  in 
1864  under  the  firm  name  of  E.  J.  Sanford  & Co.,  which  company 
existed  until  1872,  when  the  present  firm  was  formed.  They  employ 
four  traveling  salesmen,  and  in  volume  of  trade  rank  among  the  largest 
drug  firms  of  the  South.  At  the  death  of  Maj.  O’Conner  Mr.  Sanford 
was  elected  president  of  the  Mechanic’s  Bank,  but  after  its  establishment 
upon  a firm  basis,  dissolved  his  connection  with  that  bank,  though 
requested  by  every  director  not  to  do  so.  In  1882,  he  was  elected  vice- 
president  of  the  East  Tennessee  National  Bank,  which  position  he  now 
holds.  He  has  been  one  of  the  directors  of  the  Kentucky  & Ohio 
Railroad  about  ten  years,  and  was  elected  president  in  1886.  He  is  the 
only  director  of  the  East  Tennessee  & Georgia  Railroad,  residing  in 
Tennessee  if  not  in  the  South.  He  is  president  of  the  Coal  Creek  Mining 
& Manufacturing  Company  and  of  the  Knoxville  Woolen  Mills,  and 
has  been,  for  a term  of  years,  president  of  the  board  of  education  for  the 
Knoxville  city  schools.  His  parents,  John  W.  and  Altha  (Fanton) 
Sanford,  are  natives  of  Connecticut,  and  still  reside  on  the  homestead  of 
our  subject’s  grandfather  in  Connecticut  at  the  ripe  old  age  of  eighty- 
seven  and  eighty-eight  years  respectively. 

R.  H.  Sansom,  assistant  postmaster  of  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  was  born 
at  Round  Rock,  Williamson  Co.,  Tex.,  September  8,  1854,  and 
is  the  son  of  Richard  and  Mrs.  Mary  Agnes  Sansom.  The  father 
was  born  October  28,  1828,  and  was  the  son  of  Dr.  D.  N.  Sansom, 
-of  Columbia,  Tenn.  He  died  June  13,  1880.  The  mother  was  born 
July  3,  1831,  and  is  the  daughter  of  Matthew  D.  Cooper,  and  sister 
of  ex-United  States  Senator  Henry  Cooper  (deceased).  She  is  now 
■a  resident  of  Georgetown,  Williamson  Co,  Tex.  Our  subject  was 
reared  until  his  sixteenth  year  in  Texas.  He  then  came  to  Tennessee, 
and  attended  the  Montgomery  Bell  Academy,  at  Nashville.  After  this 


1042 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


lie  went  to  Columbia,  Tenn.,  where  he  acted  as  deputy  clerk  and  master 
of  the  Maury  Chancery  Court,  under  his  uncle,  D.  B.  Cooper.  He  next 
practiced  law  for  a number  of  years  in  Columbia,  and  then  located  at 
Washington  City,  where  he  was  extensively  engaged  in  contracting  in 
partnership  with  Messrs.  D.  B.  Cooper  and  J.  W.  Whitthorne.  Septem- 
ber 3,  1876,  he  wedded  Loulie,  youngest  daughter  of  the  late  Gen.  Felix 
K.  Zollicoffer.  She  was  born  February  8,  1856,  at  the  old  Zollicoffer 
homestead,  at  Nashville.  In  January,  1881,  he  removed  to  Knoxville,, 
and  entered  the  firm  of  Frierson  & Morgan,  marble  dealers.  At  the 
dissolution  of  that  firm  he  became  a member  of  the  Crescent  Marble 
Company,  of  Knoxville,  of  which  he  had  practical  charge  until  Novem- 
ber, 1885,  and  yet  retains  stock  in  the  same.  He  was  appointed  to  his. 
present  position  in  November,  1885.  He  is  a member  of  Felix  K.  Zolli- 
coffer Camp,  No.  3,  Confederate  Veterans,  and  is  Grand  Master  of 
Oriental  Lodge,  No.  453,  F.  & A.  M.,  of  Knoxville.  He  is  also  Second 
Lieutenant  Commander  of  Knoxville  Consistory  No.  10,  and  also  General- 
issimo of  Cour  de  Leon  Commandery  No.  9,  K.  T.,  of  Knoxville.  He 
and  Mrs.  Sansom  are  members  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church. 

H.  Schubert,  owner  and  proprietor  of  the  beautiful  and  popular 
Schubert’s  Hotel,  situated  at  the  corner  of  Cumberland  and  Gay  Streets,, 
was  born  in  Germany,  in  1842,  and  came  to  New  York  City  in  1857.  He 
remained  there  three  years,  then  came  to  Nashville,  Tenn.,  and  engaged 
in  the  restaurant  and  retail  liquor  business  until  1865,  after  which  he 
continued  in  the  same  business  two  years  in  Chattanooga,  and  in  Grainger 
and  Union  Counties.  In  1872  he  came  to  Knoxville,  where  he  continued  the 
same  business  until  May  10,  1875,  when  he  opened  out  the  nucleus  of 
his  present  model  hotel.  By  1880  he  found  his  patronage  increasing  to 
such  an  extent  that  additions  were  made  to  his  already  large  building,, 
but  he  again  found  himself  inadequate  to  accommodate  his  rapidly 
increasing  number  of  guests.  In  December,  1885,  he  completed  the 
hotel  as  it  is  at  present.  The  building  is  three  stories  high,  fronts  80 
feet  on  Gay  Street  and  150  feet  on  Cumberland,  and  possesses  all  the 
conveniencies  of  modern  architectural  improvements.  In  1869  he  mar- 
ried Hannah  Furner,  a native  of  Union  County,  to  whom  one  son,  A.  A. 
N.  Schubert  was  born : he  is  still  residing  withjhis  father.  The  death  of 
Mr.  Schubert’s  life  companion  occurred  in  October,  1886.  She  was  a 
member  of  the  First  Baptist  Church.  Our  subject’s  parents,  A.  and  D. 
(Alexander)  Schubert,  were  both  natives  of  Germany,  where  the  mother 
still  lives  and  where  the  father  died  in  1875.  Our  subject  was  the  eldest 
of  six  children,  four  still  living — one  in  Chicago,  one  in  Australia,  one 
in  Berlin  and  our  subject  in  Knoxville,  Tenn. 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


1043 


Dr.  John  R.  Scott  was  born  in  Boyle  County,  Ky.,  near  Danville, 
July  6,  1828,  and  is  the  son  of  Col.  C.  C.  and  Elizabeth  B.  (Westerfield) 
Scott.  The  father  was  a native  Virginian,  and  of  Irish  descent.  The 
mother  was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  and  was  of  French-German  descent. 
They  were  early  settlers  in  Kentucky.  Our  subject  graduated  at  Frank- 
lin College,  Tennessee,  in  1848  and  studied  medicine  at  Athens,  Ala.,  from 
1851  to  1854,  and  was  licensed  to  practice  in  the  latter  year.  In  1856 
he  began  practicing  in  Union  County,  Tenn.,  and  continued  there  until 
1857,  when  he  returned  to  Athens,  Ala.  Here  he  remained  until  1862, 
when  he  was  employed  as  surgeon  at  Post  Hospital,  Strawberry  Plains, 
and  remained  there  until  1863.  December  6,  1865,  he  married  Miss 
Callie  Shropshire,  and  to  them  were  born  these  children:  C.  C.,  R.  L., 
J.  L.,  N.  R.,  D.  H.,  E.  A.  and  M.  A.  In  1863  our  subject  came  to  Union 
County,  Tenn.,  where  he  remained  until  1870,  since  which  time  he  has 
practiced  at  Graveston,  Tenn.,  where  he  owns  175  acres  of  land.  He  has 
been  United  States  examining  surgeon  for  Union  County,  Tenn.,  is  a 
Democrat  in  politics  and  a Master  Mason,  Graveston  Lodge,  No.  321. 
He  is  a relative  of  Gen.  Winfield  Scott  and  Charles  Scott,  ex-governor  of 
Kentucky.  He  has  written  both  prose  and  poetry  for  the  local  press,  and 
is  the  author  of  medical  works  which  he  has  not  yet  finished. 

Frank  A.  R.  Scott  was  born  in  Knox  County  in  1827,  and  has  always 
resided  in  this  county.  He  began  operating  a linseed  oil  mill  in  1850, 
and  a tannery  in  1851,  both  at  the  present  location  of  the  Knoxville 
Leather  Company.  He  sold  the  entire  property  in  1853,  the  tannery 
then  being  run  by  an  incorporated  company  until  the  close  of  the  war, 
when  it  was  purchased  by  our  subject  and  his  present  partner,  John  S. 
Van  Gilder.  They  manufacture  all  kinds  of  leather,  and  consume  about 
6,000  hides  annually.  In  1857  he  wedded  Miss  MargarettaF.  Deaderick, 
a native  of  Knoxville,  to  whom  eleven  children  have  been  born.  Our 
subject’s  grandfather,  James  Scott,  of  Scotch-Irish  descent,  located  in 
Knox  County  about  1820.  He  established  a carding  and  fulling  mill 
which  in  all  probability  was  the  first  mill  established  in  Tennessee.  The 
father  of  our  subject,  James  Scott,  Jr.,  was  born  in  1797,  and  operated 
the  mill  mentioned  above  in  connection  with  farming.  His  death 
occurred  in  1838.  The  mother  of  Frank  A.  R.  Scott,  Eliza  J.  (Ramsey) 
Scott,  was  a sister  of  Dr.  Ramsey,  the  author  of  “ Annals  of  Tennessee.” 
Her  death  occurred  in  1858.  Of  her  family  of  five  children  all  are  still 
living.  Two  of  her  sons  were  in  the  Confederate  Army — one  was  wounded 
at  Chattanooga  and  the  other  at  Shiloh. 

James  N.  Seaton,  farmer,  was  born  April  3,  1815,  in  the  locality 
where  he  has  since  resided.  He  is  the  second  of  eleven  children,  two 


1044 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


now  living — his  elder  sister  and  himself — born  to  James  and  Elizabeth 
(Love)  Seaton.  The  father  was  born  February  27,  1788,  and  died  in 
1853.  He  served  as  magistrate  for  about  twenty  years,  giving  universal 
satisfaction.  He  was  an  elder  in  the  Presbyterian  Church  for  many 
years,  was  a very  efficient  and  successful  school  teacher,  took  an  active 
part  in  all  public  affairs,  and  was  a highly  respected  citizen.  His  wife, 
Elizabeth  (Love)  Seaton,  was  born  about  1793  in  Lancaster  County, 
Penn.,  and  was  brought  by  her  parents  to  Tennessee  some  time  before 
the  celebrated  Cavett  massacre.  Her  father,  Mr.  John  Love,  was  a highly 
respected  man,  and  an  elder  in  the  Presbyterian  Church.  He  lived  to  a 
ripe  old  age.  He  had  but  one  son,  who  moved  to  McMinn  County,  and 
was  a prominent  citizen;  he  died  in  1882.  James  N.  Seaton,  our  sub- 
ject, received  his  education  in  the  common  schools  of  the  Tenth  Dis- 
trict. He  assisted  his  father  on  the  farm  until  twenty-one  years  of  age, 
when  he  married  Miss  Rachel  Craig,  who  died  in  1849.  His  second 
wife  was  a Miss  Caroline  Wills,  who  bore  him  four  children:  Mary  (Mrs. 
Thomas  Fox),  Caroline  D.  (deceased),  Sophronia  J.  and  an  infant 
deceased.  Mrs.  Seaton  died  March  29,  1857,  and  in  October,  1857,  he 
married  Miss  Margaret  C.  Good,  and  to  this  union  were  born  five  chil- 
dren: Kate,  Emma,  Susan,  James,  Robert  and  one  who  died  in  infancy. 
Mrs.  Seaton  died  November  2,  1881,  and  February  8,  1883,  Mr.  Seaton 
married  Mrs.  Sarah  Louesa  McCampbell,  formerly  Miss  S.  L.  .Bond,  the 
daughter  of  George  and  Eliza  (Swan)  Bond.  Mrs.  Bond  died  in  1869, 
but  Mr.  Bond  is  still  living,  ninety  years  old,  and  is  still  compara- 
tively hale  and  hearty.  He  has  been  a ruling  elder  in  the  Presbyterian 
Church  for  about  sixty  years.  Our  subject  began  life  a poor  man,  but 
now  has  a good  farm  of  400  acres,  well  improved,  and  located  one  mile 
north  of  the  State  road.  His  land  is  very  valuable  for  the  excellent 
marble  which  is  to  be  found  on  it.  It  is  considered  one  of  the  largest 
and  best  veins  of  marble  to  be  found  in  Eastern  Tennessee.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Seaton  and  children  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  of 
which  Mr.  Seaton  has  been  deacon  and  elder  for  over  twenty  years.  Mr. 
Seaton  is  a Democrat  in  politics,  and  was  captain  and  adjutant  for  sev- 
eral years  of  the  State  militia.  He  is  a man  of  very  rugged  constitu- 
tion. is  seventy-two  years  old,  and  has  never  taken  any  medicine  except 
for  rheumatism,  with  which  he  is  occasionally  slightly  afflicted.  He  is 
one  of  the  county’s  very  best  citizens. 

J.  F.  Sharp,  a successful  agriculturist  of  the  Eighth  District,  was 
born  May  15,  4 853,  in  Claiborne  County,  Tenn.,  and  came  to  Knox 
County  in  October,  1882.  He  is  the  eldest  of  four  children  born  to 
William  and  Elizabeth  (Mason)  Sharp,  both  of  whom  were  born  and 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


1045 


reared  in  Claiborne  County,  where  they  are  now  living.  The  father  is 
one  of  the  most  successful  farmers  of  the  locality  in  which  he  resides 
and  was  a Master  Mason.  Our  subject  was  educated  in  the  common 
schools  of  Claiborne  County.  He  remained  with  and  assisted  his  father 
on  the  farm  until  he  was  twenty-four  years  of  age,  when  he  married  Miss 
Mary  Con  dray,  a daughter  of  John  and  Carley  Condray.  They  were 
highly  respected  citizens;  both  died  in  the  year  1874.  Five  children 
were  the  fruits  of  our  subject’s  union,  viz. : Minnie  May,  Elmer,  Parris 
(deceased),  Amy  and  Condray.  Mr.  Sharp  is  a Democrat  in  politics, 
casting  his  first  presidential  vote  for  Samuel  J.  Tilden,  and  he  and  Mrs. 
Sharp  are  members  of  the  Baptist  Church,  of  which  he  lias  been  clerk 
of  the  sessions  three  years.  He  has  a good  farm  of  100  acres  of  land, 
well  improved  and  cultivated,  and  is  considered  an  excellent  citizen  by 
all  his  acquaintances. 

Paris  M.  Shell,  farmer  of  the  Third  Civil  District  of  Knox  County, 
Tenn.,  was  born  on  Beaver  Creek,  Knox  County,  November  3,  1841,  and 
is  the  son  of  Christian  and  Susan  (Shell)  Shell.  The  father  is  a native 
of  Montgomery  County,  Va.,  born  in  1811,  and  is  the  son  of  Jacob  Shell, 
also  of  Virginia.  Christian  Shell  came  to  Tennessee  about  1838,  and 
located  in  Knox  County,  but  subsequently  removed  to  Sweet  Water  Val- 
ley, McMinn  County,  where  he  is  now  engaged  in  farming.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  His  wife  was  a native  of  Tennes- 
see, born  in  Knox  County  about  1818,  and  was  the  daughter  of  John  and 
Nancy  (Persley)  Shell;  she  died  in  1880.  John,  the  maternal  grand- 
father of  our  subject,  was  a native  of  Tennessee,  and  served  in  the  cam- 
paign of  removing  the  Cherokee  Indians  from  their  reservation.  Our 
subject  was  reared  in  McMinn  County  and  acquired  his  education  at 
Mouse  Creek  and  at  Maryville.  At  the  age  of  twenty-two  years  he 
enlisted  in  the  Federal  Army,  joining  Company  I,  One  Hundred  and 
Fifteenth  Indiana  Regiment  of  infantry  enlisting  for  six  months  and 
serving  nine.  He  was  in  the  neighborhood  of  Knoxville  during  the 
siege  of  that  city,  and  was  with  his  regiment  at  the  engagements  of  Blue 
Springs  and  Walker’s  Ford  on  Clinch  River.  He  was  mustered  out  of 
service  in  February,  1864,  and  returned  to  McMinn  County,  where  he 
followed  farming.  October  20,  1868,  he  married  Lucy  J.  Cole,  daughter 
of  Sampson  and  Nancy  J.  (Anderson)  Cole,  and  to  this  union  were  born 
two  children:  Lula  E.,  born  July  15,  1869,  and  died  March  13,  1873, 
and  William  T.,  born  September  22,  1870,  and  died  October  25,  1872. 
October  14,  1874,  he  married  M.  Crippen,  a native  of  Knox  County,  born 
September  13,  1847,  and  the  daughter  of  William  and  Dicv  (Tindell) 
Crippen,  both  natives  of  Tennessee.  William,  the  father,  was  born  in 


1046 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


1811  and  died  in  1872.  He  was  a son  of  James  and  Martha  (Hall)  Crip- 
pen,  the  former  being  a native  of  Virginia,  and  the  latter  of  North  Caro- 
lina. Dicy,  the  mother,  was  born  in  1811,  and  is  the  daughter  of  Sam- 
uel and  Zillah  (Parker)  Tindell,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  North 
Carolina.  She  makes  her  home  with  her  son,  P.  M.  Shell.  To  our  sub- 
ject and  wife  were  born  five  children,  viz. : Sanford  C.,  born  March  4, 
1876,  and  died  June  18,  1876;  Albert  E.,  born  August  19,  1877,  and 
died  May  1,  1880,  and  Lina  B.  born  December.  28,  1878.  Two  chil- 
dren died  in  infancy.  The  mother  is  a member  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church.  In  1875  Mr.  Shell  removed  to  Knox  County,  where  he 
has  established  himself  as  an  enterprising  and  worthy  citizen. 

Lazarus  C.  Shepard,  trustee  of  the  deaf  and  dumb  school  at  Knox- 
ville, is  a son  of  Sueton  and  Dymah  A.  (Hurd)  Shepard,  natives  of 
Connecticut,  where  they  are  now  peacefully  sleeping.  Their  family  con- 
sisted of  eight  children — three  sons  and  five  daughters.  Our  subject  was 
born  June  2,  1816,  in  Connecticut,  where  he  grew  up  and  received  a lim- 
ited education.  He  then  followed  the  trade  of  his  father,  which  was  that 
of  a carpenter,  and  for  some  time  ran  a car  shop  and  sash  and  blind  fac- 
tory. In  1837  he  married  Miss  Emily  E.  Strong,  who  presented  him 
with  five  children,  three  now  living — two  sons  and  a daughter.  Both 
sons  were  Confederate  soldiers  in  the  late  war.  In  1854  Mr.  Shepard 
came  to  Knoxville,  and  in  connection  with  two  partners,  opened  car  works 
which  w'ere  burned  during  the  war.  After  that  event  he  engaged  in  the 
rolling  mill  business  for  a time  and  then  turned  his  attention  to  the  man- 
ufacture of  furniture  and  undertaking,  which  he  has  followed  ever  since. 
Mrs.  Shepard  died  in  1882.  Mr.  Shepard  and  all  the  children  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  of  which  he  is  also  senior 
warden.  For  about  eight  years  he  has  been  magistrate,  and  he  also  filled 
the  position  of  alderman  for  some  years  in  Knoxville.  He  is  president 
of  the  Knoxville  Building  Loan  & Association,  treasurer  of  the  Masonic 
lodge  and  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  lodge,  and  is  secretary  and  treasurer  of 
the  Knox  County  Humane  Society.  He  is  one  among  the  old  and  highly 
respected  citizens  of  Knoxville. 

Philo  B.  Shepard,  chief  of  the  Knoxville  Fire  Brigade,  was  born  in 
1841  in  Bridgeport,  Conn.,  and  is  the  son  of  L.  C.  and  Emily  (Strong) 
Shepard,  both  natives  of  Connecticut,  but  since  1853  citizens  of  Knox- 
ville, the  father  being  senior  partner  of  the  firm  of  Shepard,  Mann 
& Johnston.  Our  subject  grew  to  manhood  in  Knoxville,  and  was 
educated  in  the  University  of  Tennessee  (then  known  as  East  Tennes- 
see University),  which  institution  he  continued  in  up  to  the  war.  He 
connected  himself  with  the  Fifth  Tennessee  Cavalry,  Confederate  States 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


1047 


Army,  at  tlie  formation  of  that  regiment  at  the  commencement  of  the 
war.  He  remained  with  this  regiment,  serving  in  various  capacities  until 
early  in  1862,  when  he  was  ordered  on  duty  at  Loudon  in  connection 
with  the  hospitals,  in  which  capacity  he  served  until  the  Kentucky  cam- 
paign, when  he  connected  himself  with  the  Texas  and  Arkansas  Brigade, 
during  which  campaign  he  occupied  various  staff  positions.  On  the 
return  of  the  army  from  Kentucky  he  was  compelled,  on  account  of  dis- 
ease contracted  during  the  campaign,  to  retire  from  active  service.  He 
then  engaged  in  business  in  Loudon  until  the  evacuation  of  East  Ten- 
nessee by  the  Confederates,  when  he  was  carried  to  Augusta,  Ga.,  where 
he  remained  until  Gen.  Longstreet  started  the  advance  on  Knoxville.  He 
then  connected  himself  with  the  Georgia  Brigade  of  Cavlary  as  assis- 
tant adjutant-general,  in  which  capacity  he  served  until  Longstreet 
raised  the  siege,  after  which  he  served  in  the  ordnance  depart- 
ment. On  the  return  of  the  army  to  Georgia  he  was  commissioned 
first  lieutenant,  and  assigned  to  Company  K,  Sixth  Georgia  Cavalry,  in 
which  capacity  he  served  until  nearly  the  close  of  the  war,  when  he  was 
ordered  to  Augusta,  Ga.,  as  assistant  provost- marshal,  and  this  position, 
as  he  says  himself,  was  the  most  trying  of  the  war,  as  he  was  always  on 
duty.  After  the  close  of  the  war  he  removed  to  Mobile,  Ala,  (the  senti- 
ment against  ex- Confederates  being  very  strong  in  East  Tennessee),  and 
engaged  in  the  commission  business.  In  1867  he  moved  to  Selma, 
Ala.,  where  he  engaged  in  the  life  insurance  business,  and  later  in 
agricultural  implements  and  machinery  and  planting.  January  8,  1868, 
he  was  married  to  Miss  Lou  Coleman,  of  Dallas  County.  In  1876  he 
removed  to  Knoxville  and  established  a steam  laundry,  which  business 
he  followed  until  1880.  He  then  engaged  in  business  in  Lebanon,  Tenn., 
for  one  year,  when  he  moved  to  Arkansas,  and  engaged  in  the  agricult- 
ural implements  and  machinery  business  until  1882,  when  on  account  of 
the  sickness  and  subsequent  death  of  his  mother  he  returned  to  Knox- 
ville, Tenn.,  since  which  time  he  has  been  connected  with  the  firm  of  H. 
G.  Mead  & Co.  He  was  elected  to  his  present  position  March  26,  1886, 
a position  to  which  he  is  peculiarly  adapted,  having  been  connected  with 
fire  departments  since  his  eighteenth  year.  In  December,  1885,  he 
organized  Felix  K.  Zollicoffer  Camp,  Confederate  Veterans,  of  which 
he  is  First  Lieutenant  Commander.  Both  he  and  wife  are  members  of 
the  Episcopal  Church. 

Prof.  J.  W.  Sherman,  teacher  and  farmer,  was  born  at  Jonesboro, 
Washington  Co.,  Tenn.,  December  22,  1840,  and  is  the  son  of  James 
and  Emily  (Chadwich)  Sherman.  The  father  was  a native  of  North 
Carolina,  and  of  English  descent.  The  mother  was  born  in  Germany. 


1048 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


Our  subject  received  his  education  at  Maryville,  Blount  County,  and  also 
at  Bethany  College,  West  Virginia,.  He  then  took  an  extra  course  at  the 
State  University,  at  Lexington,  Ivy.,  and  while  there  taught  the  primary 
department  in  the  Woodland  school  of  the  university.  He  afterward  took 
charge  of  Rice’s  Academy,  in  Garrard  County,  Ky.,  where  he  remained  two 
years,  and  then  came  to  Tennessee.  In  1872  he  married  Miss  Cordelia 
M.  Reeder,  daughter  of  Hon.  Alexander  Reeder,  of  Knoxville.  The  fruits 
of  this  union  were  six  children,  the  eldest  of  whom  (a  son)  died  in  infancy. 
Those  living  are  Alzada  Tennessee,  Linnie  Belle,  Mary  Effie,  Emma  Hazel, 
and  the  youngest  (a  boy)  is  named  John  Thomas  Wentforth.  After  our 
subject’s  marriage  he  engaged  in  farming,  and  this,  in  connection  with 
teaching,  has  been  his  occupation  through  life.  In  September,  1886,  he 
took  charge  of  the  Walnut  Grove  Academy,  where  he  is  at  the  present  time. 
He  is  the  owner  of  120  acres  of  land  in  the  Sixteenth  District,  a part  of 
it  good  timbered  land. 

Isaac  Sherrod,  a native  of  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  was  born  June  5, 
1842,  and  is  the  son  of  Jonathan  and  Charlotta  (Bales)  Sherrod.  The 
father  was  a native  Tennessean,  born  December  25,  1813,  and  died  in 
the  year  1854.  The  mother  was  born  in  the  same  State  in  1812,  and  died 
in  1860.  Our  subject  was  educated  in  the  country  schools,  and  in  1862 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Pittille,  who  bore  him  seven 
children — two  are  married,  one  is  in  the  Walnut  Grove  school,  two  are  at 
home,  and  two  ai'e  deceased.  In  1880  our  subject  took  for  his  second 
wife  Miss  Mai’garet  Howell,  a native  of  Knox  County,  born  March  25, 
1845,  and  this  marriage  resulted  in  the  birth  of  five  children.  Our  sub- 
ject is  an  energetic,  wide-awake  farmer,  and  his  fine  farm  of  165  acres 
situated  on  Holston  River,  in  the  Sixteenth  District,  is  well  cultivated 
and  well  improved.  Mr.  Sherrod  is  a Republican  in  politics,  and  one  of 
the  county’s  best  citizens. 

William  Shinpaugh  was  born  in  Roane  County  near  Loudon  County, 
Tenn.,  July  16,  1818,  and  is  the  youngest  of  three  children  born  to 
Henry  and  Elizabeth  (McDaniel)  Shinpaugh,  natives  of  North  Carolina. 
Their  parents  came  to  Knox  County  about  1770,  where  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Shin- 
paugh were  married.  Of  their  children  none  are  living  except  our  subject. 
Henry  Shinpaugh  served  three  years  in  Capt.  Steward’s  company,  and 
three  years  after  the  war  he  died  from  the  effects  of  exposure  during  that 
struggle.  Our  subject  attended  school  only  about  twelve  months  in  his 
life.  When  about  nineteen  years  old  he  married  Miss  Sallie  Letsinger, 
who  was  born  in  June,  1825,  and  was  the  daughter  of  John  and  Joanna  * 
(Buckaloo)  Letsinger.  Her  father  was  a very  successful  farmer,  and 
died  in  1881.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Shinpaugh  were  born  these  children: 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


1049 


Hugli,  John  (deceased),  Calvin,  James.  George,  William,  Alexander, 
Joanna  (Mrs.  W.  Young),  Elizabeth  (Mrs.  Young)  and  Sallie  (Airs.  E. 

E.  Duncan).  Air.  Shinpaugh  is  a Republican  in  politics,  and  he  and  Airs. 
Shinpaugh  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  South.  Air. 
Shinpaugh  came  from  Roane  to  Knox  County  about  1833,  and  settled 
first  in  Hardin  Valley.  He  came  to  Hind’s  Valley  about  1860.  He  has 
always  followed  farming,  and  has  been  quite  successful. 

J.  W.  Sliipe,  one  of  the  leading  farmers  of  the  Third  District  of 
Knox  County,  Tenn.,  was  born  in  that  county  and  district  on  February 
26,  1830,  and  is  the  son  of  Henry  W.  and  Deborah  (Scaggs)  Sliipe. 
The  father  was  a native  of  Virginia,  and  was  born  in  1797,  his  father 
being  a native  of  Pennsylvania  and  his  mother  of  Maryland.  Henry  W. , 
the  father,  came  to  Knox  County  in  1807,  at  a time  when  there  were  but 
few  settlers  here,  and  the  country  was  a wild  and  unbroken  forest  and 
canebrake.  He  followed  farming,  and  served  in  the  war  of  1812  with 
Gen.  Jackson,  and  was  at  the  battle  of  New  Orleans.  He  enlisted  when 
but  eighteen  years  of  age,  and  was  in  Gen.  Coffee’s  command.  He  was 
a member  of  the  Baptist  Church  for  over  forty  years,  and  died  November 
9,  1879,  on  his  ninetieth  birthday,  leaving  a name  universally  respected 
for  upright  and  honest  dealing.  Deborah,  the  mother,  was  born  in  Knox 
(now  Union)  County,  of  English  parentage,  in  1796,  and  died  in  1871. 
She  was  also  a member  of  the  Baptist  Church.  Our  subject  was  reared 
on  the  farm,  and  attended  the  neighborhood  schools.  When  about 
eighteen  years  of  age  he  left  home  and  learned  the  tanner’s  trade.  Two 
years  later  he  went  out  to  California,  where  he  remained  for  three  years 
and  six  months,  spending  the  time  in  mining  for  gold  and  lumbering. 
He  returned  to  his  home  in  Knox  County  January  30,  1857,  and  has 
since  resided  in  the  county,  following  fai’ming  as  an  avocation,  making  a 
success  of  the  same,  being  now  one  of  the  most  highly  respected  citizens 
of  the  district.  He  joined  the  Union  Baptist  Chuch  in  1861,  and  three 
years  later  was  elected  deacon  of  that  church,  which  office  he  holds  at 
present.  He  was  married,  July  1,  1857,  to  Ruth  C.  Crippen.  a native  of 
Knox  County,  who  was  born  August  8,  1833,  and  is  the  daughter  of 
William  P.  and  Dicy  (Tindell)  Crippen.  Her  father  served  as  sheriff  of 
Knox  County  for  six  years,  and  was  a well-known  and  highly  respected 
citizen,  he  dying  December  13,  1872.  To  this  union  nine  children  have 
been  born,  eight  of  whom  are  living,  as  follows:  George  W.,  born  April  2, 
1858;  Apolinia  E.,  born  August  18,  1859;  William  H.  AIcC.,  born  July  11, 
1862;  AlarthaE.,  born  August  9,  1861,  and  died  August  14,  1861;  Joseph 

F. ,  born  April  14,  1864;  Charles  Russell,  born  August  11,  1866;  James  C., 
born  February  11.  1868;  Alvin  B.,  born  February  2,  1871,  and  John  D., 


1050 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


born  June  4,  1873.  The  wife  and  four  children  are  members  of  the 
Union  Baptist  Church. 

W.  H.  Simmonds,  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  Knoxville  Fire 
Insurance  Company,  is  a son  of  Cyrus  Simmonds,  a native  of  Virginia, 
who  chose  his  wife  from  one  of  North  Carolina’s  fair  daughters.  In 
1830  they  moved  to  West  Tennessee,  and  reared  a family  of  five  children 
— two  sons  and  three  daughters.  One  of  the  sons,  Dr.  James  H.  Sim- 
monds, was  a surgeon  of  a Florida  regiment  during  the  late  war.  The  father 
was  a merchant  by  occupation,  and  accumulated  a large  fortune,  which 
was  swept  away  by  the  war.  The  parents  are  now  living  with  our  sub- 
ject, and  both  are  in  their  eiglity-fifth  year.  Our  subject  was  born  in 
West  Tennessee  in  1836,  and  received  his  education  at  West  Tennessee 
College.  In  1856  he  went  to  Nashville  to  engage  in  mercantile  pursuits. 
In  1858  he  married  Miss  Lillie,  daughter  of  Col.  W.  B.  A.  Bamsey,  and 
to  them  were  born  three  children — one  son  and  two  daughters.  In  1861 
Mr.  Simmonds  was  appointed  commissary-  by  Gfen.  Bragg,  which  position 
he  held  until  the  close  of  the  war.  He  then  returned  to  Nashville  and 
began  merchandising,  first  as  a member  of  the  firm  of  Dodd  & Simmonds, 
and  afterward  of  the  firm  of  W.  H.  Simmonds  & Co.  In  1872  he  came 
to  Knoxville,  and  since  that  time  has  been  engaged  in  merchandising, 
in  real  estate  and  in  insurance  business.  He  was  elected  secretary  and 
treasurer  of  the  Knoxville  Fire  Insurance  Company  in  1880,  and  he  also 
holds  the  position  of  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  Powell  Land  & Kao- 
lin Company,  and  president  of  the  Mechanic’s  Building  and  Loan  Asso- 
ciation. He  is  a Mason,  and  he  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Third 
Presbyterian  Church. 

Jesse  Simpson,  farmer,  is  the  son  of  Jesse,  Sr.,  and  Mary  (Giffin) 
Simpson.  The  father  and  mother  are  both  natives  of  Virginia,  and  of 
English  descent,  their  ancestors  being  natives  of  New  England.  The 
father  was  the  son  of  John  Simpson.  Our  subject  was  born  in  Virginia; 
his  education  was  very  limited,  and  obtained  in  the  rude  and  primi- 
tive log  schoolhouses  of  early  times.  He  assisted  his  father  on  the  farm 
until  twenty-two  years  of  age,  after  which  he  was  engaged  for  a short 
time  in  cabinet-making,  and  then  began  trading  on  the  Tennessee  Biver. 
In  1836  Miss  Margaret  Coker,  daughter  of  Charles  Coker,  became  his 
wife, and  two  children — a son  and  a daughter — were  born  to  this  marriage ; 
the  son  died  when  a year  old,  and  the  daughter,  Mary  Sophia,  is  the 
wife  of  B.  S.  B.  Love.  Mrs.  Simpson  died  in  September,  1840,  and  in 
May,  1842,  Mr.  Simpson  took  for  his  second  wife  Miss  Mary  J.  Ander- 
son, daughter  of  James  and  Anna  Anderson.  This  marriage  resulted 
in  the  birth  of  two  sons  and  four  daughters:  Margaret  C.,  Joseph  Alex- 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


1051 


ander,  Sarali  Elizabeth,  David  La  Fayette  and  Delilah  Jane  and  Telitha 
Ann  (twins).  Since  about  the  time  of  our  subject’s  first  marriage,  he 
has  followed  farming.  He  owns  160  acres  of  land  on  the  opposite  side 
of  the  Tennessee  from  Knoxville,  all  well  impi’oved  and  well  stocked. 
He,  his  wife,  and  all  the  children  are  members  of  the  Baptist  Church, 
he  having  been  deacon  in  the  same  for  more  than  thirty -five  years.  He 
is  a Republican  in  politics. 

J.  A.  Smith,  agriculturist  of  the  Eighth  District,  was  born  Decem- 
ber 11,  1822,  in  Grainger  (now  Union)  County,  Tenn.  He  came 
to  Tennessee  in  September,  1882,  and  settled  where  he  now  resides.  He 
is  one  of  seven  children  born  to  Josiah  and  Nancy  (Stanley)  Smith. 
Josiah  was  born  in  Virginia,  came  to  Tennessee  with  his  father  when  a 
boy,  and  settled  in  Union  County,  Tenn.,  north  of  Maynardville.  He  was 
a successful  farmer,  and  much  esteemed  citizen.  He  died  about  1836, 
aged  fifty-five  years.  He  was  a soldier  in  the  Creek  Indian  war  under 
Gen.  Jackson.  The  mother  of  our  subject  was  born  and  reared  in  Union 
County,  Tenn.  Both  parents  were  of  English  descent.  Harbord  Smith, 
grandfather  of  our  subject,  moved  from  Tennessee  to  Alabama  at  a very 
early  day,  where  he  died.  He  was  a very  successful  and  practical  business 
man,  and  accumulated  considerable  property.  When  about  twenty  years 
of  age  our  subject  married  Miss  Emily  Ann  Buckner,  a daughter  of 
Ezra  and  Elizabeth  (Duncan)  Buckner,  highly  respected  citizens  of 
their  locality.  To  our  subject  and  wife  were  born  twelve  children: 
William  E.,  Nancy  B.  (deceased),  Mary  E.  (Mrs.  Harris),  Pernina  C. 
(Mrs.  Hamilton),  Margaret  B.  (deceased),  Joseph  W.,  Pauline  C.  (Mrs. 
McPhetsidge),  James,  Hugh  L.  (deceased),  Penelope  T.  (Mrs.  McDow- 
ell), JohnL.  (deceased),  Laura  L.  and  Oscar  D.  Mr.  Smith  is  a stanch 
Republican  in  politics,  casting  his  first  presidential  vote  for  J.  K.  Polk, 
and  he  and  family  are  members  of  the  Missionary  Baptist  Church,  of 
which  he  has  been  deacon  for  over  thirty  years,  and  has  only  missed 
attending  church  two  times  in  thirty-two  years. 

B.  L.  Smith,  senior  member  of  the  firm  of  Smith  & Bondurant  and  a 
prominent  business  man,  is  the  son  of  John  A.  and  Lucy  P.  (Williams) 
Smith,  both  natives  of  Virginia.  The  father  was  cashier  of  the  Farmers’ 
Bank,  at  Richmond,  and  died  in  1864.  The  mother  is  still  living,  and 
makes  her  home  with  her  son,  B.  L.  Our  subject,  the  only  living  child 
of  his  parents,  was  born  in  Virginia  in  1846  and  while  growing  up 
acquired  a good  education.  Toward  the  close  of  the  war  he  served  two 
years  in  the  Richmond  Howitzers,  and  after  the  final  surrender  of  the 
South  moved  to  Virginia,  where  he  remained  until  1870.  He  then  came  to 
Tennessee.  Two  years  later  he  located  at  Knoxville,  and  became  a 


1052 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


member  of  the  present  firm,  being  dealers  in  meat  and  shippers  of  prod- 
uce. In  1877  he  married  Miss  Bell  Stover  who  bore  him  six  children. 
Mr.  Smith  has  been  secretary  and  treasurer  of  Mabry  Bell  Avenue  & 
Handle  Street  Railroad  Company  since  its  first  organization.  He  is  a 
Democrat  in  politics,  and  inherits  English  blood  from  both  father  and 
mother. 

J.  Allen  Smith,  president  of  the  Knoxville  City  Mills,  is  the  son  of 
Burgess  and  H.  W.  (Jordan)  Smith,  and  a native  of  Georgia,  born  in 
1850.  He  was  reared  in  Elbert,  Ga.,  where  he  acquired  his  education  at 
the  public  schools.  He  began  life  for  himself  in  1868  as  clerk  in  a 
wholesale  house  at  Atlanta,  Ga.  In  1871  he  removed  to  Knoxville, 
Tenn.,  where  he  engaged  in  the  grain  business.  In  1878  he  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Lillie  Powell,  who  was  born  in  Knoxville  in  1855, 
and  is  the  daughter  of  Columbus  Powell.  The  result  of  this  union  was 
the  birth  of  two  children;  the  first,  a girl,  died  at  the  age  of  two  years. 
Mr.  Smith  founded  the  Knoxville  City  Mills  Company  in  1881.  It 
began  as  a private  enterprise,  but  grew  in  importance  until  in  188-1  it 
was  deemed  advisable  to  enlist  others  in  the  building  and  equipping  of 
the  handsomest  and  most  substantial  plant  of  the  kind  in  East  Tennessee. 
In  this  year  the  company  was  organized  under  a charter  and  began  their 
work.  Mr.  Smith  was  elected  president  of  the  company,  wjiich  position 
he  holds  at  the  present  time.  The  position  is  more  important  by  virtue 
of  the  recent  consolidation  of  the  firm  of  J.  Allen  Smith  & Co.,  the  largest 
provision  and  grain  merchants  in  the  place,  with  the  Knoxville  City  Mills 
Company,  increasing  their  capital  to  $100,000.  At  this  time  they  are 
erecting  a large  grain  elevator  to  accommodate  increasing  trade.  He 
and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  South. 

W.  T.  Smith,  farmer,  Avas  born  in  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  December  7, 
1829,  and  is  the  eldest  of  eight  children  born  to  John  T.  and  Nancy  A. 
(Golston)  Smith.  The  father  was  born  in  Rockbridge  County,  Va.,  and 
came  to  Knox  County  Avith  his  father,  William  Smith,  in  1801.  He  died 
in  1874.  William  Smith,  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  a native  of 
Ireland,  and  came  to  the  United  States,  settling  first  in  Virginia,  but 
afterward  came  to  Knox  County  in  1811.  He  was  a good  farmer  and  an 
excellent  financier.  He  died  in  1858.  Our  subject  received  his  educa- 
tion in  the  common  schools  of  Knox  County  and  at  Ewing  and  Jefferson 
College.  At  the  age  of  tAventy-one  he  left  the  parental  roof,  and  soon 
married  Miss  Lucinda  E.  Doak,  born  August  14,  1829,  the  daughter  of 
H.  and  E.  Doak.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith  Avere  born  tAveWe  children: 
Samuel  L.,  Harvey  (deceased),  Laura  Ellen  (Mrs.  C.  G.  Ninney),  James 
B.  (deceased),  Lizzie,  Sidney,  Eugene,  Luther,  Sophia,  Adelia  (Mrs.  H. 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


1053 


D.  Boyd),  Maggie  and  Arthur.  Mr.  Smith  since  the  dissolution  of  the 
Whig  party  has  voted  the  Democratic  ticket.  He  was  elected  magistrate 
in  1870  and  served  eleven  years.  Mr.  Smith  has  a fine  farm  of  350  acres 
in  the  Tennessee  Valley,  on  Avliich  is  an  excellent  marble  quarry  that 
yields  a greater  variety  of  fine  marble  than  any  other  quarry  in  the 
State.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

Robert  Snead,  M.  D.  (deceased),  was  born  in  Washington  County, 
Va.,  December  20,  1820,  and  is  the  son  of  Henry  and  Jane  (Kesner) 
Snead.  The  father  was  born  in  Halifax  County,  Va.,  in  1792,  and  died 
in  Washington  County  of  the  same  State  in  1864.  The  mother  was  also 
a native  of  Virginia,  born  in  1796  and  died  in  the  year  1833.  While 
young  our  subject  had  very  poor  educational  advantages,  but  he  worked 
hard  and  accumulated  sufficient  money  to  enter  Emory  and  Henry  Col- 
lege, Virginia.  He  would  alternately  attend  college,  work  on  the  farm 
and  teach  school.  He  never  completed  his  collegiate  course,  and  took  up 
the  study  of  medicine,  studying  with  his  uncle  in  Virginia.  When  he 
became  competent  to  practice  his  profession  he  removed  to  Dandridge, 
Tenn.,  where  he  lived  and  studied  with  another  uncle.  He  after- 
ward took  a trip  South  in  search  of  a location,  but  returned  to  Straw- 
berry Plains,  Jefferson  Co.,  Tenn.,  and  here  located.  Later  he  entered 
the  Louisville  (Ky.)  Medical  College,  graduated  from  this  institution,  and 
then  returned  to  Strawberry  Plains,  where  he  practiced  his  profession 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1882.  While  driving  some  cattle  he 
was  kicked  by  a horse,  and  lived  but  eight  weeks  after  this  accident.  To 
his  marriage  to  Miss  Malinda  Bryan  in  1852  was  born  one  child,  a 
daughter  who  lived  but  four  short  years.  Mrs.  Snead  was  born  in  Ten- 
nessee January  16,  1827,  and  is  the  daughter  of  Hon.  Allen  Bryan,  who 
was  a member  of  the  State  Legislature  of  Tennessee  at  the  time  Knox- 
ville was  the  capital  of  the  State,  and  also  after  it  was  removed  to  Nash- 
ville. Dr.  Snead  was  a wise  and  skillful  physician,  a man  of  marked 
and  decisive  character,  and  his  death  was  a sad  blow  to  his  companion 
through  life. 

Joseph  W.  Sneed,  city  attorney,  was  born  in  Knox  County  in  1854, 
and  has  resided  here  since  with  the  exception  of  a few  years  during  the 
Avar,  when  he  went  with  his  parents  to  Georgia,  and  there  remained  a 
few  months,  Avhen  he  returned  to  Knoxville,  and  from  here  went  to 
Salem,  N.  C.,  Liberty,  Va.,  and  Atlanta,  Ga.  In  1867  he  located  again 
in  Knoxville.  He  attended  the  State  University  in  1870  and  1871,  and 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1875.  In  January,  1874,  he  took  for  his  life 
companion  Miss  Lizzie  D.  Williams,  a native  of  this  county,  who  bore 
him  two  sons  and  three  daughters,  one  daughter  deceased.  After  being 

66 


1054 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


% 

admitted  to  the  bar  our  subject  practiced  alone  until  the  present  firm  of 
Williams  & Sneed  was  formed  in  1883.  He  was  city  alderman  in  1884-85, 
and  January  1,  1886,  he  was  elected  city  attorney.  His  parents,  M.  H. 
and  Eliza  D.  (Williams)  Sneed,  were  both  of  English  descent,  and 
natives  of  Davidson  and  Greene  Counties,  Tenn.,  respectively.  In  1843, 
soon  after  their  marriage,  they  moved  to  Greene  County,  where  the  father 
was  admitted  to  the  bar,  and  practiced  in  partnership  with  Judge 
McKinney  a short  time.  He  then  came  to  Knoxville,  and  was  here  prac- 
ticing at  the  time  of  his  death.  He  represented  his  district  in  Congress 
in  1856-57,  and  was  in  the  Confederate  Congress.  He  died  September 
18,  1869,  and  the  mother  September  7,  1873. 

George  L.  Snyder,  farmer  and  dairyman,  was  born  in  Blount  County, 
Tenn.,  April  28,  1856,  and  is  the  son  of  Col.  George  W.  and  Elizabeth 
(Slaughter)  Snyder.  Our  subject  attended  the  Maryville  Normal  School 
for  four  years,  and  the  Grant  Memorial  University  at  Athens,  Tenn.,  for 
two  years.  At  the  age  of  twenty-one  he  began  teaching  school,  and  fol- 
lowed this  occupation  alternately  with  attending  college  up  to  1883,  since 
which  time  he  has  followed  farming.  In  1882  he  married  Miss  Fannie 
Pelleaux;  she  died  in  March,  1884,  leaving  one  son,  Roy  Sankey.  In 
1886  he  married  Mrs.  Sarah  Jones,  nee  Miss  Sarah  Massey.  She  was 
born  in  North  Carolina  April  12,  1835,  and  came  to  Tennessee,  where  in 
1875  she  became  the  third  wife  of  John  A.  Jones,  a native  of  Sevier 
County,  Tenn.,  born  January  28,  1815,  and  died  at  his  home  near  Knox- 
ville August  17,  1884.  He  was  a farmer,  a lifetime  member  of  the  Bap- 
tist Church,  and  a kind  and  faithful  husband  and  father.  To  the  above 
marriage  were  born  two  sons:  Charles  D.  and  Frank  J.,  and  one  daugh- 
ter, Anna  B. 

R.  A.  Sterling,  chairman  of  the  county  court  of  Knox  County,  was 
born  in  that  county  in  1842,  was  reared  on  a farm,  and  educated  at  the 
common  schools  of  the  county.  In  1866  he  went  to  California,  where 
he  engaged  in  the  lumber  trade  until  1870.  He  then  returned  to  Knox 
County,  and  embarked  in  the  mercantile  trade  at  Ebenezer,  in  which  he 
is  still  interested.  He  was  constable  of  his  district  in  1866;  was  elected 
justice  of  the  peace  of  the  Eleventh  District  in  1879,  to  fill  an  unexpired 
term,  then  in  1882  he  was  re-elected  for  a term  of  six  years,  and  in  January, 
1882,  he  was  elected  chairman,  and  re-elected  in  January,  1886  and  1887 
In  1874  he  married  Mrs.  R.  L.  Morris,  nee  Walker,  a native  of  the 
county,  and  a daughter  of  James  and  Isabella  (Swan  nee  Gillespie) 
Sterling,  natives  of  Knox  and  Blount  Counties  respectively.  The 
mother’s  death  occurred  in  1849.  She  had  three  children  by  her  first 
husband,  one  now  living,  and  three  by  her  union  with  the  father  of  our 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


1055 


subject,  all  of  whom  are  living.  The  father  is  still  living,  and  is  a 
resident  of  Ebenezer,  Knox  County. 

Nathan  Stern,  dealer  in  clothing  and  gents’  furnishing  goods,  was 
born  in  Bavaria,  in  1842,  and  when  nineteen  years  of  age  came  to  New 
York  City,  where  a brother  and  sister  had  preceded  him.  Here  he 
worked  at  his  trade  (tinners’)  until  1863.  when  he  came  with  his  brother 
to  Tennessee,  and  located  in  Knoxville,  where  they  established  a general 
merchandise  store,  of  which  our  subject  became  a partner  inlS64.  The 
business  was  then  carried  on  under  the  firm  title  of  M.  & N.  Stern,  until 
1878,  they  having  merged  it  into  a clothing  store  in  1867.  In  1878 
they  dissolved  partnership,  and  our  subject  conducted  the  business  alone 
until  1882;  it  then  took  the  firm  name  of  N.  Stern  & Co.,  until  1885, 
since  which  date  he  has  again  been  the  sole  proprietor.  In  1877  he 
married  Miss  Minnie  Gump,  a native  of  Philadelphia,  to  whom  two 
daughters  have  been  born.  A brother  of  our  subject’s  paternal  grand- 
father, was  a general  in  the  French  war,  under  N apoleon  Bonaparte,  and 
the  maternal  grandfather,  Haas,  was  at  the  head  of  the  commissary 
department  for  the  French  Army.  The  father  of  our  subject,  Joseph 
Stern,  was  a man  of  considerable  wealth,  and  led  a retired  life  in  Brook- 
lyn, N.  Y.,  from  1868  until  his  death  in  1883.  He  was  also  in  the  war 
of  1812,  being  then  but  a youth.  He  married  Leanora  Haas,  a native  of 
Hesse  Darmstadt,  whose  death  occured  in  1865.  Of  the  eleven  children 
born  to  this  marriage,  five  of  whom  are  living  (all  in  the  United  States), 
our  subject  is  the  tenth. 

Joseph  Churchill  Strong  and  Gideon  Hazen  Strong,  brothers,  are 
farmers  and  stock  raisers  at  McMillan,  Knox  Co.,  Tenn.  J.  C.  was  born 
September  20,  1841,  at  Shelbyville,  Tenn. ; G.  H.  was  born  October  5, 
1850,  at  McMillan,  and  are  the  sons  of  Joseph  Churchill  Strong,  M.  D., 
born  in  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  December  25,  1808.  He  married  Sophronia, 
daughter  of  John  A.  and  Nancy  ( (Stone)  Morrs,  at  Shelbyville,  Tenn., 
September  25,  1832;  she  was  born  February  17,  1817.  Their  children 
are  Prof.  Robert  Nilson,  John  Morrs,  Martha  Jane  (wife  of  W.  O.  Mon- 
day), Charles  Ready  and  Horace  Strong,  all  now  deceased;  Joseph 
Churchill  and  Gideon  Hazen  Strong,  of  McMillan;  Benjamin  Rush, 
Mary  Hazen  (wife  of  J.  W.  Borches),  William  Erwin  and  Albert  Newton 
Strong,  all  of  Knoxville.  Joseph  Churchill  Strong,  M.  D.,  lived  at  Knox- 
ville until  1826.  He  then  went  to  Shelbyville,  Tenn.,  where  he  engaged 
in  selling  drugs  and  practicing  medicine  until  1847.  He  then  removed 
to  McMillan,  Tenn.,  where  he  lived  the  remainder  of  his  life,  a practic- 
ing physician  and  farmer.  He  was  noted  for  his  generosity  and  kind- ' 
ness.  He  attended  to  the  sick  of  the  poor  as  well  as  of  the  rich.  He 


1056 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


was  a great  reader  and  thinker.  He  kept  a record  of  things  in  general 
of  each  day  for  many  years.  He  died  at  McMillan,  Tenn.,  December  27, 
1878.  His  wife  Sophronia  also  died  at  McMillan,  Tenn.,  November  20, 
1867.  The  grandfathers  of  onr  subjects  are  Joseph  Churchill  Strong, 
M.  D.,  born  at  Bolton,  Conn.,  October  3,  1775  (he  married  Catherine, 
daughter  of  William  Neilsom,  at  Hot  Springs,  N.  C.,  December  6,  1804. 
She  was  born  November  25,  1785,  and  died  May  13,  1810),  who  was  the 
son  of  Juda  Strong,  born  in  Bolton,  Conn.,  November  28,  1738;  who 
was  the  son  of  Dr.  David  Strong,  of  Bolton,  Conn.,  born  December  15, 
1704,  and  died  January  25,  1801;  who  was  the  son  of  John  Strong,  of 
Windsor,  Conn.,  born  December  25,  1665,  and  died  May  29,  1749;  who 
was  the  son  of  John  Strong,  Jr.,  of  Windsor,  Conn.,  born  in  England  in 
1626  and  died  February  20,  1698;  who  was  the  son  of  Elder  John  Strong, 
of  Taunton,  Somersetshire,  England,  born  in  1605;  who  was  the  son  of 
Richard  Strong,  born  in  the  county  of  Caernarvon  in  1561,  and  died  at 
Taunton  in  1613.  Elder  John  Strong,  of  Taunton,  moved  to  London 
and  afterward  to  Plymouth.  Having  strong  Puritan  sympathies  he 
sailed  from  Plymouth  for  the  New  World  March  20,  1630,  in  the  ship 
“ Mary  and  John,”  Capt.  Squeb,  and  arrived  at  Nantucket,  Mass.,  about 
twelve  miles  south  of  Boston,  Sunday,  May  30,  1630.  He  died  April 
14,  1699,  aged  ninety-four.  The  grandfather  of  our  subjects,  Joseph 
Churchill  Strong,  married  Jane  Kain  for  his  second  wife,  May  23,  1811. 
She  was  born  January  30,  1788,  and  died  October  3,  1846.  He  entered 
the  United  States  Navy  as  assistant  surgeon,  under  John  Adams1  admin- 
istration, where  he  continued  until  the  sale  of  the  navy  by  Jefferson  in 
1801.  He  was  aboard  the  frigate  “Trumbull  ” the  day  she  was  sold, 
and  often  said  pleasantly  that  he  came  near  being  sold  with  her,  as  the 
auctioneer  offered  her  with  all  her  contents  to  the  highest  bidder.  He 
settled  at  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  in  1804,  where  he  became  eminent  in  his 
profession.  In  1816  he  became  a member  of  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Knoxville,  and  afterward  became  an  elder  in  the  same.  He 
died  November  3,  1844.  Our  subjects  received  a common-school 
education,  and  have  devoted  most  of  their  lives  to  farming  and 
stock  raising.  They  own  a farm  of  1,000  acres  in  the  Eighteenth  Dis- 
trict on  the  Holston  River;  through  it  passes  the  East  Tennessee,  Vir- 
ginia & Georgia  Railway.  The  land  is  fertile,  and  is  well  improved. 
Their  dwelling  is  handsome  and  commodious,  and  is  supplied  with 
hydrants,  whose  aqueduct  is  a natural  spring  a quarter  of  a mile  away, 
and  a force  pump,  operated  by  water  power,  forces  the  water  through  the 
dwelling  in  bath  room,  water  closet,  etc.  In  the  way  of  fine  stock  they 
imported  from  Holland  some  Holstein  cattle  that  are  very  fine.  These 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


1057 


brothers  have  always  been  closely  associated  together  in  their  pursuits, 
and  although  they  commenced  with  very  little  capital,  have  succeeded  in 
accumulating  considerable  wealth.  June  7,  1877,  G.  H.  married  Miss 
Elizabeth  Brice,  daughter  of  N.  B.  Brice.  She  was  born  in  Knox  County 
February  11,  1858,  and  by  her  marriage  became  the  mother  of  Ralph, 
born  September  3,  1878,  died  August  16,  1882;  Mary  Eliza,  born  Feb- 
ruary 8,  1882;  Soplironia,  September  25,  1884;  Gideon  Rush,  February 
26,  1887.  Both  our  subjects  are  members  of  the  Masonic  fraternity. 

Alex.  Summers,  editor-in-chief  of  the  Knoxville  Daily  Tribune , .is  a 
native  of  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  born  in  1856,  and  a graduate  of  the 
University  of  Tennessee  in  the  class  of  1876.  He  taught  school  in  the 
county  part  of  the  time  while  procuring  his  education,  and  after  gradu- 
ating continued  that  occupation  a short  time.  In  1878  he  accepted  the 
position  as  reporter  for  the  Atlanta  Daily  Post,  of  which  he  afterward 
became  assistant  editor.  In  August,  1880,  he,  in  connection  with  Messrs. 
Bean  & Wallace,  began  the  publication  of  the  Knoxville  Daily  Tribune 
successors  to  Frank  Q.  Moses  & Co.  He  was  at  first  city  editor  and 
afterward  editor-in-chief.  In  1881  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Kate  Smith,  who  has  presented  him  with  one  son,  named  Norman.  Mrs. 
Summers  was  reared  in  Atlanta,  Ga.  George  W.  Summers,  father  of 
our  subject,  was  born  in  Knox  County  in  1822,  and  has  always  resided 
in  the  county.  He  is  at  present  residing  in  the  Thirteenth  District, 
where  he  was  justice  of  the  peace  many  years,  and  where  he  was  also 
county  surveyor  eighteen  years.  The  mother,  Mary  ( Johnson)  Sum- 
mers, is  also  a native  of  Knox  County.  Our  subject  is  the  eldest  of  a 
family  consisting  of  himself  and  four  sisters,  all  still  living.  His  pater- 
nal great-grandparents  came  from  England  and  located  in  Virginia, 
where  the  grandfather,  Thomas  Summers,  was  born,  and  there  in  the 
early  settlement  of  Knox  County,  located  and  afterward  died. 

J.  A.  Swan,  county  trustee,  is  a native  of  Knox  County,  born  in  1857, 
and  the  only  son  of  a family  of  six  children  born  to  W.  H.  and  Mary  A. 
(Seaton)  Swan.  The  father  is  also  a native  of  Knox  County,  born  in 
1817,  and  is  now  a resident  of  Knoxville.  He  was  justice  of  the  peace 
of  Knox  County  from  1848  to  1856,  and  then  deputy  sheriff  six  years. 
He  was  sheriff  two  years,  tax  collector  two  years,  and  county  court  clerk 
a short  time  in  the  year  1864.  He  was  then  city  recorder  from  1866  to 
1867,  after  which  he  filled  an  unexpired  term  of  over  a year  in  the  crim- 
inal court  clerk’s  office.  He  was  city  tax  collector  one  year,  and  in  1878 
was  elected  county  trustee.  He  was  re-elected  in  1882,  but  resigned  in 
1884,  our  subject  succeeding  him.  The  mother  of  our  subject  was  also 
a native  of  Knox  County,  and  died  in  1880.  Our  subject  was  reared  and 


1058 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


educated  in  Knox  County,  completing  his  studies  at  the  University  in 
1877.  In  1878  he  acted  as  deputy  trustee  under  his  father,  whom  he 
succeeded  in  1884,  and  has  filled  the  office  since  that  date.  In  1878  lie 
married  M.  J.  Partin,  a native  of  Arkansas,  who  bore  her  husband  two 
children:  Clarence  L.  and  Anna  Belle.  Mr.  Swan’s  paternal  grand- 
parents were  born  and  reared  in  Tennessee,  and  came  to  Knox  County  in 
the  early  part  of  the  present  century. 

Charles  A.  Sweet,  superintendent  of  the  Brookside  Mills,  Knoxville, 
Tenn.,  is  a native  of  Rhode  Island,  born  in  1860,  and  the  son  of  Charles  J. 
and  Mary  J.  (Whipple)  Sweet,  both  natives  of  Rhode  Island,  now  resid- 
ing in  Knoxville,  Tenn.  Charles  A.  attended  the  public  schools,  and  was 
to  study  medicine,  but  contracted  the  measles  which  settled  in  his  eyes, 
and  his  physicians  assured  him  that  unless  he  gave  up  his  studies  he 
would  become  blind.  He  then  began  Avork  in  the  cotton -mill  at  Killingly, 
Conn.,  Avliere  his  father  was  agent,  and  went  through  all  the  different 
departments,  and  for  three  years  acted  as  overseer  of  carding.  At  the 
age  of  twenty  he  accepted  a situation  as  superintendent  in  a small  yarn 
mill  of  6,000  spindles,  which  position  he  held  for  one  year  and  a half, 
and  was  then  tendered  the  situation  of  superintendent  of  the  Lippitt 
Mills,  Phenix,  R.  I.  He  held  this  situation  for  three  years,  and  then 
resigned  to  come  to  Knoxville  to  assist  his  father  in  starting  the  Brook- 
side  Mills  of  Knoxville.  While  at  Lippitt  Mills  Charles  A.  was  known 
as  the  boy  superintendent,  being  the  youngest  superintendent  in  the 
State. 

R.  R.  Swepson,  president  of  the  Knoxville  Gas  Light  Company,  is  a 
native  of  Virginia,  and  came  to  Knoxville  in  December,  1866:  He  was 
president  of  the  First  National  Bank  until  it  closed  in  December,  1872. 
In  July,  1884,  he  became  a member  of  the  firm  of  Briscoes,  Swepson  & 
Co.,  of  which  he  is  still  a member.  In  September,  1876,  he  Avas  elected 
president  of  the  Knoxville  Gas  Light  Company,  and  is  the  principal  stock- 
holder of  the  company  which  was  organized  in  1856.  He  is  also  stock- 
holder in  the  Island  Home  and  East  Tennessee  Insurance  Companies, 
Coal  Creek  Mining  & Manufacturing  Company  and  Poplar  Creek  Mining 
Company.  Our  subject  is  the  third  child,  and  the  only  surviving  mem- 
ber of  a family  of  seven  children  born  to  William  M.  and  Ann  E.  (Redd) 
SAvepson,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Virginia,  Mecklenburg  and  Priuce 
Edward  Counties  respectively.  They  both  died  in  the  former  named 
county.  Our  subject’s  ancestors  were  of  Scotch  descent,  and  settled  in 
Princess  Anne  County,  Va. 

Jacob  Tarwater,  farmer,  Avas  born  in  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  April  29, 
1830,  and  is  the  son  of  William  and  Judia  (Childres)  TarAvater.  The 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


1059 


father  was  born  in  Blonnt  County,  Tenn.,  February  14,  1790,  and  died  at 
his  home  in  Knox  County  September  21,  1857.  The  mother  was  born 
in  Sullivan  County,  Tenn,  April  20,  1794,  and  also  died  at  her  home  in 
Knox  County,  October  28,  1866.  Our  subject  received  a limited  educa- 
tion in  the  country  schools,  and  early  in  life  began  cultivating  the  soil. 
In  1855  he  married  Evaline  French,  a native  of  Knox  County,  Tenn., 
born  July  19,  1828,  and  the  daughter  of  George  French.  She  is  of  Ger- 
man descent,  and  an  earnest  worker  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
Although  they  have  had  no  children  of  their  own,  six  orphan  children  have 
been  reared  by  them,  thus  clearly  showing  Mr.  Tarweather’s  charitable, 
benevolent  nature.  He  has  ever  been  a zealous  Republican,  and  was  a 
-strong  Union  man  during  the  late  war.  He  has  been  an  earnest  and 
energetic  farmer,  and  though  he  commenced  the  occupation  .of  farming 
without  capital  he  has  accumulated  wealth  and  is  the  owner  of  375  acres 
of  Knox  County  land.  He  has  never  held  any  civil  or  political  office. 

E.  A.  Taylor,  D.  D.,  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  Church,  of  Knoxville, 
Tenn.,  is  a native  of  Louisiana,  born  October  16,  1853,  the  son  of  A.  B. 
and  E.  C.  (Fluker)  Taylor,  both  natives  of  Louisiana.  The  father  was 
a physician  by  profession,  and  served  as  a general  in  the  war  between 
the  United  States  and  Mexico.  He  died  in  1855.  The  mother  was  born 
in  1830,  is  still  living,  and  is  the  daughter  of  Col  Robert  Fluker,  an 
officer  in  the  war  of  1812.  Our  subject  was  reared  in  Natchez,  Miss., 
where  he  acquired  his  early  education  in  the  primary  schools.  Desiring 
to  prepare  himself  for  the  ministry,  he  entered  and  graduated  from 
Mississippi  College  (Baptist),  and  followed  this  with  a two  years’  course 
at  the  Baptist  Theological  Seminary,  at  Louisville,  Ky.  His  pastoral 
duties  began  at  Grenada,  Miss.,  in  1878,  where  he  took  charge  of  the 
Baptist  Church  of  that  place,  and  continued  as  pastor  for  four  years. 
During  that  period,  however,  he  was  given  a vacation  in  order  to  travel 
through  Europe,  and  visit  Palestine  and  other  points  in  the  East.  His 
duties  in  Grenada  were  pleasant  and  very  successful.  He  removed  from 
that  place  to  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  and  took  charge  of  the  First  Baptist  Church, 
succeeding  as  pastor  Rev.  C.  H.  Strickland,  D.  D.  The  membership  of 
this  church  numbers  700,  being  one  of  the  largest  and  most  important  of 
that  denomination  in  the  State.  The  pastorate  of  our  subject  has  been 
very  successful,  the  membership  increasing  under  his  charge  at  an  aver- 
age rate  of  eighty  per  annum.  Among  the  incidents  pertaining  to  the 
prosperity  of  the  church  under  his  management  is  the  erection  of  the 
present  handsome  church  edifice  on  Gay  Street,  the  corner-stone  of  which 
was  laid  in  June,  1886,  and  which,  when  completed,  will  cost  about 
.$30,000  exclusive  of  the  ground  on  which  the  building  stands,  the 


1060 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


money  for  the  payment  of  which  has  already  been  raised.  Our  subject 
was  united  in  marriage,  in  1882,  to  Miss  Maggie  Jordan,  a native  of  Ten- 
nessee, born  May  26,  1862,  and  the  daughter  of  E.  L.  Jordan,  Esq.,  one 
of  the  wealthiest  and  most  influential  citizens  of  Murfreesboro,  Tenn.,. 
and  president  of  the  First  National  Bank  of  that  city.  He  is  also  the 
oldest  (in  point  of  service)  director  of  the  Nashville,  Chattanooga  & St. 
Louis  Railroad.  The  result  of  our  subject’s  marriage  was  the  birth  o£ 
two  children,  viz. : Eugene  A.,  Jr.,  born  in  1883,  and  E.  Leland,  born 
in  1885.  In  1887  he  preached  the  baccalaureate  sermon  for  Carson  Col- 
lege, University  of  Tennessee,  and  Mississippi  College,  and  received  the 
title  of  D.  D.  from  the  first  named  college,  in  his  thirty-third  year. 

O.  P.  Temple  was  born  in  Greene  County,  Tenn.,  in  1820,  near  old 
Greeneville  College.  His  father,  James  Temple,  was  a farmer  and  sur- 
veyor. He  was  the  son  of  Mazer  and  Mary  (Kennedy)  Temple.  Maj. 
Temple  moved  from  Pennsylvania  to  North  Carolina  in  1766,  and  here 
resided  until  1786,  when  he  settled  in  Greene  County,  Tenn.  He  took 
an  active  part  in  the  battle  of  King’s  Mountain,  and  was  a man  of  con- 
siderable property  and  high  standing.  His  wife  was  a relative  of  Gen. 
Daniel  Kennedy,  of  Tennessee,  and  aunt  of  Gen.  Thomas  Kennedy,  o£ 
Kentucky.  On  the  maternal  side  our  subject’s  mother,  Mary  Craig,  was 
the  daughter  of  Robert  and  Jane  Innis  Craig.  Robert  Craig  served 
throughout  the  Revolutionary  war  as  a captain  in  the  Pennsylvania 
forces,  and  at  one  time  commanded  the  body  guard  of  Gen.  Washington. 
He  was  distinguished  for  his  gallantry  and  daring.  After  the  war  he 
moved  to  South  Carolina,  where  he  married  Jane  Innis  Burns,  daughter 
of  John  Burns,  also  a Revolutionary  soldier,  who  moved  to  Greene 
County,  Tenn.,  about  1795.  Our  subject  was  reared  on  a farm,  which 
he  assisted  in  cultivating  during  the  summer  and  going  to  school  during 
the  winter.  He  lived  within  one  mile  of  Greeneville  College,  and  his 
early  educational  advantages  were  good.  In  1838  he  went  to  Tusculum 
College,  where  he  passed  three  years.  He  then  spent  three  more  years 
at  Washington  College,  then  in  a flourishing  condition  under  the  presi- 
dency of  the  brilliant  young  teacher  and  pulpit  orator,  A.  Alexander 
Doak.  Here  he  graduated  in  1844.  He  was  immediately  offered  a 
professorship  in  the  college,  which  he  declined.  Soon  after  this  he 
commenced  reading  law,  and  obtained  license  as  a lawyer  in  1846,  and 
settled  in  Greeneville,  Tenn.  In  1847,  one  month  before  the  election,  he 
became  a candidate  for  Congress  against  Andrew  Johnson,  in  a district 
Democratic  by  about  2,000  majority;  a hot  canvass  followed,  resulting 
in  reducing  the  majority  of  Johnson  so  low  that  it  was  regarded  at  the 
time  as  a defeat  for  him  although  he  was  elected.  This  race  gave 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


1061 


Temple  a notoriety  throughout  the  State.  In  1848  he  moved  to  Knox- 
ville, where  he  has  ever  since  resided,  following  his  profession  until  the 
last  six  years.  In  1851  he  married  Miss  S.  C.  Hume,  of  Blount  County, 
a beautiful  young  lady  of  great  attractions.  Their  only  child,  Miss 
Mary  B.,  is  a young  lady  of  finished  education.  In  1860  Mr.  Temple 
was  the  Bell  and  Everett  elector  for  the  Knoxville  district,  and  as  such 
was  very  active,  making  speeches,  etc.  In  1861  he  was  earnest  and  out- 
spoken in  his  opposition  to  secession,  and  glories  in  the  fact  to  this  day 
that  he  was  a Union  man.  After  the  war  he  returned  to  his  profession, 
and  in  1866,  without  the  slightest  knowledge  or  solicitation,  was 
appointed  chancellor,  which  position,  after  three  weeks’  hesitation,  he 
finally  accepted  and  held  for  twelve  years,  having  in  that  time  been 
twice  elected  by  overwhelming  majorities.  In  1878  he  voluntarily 
declined  becoming  a candidate  for  re-election,  and  returned  to  the  bar. 
About  1867,  when  Judge  Milligan  left  the  supreme  bench  of  Tennessee 
for  a position  in  the  court  of  claims  at  Washington,  the  vacant  position 
was  tendered  to  Mr.  Temple,  which  he  promptly  declined,  preferring  to 
remain  as  chancellor.  In  1874  he  was  appointed  by  President  Grant  a 
member  of  the  board  of  visitors  to  West  Point.  In  1881  he  was 
appointed  postmaster  at  Knoxville,  which  position  he  accepted  as  a con- 
venient way  of  retiring  from  his  profession.  He  held  this  office  for  four 
years,  and  discharged  its  duties  in  a faithful  and  efficient  manner.  Since 
retiring  from  that  position  he  has  devoted  his  time  to  his  own  private 
affairs  and  to  certain  public  trusts,  among  these  the  most  important  is, 
his  connection  with  the  University  of  Tennessee  as  a trustee.  He  is  at 
this  time  president  of  the  board  of  trustees,  and  chairman  of  the  farm  and 
experimental  station  committee.  He  has  for  many  years  been  an  active 
and  leading  member  of  the  board,  and  many  of  the  reforms  introduced 
in  the  university  originated  with  him.  He  is  thoroughly  alive  with  the 
spirit  of  progress  and  development,  especially  in  the  direction  of  scien- 
tific and  industrial  education  and  training.  He  is  a descendant  from 
Scotch-Irish  ancestors,  and  is  a member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

Jerome  Templeton,  of  the  la  w firm  of  Washburn  & Templeton,  was  born 
in  Bradley  County,  Tenn,  but  reared  in  Chattanooga.  He  graduated  at 
Cumberland  University  in  1871,  after  which  he  taught  the  Loudon  High 
School  at  Loudon,  Tenn.,  three  years,  and  in  the  meantime  read  law.  He 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  at  Loudon,  and  soon  began  practicing  at  Sevier- 
ville  where  he  remained  until  1881,  when  he  located  at  Knoxville,  the 
present  firm  being  formed  in  May,  1882.  The  firm  is  counsel  for  the 
Knoxville  Insurance  Company,  Mechanics'  National  Bank,  Knoxville 
Car  Wheel  Company,  Knoxville  Gas  Company,  and  also,  for  five  years, 


1062 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


has  represented  the  Rugby  colony.  Mr.  Templeton  married  Miss  Belle 
Mabry,  eldest  daughter  of  Col.  G.  W.  Mabry,  of  Knox  County,  in  1S73. 
Mr.  Templeton  is  a Master  Mason,  and  a successful,  enterprising  citizen. 
He  is  the  second  of  five  children  born  to  Allison  and  Mahala  (Cunning- 
ham) Templeton,  all  living  with  the  exception  of  one  son,  who  was 
killed  in  the  Peach  Tree  Creek  fight  near  Atlanta.  The  father  of  our 
subject  was  a native  of  Rhea  County  and  devoted  his  entire  life  to  the 
ministry  in  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church.  He  never  missed 
preaching  a single  Sunday  during  the  war.  His  death  occurred  in  Texas 
in  June,  1882.  The  mother  of  our  subject  was  a native  of  Monroe 
County,  Tenn.,  and  died  February  22,  1861. 

The  firm  of  Cone,  Shields  & Co.,  wholesale  grocers  and  manufacturers 
of  tobacco,  of  Knoxville,  was  organized  in  1885,  and  is  composed  of  H.  Cone 
& Sons,  of  Baltimore,  Md.,  and  J.  T.,  Jr.,  and  J.  S.  Shields,  of  Knox- 
ville. J.  T.  Shields,  Jr.,  is  a native  of  Grainger  County,  Tenn.,  was  born 
in  I860,  and  was  reared  in  that  county  and  educated  at  the  University  of 
Tennessee.  After  leaving  college  he  became  a member  of  the  firm  of 
Coffin,  Shields  & Co.,  and  in  1885  of  the  present  fii;m.  J.  S.  Shields  was 
born  in  Grainger  County  in  1863,  and  like  his  brother  was  'educated  at 
the  University  of  Tennessee.  Upon  leaving  college  he  traveled  for  two 
years  for  the  firm  of  Coffin,  Shields  & Co.,  and  then  became  a member  of 
the  present  firm.  Judge  J.  T.  Shields,  father  of  our  subjects,  was  born 
in  Grainger  County  in  1825,  and  is  one  of  the  leading  lawyers  of  East 
Tennessee,  practicing  only  before  the  supreme  bench.  In  18 — he  was 
appointed  by  Gov.  Porter  to  a place  on  the  supreme  bench,  and  later 
was  appointed  a member  of  the  court  of  referees  of  the  supreme  court. 
He  is  now  a resident  of  Bean’s  Station.  The  mother  of  our  subjects  was 
Elizabeth  Simpson,  who  was  born  at  Rodgersville,  Tenn.,  in  1827. 

James  AT.  Trent,  manufacturer  and  dealer  in  tobacco,  was  born  in 
Henry  County,  Va.,  October  15,  1834,  and  is  the  son  of  AVilliam  B.  and 
Sallie  AT.  (Garrett)  Trent,  natives  of  Virginia  and  North  Carolina,  and 
of  AA7elsh  and  French  descent  respectively.  Our  subject  received  his 
education  in  the  common  schools,  and  his  first  pursuit  in  life  was  that  of 
a tobacconist.  In  1854  he  married  Miss  Mary  E.  Mitchell,  a native  of 
Afirginia,  born  April  5,  1837,  of  Irish-French  descent,  and  a member  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  South,  to  which  she  has  belonged  since 
twelve  years  of  age.  To  the  marriage  of  our  subject  were  born  seven 
children:  AVilliam  L.,  whose  sketch  is  found  below;  C.  F.,  who  is  a 
merchant  of  Knoxville;  Mollie  T.,  wife  of  John  F.  Davis,  of  Knoxville; 
J.  R.,  who  is  traveling  salesman  for  his  father’s  business  in  tobacco; 
Bettie  Lee;  Flora  B.,  and  Samuel,  who  died  when  only  two  years  of  age. 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


1063 


In  1858  our  subject  removed  from  Virginia  to  Alabama,  where  he 
manufactured  and  dealt  largely  in  tobacco  until  the  fall  of  1866,  when  he 
removed  from  Alabama  to  Tennessee,  and  settled  on  his  present  farm, 
which  is  located  a few  miles  below  Strawberry  Plains,  -Jefferson  County, 
Tenn.  Here  he  established  a factory,  and  engaged  in  his  present  busi- 
ness. In  January,  1885,  his  son,  William  L.,  became  a partner  in  the 
business,  and  ever  since  the  firm  has  been  J.  W.  Trent  & Son.  Early  in 
life  Mr.  Trent  became  a member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
South,  and  for  the  last  twenty-six  or  twenty-seven  years  has  been  a 
steward  of  the  same.  He  is  a Royal  Arch  Mason,  and  a Democrat  in 
politics.  His  son,  William  L.,  was  born  in  Franklin  County,  Va., 
January,  21,  1855,  received  his  primary  education  in  the  common 
schools,  and  subsequently  attended  Hiwassee  College,  where  he  gradu- 
ated in  May,  1876.  He  taught  school  for  two  years,  and  in  September, 
1878,  entered  the  Cumberland  University  Law  School,  and  graduated  in 
June,  1879.  The  following  September  he  located  at  Knoxville,  and 
practiced  law  for  two  years,  after  which  he  was  for  one  year  business 
manager  of  the  Knoxville  Republican , and  after  the  consolidation  of  the 
Republican  and  Chronicle  he  was  the  business  manager  of  the  Daily  and 
Weekly  Chronicle , whose  editor  was  Henry  R.  Gibson.  At  the  end  of 
one  year  he  abandoned  journalistic  pursuits  on  account  of  ill  health,  and 
removed  from  Knoxville  to  his  father’s  home  near  Strawberry  Plains, 
Tenn.  In  1880  he  married  Miss  Sallie  E.  Thompson,  of  Jefferson  County, 
Tenn.,  daughter  of  William  and  Martha  M.  Thompson,  and  niece  of 
James  L.  Thompson,  of  the  United  States  Army.  To  this  marriage 
has  been  born  one  child,  a son,  named  James.  William  L.  Trent  is  a 
Republican  in  politics,  and  he  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  South. 

Dr.  W.  W.  Tydeman,  a prominent  practitioner  of  Knoxville,  Tenn., 
and  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the  homoeopathic  school  of  medicine  of  that 
city,  is  a native  of  England,  born  in  1821.  He  immigrated  to  America 
in  1869,  and  located  in  Knoxville  in  1872,  where  he  began  practicing 
his  profession,  and  although  almost  unknown  in  the  city  at  that  time,  the 
school  he  represented  has  since  grown  into  knowledge  and  standing. 
Our  subject  has  succeeded  in  building  up  a good  practice,  and  established 
a good  name  in  the  profession.  He  is  at  present  senior  member  of  the 
firm  of  Tydeman  & Caulkins,  the  junior  member  being  Douglas 
Caulkins,  who  is  a native  of  Duchess  County,  N.  Y.,  and  who  was  born 
December  15,  1857.  He  received  his  education  at  Athens,  Tenn.,  where 
he  began  the  study  of  medicine  in  1879.  He  then  attended  Rush 
Medical  College,  of  Chicago,  in  1882-83,  and  later  graduated  from 


1064 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


Hahnemann  College,  Philadelphia.  He  then  married  Miss  Lucie  Tyde-- 
man,  daughter  of  his  partner,  in  1886.  To  this  union  a daughter,  Edith, 
was  born  January  5,  1887.  Mrs.  Caulkins  was  born  on  Jamaica  Island, 
AVest  Indies,  and  is  of  English  parentage. 

Maj.  J.  H.  AVagner,  United  States  pension  agent  for  the  Southern 
States,  at  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  was  born  at  Mountain  City,  Johnson 
County,  Tenn.,  January  14,  1841,  and  is  the  son  of  M.  M.  and  Mary  S. 
(Fyffe)  AVagner.  The  father  was  born  in  Tennessee,  February  15, 
1801,  is  a farmer  and  merchant,  and  a resident  of  Mountain  City.  The 
mother  was  a native  of  North  Carolina,  born  February  16,  1807,  and  is 
still  living.  Both  parents  are  members  of  the  Baptist  Church.  Our 
subject  was  reared  in  Mountain  City,  where  he  acquired  his  early  edu- 
cation, later  attending  school  at  Boon’s  Creek  Academy,  AVasliington 
County,  Tenn.  At  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  he  had  not  finished 
school.  In  August,  1862,  he  went  through  the  lines  to  the  Federal 
Army  at  Cumberland  Gap,  but  did  not  immediately  enlist,  but  joined 
his  uncle  in  Missouri,  where  he  remained  until  the  following  spring. 
He  then  went  to  Nashville  and  made  an  ineffectual  attempt  to  join  the 
Fourth  Regiment  of  Tennessee  Volunteer  Infantry,  then  being  organized. 
He  applied  to  Gov.  Johnson  for  a permit  to  reach  the  camp  of  the 
regiment,  but  it  was  refused  on  account  of  the  stringent  orders  existing 
in  regard  to  parties  going  nearer  to  the  front.  He  then  went  North  to 
await  developments,  and  here  learned  of  the  organization  of  the 
Thirteenth  Regiment  of  Terfnessee  Cavalry,  at  Camp  Nelson,  Ky.,  and  in 
December,  1863,  joined  Company  E.  of  that  regiment.  A little  later 
he  was  promoted  to  major  of  the  same.  In  1865  he  was  elected  from  the 
regiment  to  the  State  Legislature,  and  after  serving  the  first  session 
resigned,  and  returned  to  his  home  in  East  Tennessee,  where  he  engaged 
in  mercantile  pursuits,  continuing  the  same  until  about  1883.  October 
2,  1886,  he  was  appointed  to  his  present  position.  June  18,  1874,  he 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Sallie  K.  AVhite,  of  Live  Oak,  Fla.,  who  was 
born  in  Tennessee,  February  4,  1852,  and  who  is  the  daughter  of  Col. 
John  F.  AVhite.  To  this  union  have  been  born  six  children,  only  four 
of  whom  are  living:  Mary,  born  May  18,  1875;  Mathias  M.,  born 

December  23,  1879;  Joseph  Cleveland  and  George  Hendricks  (twins), 
born  July  8,  1884,  the  day  the  Democratic  Convention  met  in  Chicago 
and  nominated  Cleveland  and  Hendricks  for  President  and  Vice-Presi- 
dent.  Our  subject  is  a member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  and  his  wife 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  South. 

AV.  P.  Washburn,  attorney,  of  the  firm  of  AVashburn  & Templeton, 
was  born  in  Massachusetts  in  1830.  He  was  reared  in  that  State,  and 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


1065 


graduated  at  Amherst  College  in  1851.  In  1856  lie  came  to  Knox- 
ville, and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1857,  since  which  time  he  has 
resided  and  practiced  his  profession  here.  The  firm  of  which  he  is  a 
member  was  formed  in  May,  1882.  In  1861  he  married  Mrs.  Minnie 
Leonard,  nee  Brown,  whose  death  occurred  in  1877.  He  afterward 
married  Mrs.  Edward  Maynard,  nee  Harper,  to  whom  two  children  have 
been  born,  one  of  whom  is  still  living.  Mr.  Washburn  is  vice-president 
of  the  Knoxville  Gas  Light  Company;  secretary  of  the  Knoxville  Car 
Wheel  Company,  and  director  in  the  Mechanics'  National  Bank  and 
Knoxville  Fire  Insurance  Company.  Our  subject  and  a brother,  John 
H.,  constituted  the  family  born  to  Bev.  Royal  and  Harriet  (Parsons) 
Washburn,  natives  of  Vermont  and  Massachusetts.  The  father  was  a 
minister  in  the  First  Congregational  Church  of  Amherst,  and  died 
there  in  1833.  The  mother  afterward  married  Hon.  David  Mack, 
who  died  about  1859;  she  died  in  1876.  His  brother,  John  H.,  is 
is  vice-president  and  secretary  of  the  Home  Fire  Insurance  Company, 
of  New  York  City. 

J.  W.  Weatherford,  of  the  firm  of  Middleton  & Weatherford,  brick- 
makers  and  contractors,  is  a son  of  AVilliam  and  Charity  Weatherford, 
natives  of  Virginia  and  North  Carolina  respectively.  On  coming  to 
Tennessee  they  settled  in  Sullivan  County,  where  the  father  followed 
the  shoemaker’s  trade.  Their  family  consisted  of  twelve  children — eight 
sons  and  four  daughters.  The  father  afterward  moved  to  Knoxville, 
and  here  he  sickened  and  died.  In  1818  his  widow  and  younger 
children  also  came  to  Knoxville.  Of  the  children,  two  served  in  the 
Mexican  war,  two  in  the  Federal  and  one  in  the  Confederate  Army.  Our 
subject  was  born  in  Sullivan  County  in  1835,  and  at  an  early  age 
began  in  a brickyard  as  an  off-bearer.  During  the  war  he  was  in  the 
railroad  service,  and  at  its  close  he  returned  to  Knoxville.  In  1865  Mr. 
Weatherford  married  Miss  Lizzie  Vincon,  of  Knoxville,  and  both  he  and 
his  wife  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  South.  In 
1866  our  subject  and  Mr.  Middleton  started  a brickyard,  without  a dol- 
lar. Their  outfit  was  a horse  and  a mud-mill  for  which  they  were  in 
debt.  Now  they  make  their  bricks  by  steam  power,  turning  out  a daily 
product  of  30,000  bricks.  For  twenty-one  years  Mr.  Weatherford  has 
been  in  that  business,  and  though  he  started  with  nothing,  has  suc- 
ceeded in  accumulating  a nice  property. 

David  H.  Weaver,  proprietor  of  the  Knoxville  Pottery  & Pipe  Works, 
was  born  in  Boyd  County,  Ky.,  June  29,  1839,  and  is  the  son  of  George 
C.  and  Eliza  M.  (Hogan)  Weaver.  The  father  is  a native  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, where  he  married  and  became  the  father  of  two  children,  both 


1066 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


deceased.  After  tlie  death  of  lifs  first  wife  he  moved  to  Kentucky,  and 
here  met  and  married  Miss  Hogan,  who  presented  him  with  seven  chil- 
dren— five  sons  and  two  daughters.  Both  parents  are  living  in  Knox- 
ville, and  although  seventy-three  years  of  age  the  father  still  works  at 
the  potter’s  trade.  Our  subject  learned  the  trade  of  his  father  in  early 
life,  and  followed  this  until  1862,  when  he  volunteered  in  Company  F, 
One  Hundred  and  Fortieth  Pennsylvania  Infantry,  Federal  Army.  At 
the  battle  of  Chancellorsville  a ball  cut  off  his  right  forefinger  and 
wounded  his  left  hand  severely.  As  soon  as  able  for  duty  he  was 
appointed  assistant  postmaster  at  Point  Lookout,  holding  that  position 
until  the  close  of  the  war.  In  1865  he  married  Miss  Mary  E.  Emery,  a 
native  of  Ohio,  and  to  them  were  born  six  children — one  son  and  five 
daughters.  In  1869  Mr.  Weaver  came  to  Knoxville,  and  the  following 
year  purchased  his  factory,  which  he  has  operated  successfully  ever 
since.  He  is  a Kepublican  in  politics,  and  he  and  his  Avife  are  members 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  He  is  a Mason  and  for  ten  years 
has  been  secretary  of  the  lodge. 

William  M.  Weber,  druggist  of  Broad  and  Crozier  Streets,  was  born 
in  western  New  York  April  19,  1840.  His  parents,  P.  S.  and  Maria 
(Norton)  Weber,  were  natives  of  New  York.  Both  parents  are  now 
deceased.  When  only  thirteen  our  subject  began  working  for  himself. 
He  had  received  his  education  at  South  Bend,  Ind.,  and  soon  afterward 
took  an  apprenticeship  in  a drug  house,  where  he  continued  until  1861. 
He  then  volunteered  in  Company  G,  Fifteenth  Indiana  Infantry,  and 
was  in  the  Western  Virginia  campaign,  coming  South  with  Gen.  Buell’s 
army,  and  afterward  under  Rosecranz.  At  Shiloh  he  became  first  lieu- 
tenant and  subsequently  quartermaster  of  his  regiment,  holding  that 
position  until  the  close  of  his  service.  He  was  offered  the  position  of 
post  quartermaster  at  Loudon,  Tenn.,  but  declined  on  account  of  the 
expiration  of  his  time.  He  was  mustered  out  at  Indianapolis  in  1864. 
He  was  superintendent  of  the  military  post  at  Paducah,  Ky.,  until  its  dis- 
organization, after  which  he  engaged  in  the  drug  business  at  Louisville, 
Ky.  In  1884  he  came  to  Knoxville,  and  has  been  dealing  in  drugs  ever 
since.  In  1869  he  married  Miss  Sarah  Carpenter,  of  Kentucky,  and  four 
children  were  the  result  of  this  union — one  son  and  three  daughters. 
Both  he  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Christian  Church.  He  is  a Mason 
and  a member  of  the  G.  A.  R. 

T.  A.  West,  M.  D.,  city  physician  of  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  was  born  in 
Knox  County  of  that  State,  near  Graveston,  in  1841,  and  is  the  son  of 
Edward  and  Arminda  (Roberts)  West,  both  natives  of  Tennessee.  The 
father  was  born  in  the  year  1818,  and  the  mother  in  1821.  They  are 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


1067 


now  residing  in  Knox  County,  and  the  mother  is  a member  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church.  Our  subject  was  reared  in  Knox  County  until  fifteen 
years  of  age,  when  he  went  to  Jefferson  County,  Tenn.,  and  in  1859 
began  the  study  of  medicine  under  Drs.  Rodefer  and  Blackburn  at  New 
Market,  Tenn.  He  attended  medical  college  in  New  York  City,  and  in 
1862  .began  the  practice  of  his  profession  near  Graveston,  Tenn.,  with 
Dr.  L.  M.  Mynatt.  He  next  removed  to  Dandridge,  Jefferson  County, 
where  he  practiced  his  profession  for  three  years.  He  then  went  to 
Georgia  and  remained  here  ten  years,  after  which  he  returned  to  Knox 
County.  In  1884  he  came  to  Knoxville,  and  in  January,  1886,  was 
elected  city  physician,  and  re-elected  in  1887.  He  was  married  June 
22,  1862,  to  Miss  Sallie  B.  Mitchell,  a native  of  Dandridge,  Tenn.,  born  in 
1840,  and  the  daughter  of  Maj.  Berry  Mitchell.  Four  children  were  the 
result  of  this  union — three  sons  and  one  daughter.  The  eldest  and 
youngest  sons  are  engaged  in  the  drug  business  in  Knoxville.  Dr.  and 
Mrs.  West  are  members  of  the  Third  Presbyterian  Church  of  Knox- 
ville. 

Hon.W.  O.  White,  of  the  firm  of  Chapman,  White,  Lyons  & Co., wholesale 
and  manufacturing  druggists  of  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  was  born  in  Cleveland. 
Bradley  Co.,  Tenn.,  March  14,  1843,  and  is  the  son  of  William  H.  and 
Caroline  (Townsend)  White.  The  father  was  born  in  Tennessee  in  1808, 
was  a merchant,  and  died  in  1848.  The  mother  was  born  in  1825  in  Ver- 
mont, and  is  residing  in  Cleveland.  Our  subject  was  reared  on  a farm 
near  Cleveland,  and  acquired  his  education  at  the  schools  of  that  place. 
In  December,  1862,  he  went  to  Louisville,  Ky.,  where  he  enlisted  in  the 
Federal  Army,  joining  Company  E,  Fourth  Kegiment  of  Tennessee 
Union  Cavalry,  Capt.  C.  D.  Champion.  He  served  as  private  for  nine 
months,  and  was  then  promoted  first  lieutenant  and  regimental  quarter- 
master. In  May,  1864,  he  was  promoted  captain  of  Company  I,  Fourth 
Tennessee  Regiment  Cavalry,  and  commanded  the  same  until  the  close 
of  the  war.  In  the  charge  at  the  battle  of  Franklin,  Tenn.,  in  the  Hood 
campaign,  he  was  wounded  by  a blow  from  a musket.  After  the  war  he 
engaged  in  business  in  Cleveland.  In  1867-68  lie  represented  Bradley 
County  in  the  State  Legislature,  and  in  1869  removed  to  Knoxville,  where, 
for  a year,  he  was  in  the  service  of  the  United  States  revenue  department. 
He  next  became  a member  of  the  firm  of  Hawkins,  Butt  & Co.,  stove  and  tin- 
ware dealers,  and  in  1880  became  a member  of  the  present  firm.  He  is 
a member  of  Coeur  de  Leon  Commandary,  No.  9,  K.  of  T.  of  Knox- 
ville. He  was  married  in  1871  to  Lute  Lynn,  who  was  born  in 
Sullivan  County,  Tenn.,  March  14,  1843,  and  is  the  daughter  of  Joseph 
Lynn.  To  them  have  been  born  three  boys.  Both  our  subject  and  wife 
are  members  of  the  Fourth  Presbyterian  Church  of  Knoxville. 


1068 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


John  Wieland,  farmer  and  fruit-grower  of  the  Twelfth  District,  was 
born  July  15,  1817,  in  Frederick  County,  Md.,  and  immigrated  to  Mont- 
gomery County,  Ohio,  in  1837.  In  the  spring  of  1869  he  came  to  Knox 
County,  Tenn.,  where  he  has  since  resided.  He  is  the  second  of  eight 
children  (five  of  whom  lived  to  be  grown)  born  to  Barnlierd  and  Eliza- 
beth (Bechtol)  Wieland,  natives  of  Virginia  and  Maryland,  respectively. 
Mr.  Wieland  was  a life-long  farmer,  and  he  and  wife  were  of  German 
descent.  John  Wieland’s  grandfather,  Barnlierd  Wieland,  was  born  and 
reared  in  Wurtenburg,  Germany.  He  came  to  America  shortly  after  the 
Revolutionary  war  aud  settled  in  Frederick  County,  Md.  Our  subject 
received  his  education  in  the  subscription  schools  of  Maryland,  and  at 
the  age  of  twenty-two  began  working  for  himself.  He  inherited  $1,500 
but  the  balance  of  what  he  is  now  worth  was  accumulated  by  his  own 
exertions.  He  owns  a fine  farm  of  410  acres,  all  well  improved,  and 
located  four  miles  northwest  of  Knoxville.  Besides  the  land  above  men- 
tioned he  has  given  considerable  to  his  children.  September  15,  1844, 
he  married  Miss  Margaret  Fudge,  a daughter  of  Jacob  and  Elizabeth 
(Potter)  Fudge,  and  to  them  were  born  eight  children.  Mrs.  Wieland 
was  a member  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  and  died  January  1,  1865.  Mr. 
Wieland  is  a member  of  the  same  church  and  is  a Republican ' in  politics, 
casting  his  first  presidential  vote  for  William  Henry  Harrison.  Since 
the  death  of  his  wife  Mr.  Wieland  has  made  his  home  with  his  children. 

J.  C.  J.  Williams,  United  States  district  attorney,  is  a native  of  Knox 
County,  Tenn.,  born  September  8,  1847,  and  reared  on  a farm  until  six- 
teen years  of  age,  securing  the  rudiments  of  an  education  by  attending  the 
country  schools  in  the  winter  season.  He  then  attended  school  at  Prince- 
ton, N.  J.,  two  years,  after  which  he  studied  under  a private  tutor  at 
home  one  year.  At  the  age  of  twenty  he  began  to  study  law  in  Knox- 
ville, where  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  October,  1868.  In  November, 
1873,  he  married  Miss  Anna  Hazen,  a native  of  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  to 
wdiom  five  children  have  been  born — four  daughters  and!  one  son.  The 
mother  of  these  children  died  February  3,  1885.  In  1873  Mr.  Williams 
was  appointed  district  attorney  for  the  district  of  Knox,  then,  in 
August,  1874,  he  was  elected  to  the  same  position,  holding  the  office  until 
March  2,  1878,  when  he  resigned.  Previous  to  this,  in  1872,  he  was 
defeated  for  the  office  by  twenty-four  votes,  and  his  competitor  aftenvard 
resigning  gave  him  his  appointment  in  1873.  He  was  the  Democratic 
candidate  for  criminal  judge  in  1878,  for  the  State  Senate  in  1882,  and 
Knox  County  representative  in  1884.  July  3,  1885,  he  was  appointed 
United  State  district  attorney,  which  appointment  was  conferred  July 
26,  1886,  against  the  bitter  opposition  of  the  Republicans  in  East  Ten- 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


1069 


nessee.  Mr.  Williams  still  continues  the  practice  of  law  in  connection 
with  his  official  duties.  The  Williams’  family,  ancestors  of  our  subject, 
came  to  America  from  Wales  and  settled  in  Halifax  previous  to  the 
Revolutionary  war,  in  which  the  great-grandfather  was  a colonel.  The 
grandfather  was  a colonel  under  Gen.  Jackson  at  the  battle  of  Horseshoe 
in  the  war  of  1812.  He  came  to  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  at  the  beginning 
of  the  present  century,  and  married  a daughter  of  Gen.  James  White,  who 
was  of  Scotch-Irish  descent.  The  grandfather  -was  eight  years  in  the 
United  States  Senate,  and  then  was  defeated  in  1823  by  Gen.  Jackson. 
The  parents  of  our  subject,  John  and  Rhoda  (Morgan)  Williams,  were 
natives  of  Knox  County,  and  resided  here  until  their  deaths.  The  father 
represented  Knox  County  several  times  in  the  Legislature,  and  was  the 
Democratic  candidate  for  Congress  in  1867,  being  defeated  by  Horace 
Maynard.  His  death  occurred  April  21,  1881,  and  the  mother  died 
March  2,  1867. 

C.  M.  Woodbury,  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  Standard  Handle 
Company,  of  Knoxville,  was  boi'n  in  Alexandria,  Va.,  April  15,  1853. 
His  father,  Gen.  Daniel  P.  Woodbury,  was  a native  of  New  Hampshire. 
He  was  a man  of  fine  mathematical  attainments.  He  is  the  author  of  a 
work  entitled,  “ Theory  of  the  Arch,”  and  other  mathematical  works 
used  in  the  leading  colleges.  He  constructed  Fort  Jefferson,  on  Tortu- 
gas  Island,  and  opened  Cape  Fear  and  James  Rivers.  During  the  war 
he  rendered  excellent  service  as  chief  engineer  in  the  pontoon  depart- 
ment of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac;  he  died  in  1864.  The  mother  of 
our  subject  was  born  on  Governor’s  Island,  N.  Y.,  and  was  the  daughter 
of  Col.  Thomas  Childs,  of  Mexican  war  fame.  Of  the  six  children  born 
to  this  union,  four  are  now  living — two  sons  and  two  daughters.  The 
other  son,  Thomas  Childs  Woodbury,  is  a lieutenant  in  the  United  States 
Army.  Our  subject  was  educated  on  Long  Island  and  at  Adelphia 
Academy,  of  Brooklyn.  At  the  age  of  seventeen  he  engaged  as  clerk  in 
a New  York  house,  and  remained  there  thirteen  years,  rising  in  the 
meantime  from  the  lowest  to  the  highest  .position  in  the  house.  In  1879 
he  married  Miss  Mary  S.  Kicoll,  of  Long  Island,  by  whom  he  has  three 
sons.  He  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church. 
In  1881  he  moved  to  Knoxville,  and  organized  and  started  the  Standard 
Handle  Company,  an  establishment  which  sends  its  products  directly  to 
foreign  countries,  as  well  as  all  over  the  United  States,  and  enjoys  a 
reputation  second  to  none  in  this  line  of  manufacture. 

W.  W.  Woodruff,  of  the  wholesale  hardware  firm  of  W.  W.  Wood- 
ruff & Co.,  is  a native  of  Kentucky,  born  in  1840,  and  was  reared  and 
educated  in  his  native  State.  At  the  breaking  out  of  the  late  war  he 


67 


1070 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


enlisted  as  captain  of  Company  D,  Thirteenth  Kentucky  Infantry,  United. 
States  Volunteers,  with  which  he  served  throughout  the  war.  He  then 
located  at  Knoxville,  and  established  the  wholesale  hardware  firm  of 
which  he  is  senior  member.  In  1865  he  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Ella  T.  Connelly,  a native  of  Frankfort,  Ky.,  to  whom  eight  children 
have  been  born,  six  still  living.  Mr.  Woodruff  is  one  of  the  board  of 
trustees  for  the  deaf  and  dumb  asylum,  and  president  of  the  Standard 
Coal  and  Coke  Company,  vice-president  of  the  Knoxville  and  the  Pro- 
tection Fire  Insurance  Companies.  He  is  a director  of  the  East  Ten- 
nessee National  Bank,  and  also  a director  of  the  Knoxville  Car  Wheel 
Company. 

Nathan  S.  Woodward,  business  manager  for  James  O’Conner  & Co., 
was  born  in  Knoxville,  July  19,  1844,  and  in  that,  city  received  his  educa 
tion.  At  the  age  of  seventeen  he  entered  the  express  service  as  a messenger, 
and  step  by  step  he  rose  to  agent,  and  finally  to  assistant  superintendent 
of  the  office  from  Lynyliburg,  Va.,  to  Selma,  Ala.,  and  Atlanta,  Ga.  In 
1882  he  assumed  the  duties  of  his  present  position.  His  father,  Alex- 
ander Woodward,  was  a native  of  Virginia.  He  was  a man  of  good  lit- 
erary attainments,  although  acquired  without  the  assistance  of  school  or 
teachers,  and  was  a physician  by  profession.  About  1842  he  came  to 
Knoxville  and  took  for  his  second  wife  Miss  Mary,  sister  of  David  Sul- 
lins,  D.  D.  Of  this  marriage  our  subject  is  the  only  son.  He  has  a 
family  of  three  children — one  son  and  two  daughters — born  to  his  union 
with  Miss  Annie  Peed.  Mrs.  Woodward  is  a native  of  Knoxville,  and  an 
earnest  worker  in  all  the  movements  that  tend  to  elevate  the  social  and 
moral  standing  of  the  community.  She  has  been  treasurer  of  the 
Woman’s  Missionary  Society  in  Holston  conference  since  its  organiza- 
tion, and  is  also  an  active  worker  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
South.  Mr.  Woodward  is  a Knight  Templar;  is  a member  of  the 
Masonic  order,  and  has  held  the  position  of  Senior  Warden,  Deputy 
Grand/ Master,  Grand  Master  of  the  State,  and  is  now  Grand  Captain 
General  Knights  Templar  Tennessee. 

John  D.  Wrinkle  was  born  in  Knox  County,  February  15,  1845,  and 
is  the  son  of  John  and  Sophia  (Wrinkle)  Wrinkle.  The  father  was 
born  in  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  in  1806,  and  died  at  his  home  in  Knox 
County  in  1881.  The  mother  was  born  in  Knox  County  in  1812,  and  at 
present  is  living  with  her  sister  in  Missouri.  The  father  was  of  Dutch 
extraction,  and  the  mother  of  Scotch -Irish.  They  both  became  mem- 
bers of  the  Baptist  Church  early  in  life.  The  father  was  ever  a zealous 
Democrat.  Our  subject  received  a limited  education  in  the  common 
schools,  but  by  observation  and  study  has  become  a well  informed  man. 


KNOX  COUNTY. 


1071 


He  is  a Democrat,  but  takes  no  part  in  politics  more  than  to  cast  his  vote 
in  favor  of  his  party.  He  has  always  been  a farmer  and  has  been  quite 
successful  in  that  occupation.  He  has  also  followed  stock  raising  on  his 
fine  farm  of  500  acres.  To  his  marriage  to  Miss  Margaret  A.  I.  Bowman 
in  1870  were  born  five  children,  the  eldest  is  deceased.  Those  living 
are  two  girls,  Maggie  and  Burton,  and  two  boys,  Samuel  and  W.  Grover 
Cleveland.  Mrs.  Wrinkle  was  born  in  Knox  County,  Tenn.,  November 
14,  1849. 

Thomas  E.  Wrinkle,  a successful  farmer,  was  born  in  Knox  County, 
Tenn.,  December  9,  1854,  and  is  the  son  of  John  and  Sophia  (Wrinkle) 
Wrinkle.  (For  further  particulars  of  parents  see  sketch  of  John  D. 
Wrinkle.)  Our  subject  received  his  education  in  the  common  country 
schools,  and  while  yet  quite  youthful  turned  his  attention  to  agricult- 
ural pursuits.  Miss  Evaline  Hines  became  his  wife  in  1879,  and  to  this 
union  were  born  three  children,  one  dying  when  quite  young.  The  two 
living  are  Virgie  May  and  Hattie  Evaline.  The  mother  died  May  26, 
1885.  In  1886  Mr.  Wrinkle  married  Miss  Kate  Slatery,  a native  of 
Knox  County,  born  February  6,  1862.  One  child,  Allen  A.,  was  born  to 
this  union  November  27,  1886.  Our  subject  is  a young  and  energetic 
farmer  and  owns  a farm  of  125  acres  of  land  well  improved  and  very 
productive.  He  is  and  always  has  been  an  uncompromising  Repub- 
lican. 

Col.  Isham  Young,  chairman  of  the  board  of  public  works  for  Knoxville, 
was  born  in  Roane  County,  Tenn.,  in  1838,  and  was  reared  in  that  county 
until  the  commencement  of  the  war,  when  he  enlisted  in  the  First  Ten- 
nessee Infantry,  United  States  Army,  and  at  the  organization  was  elected 
orderly  sergeant,  from  which  he  was  promoted  in  a few  months  to 
first  lieutenant  of  the  same  company  (I),  and  February,  1862,  assumed 
the  duties  of  captain  until  April  15,  1863,  when  he  was  appointed  lieuten- 
ant-colonel of  the  Eighth  Tennessee  Infantry.  August  16,  1863,  he  was 
commissioned  with  two  others,  to  organize  the  Eleventh  Tennessee  Cav- 
alry, and  October  21  of  the  same  year  he  was  mustered  in  as  colonel  of 
the  same.  Previous  to  the  war,  in  1858,  he  wedded  Miss  Margaret  C. 
Atkinson,  a native  of  Roane  County,  to  whom  three  children  have  been 
born.  December,  1864,  Mr.  Young  located  at  Knoxville,  and  was  con- 
nected with  the  East  Tennessee,  Virginia  & Georgia  Railroad,  from  July, 
1865,  until  April,  1882,  and  in  January,  1886,  was  elected  to  his  present 
position.  He  is  a member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity.  His  father,  Eree- 
moton  Young,  is  a native  of  Roane  County,  Tenn.,  born  in  1813,  and 
still  resides  there.  He  was  at  one  time  trustee  of  that  county.  Lucinda 
(Evans)  Young,  mother  of  our  subject,  was  also  a native  of  Roane 


1072 


BIOGRAPHICAL  APPENDIX. 


County,  and  died  there  October  27,  1885.  Of  their  family  of  eight 
children,  six  are  now  living. 

A.  Ziegler,  of  the  firm  of  Metier  & Ziegler,  was  born  in  Germany  in 
1844,  and  came  to  America  in  1866,  locating  soon  after  at  Knoxville, 
where  he  has  since  been  successfully  engaged  in  the  meat  trade.  He 
followed  the  butcher’s  trade  with  Ignaz  Fanz  one  year,  and  then  became 
a member  of  the  firm  of  Schneider  & Ziegler,  where  he  coutinued  until 
1872,  when  the  present  firm  was  formed.  The  same  year  he  took  for 
his  life  companion  Miss  Eliza  Metier,  daughter  of  the  senior  member  of 
the  firm.  The  result  of  this  union  was  the  birth  of  six  children,  two  of 
whom  are  deceased.  The  parents  of  our  subject  were  born  in  Germany, 
where  the  mother  still  resides,  and  where  the  father  died  about  1863. 


